By Phurbu Thinley
Dharamsala, May 3: Members of the Association of Tibetan Journalists (ATJ) met here today to observe World Press Freedom Day and called on Beijing to uphold its promises of press freedom and human rights as the host of the 2008 Olympics.
The journalists group also extended invitation to Xinhua, the official Chinese news agency that alone acts as the only Tibet related news source in China, to Dharamsala, the seat of the exiled Tibetan leader the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Government-in-Exile.
“We would like to invite Xinhua, the official Chinese news agency, to Dharamshala, India, for first-hand reporting of the situation of Tibetans in exile, and of the policies and functioning of the Tibetan government-in-exile, the Tibetan non-governmental organisations, and other institutes,” the ATJ’s invitation letter to Xinhua said.
Xinhua has in recent weeks published a series of articles attacking the Dalai Lama with harsh criticisms and blaming him and the Tibetan Government-in-exile of orchestrating the recent unrest in Tibet.
Although the Dalai Lama has consistently denied the accusations, Chinese media have not shown any heed.
“We also believe that the Dalai Lama would surely be interested to interact with Xinhua journalists if an interview is requested,” ATJ president Mr Lobsang Wangyal said during the meeting.
The invitation letter to be posted through the Chinese embassy in New Delhi today also asked the Beijing government for permission for a group of exile Tibetan journalists to go to Tibet for first-hand reporting of the situation there.
The letter further says, “Since the Beijing Olympics is of interest to all Tibetans as well as the entire world, we also would like to come to Beijing and cover the event”.
“We hope that the Chinese government, as host of the Olympics, would take this opportunity to open up for freedom, democracy and justice,” the association’s letter stated, and called on the Chinese government to release some 40 journalists and writers currently held in jail.
The letter said these journalists and writers were “simply performing an act of expression, not causing any threat to the security of China or the unity of the Chinese people” as they are allegedly jailed for.
Miss Satsuki Takahashi, a long time supporter of Tibetan journalists and Tibet’s cause from Japan also attended the ATJ’s meeting. She was accompanied by her Japanese colleagues.
World Press Freedom Day is a day designated by the United Nations to raise awareness of the importance of freedom of the press and to remind governments of their duty to respect and uphold the right to freedom of expression enshrined under Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 1993, the day is celebrated each year on 3 May, the anniversary of the Declaration of Windhoek, a statement of free press principles put together by African newspaper journalists in 1991.
The Association of Tibetan Journalists, based in Dharamsala, was formed in 1997 and has over 40 members to date.
