November 19

Through My Eyes

Saturday November 19

(We continue to listen to the Dalai Lama as he continues telling of the Chinese government brutality that followed his announcement of the Five-Point Peace Plan.)

" The festival began with tensions running high. A large military presence accompanied the opening ceremonies and there were at least ten security personnel to every monk present. In addition, many plain-clothes police mingled with the crowd, some again armed with video cameras. In a sinister development, it also appears that members of the security forces disguised themselves, some by shaving their heads, others by wearing wigs, to give the impression either that they were monks or that they were from outside Lhasa.

At first, peace prevailed; but, on 5 March, some monks began shouting for the release of a tulku named Yulu Dawa Tsering, one of the many protestors to have been imprisoned without charge since the previous October. Next, the crowd that had assembled for the last part of the prayer festival, when a statue of Maitreya is taken round the Barkhor, began to denounce the Chinese presence in Tibet and to throw stones at the police who paraded provocatively nearby. To this, the security forces responded first by repeatedly charging into the crowd with clubs and electric cattle prods. Then, the military opened fire, not indiscriminately this time. With precision they singled out and shot several protestors. There followed running battles which caused hundreds of Tibetan casualties. At around noon, police stormed the Jokhang and murdered at least twelve monks. Once they beat severely, before tearing both his eyes out and hurling him from the roof down to the ground. Tibet's holiest shrine became like a butcher's yard.

The whole Tibetan quarter of Lhasa was now in uproar and, during the night, about twenty Chinese shops, whose owners had repeatedly expressed a negative attitude towards Tibetans, were burned down. At the same time, the security forces made frequent assaults, dragging away hundreds of men, women and children.

Because there was only a handful of westerners in the city at the time, none of them journalists, little news escaped the media blackout and it was several weeks before I heard any details. In the meantime, it quickly became apparent that this latest disturbance exceeded in both scale and severity those of the previous autumn. As a result, a two-week curfew was imposed, during which at least 2,500 arrests were made and the entire Tibetan population of Lhasa was ruthlessly intimidated.

Once again, I was not greatly surprised by this expression of the Tibetan people's desperation, but I was nevertheless profoundly shocked to hear China's violent response. World opinion was equally outraged and for the second time in six months there was a wide coverage of the disturbances in the international press, despite the small amount of information available. Meanwhile, China's official reaction was the same as before: this was an internal matter for the Peking Government and they denounced the demonstrations as the work of a handful of 'reactionary splittists' and called me a dangerous criminal. The Dalai Lama, they suggested, had deliberately incited riots and sent in agents to Tibet to carry them out. this was predictable, though I was disturbed that the Chinese were now openly accusing foreigners of having played a leading part in both disturbances.

I received the first full report of the Monlam demonstration from the British politician, Lord Ennals, who arrive in Lhasa less than a month later. As leader of an independent delegation sanctioned by the Peking Government, Lord Ennal's aim was to investigate the human rights situation in Tibet. Along with the other members of his team, he was shocked to find that gross violations continued to be committed against the Tibetan people. The delegates also came across irrefutable evidence of torture and physical abuse of prisoners following the demonstrations, about which they heard complete details from numerous eyewitnesses. Their report, published by International Alert, spoke of a ' crisis which demands a rapid and positive response.'

At the time, I myself was in Britain, where I was impressed to find intense and sympathetic media interest in the plight of the Tibetan people. Also, I was pleased to receive and invitation to speak to a group of concerned politicians at the European Parliament later in 1988. This coincided with several western leaders calling on China to open negotiations with myself on the future of Tibet.

Thinking that this invitation offered a opportunity to re-state the Five-Point Peace Plan and, in particular, to expand on its fifth component, I gladly accepted. In my speech, which I delivered in Strasbourg on 15 June 1988, I mentioned my opinion that , under certain special circumstances, it could be possible for the whole of Tibet to exist in association with the People's Republic of China, with foreign affairs and limited defence directed from Peking until a regional peace conference can take place, after which the whole of Tibet would be designated a Zone of Peace."

( I can't imagine a wiser compromise. I promise to add more tomorrow...)

*( please click here to read of the day with me )

* This is from the book Freedom in Exile The Autobiography of the Dalai Lama by Tenzin Gyatso, the fourteenth

Dalai Lama of Tibet.

( Please see my spinning for you!)

( Tahshi Deleh gentle one! Kehrahng kusu debo yinpeh? I began the day in our studio working on the pages of a Windhorse Project. Two as one we've figured out how to create the transition by putting some html on the original pages that redirects the browser to the ones on our infosite! After that I headed up gang rinpoche ngah tso gi to plant comfrey for Groundhog's garden. After that I worked on the fences, closing areas I'd opened for the growing season's work and clearing dried vines from the tops to keep the snow from building up on them and breaking the ties. Two as one pulling strongly and patiently together we've prepared the Grove for winter! After that I rested by your Medlar tree as usual then returned to our studio to spin for you then to work on the pages for a Windhorse Project some more. I've added a page for our a land of Tibet there with a picture of the sculpture there! We can add on to that section as work progresses. After that I worked on our a land of Tibet. I'm going to put the pages up on our infosite; I'll put this up a bit early so we can rest.

And so, as always we'll continue two as one on to tomorrow

my one gentle beautiful patient swift dream bright

long dark mane in sunlight

so for now I bid goodnight...Simjah Nahngo!)


