Tibet Society Newsletter February 2019 “If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito” His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama News of the Tibet Society, what’s happening in Tibet and the Tibetan Exile world, and news of His Holiness the Dalai Lama We are delighted to report some changes to our Council After 50 years as a dedicated and The new co-chairs are Pempa the founding of the inspirational Society member, Riki Lobsang, a professional accountant Society by British Hyde-Chambers has who has previously served as people with a first hand stepped down from Chairman of the Tibetan Community knowledge of a free his 10-year stint as in Britain and Tomer Ben, a publisher Tibet. During the last Society Chair. Riki’s who has recently founded the sixty years countless contribution to the International Jewish thousands across the Pempa Lobsang Society and to Tibet Buddhist Council. world have benefitted over the years has Riki leaves us from His Holiness’s teaching and from been immeasurable with this message: Tibet’s spiritual heritage. But within Riki Hyde-Chambers and we are delighted This year is the Tibet, Tibetans cannot have the same that he will be staying on as a member of sixtieth year of His access to the Dalai Lama or their the Society Council, and as our Hon Holiness’s flight and spiritual heritage. So we have much to President, so that we can continue to the exodus of Tibetan Tomer Ben do so that the voice of Tibet can be benefit from his wisdom and expertise. refugees. It is also the sixtieth year of heard. International Mother Language Day: a Plea for Tashi The Tibet Society joined a coalition human rights, we join the calls from of 11 Tibet and human rights around the world, from the United support groups to send a letter to Nations and many of your trading Chinese President Xi Jinping on partners, including the United States International Mother Language Day, and the European Union, urging you 21 February, with a plea for Tashi to immediately and unconditionally Wangchuk, the man spending years release Tashi Wangchuk. in prison for exercising his human Wider action is also required to right to ask for the children of Tibet redress the harm done to the Tibetan to be educated in their mother language. We call on you to comply tongue. with international law and the Some extracts from our letter Chinese Constitution and reverse the follow: The right of peoples under protects the right to ‘take part in effective ban on the teaching of Tibetan. Chinese Communist Party rule to cultural life’. If the Chinese Communist Party’s stated learn, develop and preserve their Despite these agreements and commitment to minority rights is to be native languages is protected under protections, Tibetans continue to taken seriously, Tibetans must be China’s own constitution; Article 4, have their language rights allowed to learn and promote their provides that ‘[e]thnic minorities’ systematically violated, as Chinese language and be able to use it in their right to learn, use and develop their authorities increasingly marginalise day to day lives. own spoken and written languages is the Tibetan language. […] Learning We call on you to ensure that the guaranteed in accordance with the in the Tibetan language has been Chinese government complies with its law’ […] and minority languages are removed from the curriculum in international obligations to respect the protected under a range of other laws schools […] fundamentally cultural and linguistic rights of the and regulations. They are also undermining the human rights of the Tibetan people, and demand the protected in the International Tibetan people. immediate and unconditional release of Covenant on Economic, Social and The letter goes on to mention Tashi Wangchuk. Cultural Rights, which your Tashi Wangchuk saying, The appalling Our letter was widely published government ratified in 2001, most treatment of Tashi Wangchuk demands around the world — the Hong Kong Free specifically in Article 13 on the right immediate action. As organisations Press printed it in full and Free Tibetan to education and Article 15, which dedicated to freedom of expression and Heroes posted a video on Facebook. Confucius Institutes Under the Spotlight The Society’s campaign Chinese Communist Party will spotlighting Confucius be in power in the future in Institutes is bearing fruit! We, China, and […] increase our along with Free Tibet, made a influence around the world’.” submission to the Conservative The report also notes that “an Party for their inquiry into increasing number [at least 27] Confucius Institutes. The of universities around the world Conservative Party Human have terminated contracts and Rights Commission has closed Confucius Institutes. recently launched a new report “Incidents of censorship or calling for a review of “all suppression of discussion are agreements between British highlighted in the report, institutions and the Confucius discrimination and violate the including the widespread ban on Institutes”. Equality Act 2010 in their hiring discussion in Confucius Institutes around On the