The Tibet-Intergroup

EU Urged to promote Political Dialogue on Tibet's Autonomy / European Parliament adopts Resolution on the Environmental Situation in Tibet and the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics

Press Release in PDF (english/ german)

Report on the german tv (starting at minute 06:38)

Brussels, 08.11.2007

The European Parliamentarian Conference on Tibet in Brussels today expressed deep concern about the continuing violation of the rights of Tibetan people by the Peoples Republic of China, and unanimously called upon the European Union (EU) and national governments of European countries to push for a political settlement of the long standing Sino-Tibetan issue.

More than 200 participants from 20 countries - Members of the European and National parliaments, Members of the EU Commission and the Council, Ambassadors, Human Rights and Environmental activists and Olympic gold-medallists - attended the conference at the European Parliament in Brussels. They were invited by the European Parliament's Tibet Intergroup.

The conference was opened by President of the Tibet Intergroup, Mr. Thomas Mann and the President of the European Parliament Hans-Gert Poettering and comprised two workshops on the Tibetan Environmental Situation and on the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics. In a statement to the conference, Mr Poettering welcomed the renewed contact between the government of the People's Republic of China and the envoys of H.H. the Dalai Lama, but urged the Chinese leadership to embark upon earnest and sincere negotiations with the object of finding a just and lasting political solution on Tibet's Autonomy situation.

"The EU must ensure that the EU and its member States implement effective policies to promote an end to the tragic oppression of the Tibetan people," said Mr. Mann.

Management Measures for the Re-Incarnation of living Buddhas in Tibetan Buddhism

The Central Tibetan Administration has recently commented on the so-called Order no. 5 of China's State Administration of Religious Affairs on "Management Measures for the Re-Incarnation of Living Buddhas in Tibetan Buddhism". According to the CTA the document contains contradictory statements and wild claims, and reflects the "true" motives of the Chinese leadership. It will serve as a tool for the Chinese government to repress Tibetans under their tyrannical rule, and will also be recorded as a gross historical misrepresentation. The CTA have issued a statement repudiating the document.

Religious freedom is universally accepted to means that all citizens can believe or not believe, in any religion, and that a believer can practise and propagate his or her religion, and especially that there should be no state of political interference in religious affairs. The People's Republic of China includes freedom of religious belief among the fundamental rights of the people in its constitution. Yet it continues to forcibly interfere in the religious activities of all religions of the country, according to its political needs.

During the last many centuries since the recognition of Tulkus (or Living Buddhas) came into being, the principal disciples of the concerned lamas and responsible officials of their spiritual seats have freely recognised their re-incarnated beings, based on the latter's faith in and spiritual bond with the former. Recognition of Tulkus is something that can neither be appointed from above, nor be elected by the general populace, or be bestowed upon someone as "titles" of "positions". Since the task involved is to search for the place where the previous being has taken rebirth, it must be recongised through the prognositc signs demonstrated by the concerned re-incarnation beings, in consultation with the lamas or protective deities gifted with intuitive powers, and through other traditional or religious methods of testing. Highly realised beings take rebirth for the benefit of the Dharma and sentient beings. As such their meritorious service is not incument upon the state's approval, or the formal recognition accorded by it. Therefore simply by issuing an order on measures for the recognition of Tulkus, it cannot fullfill the order's twin purpose of undermining or diluting Tibetan Buddhism, and exercising control over the hears and minds of the Tibetan people through state-sponsored "Living Buddhas".

His Holines the Dalai Lama and Gandhi

His Holiness the Dalai Lama recently inaugurated the Satyagraha Centenary International Conference on "Globalization of the Gandhian Way: Sociology, Politics and Science of Satyagraha" organised by Jawaharlal Nehru University. The seven-day conference was partly held in Bithiharwa, the village where Gandhi trained satyagrahis on Indian soil. Gandhi said that the root of every Violence or Conflict is Untruth and that the only permanent solution of Conflict is Truth. Consequently, to resolve conflicts he conceived of a novel technique that he called Satyagraha. Literally it means Satya (Truth) With Agraha (Firmness) or, the Unwavering Search for the Truth. And since the only way of getting to Truth is by Non-Violence (or Love), it follows that Satyagraha implies an Unwavering Search for the Truth using Non-Violence

The programme started with the offering to His Holiness of a poster of the Burmese Nobel Laureate Aung San Su Kyi by a Burmese Satyghari.

The Dalai Lama said that he admired Gandhi's political struggle, and the importance of dialogue in resolving issuses as violence creates more violence. He expressed his pleasure in young people taking interest in Gandhian philosophy.

Film on the Life of Buddha

A historical film on the life and teaching of Siddharta Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, will be shortly begin production in India and Sri Lanka, Countries with Buddhist majorities, and will be shown in 2009.

