The Secret Tibet (The Forbidden world)

 

China is now Europe's most important economic partner. Some 200,000 jobs in Germany, the EU's leading economy, depend on exports to China, according to a July survey by the German Chamber of Trade and Industry. By next year, China will be Germany's main trading partner, with exports to the country
forecast to increase 10% this year to more US$50 billion.

Chinese trade with France is heading for a 25% increase over last year after reaching $18.3 billion in the first half of this year.

Germany and France are, not coincidentally, increasingly tolerant of autocratic Chinese moves, as evident from the treatment that the Tibetan leader, the Dalai Lama, was given this summer in Paris and Berlin.

Tibet has been seeking increased autonomy within China. Once an independent kingdom, it has been under Chinese occupation since 1950. The Dalai Lama, the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize winner who leads the India-based Tibetan government in exile, is considered by Beijing to be a terrorist encouraging Tibet separatism.

The Dalai Lama spent almost two weeks in France this month. Unlike on earlier visits to Paris, he did not get to meet any significant political leader, let alone President Nicolas Sarkozy, having to make do with meeting a handful of second-rank French parliamentarians at a closed-door session on August 13. Sarkozy's wife, the singer and former model Carla Bruni, attended a religious ceremony led by the Dalai Lama in the south of the country.

Sarkozy, not known to skip a photo opportunity with international personalities, said he did not meet the Dalai Lama in order to "respect the spiritual character" of the Tibetan leader's visit to France.

The cool reception to the Dalai Lama is nevertheless seen by commentators as the direct consequence of very public Chinese pressure. Ahead of the Dalai Lama's visit to Paris, Chinese ambassador Kong Quan emphatically urged Sarkozy not to meet the Tibetan leader.

"If such a meeting took place, it would have serious consequences because it would be contrary to the principle of non-interference in internal affairs," the ambassador told reporters in Paris.

Sarkozy replied that it was not the Chinese government's duty "to rule my agenda or to fix my appointments". Yet when the time came, Sarkozy refused to meet the Dalai Lama. Instead, he went to Beijing for the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympic Games.

"It is a pity that the French government rolls out the red carpet when [Colombian politician] Ingrid Betancourt comes to Paris, but forces the Dalai Lama to come in through the back door," Lionel Luca, member of the French parliament said at a press conference.

"The [Chinese pressure] must be extremely strong," said Luca, a member of Sarkozy's Union for a Popular Movement party. "Only the French fear of losing business orders from China explains our cowardice."

During his visit to Beijing, Sarkozy signed contracts for two French-made nuclear power plants worth $13 billion. Former French prime minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin, who accompanied the president to Beijing, said Sarkozy's presence in China proved indispensable for the successful closure of the deal.

For all this, it seems, the Dalai Lama had to be treated badly, prompting many in France to protest against such a reception.

"It is not by acting as a bedside carpet that we are going to gain respect from the Chinese," Socialist Party (PS) member of parliament Jean-Louis Bianco said in an interview on French television. The Dalai Lama "is a Nobel Prize winner, and it is not a shame to meet him in public. There is no reason to conceal that we are meeting him."

The Chinese are not letting go. In a statement released in Beijing on August 13, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs protested against Sarkozy's as yet vague plans to meet the Dalai Lama in December. It urged the French government "to take into consideration Chinese concerns and to handle the sensitive [Tibetan] question with the due prudence".

This prudence is necessary to "guarantee the sane and stable development of French-Chinese relations", the Beijing government said.

The Chinese government has issued similar warnings to other European governments.

After German Chancellor Angela Merkel met the Dalai Lama in Berlin in September 2007, Chinese Minister for Foreign Affairs Yang Jiechi said Merkel had "offended" his people and "gambled away" Beijing's trust. The Chinese government canceled the annual human-rights dialogue between Germany and China that was scheduled for Beijing that December.

