By Tenzin Dharpo
DHARAMSHALA, March 11: An event hosting a panel discussion attended by His Holiness the Dalai Lama in the capacity of a Nobel laureate in Geneva went ahead today despite attempts by China to pressure diplomats from various countries and the United Nation into boycotting the event being held at the Geneva Graduate Institute.
A letter sent by the Chinese Diplomatic mission in Geneva dated March 8 said that the Dalai Lama attending any event under any capacity in the world “violates the sovereignty and territorial integrity of China”.
“Inviting the 14th Dalai Lama to the aforementioned event violates the sovereignty and territorial integrity of China, in contravention of the purposes and principles of the U.N. Charter. China resolutely opposes the 14th Dalai Lama’s separatist activities in whatever capacity and in whatever name in any country, organization or event,” the letter read.
It further read, “The Permanent Mission of China kindly requests the Permanent Missions of all Member States, U.N. agencies and relevant International Organizations not to attend the above-mentioned event, nor meet the 14th Dalai Lama and his clique.”
The event, ‘Nobel Laureates on Human Rights – A view from civil society’ as a side event of the UN Human Rights Council’s 31st session at the Graduate Institute was hosted by the Permanent Missions of the United States and Canada to the United Nations. It was co-paneled by 2011 Nobel Peace Prize recipient Yemeni journalist Tawakkol Abdel-Salam Karman, Leila Alikarami, the Executive Director of the Centre for Supporters of Human Rights founded by Shirin Ebadi, the 2003 Noble Peace Prize Laureate and moderated by Kate Gilmore, United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Reuters yesterday quoted U.N. spokesman in Geneva Ahmad Fawzi who acknowledged receiving the letter from Chinese diplomatic mission as saying, “We take note but of course we are not bound by instructions from member states.”
“This is a question of freedom of expression and academic freedom to organise an event. It is not an event on Tibet, it is not on a politically sensitive subject, i.e. territorial issues, but on the role of civil society in promoting human rights,” said Director of the Geneva institute, Philippe Burrin.
China’s attempt to disrupt the 80 year old Tibetan leader’s movement is not new. Earlier in 2014, the venue for World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates was moved from Cape Town, South Africa to Rome, Italy after objections from China.
