Tibet: Laureates Urge Chinese Protesters for Understanding and Dialogue
A group of Chinese protesters on Sunday tried to disrupt
His Holiness the Dalai Lama's meeting with fellow Nobel Peace
Laureates in Hiroshima Peace Memorial and ran away in confusion when
two of the Nobel Laureates went to meet them and talk to them.
Below is an article published by Central Tibetan Administration:
"Why did they run away the minute we came to talk to them? We did not
came here for confrontation. Shirin Ebadi and we both are peace
laureates. This is the question that we all need to ask why did they
leave? There are no Japanese police here," Nobel Laureate Jody
Williams said as she tried to approach the protesters.
"They left because they don't want to have a conversation with us,"
Williams added.
The protesters seemed to have a tacit backing from the Chinese
government, as the banners they were carrying had oft-repeated
government denunciation of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
The two Nobel Laureates called on the Chinese people not to be
deceived by their government's propaganda on Tibet.
"Please do not make the error of believing the propaganda. Please
investigate on your own to find out why there is so much military
presence in Tibet and China," Iranian Nobel Laureate Shirin Ebadi said
through an interpreter.
"His Holiness the Dalai Lama is not asking for independence. He only
wants freedom for Chinese and autonomy for Tibetan people. Long live
the people of China," Ms Ebadi said.
Jody Williams said: "We would love to go to Tibet and see for
ourselves the freedom that China says is available to all in Tibet. We
would like to go and see that Tibetan culture and language is being
respected and promoted."
"We (Nobel Laureates) have gathered in Japan with a clear objective to
support dialogue among all as only way that we can to save this
world," she said.
"The only solution to problems in today's world is dialogue. Shirin
and I have spoken with His Holiness the Dalai Lama and we as a Nobel
Peace Laureates are willing to go to China and meet with our Nobel
colleague (Liu Xiaobo)," Williams said.
"We are here as two Nobel laureates only to convey our friendship and
the feelings of the Nobel committee and the people of China. We love
the people of China. Our objective is friendship, only friendship,"
Shirin Ebadi said.
"We love the people of China, the only problem is your government,"
Ebadi said as one of the Chinese protesters tried to hit a cameraman.
"We believe in the beauty and kindness of the people of China. So,
please we beg and plead with you ask your government to free Liu
Xiaobo from prison. We Iranians like the Chinese people like to live
in freedom. Don't allow your government to protect those who are
indefensible abusing human rights in Burma, Iran and North Korea.
Don't be afraid of the powers of your rulers, your power is greater
than those of your rulers. Long live the union of the people of China
with the rest of the humanity in the world," she added.