「上野の森美術館」（東京）で開催中の「聖地チベット　ポタラ宮と天空の至宝」展（中華文物交流協会、朝日新聞社など主催）が、展示説明や図録でチベット動乱やダライ・ラマ１４世のインド亡命など歴史的事実に触れていないとして、チベットの人権状況改善を訴える支援団体や有識者などから抗議を受けていることが１９日、分かった。

同展は、世界遺産のポタラ宮やチベット博物館（いずれも中国チベット自治区）などが所蔵する仏像や仏具など約１２０点を展示し、日本の国宝に当たる「国家一級文物」も含まれる。しかし、チベットの近現代史や現状の説明は、会場や図録にはない。

これに対し支援団体などは９月の開会以来、毎週末に美術館付近でデモを行ったり、チベット史やチベット問題を解説する講演を開催するなど抗議活動を展開。国際的な支援団体も美術館や主催者側に公開要請状などを送った。美術館には中立的な展示を求める文書などが、これまでに約３００通届いたという。

TOKYO – JAPAN-BASED supporters of Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama on Monday protested against an exhibition in Tokyo on their Himalayan homeland, in which they say China misrepresents their history.

The exhibit called ‘Tibet: Treasures from the Roof of the World’ is being held in the Ueno Royal Museum, with China’s embassy and China’s State Administration of Cultural Heritage among the official supporters.

‘The world shouldn’t be deceived by this Chinese propagandist exhibition,’ Lhakpa Tshoko, head of the liaison office of the Dalai Lama in Japan and East Asia, said in a statement.

‘The exhibits and the documents at the exhibition are purposely designed to mislead the Japanese public into believing the Chinese government is the benevolent guardian of Tibetan culture,’ he said.

He added that ‘in fact, the opposite is the truth’.

Other organisers and backers of the exhibit include the Japanese daily the Asahi Shimbun, the television network Tokyo Broadcasting System and Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs.

‘If the organisers believe that this exhibition is being done for the Tibetans, then the real historical background of Tibet and reason behind the flight of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and the Tibet issue … should be properly displayed and addressed,’ Lhakpa Tshoko said.

The organisers could not immediately be reached for comment. — AFP

東京：　チベットの精神的リーダー、ダライ・ラマ法王の日本を基盤におく支援者たちが東京で開催されている彼らのヒマラヤの故郷の展覧会で、中国が彼らの歴史を正しく紹介していないとし、月曜日に抗議をした。

この展覧会は「聖地チベット：ポタラ宮と天空の至宝」展とよばれ、公式スポンサーのなかには、中国大使館、中国国家文物の名前が上り、上野の森美術館で開催中である。

「世界が中国のプロパガンダである展覧会にだまされないようにすべきです。」ダライ・ラマ法王日本代表部事務所の事務所長であるラクパ・ツォコ氏は声明文で言う。

「この展覧会の展示や文書は、日本国民を欺き、中国政府がチベット文化の善意の保護者であると信じさせるよう、意図的に作られています。」

「実は、真実は逆なのです」彼は付け加えた。

他の主催者や後援者は朝日新聞社、TBSそして日本の文化庁である。

「もし主催者の方々が、この展覧会がチベット人のために行われていると信じるなら、チベットの真の歴史的背景と、ダライ・ラマ法王の亡命の理由、そして世界的問題となっているチベット問題について正しく展示するべきです」ラクパ・ツォコ氏は言った。

主催者側はすぐにコメントを出すことができなかった。ーーAFP通信

An Appeal

To the People of Japan:

As you are all well aware, a Tibet exhibition titled. “Tibet – Treasures from the Roof of World” has been going around Japan and it has now come to Ueno, Tokyo. While we welcome any exhibitions on Tibet, we are sorry to inform that the said exhibition does not give the true picture of Tibet and its history.

The world is well aware that since the invasion of Tibet by Chinese communist force in 1949, peaceful and religious people of Tibet were subjected to tremendous sufferings and tortures. As a result some 1.2 million Tibetan died, more than 6000 monasteries have been destroyed.

The exhibits and the documents at the exhibition are purposely designed to mislead the Japanese public into believing the Chinese Government as the benevolent guardian of Tibetan culture. While in fact, opposite is the truth. Repression of Tibetan religious and cultural freedom is still going on in Tibet. This is evident from the last year’s disturbance in Tibet. The fact that Tibet is closed even today speaks louder than anything.

