Dear IAATE members:

I just came back from Japan and I wanted to let you know that the Tibet Exhibit in Tokyo has finally opened at the Ueno Royal Museum.

At the private opening on 18 Sep, I was in front of the museum with Tibetans and Tibet supporters in protest against the exhibit.  Flyers were handed out to people visiting the museum, and a free lecture was organized at the nearby facility, to teach people the truth about the exhibition.  I was speaking with Dolma la, a Tibetan living in Tokyo, who was very upset about the fact that Japanese organizations are making money by taking advantage of Tibet’s precious heritage, without explaining how the artifacts were transferred into Chinese hands.  At the exhibition itself, there is no explanation about the formal resident of Potala Palace (His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama), nor any recent history of Chinese occupation in Tibet.  Ironically, the people responsible for the exhibit stated that it was intended to help promote the understanding of Tibet.  I don’t understand how anyone visiting this exhibit could possibly gain any understanding of Tibet, since it is neither explained objectively nor truthfully.

As Dolma and I  spoke about those issues, we felt compelled to speak to the organizer directly, and later found the man who is the director of Tibet exhibit committee.  His name is Mr. Taisuke Tsurumaki of Daiko Advertisiing Inc.  Yes, we did our own research.  Dolma and I confronted him, and I asked him to listen to the voice of Tibetans.

—–(CONVERSATION)——
Dolma: Those artifacts of the exhibition are ”stolen goods” from Tibet which you brought to Japan to make profit with.　I seriously wonder if that’s an act of justice.

Tsurumaki: Yes..

Makoto: I would like to request to you is that: if you could donate some of the profit from this very successful exhibition to the Tibetan human rights groups in Dharamsala, for example…

Tsurumaki: for the history of the last 50 years…

Makoto: after the invasion, you mean..

Tsurumaki: We must look at the situation (of China and Tibet) from the negative stance – one may say that Tibet was invaded and another liberated. We have to take one side, otherwise, the exhibition could not have taken place.

Makoto: Is that so?

Tsurumaki: We have been extra careful about taking a neutral stance.

Makoto: You think so?　you may think that you did NOT cause any problems , however, Tibetans clearly find it unacceptable. I am sure you understand this … for example, there is an office of the Tibetan government in exile here in Tokyo and I think that you should invite them to this event.　Did you invite the (Tibetan) people whom those artifacts used to belong to?

Tsurumaki: I have no idea whom you are talking about…

Makoto: You are calling this event, “Tibet Exhibition” and you are not inviting the Tibetans in Japan?

Tsurumaki: Tibetans in Japan? Tibetans in Japan?

Makoto:I meant to ask, did you invited any Tibetan people to this event?

Tsurumaki: As far as we are concerned, “There are no Tibetans exist.”　There is only “Tibet tribe” and that’s how we look at it.

Makoto: That is despicable. Do you honestly think so ?

———

A Tibet supporter who is also an activist for the Uyghur issue, videotaped the entire conversation!  Here’s the youtube link:

(Please use Twitter, Facebook and blogs to help spread this youtube video)

We were shocked and saddened by Mr. Tsurumaki’s comments.  The fact that a Japanese organization could be so easily influenced by Chinese propaganda and money, is even more disturbing.  That the corporation he is working for would allow him to so openly make false and derogatory statements about TIbetans is an embarrassment to both the Japanese people and our government.  While it is true that we are a democratic country and have the freedom to express our opinion, it is not acceptable to ignore all moral and human rights issues simply for the sake of profit.  As a Japanese citizen, I am outraged by his conduct and insensitivity for the plight of the TIbetan people worldwide.  We need to greatly improve our efforts to raise awareness about the true nature of this exhibition.

Later, as I stood with Tibetans and Tibet supporters holding up their native flags and banners that read:  “Tibet belongs to Tibetans“, VIP’s with foreign diplomat vehicles came and went without even the slightest acknowledgement of us.  The exhibit’s organizers also did not want them to see us, so many were escorted inside the museum through a back door.  Later, a formal opening ceremony was held outside the exhibit with the same VIP’s and diplomats.

Opening ceremony and protest Video:

There was not a single Tibetan among the guests, excluding one Chinese-speaking Tibetan who is a director at the Tibet Museum in Lhasa, and his family.  The Chinese ambassador to Japan, the director of China’s State Administration of Cultural Heritage, and the director of the Tibet Museum, were all warmly welcomed by Japanese sponsors.  My heart sank as I watched and listened to the full fledged Chinese propaganda that appeared to garner support from these Japanese sponsors and guests.  Similar speeches were made about how “China has peacefully liberated Tibet”, and how “China has been making efforts to preserve Tibetan culture”.  For me, it felt more like being in China than in Japan.  When upset Tibetan’s and Tibet supporters interrupted their speeches with “Free Tibet” chants, many of them had tears in their eyes.

We need international pressure to help publicize the truth about the current Tibet exhibit.  His Holiness the Dalai Lama has plans to visit Japan in November, while the exhibition is still taking place.  Using this rare opportunity, we hope to raise awareness in Japan so that in the future, no corporation will promote using the one-sided, Chinese-propaganda-influenced method that has been used to organize this event.

Please contact us immediately if you know any foreign press that might be interested in this issue at:  press@seichi-tibet.com

We would be happy yo send them a press release.

OR

Please write to Mr. Tsurumaki:

Contact:

Mr. Taisuke Tsurumaki

Representative of “Tibet : Stolen Treasure from the Roof of the World” Exhibition Committee

Daiko Advertising, Inc.

Akasaka Park Building, 5-2-20 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo

Japan

107-6107

Tel: +81-3-6364-8111

Fax:+81-3-5563-8933

Email: publicrelation11@daiko.co.jp