01. Apr 2006
Tibet supporters urged not to demonstrate
In an "urgent appeal" issued in Dharamsala, India, Samdhong Rinpoche, head of the Tibetan government in exile, has requested Tibetans and Tibet support groups based in the United States and Canada, not to protest during the forthcoming visit of Chinese President Hu Jintao to those countries later this month. "Any protests against President Hu will not only jeopardise the ongoing Sino-Tibetan dialogue, but also cause embarrassment for His Holiness the Dalai Lama, as he is also expected to be in the country at about that time", Samdhong Rinpoche said. Speaking about the Dalai Lama’s 10 March message on the 47th anniversary of Tibet’s 1959 revolt, he stressed that "if protests are held, this will give the impression that no Tibetan or Tibet support group is taking notice of and carrying out His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s instructions issued". He also mentioned that, a similar "unambiguous appeal" had been issued in September 2005, but "not been as effective as expected". Following last year’s protests, talks between Beijing and Dharamshala were unilaterally postponed for three months. This should not be repeated because at "present our effort to bring about negotiations has reached a critical stage", he said.