April 9, 2008
TOTAL INDEPENDENCE:
Tibet may seek total independence from China (rediff, April 09, 2008)
Total independence could soon be the slogan of Tibet's present movement for 'genuine autonomy' under China, with the Tibetan parliament in-exile, itself a divided house on the issue, mooting a people's vote to decide the matter.Interacting with reporters in Guwahati on Wednesday, Tibetan parliament in-exile member Karma Yeshi said that there were differences of opinion on whether Tibet should go for independence or settle for autonomy under China. He added that the matter could be decided conclusively only by the people in Tibet.
''The Tibetan government in-exile won't decide this issue without taking the verdict of those who actually live in Tibet in a free and fair manner. If the majority Tibetans want independence, we will strive for it," he said.
Yeshi indicated that there was a considerable population that wanted complete independence and the various Tibetan communities in other parts of the world were also not totally against it.
MORE:
White House does not rule out Bush missing Olympics opening (AFP, 4/08/08)
The White House did not rule out Tuesday President George W. Bush missing the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics, noting that it had never said he would attend the event.Asked by reporters if Bush would be attending the opening ceremony, White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said: "We haven't provided any schedule on the president's trip."
The White House has insisted that Bush would attend the Olympics, but pressed on whether his decision to go to Beijing was irreversible, Perino said: "The president can always make a change."
"But the president has been clear that this is a sporting event for the athletes and that pressuring China before, during and after the Olympics is the best way for us to try to help people across the board in China, not just the Tibetans," she said.
Monks Disrupt Media Tour in China (JIM YARDLEY and JAKE HOOKER, 4/09/08, NY Times)
China suffered another unexpected public relations setback on Wednesday when Buddhist monks interrupted a government-managed media tour in western China by waving a Tibetan flag and protesting that the authorities were depriving them of their human rights.Posted by Orrin Judd at April 9, 2008 11:22 AMThe disruption, in the city of Xiahe in Gansu Province, marked the second time that monks have upstaged government efforts to control foreign media tours of Tibetan areas.
OJ, while I know you favor an athlete boycott but given that is clearly not going to happen, what about a PR stunt?
What do you think about the President going but taking some dissident(Fauh Gong people or the Dahli Lama?) with him? The ChiComs would not dare act against a member of the President's party. Would not that be even more embarrrising to them than a boycott by the President? Pictures all over the world of the Dalai Lama sitting with the President?
Posted by: Bob at April 9, 2008 8:15 PMI wish I knew how to Photoshop. It would be great if he replicated the black power fist pose from the '68 games with a Tibetan flag draped over his shoulders.
Posted by: oj at April 9, 2008 8:29 PMA great idea, but I wouldn't put it past Rugge to try and physically restrain the President at that point. Samaranch certainly would have tried, and so would Dick Pound. These guys are more interested in protecting their brand and stamping out any negative publicity than in the "ideals" that presuppose their event.
Posted by: ratbert at April 9, 2008 9:23 PM