Who has a say in telling a real Tibet?
After the "Beauty of Tibet" Painting and Photography Exhibition was held in Australia from May 29 to June 6, it had been well-received among Australians and overseas Chinese except for someone from the "pro-Tibet independence" organizations, who made vicious remarks in an attempt to disturb the "harmony" of the event, which disclosed through art the separatists' 54-year distorted "propaganda" about Tibet overseas.
According to the article "Coalition in strife over Tibet show" published on Sydney Morning Herald on June 2, the separatists were "dismayed" about the speech made by Ms. Julie Bishop, Deputy Leader of Opposition Party at the opening of the exhibition and held that the show was "propaganda". Kyinzom Dhongdue of the Australia Tibet Council, a "pro-Tibet independence" organization based in Australia, claimed the timing of the exhibition was "perverse" and the venue was "where the Dalai Lama would make a public lecture on June 16".
Here we may ask: Why can't we go to such a public place? Who has a say in telling a real Tibet to the world community?
After the Dalai Lama fled abroad in 1959, he rebuked China for its Tibet policy as well as Tibet's development in the recent years. And he also incited young monks to stir up a series of violent incidents to defame China in the world, which had drawn support from some ignorant westerners or politicians who intended to contain China's rise by taking advantage of the "Tibet card".
Nyma Tsering, painter of the late 10th Pachan Lama said at the exhibition that as far as he knows, the Dalai Lama has been to Australia for eight times and given many lectures focused on "peace and non-violence". However, the Chinese media reported that it was the Dalai Lama himself who guided the series of self-immolations in China's Tibet-inhabited areas since 2009, in which many innocent young people lost their lives and the stability of the Tibetan areas was disrupted.
"As a matter of fact, all of these acts were put on for the overseas Chinese and westerners to accuse China of its "brutality" in its Tibet policy," said Nyima Tsering. "The 14th Dalai Lama should not get involved in politics as a religious leader. I opposed his incitation of the self-immolations behind the scene."
Besides some wise westerners have also seen through the Dalai Lama's nature and schemes.
An article published on the U.S. examiner.com on May 20,2013 entitled "Is the Dalai Lama a monumental fraud?" by an American attorney Thomas McAdam from Louisville,Kentucky said, "The Dalai Lama is not only deliberately hiding the sordid history of Tibet to diddle some people's sympathy and support who are ignorant about the truth."
And more and more westerners have known better about the truth in Tibet thanks to many exchanges conducted between China and other countries, including this art show. Through the gorgeous paintings and photos, the exhibition showcased a real Tibet in people's life, cultural preservation, religious freedom and environmental protection. It gave the local Australians and overseas Chinese an opportunity to enjoy the beauty of Tibet and know better about what is happening in Tibet today.
Joyce, president of Australia-China Friendship Society said at the seminar in Sdyney on June 3 that none of the Tibetan friends she knows proposes or agrees with "Tibet independence". Secretary of the ACFS Maragrat also said, the lectures made by those Tibetans who have never been to Tibet were very different from the presentations shown by the Tibetologists. She would rather believe in the latter because they are the Tibetans who live in Tibet and can tell the truth of Tibet.
Just as Ms. Bishop said at the exhibition, "with reference to the beauty of the Tibetan landscapes and people in the images, the exhibition would enhance Australians' appreciation of Tibet". And she stressed that she "made absolutely no political point," but surprisingly, her speech made the Dalai Lama and his followers panicked so much. Suppose they had never distorted facts, why were they so "dismayed" about it?
Although the China-Australia Relations have witnessed ups and downs, but it has been overall along the good trend of development despite the differences of the former prime ministers John Howard and Kevin Rudd on such sensitive issues as Tibet.
Former Prime Minister Howard insisted to meet with the Dalai Lama after taking office, which hurt the Chinese people, but this episode had passed before long. In 1997, Howard said after visiting China that China's rise as an economic power would do good to the economic transition of Australia, and he didn't believe that China would pose a threat to Australia.
And after Kevin Rudd assumed office, his misjudgment toward the "Tibet issue" affected the sound development of the bilateral relations, but later he promised to the Chinese Premier Li Keqiang that Australia respected China's core interest.
Following the current Prime Minister Julie Gillard attended the Boao Forum this April, she made a state visit to China. According to the report by Australian Broadcasting Corporation, the visit symbolized the biggest leapfrog in the bilateral relations since the diplomatic relations were established in 1972.
Of course, some western politicians and people still hold misunderstanding of, misperception toward and prejudice against the "Tibet issue". However, the "Beauty of Tibet" Painting and Photography exhibition 2013 provided a platform for them to make fact-to-face dialogue with people from Tibet, and a timely opportunity to know about a real Tibet, and a proof in rebutting the lies of the separatists abroad.
We believe that truth trump lies. No matter what the Dalai Lama will say about Tibet in his visit to Australia, his separatist scheme will gradually seen through by wise people, who will have the wisdom to judge who has a say in telling a real Tibet.
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