Dharamsala, February 16: Nearly hundred Chinese and Tibetan people in and around Tokyo gathered jovially on Saturday evening to celebrate the formation of a “Friendship Association” between the two communities in the region.
| Executive members of Chinese-Tibetan Friendship Association with Representative Lhakpa Tshoko (centre) (Photo: Tibet House, Japan) |
The two-hour function-cum-interactive dinner gathering was organized by the Tibetan Community in Japan.
Mr. Kalsang Dhondup, President of the Tibetan Community, in his opening remark, greeted the gathering and expressed his happiness that the two communities have “come together to show to the world that we are not against each other, that we love and respect each other and that we can live peacefully together”.
Mr. Lhakpa Tshoko, Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama for Japan and East Asia welcomed the formation of the Association and said that it was “in line with the principle of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who has always preached love, compassion, non-violence and universal brotherhood.”
Describing the newly founded “Chinese-Tibetan Friendship Association” as a non-political entity, the Tibetan representative hoped it could “contribute immensely in clearing many doubts and misunderstanding between the two communities”.
“It is a friendship association formed at community level and this will greatly help in promoting peace and stability in China and Tibet,” Mr Tshoko said.
Dr. Tsewang Nishikura was appointed the president of the association. Mr. Liu Bao and Lee Komatsu are appointed as its Vice Presidents, and Mr. Kalsang Dhondup as the General Secretary of the Association.
Dr. Tsewang, while accepting the responsibility, urged the respective communities to abide by the policy of peace and friendship, and in promoting better understanding, which he would help send good message to the people in China and Tibet.
Vice President Mr. Liu Bao expressed great happiness about the successful formation of the Association. He said that he had been to Tibet several times and had good many Tibetans as friends. Commending Tibet’s “unique Buddhist tradition of peace and concept of others before self”, Bao said Chinese people “have many things to learn from Tibetan”.
In his speech, Bao insisted on the need to have more communication between the two communities.
`Whatever the Chinese government has done, it represents the Government’s stand only, which does not represent Chinese people,” Bao said, and prayed for the success of the Association.
An elderly Chinese man said he was so happy that he wanted to dedicate a song for the occasion and played harmonica. A group of Tibetan and Chinese casually performed Tibetan dance together at a corner. A young Tibetan girl sang a Tibetan song. The performances drew great appreciation and ovation from the crowd. The gathering concluded with an announcement to meet again in future.
According to latest Japanese official records, there are some 606, 899 Chinese residing in Japan, forming the largest foreign community in the country - nearly 30 per cent of the total foreign population. This is exclusive of some 110,000 Chinese who had taken Japanese citizenship till date. On the other hand, Tibetan population, including those who had taken Japanese citizenship, counts to little more than 100 only.
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| Chinese -Tibetan Friendship Society launched in New York | March 09, 2009
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New York, March 9 - Around 60 people attended a special meeting in Flushing, Queens, yesterday that marked the establishment of the Chinese Tibetan Friendship Society of New York. The launch, held at the China Democracy Party office in Flushing (which is home to a large Chinese community), was conducted in both Tibetan and Chinese with translators. The members of the Chinese Tibetan Friendship Society, four Chinese and four Tibetans, spoke to an audience of local Chinese and Tibetans about the urgent need for better communication and understanding between the Tibetan people and the Chinese people.
The Tibetans were Thupten Thokmey, President of this Society; Tsering Phuntsok, a Tibetan from Tibet; Phurbu Dorjee, Vice President of the Tibetan Community of New York and New Jersey and Cheden L. Adeytsang of Chushi Gangdruk with Tsering Mingyur as Secretary. The Chinese were Si Yan, a democracy leader; Chen Kexue, American Committee Director of China Freedom Democracy Party; Jun Wang, Chairman of China Democracy Party and Jordan Zhu with Hu Jia as Secretary.
Mr. Wei Jingsheng, China's famous dissident and the author of document "The Fifth Modernization" on the Democracy Wall in Beijing, 1979, set the tone for this meeting of both Tibetans and Chinese when he said that they cannot continue to be taken in by the Chinese Government. They must form a better relationship with each other so that they won't be misled by the Chinese Communist Government. Wei Jingsheng proclaimed his hope that this first meeting of the Chinese Tibetan Friendship Society would build the foundation for better understanding and reconciliation.
Mr. Thupten Thokmey expressed his hope that this launch will help to spread the truth about the Tibetan struggle. He said that better communication and better relations with the Chinese will yield better results for the Tibetan cause in the future. Mr. Thokmey pointed out, "His Holiness has said our disagreement is with the Chinese government and His Holiness has faith in the Chinese people."
Mr. Jun Wang said His Holiness only wants a high level of autonomy, an autonomy that is provided for in the framework of the Chinese constitution. Mr. Jun Wang expressed complete support for the Tibetans' fight for rights and freedoms. He said that although there have been eight rounds of talks and no changes in the Chinese government's policy, the international community and many intellectuals inside China support His Holiness's position. Mr. Wang suggested, "With united effort, we can change China's policies in the future."
Mr. Phurbu Dorjee started off by mentioning that this was a meeting of two old cultures and peoples, both with a long and ancient history. He expressed his hope that the goals of this Chinese Tibetan Friendship Society will be fulfilled. He emphasized Tibet's historical independence and cited Tsepon Shakapa's travel to America on his Tibetan passport as just one piece of evidence. Mr. Dorjee further said that since 1989, when the Chinese government sent tanks into the square and shot at students and citizens demanding democracy in the Tiananmen massacre, he has had very little hope concerning the government. This lack of hope was further compounded by China's clampdown on Tibetans during the uprising last year.
However, he recognized the importance of a genuine understanding between Tibetans and Chinese, based on truth and reality instead of lies and propaganda, and hoped that the goals of this Chinese Tibetan Friendship Society will be fulfilled.
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Jul 20, 2008 During the visit of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in July, he suggested the formation of a Friendship Association between the Han Chinese and the Tibetans, to promote harmonious society. Based on this suggestion, Mr Tenzin Atisha, representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Australia, announced formation of the Friendship Association of Han Chinese and Tibetans on 6 July, during the celebration of the 73rd birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. As a first step towards promoting more harmony, Mr Kamal Sarma, long time friend of both the Tibetans and the Chinese, initiated a meeting in Manly, a hub of tourism and social meeting places near Sydney, where Chinese and Tibetan community members who are supporters of the strengthening of relationships between the two communities, attended to exchange orange bands, which were tied on each others wrists to symbolise protection, friendship and harmony. This is based on an Indian tradition called Raksha Bandhan. The winter day in Manly supplied glorious sunshine to set the scene for this warm gesture of sincerity from one community to the other. One step in a mutually beneficial journey, as friendship always is. --------------- End
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