By Tenzin Dharpo
DHARAMSHALA, MAR. 13: A briefing by a team of Tibetan activists and representatives was reportedly confronted by a Chinese delegation during a meeting held on the sidelines of the 34th session of the UN Human Rights Council on Friday. The demand by a Chinese delegation to confiscate and delete a video material was turned down by UN security authorities.
A Chinese diplomat confronted the pro Tibet team after the proceedings along with security personnel from the UN. It was reported by CTA run Tibet.net that the, “Chinese diplomat, a lady, seemed outraged that a Tibetan participant was covering the briefing on video and photograph inside the room. She brought a UN Security personnel aiming for the video and photograph contents to be “confiscated” or “deleted.” Not knowing the rules, she even claimed that only the media had the right to cover the event.”
Although the Security personnel told the Chinese diplomat that the event was a “public meeting” and said that it was the organizers’ right to use the time to their liking. She finally left without fulfilling her attempt in front of other participants, Office of Tibet, Geneva, an affiliate of CTA further stated.
The briefing officially titled, “Human Rights in China” by the Council Secretariat was organized by the Society for Threatened Peoples, NGO in Consultative Status to UN, based in Germany at request of the Tibet Bureau in Geneva coinciding with the 56th Tibetan Uprising day commemorations in the Swiss city of Geneva.
Mr. Vincent Metten, International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) Brussels and moderator Mr. Ngawang Choephel presented an overview of the EU-China Human Rights Dialogue and the historical importance of the Tibetan National Uprising Day of 10 March, in the history of Tibet, respectively.
The presentations also included the screening of the recent viral interview of the Dalai Lama by British comedian/satirist John Oliver, the host of “Last Week Tonight” as well as short video on Larung Gar Buddhist institute produced by the Tibetan exile government.
The 34th UN Human Rights Council meet is participated by majority of the nations on the globe and will go on until the end of March in Geneva, Switzerland.
