Chennai, August 31: Mr N. Ram’s publication of articles on Tibet in the edition of 3rd and 5th July in The Hindu daily newspaper and Frontline, (magazine), 27th July edition, created unrest among Tibetans and Tibetan supporters that they say are biased and completely one-sided articles favouring Chinese establishment in Tibet.
The articles have hurt the sentiments of Tibetans who have, for so long, been voicing against gross human atrocities and violations of basic rights being committed against Tibetan people by the Chinese Communist regime inside Tibet since 1949.
Tibetan Students’ Association, Madras (TSAM) held a peace protest against N. Ram’s articles calling them biased and baseless. The group accused his articles of distorting the true reality of Tibet’s situation and criticized the editor for his disapproving attempt to deify Chinese annexation of Tibet without a slight concern of the anguish of Tibetans and Tibetan sympathizers around the world. The Tibetan students joined by local Indian supporters held the peaceful protest, the sole purpose of which was stated as “to ratify between the facts and fabrications” in N. Ram’s series of misleading articles.
TSAM held the peace protest in front of the Memorial Hall in the presence of a dozen media people and supported by a community of strong local Indian supporters.
The programme started by 2:30 pm yesterday with Buddhist prayer session followed by the introduction of the peaceful protest. Later, prominent Indians supportive of Tibetan cause delivered speeches in connection with N. Ram’s articles sub-titled ‘reality check’.
Prof. Mani, a strong Tibet supporter from Madras University, besides describing Mr N. Ram’s articles as simply lacking factual truths, he distributed ‘True vs. Reality’, a critically analyzed counter-reply article on N.Ram’s articles among public.
Prof. Bernard D’Sami (Loyola College), Prof. Jam Sundar (Loyola College), Mr. Hubert (friend of Tibet) and Father Henry (Adviser, All Indian catholic university federation) also addressed the protest gathering.
Among other ardent Tibet supporters present during the protest included Prof. Selvanathan, (Loyola College), Aunty Aasha Reddy, Usha Kris and many other Indian friends.
All the Tibetan students who are studying in the colleges in and around Chennai took full participation in the protest event.
Tibetan Students’ Association, Madras was first formed in 1993 with the initiative of few students by then. Currently, TSAM has a total strength of around 170 students.
Based on report by Sonam Wangdue, (TSAM)