	Through My Eyes Saturday November 19 (We continue to listen to the Dalai Lama as he continues telling of the Chinese government brutality that followed his announcement of the Five-Point Peace Plan.) " The festival began with tensions running high. A large military presence accompanied the opening ceremonies and there were at least ten security personnel to every monk present. In addition, many plain-clothes police mingled with the crowd, some again armed with video cameras. In a sinister development, it also appears that members of the security forces disguised themselves, some by shaving their heads, others by wearing wigs, to give the impression either that they were monks or that they were from outside Lhasa. At first, peace prevailed; but, on 5 March, some monks began shouting for the release of a tulku named Yulu Dawa Tsering, one of the many protestors to have been imprisoned without charge since the previous October. Next, the crowd that had assembled for the last part of the prayer festival, when a statue of Maitreya is taken round the Barkhor, began to denounce the Chinese presence in Tibet and to throw stones at the police who paraded provocatively nearby. To this, the security forces responded first by repeatedly charging into the crowd with clubs and electric cattle prods. Then, the military opened fire, not indiscriminately this time. With precision they singled out and shot several protestors. There followed running battles which caused hundreds of Tibetan casualties. At around noon, police stormed the Jokhang and murdered at least twelve monks. Once they beat severely, before tearing both his eyes out and hurling him from the roof down to the ground. Tibet's holiest shrine became like a butcher's yard. The whole Tibetan quarter of Lhasa was now in uproar and, during the night, about twenty Chinese shops, whose owners had repeatedly expressed a negative attitude towards Tibetans, were burned down. At the same time, the security forces made frequent assaults, dragging away hundreds of men, women and children. Because there was only a handful of westerners in the city at the time, none of them journalists, little news escaped the media blackout and it was several weeks before I heard any details. In the meantime, it quickly became apparent that this latest disturbance exceeded in both scale and severity those of the previous autumn. As a result, a two-week curfew was imposed, during which at least 2,500 arrests were made and the entire Tibetan population of Lhasa was ruthlessly intimidated. Once again, I was not greatly surprised by this expression of the Tibetan people's desperation, but I was nevertheless profoundly shocked to hear China's violent response. World opinion was equally outraged and for the second time in six months there was a wide coverage of the disturbances in the international press, despite the small amount of information available. Meanwhile, China's official reaction was the same as before: this was an internal matter for the Peking Government and they denounced the demonstrations as the work of a handful of 'reactionary splittists' and called me a dangerous criminal. The Dalai Lama, they suggested, had deliberately incited riots and sent in agents to Tibet to carry them out. this was predictable, though I was disturbed that the Chinese were now openly accusing foreigners of having played a leading part in both disturbances. I received the first full report of the Monlam demonstration from the British politician, Lord Ennals, who arrive in Lhasa less than a month later. As leader of an independent delegation sanctioned by the Peking Government, Lord Ennal's aim was to investigate the human rights situation in Tibet. Along with the other members of his team, he was shocked to find that gross violations continued to be committed against the Tibetan people. The delegates also came across irrefutable evidence of torture and physical abuse of prisoners following the demonstrations, about which they heard complete details from numerous eyewitnesses. Their report, published by International Alert, spoke of a ' crisis which demands a rapid and positive response.' At the time, I myself was in Britain, where I was impressed to find intense and sympathetic media interest in the plight of the Tibetan people. Also, I was pleased to receive and invitation to speak to a group of concerned politicians at the European Parliament later in 1988. This coincided with several western leaders calling on China to open negotiations with myself on the future of Tibet. Thinking that this invitation offered a opportunity to re-state the Five-Point Peace Plan and, in particular, to expand on its fifth component, I gladly accepted. In my speech, which I delivered in Strasbourg on 15 June 1988, I mentioned my opinion that , under certain special circumstances, it could be possible for the whole of Tibet to exist in association with the People's Republic of China, with foreign affairs and limited defence directed from Peking until a regional peace conference can take place, after which the whole of Tibet would be designated a Zone of Peace." ( I can't imagine a wiser compromise. I promise to add more tomorrow...) ( please click here to read of the day with me ) This is from the book Freedom in Exile The Autobiography of the Dalai Lama by Tenzin Gyatso, the fourteenth Dalai Lama of Tibet. ( Please see my spinning for you!) ( Tahshi Deleh gentle one! Kehrahng kusu debo yinpeh? I began the day in our studio working on the pages of a Windhorse Project. Two as one we've figured out how to create the transition by putting some html on the original pages that redirects the browser to the ones on our infosite! After that I headed up gang rinpoche ngah tso gi to plant comfrey for Groundhog's garden. After that I worked on the fences, closing areas I'd opened for the growing season's work and clearing dried vines from the tops to keep the snow from building up on them and breaking the ties. Two as one pulling strongly and patiently together we've prepared the Grove for winter! After that I rested by your Medlar tree as usual then returned to our studio to spin for you then to work on the pages for a Windhorse Project some more. I've added a page for our a land of Tibet there with a picture of the sculpture there! We can add on to that section as work progresses. After that I worked on our a land of Tibet. I'm going to put the pages up on our infosite; I'll put this up a bit early so we can rest. And so, as always we'll continue two as one on to tomorrow my one gentle beautiful patient swift dream bright long dark mane in sunlight so for now I bid goodnight...Simjah Nahngo!)