Tibetan journalists Saturday requested the Chinese ambassador in New Delhi, Hua Jundua, to give them permission to go to Tibet and cover the situation in the Himalayan region.
“In view of the People’s Republic of China’s pride in developing Tibet economically and culturally, and protecting the environment of the plateau, we, the Tibetan journalists, request permission to visit the Tibetan regions of China and produce updated media coverage,” the journalists said in a letter to the envoy.
“As Tibetans residing in India, we also request the right to travel across the Tibetan plateau and record the ground realities of China’s development and conservation policies on film and in print.”
Television and print media journalists from around the world were invited by the Chinese government to tour Tibet in August 2002. This followed substantial coverage on Tibet.
The letter was issued after a meeting of the Tibetan journalists.
The meeting was held a day ahead of Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama’s birthday. The Dalai Lama declared democracy for Tibetans in 1960 and promulgated a constitution for a future, free Tibet, based on the principles of modern democracy.
The Tibetan journalists came together and formed the Press Club of Tibet in 1997. The Club has about 30 members, who are mostly based in Dharamsala, the seat of the Dalai Lama’s government-in-exile.
“If China is genuine with their claims of developmental projects in Tibet, and if they were as true as they were reported, the Chinese authorities should not have problems in permitting a media group from Tibetans-in-exile covering these developmental projects,” Ugyen Norbu, a spokesman for the club and radio journalist said.
Ugyen said he felt discriminated against when no single Tibetan journalist was included in the Chinese government’s media tour of Tibet in August 2002.
“I am sure that the Chinese authorities will consider our request, and give the permission. We would like to visit places that we want to.”