Merkel's meeting with the Dalai Lama also led to tensions within the German coalition government. German Minister for Foreign Affairs Frank-Walter Steinmeier accused Merkel of trying to "showcase" human rights. Merkel is president of the Christian Democratic Union party; Steinmeier is a leading member of the Social Democratic Party, a coalition partner.

When the Dalai Lama came to Berlin in May this year, just weeks after the Chinese government had violently repressed demonstrations by Tibetan monks in Tibet capital Lhasa, almost no German high-ranking officials were available for a meeting.

(Inter Press Service)

 

(Information from official website of Hanna Foltyn-Kubacka,UEN, Polish member of PE: http://www.foltynkubicka.pl/en)

Recommended action to all EU's TSGs: to write to all members of this committees from your countries in EP and urge them to support award for His Holiness! List of all members you can find on the official siet of EUP: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/

Piotr Cykowski
Program Tybetanski / Fundacja Inna Przestrzen
Tibetan Programme / The Other Space Foundation
www.ratujTybet.org / www.tibetnetwork.org

Russians Rally Support to End Tibet Oppression through Fasting
Tibet.net[Tuesday, September 02, 2008 11:06]
The 12-hour symbolic fasting and prayer service for global peace, happiness for all humanity, relieve Tibetans suffering torture and oppression under the Chinese government, was observed across many regions in Russia.

Moscow: The synchronized non-violent campaign initiated by the Tibetan Solidarity Committee received an overwhelming support from Tibetans, Tibet Support Groups, Buddhists Centers-based in Russia, organised across the world on Saturday, 30 August.

During the 12-hour-long fasting and prayers, the Buddhists in various regions of Russia, recited prayers for His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Guru prayers, Dhen-pai Nga-dra, Dhen-stik Mon-lam (Prayer of Truth), prayer of 21 Taras, six-syllable Mani mantra and invocation prayers of deities Palden Lhamo and Nechung.

"This office (Office of Tibet) remains profoundly grateful to all the Buddhists in Russia for offering special prayers for the long life and quick recovery of His Holiness the Dalai Lama," said Mr Tashi, representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Moscow.

Mr Tashi said: "As per the instruction received from the Tibetan Solidarity Committee and Kalon Tripa, the Office of Tibet, Moscow, has approached the local Tibetans, Tibet support Groups and the Buddhist Centers in Russia to partake in the non-violent action."


Moscow: The local Buddhists including a very few local Tibetans in Moscow have gathered at the prayer hall of Lama Tsongkhapa Buddhist Center from 10:00 hrs to 22:00 hrs. A total number of around fifty people have joined the fasting and prayers.

Taking a keen interest on the event, the local journalists from Novaya Gazeta and Portal Credo spoke to Representative Tashi on the objectives and importance of the fasting and prayers. They were also interested on the present situation inside Tibet and the dialogue process between the envoys of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and representatives of the Chinese government. The local dailies on day after published reports on the non-violent campaign.

As a mark of gratitude, the office of Tibet offered hot Tibetan tea to all the participants after completing the prayers and fasting.

On that day, a group of five Tibetan monks from Drepung Gomang monastery who were on religious visit to Russia, dedicated their prayers and Mandala offerings for world peace and long life of His Holiness, held at Roerich Museum in Moscow.

Kalmykia: Geden Shedrub Choekhorling Buddhist temple in Elista in close cooperation with the local Tibetan Buddhist monks and TSG, observed a 12-hour fasting and mass prayer for world peace from 9:00 hrs to 21:00 hrs (local time).

More than five hundred people participated in the event. Later, the local people led by the Tibetan monks also organised a candle light procession in the city of Elista.

The whole event received an extensive coverage in the local media, including Kalmyk State Television Company.

Buriatya: In Ulan Ude, around three hundred local Buddhist followers of Reverend Tibetan Lama Yeshe Lodroe Rinpoche, gathered at the Rinpoche's Culture Center and sat for fasting and prayers for world peace and happiness.

Lodroe Rinpoche offered prayers for the long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama by conducting Dolkar Yeshe Tsewang initiation.