If the organizers believe that this Exhibition is being done for the Tibetans, then the real historical background of Tibet and reason behind the flight of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and the Tibet issue, which has become an international issue should be properly displayed and addressed to, so that the interested publics are not misinformed. Instead, they should urge the Chinese Government to open Tibet to let the world see the real Tibet.

Situation in Tibet is very critical; it is very unfortunate to see certain elite bodies and intellectuals in this free country instead of standing up for justice are seen investing on the sad plight of Tibet.

We have been informed that many Japanese supporters of Tibet, groups and individuals are staging demonstration against the exhibition and the organizers in various forms. While I thank them for their genuine concern and supports, I request them to keep their activities peaceful and refrain from any violent actions. Important thing is that we should let the organizers and the visitors know that the real situation in Tibet is different and the world shouldn’t be deceived by this Chinese propagandist exhibition.

I request the people in this free country and media people to hear the both sides of the stories, and support the truth, justice and humanity.

Thanking you

Lhakpa Tshoko
Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama for Japan & East Asia

ご承知の通り、日本で「聖地チベット 〜ポタラ宮と天空の至宝〜」と題したチベット展が巡回され、現在、東京・上野で開催中です。チベットに関するいかなる展覧会も歓迎すべきなのですが、残念 ながら今回の展覧会は、チベットとその歴史の真の姿を伝えてはいないということをお伝えせねばなりません。

世界中でよく知られているように、1949年に中国共産党軍がチベットに侵攻して以来、平和的で信仰心厚いチベット人たちは、はなはだしい苦しみや虐待にさらされています。その結果、約120万人のチベット人が亡くなり、6千以上の僧院が破壊されました。

こ の展覧会の展示や文書は、日本国民を欺き、中国政府がチベット文化の善意の保護者であると信じさせるよう、意図的に作られています。実は、真実は逆なので す。チベットでは、今でもチベット人の信教と文化の自由は弾圧され続けています。昨年のチベット動乱がその証拠です。チベットが今日も封鎖されているとい う事実が、何よりも声高に物語っています。

もし主催者の方々が、この展覧会がチベット人のために行われていると信じるなら、チベットの真の歴史的背景と、ダライ・ラマ法王の亡命の理由、そして世界 的問題となっているチベット問題について正しく展示し、呼びかけることで、関心を持つ人々に誤解を与えないようにすべきです。それどころか、中国政府に、 チベットの封鎖を解いて本物のチベットを世界に見せるよう促すべきです。

チベットの状況は深刻です。残念なことに、この自由の国で、あるエリートや知識人の方々が、正義のために立ち上がる代わりに、チベットの悲惨な状況に投資を行っているのが見受けられます。

多 くの日本のチベット支援グループや個人の方々が、展覧会と主催者に対し様々なデモを行っていることを知りました。皆様の純粋な関心や支援には感謝いたしま すが、平和的に活動し、一切の暴力を行わないようお願いいたします。重要なことは、企画者と来場者の方々に、チベットの実情は異なっていることを知ってい ただき、世界が中国のプロパガンダである展覧会にだまされないようにすべきです。

この自由の国の皆様と報道関係者の皆様には、両者の意見を聞いていただき、真実と正義と人間性を支持していただくよう、お願いいたします。

ありがとうございました。

ダライ・ラマ法王日本代表部事務所
代表：ラクパ・ツォコ

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

Newsweek International

March 14 2005 issue   By Vibhuti Patel

The New York opening of the Rubin Museum of Art’s new exhibit, “Tibet: Treasures From the Roof of the World,” has ignited a hot political controversy. Tibetan refugees picketed what they claimed was a display of the “stolen heritage of Tibetan people,” while Tibetan organizations set up a Website [http://rubinmuseum.org] denouncing the RMA’s decision to “help” the Chinese in their “cultural offensive” to promote China’s image and tourism to Tibet.

At issue: more than 100 treasures drawn from Tibet’s premier art museums – the Potala Palace, the Norbulingka Summer Palace and the Tibet Museum – all removed and shipped abroad by Chinese authorities, who rule Tibet with an iron hand. “The RMA stepped into the middle of our battle for survival,” says Lhadon Tethong, executive director of Students for a Free Tibet.

