Brief Highlights - Tibet Post International

First Khampa TV Channel Opens

Dhasa: On Wednesday, the local Chinese authorities said that, the first satellite television broadcast in Khampa dialect with 2.4 million viewers in Tibetans was officially launches at the so called Sichuan Province in Southwest China. Head of Sichuan Provincial Radio, Film and Television Bureau He Daxin said, "After the official launch, the channel will have more programs, including a new program in both Khampa dialect and Mandarin in order to help those who want to learn Mandarin".
The channel was on a trial run since October 2009 after it was approved by the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television in May 2009. Khampa is one of the three main Tibetan dialects, besides U-Tsang and Amdho. The other two dialects are also made available on satellite channels in Tibet Autonomous Region and Qinghai Province.

Nirupama Rao to meet His Holiness

Dhasa: A week after National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon concluded his significant tour to China as Prime Minister's special envoy, Indian foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao is to meet Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama in McLeodganj, the headquarters of the Tibetan government-in-exile, here Saturday, Gautam Bambawale, Joint Secretary (East Asia), reliable sources in Ministry of External Affairs told Hindustan Times.

'A meeting between the Dalai Lama and Rao has been scheduled at his official palace post lunch, where other high-ranking officials of his administration would also be present,' a ministry official said.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama's office did not comment on Rao's visit. Tenzin Taklha, joint secretary at His Holiess the Dalai Lama's office, said: 'Right now we are not making any comments.'

Remember Two Dates in Modern Tibet

Beijing: A Foreign Ministry spokesman insincerely claimed China preferred to ignore His Holiness the Dalai Lama's birthday and instead remember two dates in modern Tibetan history: those of Tibet's "peaceful liberation" and Serf Emancipation Day.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Tibet's spiritual leader, turned 75 on Tuesday. "I can only remember two dates," the spokesman, Qin Gang, said Tuesday.
He said 'one was March 28, 1951, when the Chinese Army took over central Tibet, and the other was May 23, 1959, after the Chinese Army suppressed a Tibetan uprising, a day the government recently designated Serf Emancipation Day.'

Journalist Refused Entry to China

Dhasa: A Polish journalist regarded as an authoritative and experienced writer on Chinese affairs has been refused an entry visa to China. Konrad Godlewski, a freelance commissioned by Gazeta Wyborcza, Poland's largest daily newspaper, was denied entry to the country to cover the China-Europe forum in Chengdu.
He told IPI that he believes his blacklisting may have been sparked by his acting as a translator for an interview in May between Wang Lixiong, a prominent Chinese writer and critic of China's Tibetan policy, and His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
The rejection of Godlewski's visa application comes three months after another Polish journalist, Maria Kruczkowska, was denied a Chinese visa. She reported on China for 11 years, and had previously visited the country several times without incident.But she was blacklisted for writing a critical article about China and the 2008 Olympic Games.

Foreign Secretary Heading to Himachal

Dhasa: Indian foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao is visiting Dharmashala, where Tibetan government in-exiled based, Saturday but it is not known if she will meet the Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
'Nirupama Rao is visiting Dharamsala for two days from July 10,' Bhim Sen, principal secretary to Prem Kumar Dhumal, the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, told IANS. She is a former Indian ambassador to China. Sen could not say if Rao would meet the Tibetan leader. 'She has been declared a state guest by the (Himachal) government,' Sen said. 'She will arrive July 10 and depart for Delhi the next day.'

No Hurry to Appoint Successor

Dhasa: Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama said any Dalai Lama chosen by China would have no moral legitimacy or following. Asked whether he would appoint someone in his lifetime, His Holiness told NDTV that he would continue to guide his community in the coming years. "I have not much concern about these things," His Holiness said.
"Sometimes I think the Chinese communists have more concern about Dalai Lama's successor than me. Silly, silly thinking, like that, so doesn't matter." "On the practical level, no hurry," he added. "I am quite healthy, so for another 10 to 20 years, I think, no problem," His Holiness added.

Handbook for Tibetan Journalists

Dhasa: A new Tibetan book, "Handbook for Tibetan Journalists" was launched at a press conference on Monday by Kelsang T. Yangkyi, the information Minister of Tibetan government in-exile. All of the carefully collected articles accept the brief history of the Voice of Tibet, related to the freedom of Journalists were translated into Tibetan language.
The 12 short chapters published by Voice of Tibet also included the freedom of journalists, particularly how to protect war-journalists. It also provides technical methods of ideological on how to challenge anonymously and avoid dangerous threats. It describes the contributions from Reporters Without Borders, the well-known International media watch dog. It gives an international perspective of journalism, how to Learn about journalistic protection privacy laws and self defense. This is a new kind of publication for Tibetan media communities in exile to raise public awareness of threats to press freedom around the world.