Similarly, between one hundred fifty to two hundred people, consisting of students and the Buddhist followers of Geshe Jampa Thinley joined in the non-violent action at Green Tara Buddhist Center in Ulan Ude.

Before sitting on fast, they held a brief religious procession in the city center of Ulan Ude to draw the attention of the people for world peace and to support the Tibetan cause. The local media gave wide-coverage of the Tibetan people's non-violent initiative for world peace.

Tuva: In Tuva republic, abbot of Gaden Shartse, Geshe Lobsang Thupten presided over the 12-hour prayer service and symbolic fasting, attended by around sixty local Buddhists at the city center hall.

Aginskyi: Some thirty local Buddhists along with two Tibetans observed the 12-hour-long worldwide prayer and symbolic fasting in Aginskyi.

Apart from the above-mentioned places, the Buddhists in Serbian cities of Novasibirskyi, Omsk, Ufa and Irkutsk also took part in the worldwide prayers and fast for peace and non-violent fight against oppression.

Geshe Jampa Thinley took the initiative in leading around hundred sixty people in these region to commit them to this important non-violent action.

More than seven hundred people have given positive response to an appeal to join this non-violent campaign posted on the office of Tibet's official website, www.savetibet.ru.

Introduction:

By Tenzin Pema-Beginning from cradle to grave, female population has always been contributing a lot in the families in particular and the society at large. It is generally believed that in order to have a happy and successful society, it is utmost important and essential to make every family happy, healthy, prosperous and peaceful. In order to impress their parents and to gain extra love and affection, almost all the female children always try to excel in every field. They even learn to do household chores and also look after their younger siblings. All these small deeds bring lots of happiness and satisfaction to their parents.

Generally, female offspring are second mother to their younger siblings, because they observe and see their mother’s ways of loving and caring her children and they are more or less trained at home in nurturing kids and they even try their gained knowledge during their mother’s absence. In that way, she even lightens the work-loads of mother at home.

After marriage, she is the right hand supporter to her life-partner and supports in accomplishing many things which are helpful to their family in particular and nation at large. She is his best friend who understands him the best and if necessary, she is even mother to him. Due to her true love, respect and support, he is able to do wonders in the world.

After few years of her marriage, she undertakes the most important responsibility of the world, i.e. Motherhood. Soon after conception, she possesses such a strong will-power to accept death to avoid any obstacle to her unborn baby and right after this stage of women till last breath, she engrosses herself in fulfilling desires of her family members and forgets everything about her own existence. Who else can do such a noble work? Yes! Only Mother!!! But unfortunately, some forget her hardships and sacrifices when they are successful in achieving something later and some even do not acknowledge the greatness of Mother.

Beyond the four walls of her house, she even undertakes several additional important responsibilities in the society like teachers, politicians, doctors, artists, singers, engineers, business women, journalists, nurses, etc. In that way, she contributes equally in the society.

Tibetan women’s role in the decision-making arena of CTA:

CTA welcomes everyone to be her family members, but since it is the family which runs the whole society or nation and it is essential to all the members to be educated, able, determined and courageous to regard the nation’s goal more important than personal profit.

And as far as the Tibetan women are concerned, we are not equally represented in the decision-making arena of the CTA and it is neither because we are lacking courage or determination to do something for our nation nor anyone is stopping us to participate in that arena. But the causes for Tibetan women being under represented in the decision-making arena of CTA are following:

Family: As I have mentioned earlier that most of the women are always fully engrossed in household chores and fulfilling desires of her family members because she feels more joy and happy when her family members are happy and contented. Tibetan women are very much successful in maintaining a healthy and happy family, which contributes a lot in the development of a nation. While doing so, she can’t give extra time and energy to others like government-related matters. Therefore, she lacks in knowledge regarding governmental procedures.

Children: In order to have a healthy nation, it is utmost important to nurture all the tender seeds with great care. In order to give sound physical, mental and emotional growth to every child, both the parents need to give enough time to their children and generally, all the fathers hardly have enough time from their tight daily schedule for their offspring and therefore, mother is indispensable to take the role of both the parents. In that way, again she sacrifices her own wishes happily for the sake of her children and as a result, she can’t concentrate fully on other works other than her family and children.

