Date: December 24, 2009 at 3pm
Location: Ueno Royal Museum, Tokyo
Recipient: Mr. Seiichi Muzuno (Director)
Delivered by: Team Tibet (Tatsumura Yukari), We Love Free Tibet (Kubo Takashi), The Group for Palden Gyatso (Mr. Osada),
Japan Coordinator for ITSN (Mr. Kamata) and 2 others.

Purpose:

As leaders of Japan’s Tibet support groups, we have collected petitions from the public to demand that the exhibition organiser include the accurate modern history and culture of Tibet and to condemn the museum for ignoring our demands since the opening of the exhibition. Six hundred signatures have been collected in a remarkably short amount of time. The petition was directed to the following organisations that have been involved with the exhibition:

Ueno Royal Museum
Daiko Advertising Inc.
The Ministry of Culture

Mr. Seiichi Mizuno, the director of Ueno Royal Museum, has agreed to personally receive the petition, and we had an opportunity to question him face-to-face. The following is the conversation from our meeting with him:

Q: Please explain how you have curated this exhibition.

A: When we were deciding whether or not we should have lent our museum to the exhibition as a venue, we expressed our concerns to the organizers and told them to be extra careful concerning the unrest in Lhasa and Uyghur. Since Asahi newspaper had been involved with the Free Tibet exhibition in the past, I am assuming that Asahi wanted to appear balanced in their approach to China. However, the most important point for us is the artistic value of the exhibition. According to specialists this exhibition has its artistic value; therefore, we decided to lend the museum to this exhibition.

When the exhibit began in Fukuoka, there were protests. We thought
that canceling the exhibition in Tokyo would have far reaching
consequences and would severely impact the museum’s international relations. Therefore, we decided to continue the exhibition at
the Ueno Royal Museum. We would use Daiko Advertising Inc. as an
organizer and look to Asahi newspaper to provide publicity.

Q: What is your opinion of displaying the stolen Buddhist artefacts by China?

A: This is a complex issue and even more so from the viewpoint of the international museum community. We have exhibited items from the Louvre and the British Museum in the past. We cannot single out this event and comment on the issue even if they were actually stolen by China’s Peoples Army.

Q: The display of those precious Buddhist artefacts is quite poor.

A: The specialists were overseeing this area. I can give you an example of when the statue of the National Treasure Ganjinwajo was shown in France: the display of the statue was totally unlike what we normally would do in Japan. The display reflects the nationality of the viewers. Ideally, the Tibetan Buddhist artefacts should be displayed as close to the original style in Tibet; however, we left its supervision to the specialists- Daiko Inc. which is in charge of it. I must honestly say that I was unaware of that concern.

Q: What is your opinion on the fact that the exhibition is misleading the public on the issue of Tibet by excluding certain historical facts of Tibet?

A: So far over 120,000 people have visited the exhibition, and I assume that 90 percent of the visitors were not aware of the issue of Tibet.
In that context, rather than taking it as “misleading the pubic on the issue,” I hope we are providing an opportunity to develop an accurate understanding of Tibet for the visitors who come to see these artefacts. We hope to inspire some people to develop an accurate understanding of Tibet and the issues surrounding it. I believe that our mission as a museum is to exhibit valuable art, and I am proud to say that these Tibetan Buddhist artefacts from the exhibition are mysteriously beautiful.

Q: At the opening of the exhibition, a Tibet supporter and a Tibetan who reside in Japan spoke to a representative of Daiko Inc., regarding the exhibition. In the conversation, the representative commented “There are no Tibetan people as such. Only the Tibetan tribe (in China) exists.” What is your view of this comment?

A: That is clearly different from my view and it is an inconsiderate comment.
As far as our exhibition, “Tibet: Roof of the world,” I have my own personal doubt whether this event has lived up to the quality that the Ueno Royal Museum normally demands – I wonder if the exhibition paid an enough attention to the international focus on the Tibet issue. I am planning to report this to Daiko Inc. when the exhibition is over.

Q: The Ueno Royal Museum is a historic venue that has been maintained by the Japan Art Association, which was founded in 1879 (Meiji 12) and is headed by Prince Hitachinomiya. Perhaps, China wanted to have an association with the “Royal Museum” in order to legitimize its project.

A: I cannot answer that.

Report from Yukari Tatsumura who was in the team to deliver the petitions:

“I was pleased to have an opportunity to raise those questions directly to Mr. Mizuno, the director of the Ueno Royal Museum. The conversation gave me the impression that the event was purposely designed to promote the Chinese government as the benevolent guardian of Tibetan culture to the Japanese public. They did this by creating a wide range of advertising campaigns on the event through Japanese media.”

