Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, Dec. 21: Activist group Students for a Free Tibet (SFT) in France announced plans on Thursday to intensify protests against Musée Guimet after the museum’s director, Yannick Lintz, refused to rename its exhibit “Himalayan World” to “Tibet.” The exhibit, which prominently features Tibetan cultural artefacts, has drawn criticism from activists accusing the museum of deliberately erasing Tibet’s identity and heritage.
Representatives of SFT France, including Rigzin Genkhang, the Dalai Lama’s representative in Brussels, and Pema Rinchen, President of the Tibetan Community of France, met with Lintz to press for the recognition of Tibet’s identity. They demanded the accurate representation of Tibetan heritage in the museum’s exhibit labels and catalogs, highlighting the ongoing suppression of Tibetan culture under Chinese occupation. However, Lintz refused to make changes, asserting that her decisions were not influenced by any “foreign power.”
Undeterred by the museum’s stance, SFT France pledged to continue its campaign until the exhibit properly acknowledges Tibet. “The fight for the defence of Tibetan culture, and ultimately the freedom of the Tibetan people, involves preserving the memory of Tibet. It is clear that the Chinese dictatorship, as well as its supporters in France, have no place in this vital struggle. We wish to express our deep gratitude to all those who support us and actively participate in our actions. The fight continues, together!,” the group wrote on their social media handle.
Yangchen, President of SFT France, emphasised the impact of their collective mobilisation. “
“I believe that this meeting happened because of the pressure and our collective mobilisation, and it is the result of our efforts. In the face of statements that we find to be demagogic, we will continue our struggle until our demands are met. We will step up our mobilisation and consider new actions, especially in light of the Guimet Museum’s ties to the Beijing regime, as revealed by Radio France’s investigation, among others,” she stated.
The group has been staging weekly sit-ins, conducting social media campaigns, and distributing educational materials on Tibetan history and identity. Thursday marked their 12th protest outside Musée Guimet, which comes on the heels of their success in Paris, where public pressure led Musée du quai Branly to change its terminology from “Xizang” to “Tibet” for Tibetan artifacts.
Musée Guimet’s misrepresentation of Tibetan identity is not new. Tibetan writer Tsering Yangzom Lama, in an interview with Tibet Express, shared her experience of being misrepresented as “Chinese” after being shortlisted for the Guimet Prize. She promptly raised the issue with her publisher, insisting on a correction. Yangzom also noted that fellow Tibetan writer Tsering Dhondup faced a similar issue.
One Response
A huge thank you to the members of SFT France for its concerted effort to protest against Musee Guimet for its erroneous stand for failing to acknowledge TIBETAN artefacts in its possession as TIBETAN! This is happening only because it is tied at the hips with the CCP! The CCP uses such channels to to propagate it’s nefarious activities such as its present diabolical act of confining Tibet to oblivion! Tibet is going through a very dangerous and worrying era of total obliteration by the vile Chinese communist occupation of Tibet. The Chinese communists are determined to ERASE TIBET AND ITS LONG HISTORY AS AN INDEPENDENT NATION AND A FREE PEOPLE. The CCP IS IMPOSING COLONIAL NAME ON TIBET IN ORDER TO LEGITIMISE ITS ILLEGAL OCCUPATION OF TIBET! Every Tibetan has a responsibility to fight the colonial name communist China is imposing on us and fight tooth and nail to retain our historical name TIBET. We must never use the Chinese colonial name and ask others where ever people out of ignorance may be using to enlighten them. We are all in this. Tibetan journalists, academics, writers, speakers and influencers must work together to repulse the Chinese communist onslaught to destroy us as a nation and expunge our identity and history as a DISTINCT PEOPLE FROM THE CHINESE. Let’s hold our hands together to fight the insidious Chinese imperialist agenda and be victorious. Don’t be disheartened. The CCP is also teetering on the brink of collapse! As true as the sun shines from the east and sets to the west, the CCP will collapse!