<$BlogRSDURL$>
Agam's Gecko
Saturday, July 05, 2008
 
CHINA: READY TO TALK, NOT READY TO LISTEN
Tibet - China meeting
Representatives of Tibet and China meet in Beijing on July 1, 2008. From left: Tibetan Special Envoys Kelsang Gyaltsen and Lodi Gyari, the translator, and Du Qinglin, Vice Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and Minister of the Central United Front Work Department.
Photo: Central Tibetan Administration
A

Tibetan diplomatic team returned to Dharamsala on Friday, fresh from another round of "talks" with representatives of the Chinese government. While hopes were high that this "official" round might produce some signs of progress after the last "informal" meeting in early May made no progress at all (marked by constant demonization of Dalai Lama in Chinese state-run media before, during and after it), any amateur CCP-watcher could almost predict with certainty what would happen this time.

Of course, the Chinese government through its Party mouthpieces kept up its lying vilification campaign -- before, during and after this meeting too. I use scare quotes around "talks" because such a term normally implies that listening is also going on. It's clear from what is known of these events that, while the Tibetan side hears and addresses the expressed Chinese concerns openly, the Chinese side simply covers their ears and re-issues their already-fulfilled demands.

I'm beginning to see the Chinese strategy here. Naturally, just holding these events goes some way to getting the world off its back on the Tibet issue (progress or no) barely a month before their treasured Olympic Games are set to begin. But the loony-bin rhetoric is meant for domestic consumption; that's what the hyper-nationalist community can't seem to get enough of.

Having actual Tibetans from exile in town -- representatives of the man they love to hate -- ensures more attention for their unhinged screeds, more mileage out of the vilification campaign, and more boost to the CCP's tough guy image. Finding an actual solution to 57 years of absolutely failed policies comes far down on the priority list.

As the meetings were beginning in Beijing, the Communist Party boss in Tibet, hard-liner Zhang Qingli issued another of his blistering accusations.
"The March 14 incident was a seriously violent criminal incident by the Dalai clique. The organized and orchestrated incident was created by Tibetan separatists after long-term preparation, with the support and instigation of Western hostile forces," Zhang was quoted as saying...

"At a sensitive moment, they harbored the evil intention of turning the incident into a bloodbath, of disrupting the Beijing Olympics and destroying Tibet's stability and political harmony," Zhang said.
The next day, Party mouthpiece "editorials" continued the barrage.
"The Dalai Lama has shown no intention of taking a break or displaying any sincerity in reining in his negative comments on the Chinese government," the dispatch by the Chinese government mouthpiece said...

"The Dalai Lama should openly and explicitly promise and prove it in his actions not to support activities to disturb the upcoming Beijing Olympic Games," the report quoted delegate Du Qinglin as telling the Tibetan side.
That's Du Qinglin sitting in one of the comfy chairs in the photo above.

There should be no need to remind anyone that Dalai Lama has openly and explicitly disavowed any and all violent actions (telling his people he would resign if it happened again - which it hasn't), has openly and explicitly stated that it is a good thing for China to host the Olympics, has recognised Chinese pride in the event and called for that to be respected, has always refers to the Chinese people as "my Chinese brothers and sisters" (and to Chinese Buddhists as Tibetans' "elder brothers and sisters"), and has been saying for at least 20 years that he wishes for a genuinely and mutually agreeable solution for Tibet and China within the PRC constitution.

The envoys' senior dialogue partner this time was Du Qinglin, Minister of the Central United Front Work Department and Vice Chairman of the People's Political Consultative Conference. During the Tibetans' stay in Beijing, Du was also quoted in mouthpiece media demanding Dalai Lama to "not support and earnestly restrain the Tibet Youth Congress' violent terrorist activities." That would be the same TYC which exemplified the Gandhian philosophy of standing on truth with strict non-violence, and displaying absolutely peaceful passive resistance as they were arrested multiple times by Indian police over the past few months.
The radical Tibet Youth Congress has vowed to use violence and terrorism to achieve Tibet independence and the Dalai Lama has said he was unable to influence the group's actions...

"While some 'pro-Tibet Independence' activists claimed their goals were different from the Dalai Lama, evidence has shown conspiracies behind all the plots initiated by them were linked," Xinhua said.
Strangely enough, the first part of that last quote isn't a quote at all, though it reads like Xinhua (or one of the abundant "hard liners") speaking. Those are the words of Reuters itself, "reporting the news" (again, strangely enough, this article is available only on Reuters' China website, a couple of Malaysian reprints, and the Guardian).