surface, Confucius Institutes processes; the world of the three key ‘sensitive’ are educational and cultural centres topics: the Tiananmen massacre; Tibet teaching Chinese language and • An investigation into whether and Taiwan. Cases of employees of promoting Chinese culture. They come Confucius Institutes are being used Confucius Institutes facing discrimination with funding for the schools and to monitor and intimidate students due to their beliefs are also detailed as a universities concerned, but there have and/or teachers in the United concern. been numerous reports that these Kingdom; “The report makes ten institutes are being used to silence recommendations, including calling discussions about “sensitive topics” • A requirement that, where Confucius for a suspension of further agreements including Tibet, Taiwan, Falun Gong Institutes provide teaching in Chinese between British universities and and the Tiananmen Massacre of 1989. history or culture, a truly schools and Confucius Institutes until These institutes are directly funded independent, holistic, balanced, and a review is completed. The report also and directed by the Chinese government, comprehensive curriculum is recommends measures to ensure which maintains overall control over the adopted, to allow for discussion of a transparency from Confucius teaching materials used in classes and diversity of topics, including Tibet, Institutes based in the United the teachers employed. There is growing Taiwan and the Tiananmen Kingdom.” concern worldwide that these institutes massacre. The report and its recommendations are promoting Chinese propaganda to have been widely reported in the British our younger generation. An increasing The Commission’s press release dated and European media, reaching as far number of universities have closed their February 18 notes that the report “calls for a afield as the Hong Kong Free Press. Confucius Institutes in recent years. review of all agreements between British The Times, under the heading The Tibet Society’s submission to institutions and the Confucius Institutes, “Chinese whispers: Confucius Institutes the inquiry called on the UK authorities concluding that these educational and are welcomed in Ireland even as other to “seize this opportunity to highlight the cultural centres embedded in universities nations kick them out” writes, “The UK ways in which these institutes are and schools around the world represent an last month became the latest country to limiting discussions on Tibet in order to extension of the Chinese Communist Party’s launch an inquiry into Confucius prevent censorship and protect freedom propaganda efforts and ‘threaten academic Institutes, centres located on university of expression”. Four of the ten freedom and freedom of expression’. campuses around the world that are suggestions in our submission have been “The report notes that in 2007 the funded by the Chinese government. included in the Conservative Party HR then head of propaganda for the Beijing claims that these are educational Commission recommendations: Chinese Communist Party, Li facilities aimed at teaching the country’s Changchun, described Confucius language and culture. Critics are • An investigation into claims that Institutes as ‘an important part of concerned that they suppress free Confucius Institutes impede China’s overseas propaganda set-up’, speech and spread propaganda. freedom of expression and academic and in 2010 Xu Lin, the director- “The FBI launched an investigation thought in discussions – particularly general of the Hanban, an agency of the into American branches this year, and in regard to the Tiananmen Ministry of Education which oversees there is growing disquiet in Australia.” massacre, Tibet and Taiwan – in Confucius Institutes, said that: The article goes on to quote an assistant order to prevent censorship and ‘Confucius Institutes […] are an professor at Dublin University’s school protect freedom of expression. important part of soft power. Because of politics, who says he would like we want to expand our influences, we “university administrators to realise that • An investigation into whether do not deny this. We agree.’ China’s in dealing with China and inviting the British educational institutions, President at the time, Hu Jintao, Confucius Institutes on campus, you’re including universities and schools, endorsed Confucius Institutes as a way putting academic freedom at risk.” with Confucius Institutes and ‘to cultivate and prepare a group (or Chinese students are big business classrooms, are involved in army) of people to make sure the for Irish universities, says The Times. Tibet News New Internment Camps Watkins aims to celebrate spiritual and that democracy is in retreat. China An exclusive satellite image published teachers, activists, authors and thinkers remains a country “in the spotlight”. Tibet by The Print on 12 February has that change the world. has been ranked the second least free revealed three new forced re-education country in the world for the fourth year in camps under construction in Tibet — Tibetans Ousted a row, after Syria.