Dalai Lama, Tibet and western media

China has often being misunderstood by the Western public due to factual distortion by Western’s journalists and writers. Bruce Gilley, an assistant professor of political science at Portland State University’s Mark O. Hatfield School of Government, posted an article with The National Interest (28 September 2011) under the title: "Meet the New Mao", created a number of factual errors and disinformation about China leader-in-waiting, Xi Jinping recent visit to Tibet.

Factual Errors or Factual Distortions?

1) The date that Xi visit to Tibet was in July 2011 in celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet, not in 2010 as mentioned by Bruce’s article. The reason I knew that the date was in July 2011 is because of this statement make by Bruce: "(Xi)...delivered a hard-line seventy-minute speech attacking the Dalai Lama....".

I watched Xi delivered his speech through Satellite TV in Australia including condemning the Dalai Lama’s separatism. What Bruce failed to mention in his article is that, many Tibetan in and around the podium crapped their hands during Xi's speech, if you look at their facial expression, you will notice that they did it voluntarily. In fact, there were ten of thousands of Tibetans onsite including Tibetans who wear western suits, police uniforms and their traditional costumes.

2) Unless my memory failed me which is unlikely, I cannot recall that Xi "stressing the importance of the massive military presence in the region" during his speech. I am not sure on what sources Bruce rely upon to make such a statement in his article?

3) Bruce then misled readers by claiming that: "...nary a Tibetan was seen on the official podium" and that "Xi made no attempt to mix with ordinary Tibetans". If you view this CCTV video on the Hong Kong Media website (22 July 2011), you will find that, Xi was surrounded by many Tibetans (up closed) during his visit. (Note; The video is in Chinese language, you need just to click on the video and view the footage to understand what I mean).

In addition, the speech given by Xi was conducted in Both Mandarin and Tibetan languages. This is the link to the video footage of the opening ceremony by Xi which I have just found in the Hong Kong media website. If you view till the 3rd stage of the video in the above link, you will notice one thing at around 9.45 minute indicated at the bottom left of the video: there is a public applauding after Xi condemned Dalai Lama’s separatism. By the way, you can also see that there are many Tibetans inside and around the Podium. This video again proof that Bruce was dishonest in his article when he claims that "...nary a Tibetan was seen on the official podium". [Author Note: Xi only use a minute or two to condemn Dalai Lama’s separatism in this video].  

4) I have being spending at least 5 to 6 hours everyday reading more than a dozen of newspapers across the world including a number of China's newspapers in both English and Chinese language. Not only that I did not come across the following report mentioned by Bruce: "The city was in total lock-down and Xi was flanked by military and security personnel everywhere he went. He even brought his own water for drinking, cooking and bathing, according to Chinese media reports, so afraid was he of being poisoned";  logic tell me that, this kind of statement is unlikely to appear in the Chinese media. I wonder if Bruce could tell us his sources of information with at least a web link to verify his claim? I have also posted the above comment underneath Bruce article at The National Interest website, hope that Bruce will notice it.

In addition, common sense tell me that, Bruce appears to believe that the 21st century Tibet is still as backward as 60 years ago with no running tape water in the hotels, schools and residential areas, so Bruce imagine that Xi won’t be able to enjoy a hot bath running through the tape and have to resort to bringing “his own water (from Beijing perhaps) for drinking, cooking and bathing.”  What a laughable description. Perhaps, Bruce himself was a victim of the typical disinformation created by the mainstream Media in the U.S.

5) Throughout the article, Bruce appear to has deliberately stressing the point of "State Power" and "nationalism" in China, but if you read the Chinese newspapers often, you will find that while the mainstream western media on-going negativity against other countries and culture, China has been actively trying to engage the world and America in a positive way. The following (very recent) news heading from the Chinese media are just a few examples to demonstrate my claim:

* ‘China runs Confucius video in New York's Times Square’ (China Daily, 1 Oct, 2011) (Author note: The intention is to let American public understand China and the Chinese people as normal human being like everybody else); 

* ‘China honors outstanding foreign experts’ (CNTV, 29 Sept, 2011);

* ‘Kissinger urges U.S.-China cooperation to avoid "collision"’ (CNTV, 29 September, 2011);

* ‘China-Arab/Africa Co-op Forum Opens’ (28 September, 2011) 

As for the issue of Tibet and China policy on Tibet, readers may view some pictures, videos and news on these websites for images, video footages and information not reported by the mainstream media in the west:

* China Daily: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/video/2011tibet_index.html and http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/tibet2011/index.html  

* CNTV: http://english.cntv.cn/special/tibet/home/index.shtml

Previous Research on Media disinformation against China on the issue of Tibet

In fact, my personal research over the last 3 years on media disinformation indicated that, the issue of media disinformation against China are widespread. The following two articles demonstrated how news being distorted against China on the issue of Tibet:

- Click here for article 1: This article demonstrated how images can be fabricated to demonise China on the issue of Tibet. 

- Click here for article 2. This article come in two part:

Part 1 show readers how BBC manipulated story with images and interview conducted on the street of Beijing to lie about China censorship in regards to the Olympic and Free Tibet’s protest; BBC was later forced to issue an apology for their misleading story, but how they could make that apologise without their viewers knowing is a technique readers may find interesting.

Part 2 of this article demonstrated that when BBC was unable to find interviewee saying what they want to hear, BBC’s editor will add remark during their broadcasting to distract their viewers attention, and lead their viewers perception of the country (China) they intent to demonized.  