Lodi Gyari made a few observations to the media yesterday as the 5 man diplomatic team made their way back to Dharamsala.
"Such baseless accusations make the Chinese government really look ridiculous in the eyes of the world," Gyari said. "This time they realized that labelling his Holiness being responsible for the present disturbances in Tibet and accusing him of sabotaging the Olympics is something that no one buys."

Gyari called the discussions "one of the most difficult sessions" the two sides have had, but said they agreed to meet again after the Olympics.

"I told my Chinese counterparts very candidly that if there is not seriousness on their part it is almost pointless for us to waste each other's time," Gyari told reporters at the New Delhi airport Friday before returning to Dharmsala, the base for Tibet's government-in-exile.
The month of October has been mentioned as the time-frame for Round Eight. How many more Tibetans will have been tortured to death by that time? Tibetans are continuing to express their aspirations inside the country nearly four months after all this began in March, and they continue to die for those expressions (another round-up here of Tibet events is coming).

Press conference
Tibetan Special Envoys Kelsang Gyaltsen and Lodi Gyari speak to the media in Dharamsala, India on July 5, 2008.
Photo: AP / Ashwini Bhatia
After briefing the elected Kalon Tripa (Prime Minister) Samdhong Rinpoche yesterday, as well as briefing His Holiness and the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament today, the two envoys spoke to the press and issued a statement on their trip.
In this context, we had hoped that the Chinese leadership would reciprocate our efforts by taking tangible steps during this round. On the contrary, due to their excessive concern about legitimacy the Chinese side even failed to agree to our proposal of issuing a joint statement with the aim of committing both parties to the dialogue process.
The Chinese did agree to more talks after the Olympics, but weren't even willing to sign a joint statement to that effect. They're often called "pragmatic," but often they just act like babies.

The statement continues:
While the Chinese side finally seems to have realized that their allegations against His Holiness for instigating the recent events in Tibet and in sabotaging the Olympics Games have become untenable, they are now urging His Holiness not to support violence, terrorism, and sabotaging the Olympics. We stated in the strongest possible terms that no one needs to urge us on this as His Holiness and the Tibetan struggle are universally acknowledged and appreciated for consistently rejecting and opposing such acts. While the Tibetan Youth Congress does not support the Middle Way Approach of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and stands for independence of Tibet, we categorically rejected the Chinese attempt to label it as a violent and terrorist organization. His Holiness has repeatedly and clearly stated publicly he is not seeking separation and independence of Tibet.
As I wrote at the top, "talks" are only talks if the other side will actually listen. The Chinese authorities issue their concerns, the Tibetan authorities respond honestly that these concerns have been met. Autonomy not independence, support Beijing Olympics, no to violence, respect China and her people, all these are long on the record. The Tibetans issue some concerns, the Chinese say, "You must answer our concerns first. Dalai (Lama) must stop terrorist activites to split the motherland and turn Olympics into a bloodbath."

It's almost like, "You must stop beating your wife. Why can't you stop beating her?"

"But I don't beat my wife, I never beat my wife!"

"Well, we're not going to get anywhere until you admit to your violent nature and stop doing it. You must stop beating your wife."

That's not an argument, that's being hit on the head lessons. Or it's just the automatic gainsaying of anything the other person says. Whatever it is, it's not "talks."
In the course of our discussions we were compelled to candidly convey to our counterparts that in the absence of serious and sincere commitment on their part the continuation of the present dialogue process would serve no purpose.

The Chinese side expressed the view that the dialogue process has been productive and that we need to keep in mind that a half-a-century-old issue of great complexity, cannot be resolved in a matter of years.
Maybe it's been productive for the Chinese side, I can see that. They get something for nothing -- world off their back, the hyper-nationalist community praising their toughness with "Tibetan terrorists," and so on. They offer absolutely nothing in return. It's not so productive for Tibetans who are continuing to get beaten bloody in the streets, and behind closed doors.
.

Labels: ,


- posted by Agam @ 10:30 PM 6 comments

6 Comments:

And now, the cat is out of the bag. China finally admits to the nature of the contacts.

"He (Du Qinglin) stressed that the contacts and dialogues were about Dalai Lama's personal future, not so-called "China-Tibet negotiation" or "dialogue between Han and Tibetan people"

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-07/07/content_8500898.htm

By Anonymous Anonymous, at 07 July, 2008 05:08  

* * * * * * *

Hi Agam,

I just sent this letter of complaint to Newsweek. I don't know if they will publish it, but I thought I'd send a copy to you. The sloppiness of the international press is nothing to be proud of, especially as it concerns Tibet. But unlike Xinhua, most of the mistakes are based in (sometimes breathtaking) ignorance of Tibet, not willful distortion.

