By Phurbu Thinley
Dharamsala, March 8: The Department of Information and International Relations (DIIR) of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile today issued a statement saying China’s top official in Tibet, Zhang Qingli has relied on “distorted” and “misleading” interview reports to accuse the exiled Tibetan leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama of seeking to sabotage the Beijing Olympics.
The Chinese Communist Party secretary to Tibet Friday accused the Dalai Lama of trying to sabotage this summer’s Beijing Olympics.
The DIIR’s statement said that the Chinese official’s accusation is based on a “distorted interview of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.”
“In making this highly inflammatory accusation, the party secretary of Tibet based his information on an interview of His Holiness the Dalai Lama carried on Britain’s ITV network in the third week of January, which misleadingly attributed the Tibetan leader of supporting peaceful protests in the run-up to the Olympics,” the press release stated.
Britain’s ITV network in January reported the Dalai Lama as saying that during the 2008 Beijing Games Tibet supporters should protest peacefully in China against Beijing’s rule.
The statement further clarifies the “distorted interview” report of the ITV to reaffirm the Dalai Lama’s support for the Olympic Games in China.
DIIR’s statement said: “When the international media picked up the excerpts of the interview, the Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama through its London office issued a clarification on 23 January (see the copy below), which was covered by the media”.
The statement said “His Holiness answered by stating categorically that it was too radical” in response to the ITV reporters’ question whether His Holiness supported the calls by some NGOs, including Tibet support groups, for a boycott of the Beijing Olympics.
According to the statement, when the interviewer subsequently asked “if the NGOs should continue with their protests”, His Holiness had said that “they could remind the international community, including the Chinese people about the repression and urgency of the situation in Tibet.”
“On the issue of the Beijing Olympics” the DIIR’s statement said, “it is common knowledge that His Holiness the Dalai Lama has consistently supported the right of China to host the 2008 Olympic Games.”
__________________________
Mr. Tim Singleton
Head of Foreign News
ITV
200 Gray’s
Inn Road
London WC1X 8XZ
23 January 2008
Re: ITV News interview correction for publication/broadcast
Dear Mr. Singleton,
ITV’s interest in interviewing His Holiness the Dalai Lama for their Tibet-related report is encouraging and much appreciated. However, with reference to the ITV report aired on 18 January, seen yesterday by the Secretary to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Mr. Chhime R. Chhoekyapa, who is now back in Dharamsala in northern India following the conclusion of His Holiness’ visit to south India, I am directed to convey the following points to the ITV for the record and necessary correction:
1. In response to your Asia Correspondent Mr. John Ray’s question of whether His Holiness supported the calls by some NGOs, including Tibet support groups, for a boycott of the Beijing Olympics, His Holiness had commented that it was too radical.
2. When the interviewer subsequently asked if the NGOs should continue with their protests, His Holiness had said that they should remind the international community about the repression and urgency of the situation in Tibet. His Holiness also mentioned that according to some sources, the Chinese authorities are reportedly instigating some people, including a handful of Tibetans, to hold demonstrations in Beijing against His Holiness during the Beijing Olympics.
You will agree that the above comments also made by His Holiness the Dalai Lama in the course of Mr. John Ray’s interview, which was conducted on 17 January, to compliment his report on the prevailing humane and difficult situation in Tibet, is different from the lead ITV had given in both the printed and aired versions, which apparently did not have any direct quote from His Holiness to back the given lead. We are confident that ITV and all concerned will kindly note and make the required corrections and thank you again for your kind interest.
With best wishes,
Yours sincerely,
Tsering Tashi
Tsering Tashi (Mr)
Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama
The Office of Tibet
Tibet House
1 Culworth Street
London NW8 7AF
(The Office of Tibet, London, is the official agency of His Holiness the Dalai Lama for Northern Europe, Poland & the Baltic Countries)