"The message of the film gives replies to global crises and environmental problems", said Navin Goonerathe, the President of the Light of Asia Foundation, co-producer of the film and based in Sri Lanka.

The film, entiteled "The Buddha", is being co-produced by the Indian company Beyond Dreams Entertainment and directed by the Indian director Shyam Benegal and si scheduled for mid 2009.

A Sri Lankan specialised in Buddhism, Nimal D'Silva, will be at the head of a team of researchers including experts from China, Japan and South Korea, countries where Buddhism is prevalent.

Bouddisme Actualités, October 2007

Tibetan MPS attend the EP Inter-ParliamentaryConference

A four-member delegation of the Tibetan Parliament in Exile led by Mrs. Dolma Gyari, Deputy Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament, and Kalon Tempa Tsering, Kalon for the Department of Information and International Relations, attended the Inter-Parliamentary conference at the European Parliament on 8 November 2007.

The conference was convened by Mr. Thomas Mann, MEP, President of the EP Tibet Intergroup. Deputy Speaker Dolma Gyari addressed the conference together with Thomas Mann, Hans-Gert Poettering, President of the European Parliament, Kelsang Gyaltsen, Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama for European Affairs, and Presidents and Vice-Presidents of the EP political groups.

Isabel Hilton, journalist and author of The Search for the Panchen Lama, and editor of a website devoted to climate change and environment, spoke in a workshop on environmental pollution in China. A panel discussion was held for the second workshop on the Olympic Games in Beijing in 2008. The speakers were Pal Schmitt, MEP, former Olympic gold winner in fencing, Peter Stastny, MEP, participant in 47 Olympic Games, and Jean-Paul Marthoz, Belgian journalist and former international press director for Human Rights Watch.

European Parliamentarian Conference on Tibet, 7th/8th November 2007, Brussels

Wednesday 7th November

19.OO  Cocktail Reception, Concert Noble, 82 rue d'Arlon, 1000 Brussels

Thursday 8th November

08.OO  Arrival and Registration in the European Parliament, Etrance ASP (Alterio Spinelli Building)

09.30 - 11.00    Welcome and opening speeches in Conference Room ASP 3E2, 3rd floor of the E-bloc of the ASP, Translation: FR, DE, EN, ES

09.30 - 09.40   Thomas Mann MEP, President of the Tibet Intergroup

09.40 - 10.10   Hans-Gert Pöttering, President of the European Parliament

10.10 - 10.25   Dolma Gyari, Speker Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile

10.25 - 10.40   Kelsang Gyaltsen, Envoy of His Holiness for EU, Member of the Sino-Tibetan Dialogue

10.40 - 11.00   Presidents and Vice-Presidents of the Political Groups in EP

11.00 - 12.45   Workshop 1: "The environmental pollution in Tibet an China"

11.00 - 12.00   Presentations

Moderation: Eva Lichtenberger MEP, Vice-President of the Tibet Intergroup

Speakers:

• Isabel Hilton (UK), columnist for British newspapers, author of "The Search of the Panchen Lama", editor of a website devoted to climat change and environment
• Penpa Tsering, Member of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, Dirctor of the Tibetan Parliamentary and Policy Research Centre

12.00 - 12.45   Discussion

12.45 - 13.15   Persentation of the Website of the EP Tibet Intergroup

13.15 - 15.00   Lunchbreak with Self-Catering (Lunch in the EP Staff Canteen is possible after 13.30). Expenses are not refunded by the Tibet Intergroup.

15.00 - 17.30   Workshop 2: "The 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing" in Conference Room in the Paul-Henri Spaak Building, PHS 3C050, on the 3rd floor of the C-part of the PHS Building, on the oposite of the Plenary, Translation: FR, DE, EN, ES

15.00 - 15.30   Presentation of the Olympics Campaign "Bring Tibet to the 2008 Games" by the NOC Tibet

15.30 - 16.45   Persentations

Moderation: Thomas Mann MEP, President of the Tibet Intergroup

Speakers:

• Pal Schmitt MEP, former olympic gold winner in fencing, IOC Member
• Peter Stastny MEP, participant of 4 Olympic Games (Winter). He received the highest Olympic Award - the Olympic Order
• Jean-Paul Marthoz, belgium columnist, former international press-director for Human Rights Watch, Editiorial Director of the Review "Enjeux Internationaux"
• Dieter Baumann, famous German athlete (1 500 m and 5 000 m distance), Olympic Medallist, gold winner of 5 000 m at the 1992 Summer Olympics, silver in Seoul 1988, successful at Wolrd an European Championships
• Vincent Metten, EU-Policy Director, International Campaign for Tibet (Brussels Office)

16.45 - 17.30   Discussion (including resolution)

17.30                Celebration of the Sand Mandala