Tokyo: China’s “Tibet: Stolen Exhibition” opens as Tibetan and their supporters organized protests. Tibet groups firmly condemn the remarks of the Exhibition Committee Chief (DAIKO Advertising Inc.), ” Tibetans do not exist. We only recognize the Tibet tribe.”

Tibetans and their supporters in Japan protested against this China’s Tibet Exhibition in the Ueno Park where the Ueno Royal Museum is located on the day of the private opening of “Tibet: Treasure from the Roof of the World,” on September 18, 2009.

Although the exhibition refers itself as “Introducing comprehensive Tibetan culture”it fails to include any explanations of the accurate Tibet modern history, such as the armed Chinese invasion in 1959 or the description of the Potala Palace, the seat of the Dalai Lamas. It does not mention anything about the current 14th Dalai Lama either.

In order to advocate the general public about the untold truth that the Chinese government has tries to hide, Tibetans and their supporters in Japan have organized various protests in and around the Ueno Park in Tokyo.

Some Buddhist monks and lay people have been reciting the Heart Sutra every weekend to show a solidarity with Tibetans whom share the same Buddhist faith with, others have been distributing leaflets that explain the untold truth about Tibet’s ongoing sufferings. Some have been holding the Tibetan flags, which are banned in Tibet.

At the private opening ceremony of the exhibition was held the day before the general public opening and the venue was filled with the special guests while the demonstrators protested against the event at the museums’ entrance.
The Chinese ambassador in Tokyo addressed in his speech how China had been a benevolent guardian of the Tibetan culture and it had made China the ultimately legitimate ruler of Tibet. Such speech outraged the Tibetans and their supporters.

You can view the opening ceremony: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CEZafwTOoQ

On October 19th, the opening day of the exhibition, more than 150 Japanese and Tibetans gathered at the Tokyo Ueno Takecho Park to join the march for “Tibet Peace” and spread out the untold truth of the exhibition. You can view the protest march on youtube; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2MrzIyf69I

At the private opening party, one of the IAATE members (the director of the documentary, “Fire Under the Snow,” based on the testimony of a Tibetan monk who devote his life for a Free Tibet after surviving as a political prisoner) Makoto Sasa and Dolma, a Tibetan woman who lives in Japan spoke to the Exhibition Committee Chief.
He commented in the conversation that: the exhibition has to take a side, when one says invaded, another says liberated, referring the last 50 years of the Tibetan history.
He also said, “There are no Tibetan people as such, only the Tibet tribe (in China) exists.”
This footage on youtube is getting a large international attention from the supporters of Tibet.

Please see the footage of this conversation (in Japanese) ; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQN1ykiJo4I

With English subtitles: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOz_uHg7DXU

The comment he has made confirms that the exhibition that he represents clearly holds the China’s view on Tibet (that Tibet is part of China) and it fails to take a neutral stance as a Japanese business corporation.

Moreover, the term “tribe” is normally used to describe a group of people who share a common language, value, and an ethnic or social background. In the international law, under the definition of self-determination, it states as:

”The freedom of the people of a given territory to determine their own political status. it is the right of the people of a nation to decide how they want to be governed without the influence of any other country.”
0. Article 1 in both the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)[8] and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR).[9] Both read: “All peoples have the right of self-determination. By virtue of that right they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development.”

All member of the states of the UN Human Rights Council include China have a duty to secure this “self determination of people” by the international law.

In the issue between China and Tibet, Tibetans are simply claiming a higher degree of autonomy that is based on this right of self-determination. We would also like to point out this contradiction in the current situation of Tibet: Tibetans’ self determination rights are not secured under their territory that are called “Tibet autonomous region.”

Although the replied letter from the committee of exhibition to the IAATE stated that “This exhibition would introduce the beauty of the Tibetan Buddhist artifacts” (see the link below), we have no choice but to conclude that the exhibition fundamentally denies the fellow Buddhist Tibetan’s rights and the fact that Tibetans had created and protected these Buddhist artifacts for centuries. As a member of a country with freedom of expression and democracy, we are raising our voice to protest and question their failed corporate responsibility for ignoring the critical human rights issue and their moral responsibility to contribute to the global interest to resolve the issue.
The video footage of this Exhibition Committee Chief’s inhumane and immoral remarks has been currently released on the Internet and it has been receiving an international attention in scope.