Yours,
Dan

Dear sirs or madams,

Tibetans around the world will be bemused and certainly appalled that you accompany your interview with the 17th Black Hat Karmapa Incarnate Orgyan Trinley Dorje, the one recognized by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and just about everybody else, with a picture of the disputed 17th Karmapa candidate, who is supported only by the Red Hat Karmapa and practically nobody else. I recommend a retraction and an apology for the mistake.

The generally recognized Karmapa XVII is featured in this website:

http://www.kagyuoffice.org/

The alternative candidate, Trinley Thaye Dorje, the one promoted by the Red Hat Karmapa, is featured here:

http://www.karmapa.org/


Yours truly,

By Blogger Dan, at 07 July, 2008 19:34  

* * * * * * *

This comment has been removed by the author.

By Blogger Dan, at 07 July, 2008 19:39  

* * * * * * *

[last post deleted and reposted to fix a grammatical mistake and add a bit. Sorry!]

Dear Anonymous etc.,

They always talk back at cross purposes don't they?

The Dalai Lama consistently states that it is not an issue of his own personal future, that it's about "the happiness of 6 million Tibetans."

The PRC Beijing bullies at once more make it clear, as if we needed clarification on this point, that they never listen to a word HH the Dalai Lama says. Or if they do, it is only in order to twist it around to its opposite. And to think they are dealing with a man who may be the most integral and sincere of all the human beings on the planet! I just can't figure it, can you? See any reason to hope these guys will change?

Now it looks like they are trying to extort His Holiness' support for the Olympics in exchange for the promise of future talks. Perhaps they have found some use for Him after all?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080707/ap_on_re_as/china_tibet

Yours,
Dan

By Blogger Dan, at 07 July, 2008 19:48  

* * * * * * *

Sorry, I should have added something for the sake of that person or two — new to contemporary Sino-Tibetan relations — who might have stumbled into this comment page.

His Holiness DOES support the Olympics. He has never opposed them. We know that. The Beijing bullies know it. That's just the point. Beijing just wants Him to repeat it, to say it more loudly and clearly to the whole world. In the process some people who haven't been paying close attention will even think that it was Beijing's brilliant idea that H.H. would support the Olympics, that He is caving in to her demand. Anyway, their threat is that, unless the Olympics go off without a peep from the miserable Tibetans, there won't be any talks for them in October. I could be wrong about Beijing's motives, of course. I definitely do not see any long-term wisdom in her strategy. I don't see much if any reason to value the past and future talks at this point. Have Tibetans benefitted in the least?

I'll try to be quiet now. For a while.

By Blogger Dan, at 07 July, 2008 20:28  

* * * * * * *

China's admission that it "talks" only about HHDL's own future, actually (I think) comes from the unidentified "spokesman of the United Front Work Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee."

If the statement doesn't have a name attached to it, is it official? An excellent question for tomorrow's Foreign Ministry briefing.

I can't believe Newsweek did that. Oh wait, yes I can. Unbelievably not unbelievable. Reuters needs letters too - for the second time in as many days, they quoted Chinese statements which used the "Dalai Lama" construction, and then several times called him "Dalai" in its own reporting of the story.

China's inexplicable refusal to give even just a fraction of a token of something at this last meeting before their big party next month, means that no credible leader (at G8 or elsewhere) can point to any "progress." Maybe they just really, really don't want Sarkozy to come! He can't possibly, now that this true Chinese attitude is revealed, can he?

I sorta hope he goes now. And opens his mouth while he's there. Mr. Bush better not use the "progress" word again; one could say the Chinese deciders have achieved "anti-progress."

The beauty of that Beijing strategy (demanding HH to say what he always says anyway), is that they choose the timing of any dramatic "He has finally done what the motherland wants" moment. And the proportion of news consumers who'll think "There, I'm glad he finally did what they wanted" will be depressingly high.

But I think you're right Dan, I don't see much wisdom here either. I don't know what the Chinese people see in these guys. Seeing your national deciders playing the old "Do you still beat your wife?" routine as a strategy, seems like it shouldn't engender much feeling of national pride.

The same with the near famine in Mustang now, because China closed the border. Olympic security concerns, or some nonsense. Do Chinese know about this? While China tells Nepal not to do anything to jeopardize good relations. And please beat the protesters harder. Oh, and we also need to starve some of your culturally Tibetan population at the moment, for the Olympics.

Are they serious?

By Blogger Agam, at 08 July, 2008 02:37  

* * * * * * *

Post a Comment

Powered by Blogger

blogspot counter