Curator Caron Smith insists that “these works are not ’stolen’ in a legal sense- our government recognizes Tibet as part of China.” Still, she adds, “the RMA is not against China but, as a museum for Himalayan art, we clearly support Tibet.” The never-before-exhibited objects -paintings, sculptures, seals – are exquisitely worked.

Most are priceless, stunning antiques from the ninth to early 20th centuries; some are crafted in rare media – ivory, conch, turquoise and  coral; others (like textiles woven from “split silk” in which strands are separated to create detailed pictorials) use bygone techniques. But activists insist the pleasure of viewing is tainted by the items’ provenance. “It’s valuable for people to see these works,” says Tibetan scholar Robert Thurman, “but it’s too soon to be working with people who are colonizing Tibet, crushing Tibetans. [RMA founder] Don Rubin liked the beauty of the objects, but it’s like having Hitler send you beautiful objects from a shtetl in Treblinka.”

ニューズウィーク・インターナショナルより

２００４年３月１４日刊　By Vibhuti Patel

ニューヨークのルーベン美術館での新しい展覧会「聖地チベットー　天空の至宝ー」展があつい政治的論争に火をつけた。チベット難民たちは展示されている物品は「チベット人から盗まれた伝統的遺産」と指摘し、チベット支援団体はwww.rubinmuseum.orgを立ち上げ、中国が「攻撃的に扱う文化」を使い、ルーベン美術館が中国のイメージアップやチベットのツーリズムの宣伝に使うことを「援助する」決断をしたことを非難している。

問題点は、ポタラ宮、ノルブリンカ夏の離宮やチベット博物館などのチベットの最高峰の美術館から１００以上の至宝が、チベットを圧政的に支配している中国当局の手により、取り除かれ、海外に送られたことだ。「ルーベン美術館は彼らが生き残るために、私たちの闘争のど真ん中に足を踏み入れたのです」Students for a Free Tibet理事長のラドン・テトン氏は言う。

学芸員のキャロン・スミス氏は「これらの作品は法的な意味合いでの「盗品」ではありません、私たちの政府は中国がチベットの一部だと認めています」だが、彼女は「ルーベン美術館は中国に反目していませんが、ヒマラヤ美術の美術館として私たちは明らかにチベットを支援しています」。かつて展示されたことのない、絵画、彫刻、印など物品は、この上なく見事につくられている。

ほとんどの作品は９世紀から２０世紀初頭の値段がつけようのないくらい高価で、素晴らしい骨董品であり、そのうちのいくつかは象牙、ホラ貝、ターコイズ、珊瑚やその他（絹の切れ端から縫い上げられた布地が幾筋かに分けられていて、それが緻密な絵になっているもの）など、珍しい素材や今では使われていない技術でつくられている。しかし活動家はこれらを見る感動は、美術品の出所によって汚された、と指摘している。

「人々がこれらの物品を見るのは価値のあることです。」

チベット学者であるロバート・サーマン教授は言う。

「しかし、チベットを植民地化している人々といっしょに仕事をするには時期尚早だ。（ルーベン美術館の創設者）ドン・ルーベンはこの美術品の美しさを好いているが、トレブリンカ（＊ナチスドイツがポーランドのユダヤ人を絶滅させるためにつくった強制収容所）のユダヤ人の住む村からヒトラーが美しい美術品をあなたに送っているようなものだ。」

Dear IAATE,

I would like to respond to your opposition letter towards our exhibition, “Tibet: Treasure from the Roof of the World” as a representative of all the organizations of this exhibition.
This exhibition has been organized by our company, Daiko (*Advertising agency), and it is to be traveling throughout the five cities in Japan.

Daiko has begun organizing this exhibition five years ago, trusting that this exhibition would introduce the beauty of the Tibetan Buddhist artifacts, and we have been receiving
various supports from our sponsors.

We believe that this exhibition will “brew” the interest and understanding of Japanese people in Tibetan culture and we hope to have your understanding.

Taisuke Tsurumaki
Representative of The Tibet Exhibition Committee
Daiko Advertising, Inc.

That’s it! We’ve waited for their reply for a long time and this is it!

We have demanded them to add the following points　that they have intentionally left out, in order to create an accurate and comprehensive exhibition, but it was rejected.