Pema Yoko, a Tibetan woman living in UK who was detained for her brave protest in Beijing during the Olympics, gave us a following comment:

“As a half Japanese-Tibetan I have been overwhelmed and proud of the support of the Japanese people towards Tibet and Tibetans since China’s illegal occupation of Tibet. This exhibition is 100% stolen, full of lies and full of ignorance. The fact that the exhibition representatives believe that ‘Tibetan people do not exist’ is proves it. It is devastating for the people of Tibet who have been trapped under the oppressive violent regime, the Chinese Communist Party. However, I believe that the Japanese people will not be fooled by China’s repeatedly reinvented propaganda of Tibet. Tibetans in Tibet and Tibetans in exile along with our supporters including many Chinese people will not give up on the well beings of the Tibetans in Tibet,”

IAATE will continue advocating to the Japanese corporate sponsors of this Tibet Exhibition to develop a neutral stance that serves a fair demonstration for the both parties (China and Tibet.)

H.H The Dalai Lama will be visiting Japan in this November while the exhibition is taking place. This is a rare occasion and it has been drawing so much attention worldwide to see what may happen during his visit.

This is the 50th year since the Dalai Lama has gone into the exile. As a spiritual leader of the Tibetan Buddhism and a representative of 6 million Tibetans he tirelessly visits the world to find the peaceful resolution for Tibet.

The Liaison office of H.H. the Dalai Lama for Japan has written an Official Appeal called, “To the People of Japan.” (From the Official Website of the Liaison office of H.H. the Dalai Lama for Japan:

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

On October 1 this year China celebrates its 60th-year-anniversary of the establishment of The People’s Republic of China. This is also the 60th anniversary of Tibet’s invasion by the PRC.
Before the occupation, Tibet was a nation with an established sovereign government, currency, postal system, language, legal system and culture.
Since then, the Tibetan people have become marginalized in their own country, the Tibetan culture has been severely restricted, and tens and
thousands of Tibetans have died as a result of the occupation, torture, execution, suicides and starvation.

The Chinese government has systematically destroyed many monasteries that represent Tibet’s cultural identity. Over the past year, the Chinese government has engaged in a comprehensive cover-up of the torture, disappearances and killings that have taken place across Tibet since a wave of protests has swept the plateau from March 10, 2008. Beijing has also engaged in a virulent propaganda against the Nobel Peace Laureate, the Dalai Lama.

• These are submission reports to the UN committee against torture 41st session(In Japanese)
• The concluding observations and recommendations of the Committee against Torture (In Japanese)

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

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

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

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“There is no such a thing as ‘Tibetan person.’ There is a Tibetan tribe (in China,)” he said.

He said it to the Tibetan person who was standing in front of him.

We wonder- when one receives so much money does it make him so vulgar?

Here is the footage of Mr. Tsurumaki that is spreading out so quickly throughout the world:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqtOdgC5Lfk

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.”

Since the International Alliance Against “Tibet: Treasure from the Roof of the World” Exhibition (IAATE) created the campaign website in June this year we have sent the director of the Ueno museum, Mr. Seiichi Mizuno, the Tibet exhibit committee and the cooperate sponsors of the exhibition an open letter.

In the letter we asked to include the accurate modern Tibetan history (especially from the Chinese invasion in Tibet in 1949-50), so that the exhibition could help facilitate the steps towards resolving fifty years of Chinese oppression in Tibet.
Unfortunately, the response from the Tibet Exhibit Committee which represents all participated cooperate sponsors such as The Ueno Royal Museum, Daiko Advertising Inc., Asahi Newspaper, TBS, JAL and Nippon Express made us keenly aware that they have no intention to consider our requests by sending us a three sentence reply letter.
This exhibition is clearly controlled by the Chinese government, which is the current owner of those Buddhist artifacts in the exhibit.
The exhibition fails to include the accurate history of Tibet and gives a wrong impression to the visitors of the exhibition, many of whom share the Buddhist faith of the Tibetan people, and revere the exiled Tibetan leader the Dalai Lama.
Therefore, we have no choice but to intensify our media outreach campaigns to tell the truth about the modern history of Tibet that has been intentionally hidden from this exhibition.
Tibetans and their supporters are planning a protest rally on September 18th (private viewing for the media & V.I.P.)and 19th (the general opening day) near the Ueno Royal Museum.