The Brutal Truth about Tibet and the Dalai Lama

Dalai Lama has being promoted as a peace loving man by the mainstream media for decades. What most people did not notice is that:

(A) Dalai Lama has being funded by the CIA and the US government. For examples,

1. US Government website: Foreign Relation of the United States (1964-1968) Volume XXX China: Questions Pertaining to Tibet: This declassified US government information indicated that Dalai Lama personally received USD180,000 from the US government in 1964 alone. The total cost of the US government so-called Tibet program amounted to USD1,735,000 in 1964. This program includes training 2100 Tibetan guerrillas in Nepal, and covert training in Colorado, etc..

2. This Japanese documentary Video show us the first hand account of US government covert operation in Tibet through former CIA agents in-charged of the Tibet operation. These former agents telling the story of the US government intention in Tibet at the time, and their personal experience and comments about the operation. According to them: the US government is irresponsible, dirty and selfish!

3. Article: Risky Geopolitical Game: Washington Plays “Tibet Roulette” with China (F. William Engdahl , 10 April 2008) :

4. Article: How CIA helped Dalai Lama to end up in exile (Global Research, 10 April 2008) 

5. Visit the American National Security Archive website and search under “CIA and Tibet” for more declassified documents about the involvement of the US government in Tibet.

(B) Dalai Lama was a slave master in Tibet and he is still an oppressive figure in his little kingdom in India. For examples,

1. The France 24 TV channel broadcasted a documentary in 2008 about the conflict between the Dalai Lama and the Dorje Shugden in his little kingdom in India: Click on  Part 1 and Part 2 to understand: a) How the Dalai Lama oppressed the religious freedom of other Tibetans in India; and b) Not all Tibetans in India accept Dalai Lama view on China.

2. This video show us how the Dalai Lama response to question put to him about his treatment of the Dorje Shugden’s Tibetans in India.

3) This is a six part series documentary about the Dalai Lama, Tibet and their Slavery history produced by CCTV 9, China: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5 and Part 6.

(C) Tibet has always being part of China

Many problem facing developing countries in the last few centuries were the direct manipulation of Western countries for their geopolitical gain. Unfortunately, Tibet and China is on their list. For example,

1. Tibet has always being part of China since the Yuan Dynasty. The British invasion of Tibet in 1903 and subsequent manipulation of Tibet for its geopolitical interest has being the causes of many problem China encountered today. The British government through its Foreign Secretary David Miliband officially acknowledged in November 2008 that what the British Government did in Tibet a century ago was a historical mistake, using his own word, it is an "anachronism" (The Telegraph, 5 Nov, 2008— ‘UK recognised China direct rule over Tibet’).

2. American historians Kenneth Conboy and James Morrison written a book in 2002 with the title: The CIA’s Secret War in Tibet point out in page 7 that before 1949, despite the US government strategic interest in Tibet, they “did not want to stray from U.S. recognisation of what the Kuomintang declared was its sovereign  jurisdiction.” (Author Note: Kuomintang was the ruling party in China before 1949 under the then Republic of China; After they lost the civil war to the Communist Party, they then withdrawn to Taiwan; Kuomintang is currently still the ruling party in Taiwan). However, Kenneth Conboy and James Morrison continue in page 7, “by the summer of 1949, with Kuomintang defeat in the Chinese civil war seen as increasingly likely, the United States belatedly entertained thoughts of a policy shift. The impetus for this kind of rethinking came from American diplomats in both India and China, who suggested that the United States weigh the advantages of courting Tibet before control was forfeited to the communist.”

Readers should also note that the Chinese government has always insisted that they signed a 17 points agreement with the local government in Tibet on 23 May 1951 on measures for the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet. Such agreement was accepted by the Dalai Lama as well on 24 October, 1951. However, till this day, there are still people trying to deny the acceptance of this 17 points agreement by the Tibetans. In the 3rd paragraph of page 15, Kenneth Conboy and James Morrison have this statement about the 17 points agreement: “… Washington would support a third  Tibetan appeal to the United Nations, provided the Dalai Lama publicly disavowed the 23 May agreement with China.”

Conclusion

For any country to enjoy peace and harmony among the population, people have to respect each other right on their respective private property. The logic is the same between countries: Part of the purpose of having the United Nation is to regulate and recognise the legitimate territory of every individual country. Since, the United Nation and all its member countries have already recognised China sovereignty over Tibet decades ago, there is no reason why Western powers and media should continue to create problem with China on the issue of Tibet with all kind of disinformation and covert operation. After all, the history of Tibet being part of China is far longer than the entire history of America.

The reality is, Tibet under Chinese rule has experience population increment with their language and culture still in place,  while in America, Australia, New Zealand and Canada, the native Indigenous population and languages have experience drastic declined or even extinction at certain point of their history.

Everybody know that China has a one child policy, but not many notice that, the one child policy is operating this way: Residents in the urban city: one child; Rural area: two; Minority groups (55 groups): 3. If such policy taken place in Western countries, someone will cry foul of a reverse racism. Click on this table and you will notice that, in 1953, Han Chinese (Majority) make up of 93.94% of the total population while the minority groups was 6.06%. By 2010, Han Chinese population reduced to 91.51% of the total population while minority groups increased to 8.49%.

May the Western journalists and writers find peace with the rest of the world with accurate information. Ah Men!

Written on 9 October 2011 by www.outcastjournalist.com