Education: It may not be false, if I mention here that Tibetan women’s inclination towards learning and enriching knowledge is inferior to men and I don’t mean that all the women are included in that category, but majority of us definitely falls in this category. It seems that females are likely to be best interested in studies when they are in school, but majority of them start losing interest in studies during college life or after school life and it keeps on declining since then. They find more interest in others like home, relationships, etc. Eventually, the standard of education among females becomes poor and they are likely to face difficulty in gaining confidence with regards to initiating or leading any project in the government.

How female representation in the decision-making arena of the CTA can be improved:

Propagandization of the contributions and achievements of Tibetan women in past: Tibetan women have been struggling and working so hard since time immemorial and there have been several numbers of patriots and great examples among our female ancestors. Now we need to bring them into light through book publications, dramas, movies, etc. In that way, our younger generation will be inspired to march forward on their footsteps.

Proper guidance by parents: We the Tibetans are usually being given highly respected value education by our parents and our unique culture since our childhood which greatly helps us to become a successful person in future. But these days, due to their hectic schedule, some parents are unable to give enough time to their offspring which ultimately affects the sound development of the children and as a result, the children face difficulties when they grow up and the parents fail to help them at that period of time.

Lesson of ‘rights and duties’ to our students: Rights and duties are like the two sides of a coin, so one is meaningless without the company of other. Therefore, proper lesson of both the rights and duties should be imparted to the students. If anyone does her duties sincerely then she is surely be rewarded with her rights. If anyone always strives hard to get and enjoy only rights, then this is not good and healthy. Both are important requisites and have to go together and both should be taught together.

Special education to female students: It would be favourable if the female students are given special education regarding leadership, confidence build-up, expertise in particular subject, master in minimum two languages including mother-tongue, etc. They should be given proper counseling and guidance to choose the appropriate career. Additionally, the importance and scope of the respective career in our society should also be highlighted. It is also effective and forceful to introduce well-qualified young Tibetan women like doctor, engineer, manager, social worker, writer, poetess, artists, etc. among the female students and arrange program for special interaction among them.

Program for Tibetan working women-folk: In addition to all the household chores, many Tibetan women also work in different offices either big or small. They possess enough basic education to reach higher goals in their lives, but the need at this moment is to inspire them to take out minimum one hour everyday from their domestic chores just to enrich their knowledge. They should be convinced that the knowledge they have gained so far is not enough because there is no edge for knowledge and everyone needs to learn throughout life. Initially, they must read and write according to their own taste and when they get well-adapted to this routine then they can switch over to the necessity of private and public issues.

Value Education: We the Tibetan women opt to do all the household chores voluntarily at home and it is neither rule nor forced by anyone but it is our well mannered character. We find real joy and happiness when our family members are happy and contented with our work. This is what we call value education. Therefore, we should continue with this noble work of peaceful home-maker and simultaneously, we must take out some leisure time either in the morning or evening to enrich our knowledge, vocabulary, language and experience. Eventually, the Tibetan women will be on the top list for excelling in all the walks of life either at home or in office. If all the mothers are successful in every field then surely all the daughters will be very much inspired by their mothers’ achievements and contributions.

Conclusion:

In a nutshell, the contribution of womanhood in this world is unfathomable but usually, many are not acknowledged. Generally, most of the women are left silently behind the four walls of the family where they are very much engrossed with household chores, nurturing children and fulfilling desires of all her family members. Due to her untiring and selfless support, all the men are successful in gaining name, fame and money outside the family. Therefore, it is appropriate to quote here that, “There is woman behind every successful man”. This is one of the most important contributions of womanhood in making this world a better place to live in. Simultaneously, what is needed at this juncture is that along with the above contributions, women need to take out some time for herself to enrich knowledge and broaden their assigned work and be confident to participate in all the enterprises.

THE END


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