We sincerely ask the members of the media not only to widely report about the protest rally but also to draw more attention to the untold issue – Tibet’s ongoing suffering under Chinese oppression. Over the past year, the Chinese government has engaged in a comprehensive cover-up of the torture, disappearances and killings that have taken place across Tibet since a wave of protests swept the plateau from March 10, 2008.
Beijing has also engaged in a virulent propaganda offensive against Nobel Peace Laureate the Dalai Lama.
Therefore, to proclaim the truth about Tibet the Tibetans and their supporters will be distributing fryers near the Ueno Royal Museum on September 18th (private opening for the media and V.I.P.) and September 19th (general opening.) They will be having a protest rally on September 19th.

BACKGROUND BRIEFING – TIBET

This year On October 1, China celebrates its the 60th year-anniversary of the establishment of The People’s Republic of China. This is also the 60th anniversary of Tibet’s invasion by the PRC and it is likely to be marked in Lhasa by a display of military strength.
Before the occupation, Tibet was a nation with an established sovereign government, currency, postal system, language, legal system and culture. Since then, the Tibetan people have become marginalized in their own country, the Tibetan culture has been severely restricted, and tens and thousands of Tibetans have died as a result of the occupation, through torture, execution, suicides and starvation.
The Chinese government has systematically destroyed many monasteries that represent Tibet’s cultural identity. Tibetans are arrested, tortured and imprisoned by simply reciting the words, “Free Tibet” or displaying the Tibetan national flag.
Religious freedom has been increasingly restricted; monks and nuns continue to be beaten, arrested and imprisoned for refusing to denounce the Dalai Lama, their spiritual and temporal leader.
Following a wave of overwhelmingly peaceful protests across the plateau in 2008,
Tibet remains under de facto martial law.
These protests are the graphic illustration of the deep-seated frustrations of the Tibetan people and an indication of the failure of China’s Tibet policy.

Tibet Silent Protest March by IAATE

The International Alliance Against “Tibet: Treasure from the Roof of the World” Exhibition.
Date: 11:30 AM, Saturday, September 19, 2009 Starting time: 12 O’clock noon.
Place: Takecho-park, 4-21-1 Taito, Taito-ku, Tokyo
(Metro: JR Okachimachi, Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line Okachimachi)
Rally route: Takecho-koen ~ Kasugadori ~ Takeyamae ~Okachimachiekimae ~ Uenohirokoji (Ueno Matsuzakayamae) ~Tenjinshita Kosaten Usetsu ~ Ikenohata Icchome ~ Uenoonshikoen
Dispersing place: Uenoonshikoen (around 12:30 AM)
Guest Speaker: Mr. Lhakpa Tshoko (Representative of Liaison Office of His Holiness The Dalai Lama, Japan)
*Note: We ask the protesters to dress in black to show our respect and grief to all Tibetans who have been killed
by the Chinese occupation.

In April 2009, five Tibetans were sentenced to death (three suspended) and two to life imprisonment on charges of arson in Lhasa on March 14, 2008, which lead to worldwide condemnations of the sentences that urged China to review their due process by the international human rights organizations and the governments.
This is the only period in which protests have continued in Tibet despite the severity of the crackdown. Since January 2009 there have been more than 20 separate protestssome were solitary events and others involved hundreds of people. All have been peaceful.
The 14th Dalai Lama has established the Tibetan government in exile in the northern India and has been tirelessly working towards a peaceful solution with the Chinese government.
His non-violent approach to resolve conflicts and to find peaceful solutions have been applauded and led to his being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
The envoys of the Dalai Lama and the Chinese officials have been engaged in a dialogue process to discuss the status of Tibet since September 2002. Unfortunately, the seven years of sporadic dialogues have not led to any substantive negotiations.
The talks have not met the expectations of the international community for a meaningful progress towards a mutually agreeable solution for Tibet.

IAATE firmly believes that all parties who are involved in the exhibition must exhibit these Tibetan artifacts with a fair and comprehensive explanation of its cultural and political background. They should facilitate a meaningful dialog between Tibet and China to resolve the ongoing issue.
The humanitarian and honorable efforts of the Japanese corporations will be recognized by the international community.
IAATE will continue to work on influencing future promoters and corporations in Japan who will organize events that involve “China’s Tibet” to raise awareness,
remind them of Tibet’s suffering and urge them to take humanitarian responsibility to promote an impartial truth of modern Tibetan history.

For Further information of our campaign:
please visit: http://seichitibet.com/en/
For more details of the protests and rallies please contact:
Email: press@seichi-tibet.com
Eli Wakamatsu UK +44 7711 746 172 (English/Japanese)
ITSN Member *International Tibet Support Network http://www.tibetnetwork.org/

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!!