|
KARUNA BODHISATTVA ORDER |
|
ARTICLES/NEWS |
|
SANGHA SHOP |
|
If you would like to have an item, whether of particular interest to the Order or Buddhism in General, then please email the Order Secretary.
|
|
ITV's Special report shows dramatic footage filmed undercover in Tibet |
|
18th January 2008 |
|
British broadcaster, ITV NEWS, carried a special report on 18th January containing dramatic pictures filmed undercover from inside Tibet on its prime 6.30pm news programme, and later at 11pm. ITV had secured the extrememy rare pictures with the help of Free Tibet Campaign As footage was shown of fireworks being released into the air, ITV's China correspondent, John Ray, spoke of Tibetans "risking everything for their spiritual leader". Also clear in the footage was the heavy presence of police vehicles. The footage was complemented by interviews with Tibetan monks, whose identities had been carefully protected. The monks gave eyewitness accounts of how the Chinese authorities immediately clamped down on the firework celebrations to the anger of Tibetans. The monks also revealed that, in the aftermath of the celebrations, local government officials had forced them to denounce the Dalai Lama. The pictures represent some of the only undercover footage, filmed by a foreign broadcaster, to have come out of Tibet in recent years. Free Tibet Campaign was instrumental in sourcing the material featured in the report. Almost all footage filmed inside Tibet by foreign broadcasters can only be done with official government approval. Government appointed minders ensure that journalists do not film material deemed sensitive or embarrassing by the authorities. The report also contained an exclusive interview with the Dalai Lama. He was shown watching footage of the firework celebrations, after which he commented that it did not matter if Tibetans forgot about him... what mattered was that Tibetans were showing their feelings without fear and that what was at issue was the basic rights of 6 million Tibetans. The report was shown whilst Gordon Brown was making his first trip to China as British Prime Minister.
The report can be seen on ITV's website here
Apologies that we were not able to alert members of this sooner; we were bound to confidentiality on this report.
Please feel free to distribute the web link to the video of this report to anybody who may have missed it!
Gordon Brown arrived in China on a visit designed to boost business links, but was accused of soft-pedalling over the world's concerns about human rights in the country. The Prime Minister's spokesman said that Mr Brown would raise human rights in a general sense during two days of talks with Chinese leaders. But British officials admitted the issue would not be central to his discussions. They insisted that human rights would be debated fully in an annual session involving officials from the two countries on 28 January. But Mr Brown's stance drew criticism from Tory politicians. Edward McMillan-Scott, a Tory MEP, accused Mr Brown of "humbug" because he wanted to stop Zimbabwe's forthcoming cricket tour to England but would not back calls for a boycott of this summer's Beijing Olympics. "You can't cherry-pick sports boycotts", said Mr McMillan-Scott. He said the Olympics should be boycotted because of China's crackdown against political dissidents. "It is time for the civilised world to wake up to what is really happening in the hidden China, a terror state like no other, which has killed some 80 million of its own people since 1949," he said. His officials said the Prime Minister recognised that democracy took different forms and what mattered was "accountable government". They stressed that he would push China – who like Britain holds veto power on the UN Security Council – to use its close links with Sudan to press for a solution to the Darfur crisis and for the success of stalled peace talks. China also has influence in Burma, and Mr Brown will use his visit to renew pressure on the Burmese regime over human rights there. The Burmese regime, according to Britain's ambassador in Rangoon, Mark Canning, said the junta was "playing a canny game" when it came to reform and liberalisation and the international community needed to focus on the lack of progress. Many of the monks, who had been in the vanguard of the pro-democracy protests last year, "have been disrobed and sent packing to rural villages", Mr Canning said yesterday. Only a fraction of the country's 400,000 Buddhist clerics can now be seen on the streets. Up to 1,000 people, those the regime consider to be leaders of the resistance, are still being held in prison, often under appalling conditions, said Mr Canning. And arrests have continued while the regime professes to be willing to hold dialogue with the opposition. In what is regarded as a blatant attempt to prevent people from gaining access to independent reporting, the military government is threatening to raise the licence fee for satellite TVs from the equivalent of £2.50 to £400 a year, said Mr Canning. The proposed figure is three times the Burmese national salary, and the measure if implemented, will, in effect, mean the vast majority of the population will be left dependent on the censored domestic media.
TripleGem is a new cooperative venture based in the UK, but inviting global
The Institute of Oriental Philosophy (UK) and the Network of Buddhist Organisations (UK) Present a conference on " The British Buddhist Landscape - Transplantation and Growth " 27th, 28th, 29th June 2008 To be held at Taplow Court, near Maidenhead, Berkshire. The aim of the conference is to look at the history and development of Buddhism in the UK from its early days up to the present. It will be suitable for anyone with an interest in Buddhism as well as other religions in the UK, the teaching of religion, as well as social action and ethnic social groups. Topics will include:- The History and Development of UK Buddhism, Ethnicity and Buddhism in Britain, Buddhist Scholarship including areas such as teaching Buddhism in schools and universities and over the internet, Buddhism and Psychotherapy, and Engaging with Society. The speakers will include Dharmachari Sangarakshita Stephen Batchelor, Dr. John Peacock, Dr Helen Waterhouse, Ajahn Laow, Prof. Sato, Dr. Peggy Morgan, Colin Ash, Rev Saido, Dharma Shakya, Keith Munnings and others. Approximate fee will be £65.00 Attendance for part of the conference is possible, for a reduced fee, concessionary rates also available. Please enquire for further information Artists and performers are being invited to join us to present their work, please make contact if you would like to be considered. For further information please contact: Jamie Cresswell Director, IOPUK Tel : 01628-591213 e-m : <mailto:jc@iopec.org> jc@iopec.org
|
|
CHINESE TROOPS ACT AS AGITATORS POSING AS BUDDHIST MONKS IN TIBET
|
|
|