Protest in Mumbai

A documentary on what the Tibetans think about the Olympics premiered in Beijing under a lot of secrecy.

The film, ” Leaving Fear Behind” was shown to a small group of reporters in a run down hotel in cental Beijing. It is sure to cause a stir from the authorities who have been closely guarding many of the activities during the Games.

Officials did not intrude the screening but according to Dechen Pemba, a British Tibetan woman who was deported from China last month, told Reuters by telephone that a second screening was halted by the hotel, under police instructions. The showing of the film itself was a big breach in many of the Chinese ideals. They seem to take a lot of initiative when it comes to such cases. The Olympics is almost around the corner and Tibetans are trying to use this as a platform to project their woes by starting such initiatives.

Dechen Pemba also said “Now that the Olympic Games are finally upon us, it’s a chance to show how Tibetans feel and what their hopes are,”

The film is more of a series of interviews with Tibetans talking about how their culture had been increasingly pressurized. They also talked about the love they still share for their spiritual leader the Dalia Lama, and how the Olympics has done nothing to improve their livelihoods.

“Outsiders may think that the Tibetans are treated very well and that they are happy. But the truth is that Tibetans are not free to speak of their suffering,” one Tibetan said on the film. But the concern for the community has been growing in numbers. It is a chance for even useless foreign dignitaries to bring their ruthless politics to the issue. This also is an issue that the Americans are closely watching for any sort of violence that can trigger a catastrophic wave of events.

Another person had this to say in the movie “Even if I had to sacrifice my life for this message to be seen by the Dalai Lama, I agree and welcome this chance,”. Just for a single message to be passed these are truly strong words coming from a community that in the eyes of the Chinese seize to exist.

Farmer Dhondup Wangchen and his monk friend Golog Jigme were detained shortly after finishing the film, but managed to smuggle tapes out of the country. “It is very difficult for Tibetans to go to Beijing and speak out there. So that is why we decided to show the real feelings of Tibetans inside Tibet through this film,” Dhondup Wangchen said in the film.

Four foreign protesters displaying pro-Tibet banners near the main Bird’s Nest stadium were detained earlier in the morning, in a measure of the issue’s sensitivity ahead of Friday’s Olympics opening ceremony.

The Chinese have been voicing their cries of foul play. They seem to think of this as a chance for a country like Tibet to take a chance to upstage the Olympic preparations. But is this all these people have in their minds or is it just the possibility of dialog. The Dalia Lama has denied the claim and has said on record that he does not oppose the Games.

Yes with all that is going around close to the Olympics this might surely effect the viewership of this olympics. In my view i think most of just avoid such an event and concentrate more on piece and solidarity not amongst nations but within them. Peace should reign first at home only then we can torch the reign of peace worldwide.

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