• We demand that your exhibit include a description of the Potala Palace, the seat of the Dalai Lamas for centuries, from which many of the artifacts were taken.
• We demand that there be an explanation of the current 14th Dalai Lama’s flight from the Palace in 1959 due to the Chinese occupation.
• We demand that your exhibit explain the history of the conflict over Tibet and the documented abuses suffered by the Tibetan themselves.

Their letter indicates that if they (the exhibition organizers) “brew” the interest and understanding in the Tibetan culture among the Japanese, the Japanese would eventually be interested in the Tibetan cause which they (the exhibition organizers) have been failing to inform the visitors in the exhibition.

They exhibit the Tibetan artifacts without respecting the Tibetan people who had created and nurtured these precious pieces. It is shameful to learn that the Japanese institutions and corporations such as The Ueno Royal Museum, Daiko Advertising, Inc., Asahi Newspaper, TBS, JAL and Nippon Express are obviously unable (or unwilling) to make any humanitarian and honorable decisions as the members of our society.

Therefore, we have no choice but to intensify our media outreach campaigns to tell the truth about Tibet which has been hidden from this exhibition.

Send your valuable opinions to the Tibet Exhibit committee via email, fax, phone or mail. I am sure they would learn a lot about the unavoidable Tibet issue.

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

Thanks for your support!!

開催に至る経緯と展覧会の趣旨

「聖地チベット‐ポタラ宮と天空の至宝‐」展の主催、協力団体に対して送付された文書について、関係団体を代表して、「聖地チベット」展実行委員会から返答させていただきます。

「聖地チベット‐ポタラ宮と天空の至宝‐」展は、株式会社大広が企画し、全国５箇所の博物館・美術館を巡回する展覧会です。

本展覧会は、チベット仏教美術の素晴らしさを広く紹介する展覧会として数年前より企画に入りましたが、この企画趣旨に他の主催、協力各社もご賛同くださり、展覧会の実現に向けていろいろとご協力いただいております。

本展覧会でご覧いただける品々は、チベット文化に対する日本人の興味と理解を醸成することができるものと考えており、この趣旨をお汲み取りいただき、ご理解をいただきますようお願い申し上げます。

株式会社　大広

「聖地チベット」展実行委員会

実行委員長　鶴巻泰介

へ、これだけ？　　そう、あれだけ待っても、これだけです。

要するに、以下の３点を展覧会の内容に盛り込んで頂きたいと訴えていた私たちの要請内容を却下するものです。

1. 仏像を含む美術品の多くの出展元であり、何世紀にも渡り歴代のダライ・ラマの居城であったポタラ宮殿についての説明。
2. 現在のダライ・ラマ14世が1959年の中国軍の侵攻により亡命を余儀なくされた事実や他19世紀以降のチベットの近年の歴史についての説明。
3. 現在のチベットと中国の問題について。また、中国の支配下にあるチベットで現在も行われているチベット人に対する弾圧政策についての説明。

手紙の文章の意図としては、チベット文化に対する興味と理解を日本人が「醸成」すれば、私たちの要請内容であるチベット問題への興味に自然に通じるだろうということでしょうか？

私たちはこれまで、上野の森美術館と運営委員会である大広に、公開書簡に書かれた要請項目を送り、このチベット展が（故意に）伝えない史実を展覧会内のパネルに追加することによって、中国政府による堪え難いチベットの５０年の弾圧の歴史の解決の手助けとなるような「総合的な」内容の展覧会にしてくれるよう、お願いしてきました。

この、展覧会の主催者や共催企業を代表した大広のチベット展実行委員会の返信によって、彼らが社会企業としての人道的で、正しい決断をする責務を果たすことができないことが判明したわけです。

連盟としてはこれから、チベット展に隠されたチベットの真実を一般の方々により大きく広げていくため、多種類のメディアを通じての広報活動を一層強化して行く予定です。

皆さんも、ご意見があれば、電話、ファックス、メール、手紙などで実行委員会にどしどし肉声をお届けください！

「聖地チベット展」実行委員会

実行委員長　鶴巻泰介

〒107-6107　東京都港区赤坂5-2-20　赤坂パークビル

（株）大広

Tel:03-6364-8111　Fax:03-5563-8933

Email: publicrelation11@daiko.co.jp

これからも、皆様のご協力よろしくお願いします！