MSPs have refused to formally condemn organisers of the Edinburgh Military Tattoo for inviting the Chinese Army to perform at this year’s event.
Instead they simply “noted” that some groups were opposed to the invitation because of concerns over the Chinese Government’s human rights record.
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is due to send a 50-strong military band to take part in the show.
But the move sparked outrage from Tibet campaigners and the Falun Gong body.
Both have threatened to stage demonstrations during the Tattoo’s August run.
Holyrood’s public petitions committee heard a plea for the invitation to be reversed from Edinburgh residents and Falun Gong practitioners, Rosemary and Stefan Byfield.
Falun Gong is described by supporters as a harmless exercise regime underpinned by a philosophy of tolerance, but branded a sinister cult by the Chinese government.
Committee convener Michael McMahon said parliamentary officials considered ruling the petition out of order because it demanded action against a private company and dealt with entry visas to the UK – an issue reserved to Westminster.
The Labour MSP for Hamilton North and Bellshill said: “I don’t think there’s anything, in terms of the remit of this committee, that we can do with this petition.”
But Socialist MSP Carolyn Leckie said the petitioners only wanted MSPs to put pressure on the Tattoo organisers and take a stance on the issue.
She said: “I think there’s a danger of inconsistency because if we can associate ourselves positively with something then from my point of view it’s okay to disassociate from something.”
Labour MSP Jackie Baillie, who grew up in Hong Kong, said any MSP opposed to the invitation could sign a parliamentary motion from Chris Ballance, a Green MSP and convener of Holyrood’s cross-party group on Tibet.
The MSP for Dumbarton added: “I think by putting it on the agenda it has made people aware of it and certainly it has excited some interest.”
‘Matter for the people’
Fellow Labour backbencher Mike Watson criticised Tattoo bosses, who have claimed that the visit is cultural and not political.
The Glasgow Cathcart MSP said: “I think it’s somewhat disingenuous of the Tattoo people to say these are only artists. These are members of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army.
“But I can’t see what we can do as an organisation in what’s effectively a matter of whether or not they should be allowed into the country.”
The issue came up less than a week after the departure from Scotland of the Dalai Lama – the exiled political and spiritual leader of Tibet, which has been controlled by China since 1950.
Tattoo producer Brigadier Mel Jameson has defended the move on the grounds that change is more likely to come by engaging with China than by leaving them out in the cold.
The Dalai Lama said the invitation was a matter for “the people of Scotland and Edinburgh”.
The three week Tattoo event regularly sells out to a capacity crowd of 9,000 per night. It is also watched by an estimated 100 million television viewers worldwide.
