According to the Washington-based International Campaign for Tibet the use of
detention, arrest, imprisonment, and torture of large numbers of Tibetans
continues to be an integral part of China's efforts to suppress opposition to
Chinese rule in Tibet.
''Reasons for arrest can include printing political leaflets, shouting
reactionary slogans, encouraging reactionary singing, hoisting or possessing
the Tibetan flag and participating in demonstrations,'' added the human rights
lobby group.
The Miss Tourism 2005 pageant with contestants from 32 countries began on Jul 9
in the Malaysian state of Sarawak, with the finals due on Saturday (Jul 23).
''(Tashi) Yangchen is not allowed to participate as Miss Tibet, but she is
certainly allowed to take part as Miss Tibet-China,'' organiser Alaric Soh told
reporters in the Sarawak capital Kuching.
Soh said China protested to pageant officials in 2003, the last time the
contest was held in Malaysia, when a Tibetan contestant took part as Miss
Tibet.
''We had a lot of complaints the last time, so we decided to consult the
Chinese Embassy before proceeding this time,'' said Soh. ''We did not want to
offend anyone, because this is not politics - this pageant is about tourism and
friendship.''
Tashi Yangchen, who is currently studying for an MBA at Huron University in
London, was also barred from the Miss Tourism World pageant in Zimbabwe in
February following pressure from the Chinese Embassy there.
Tashi Yangchen was crowned Miss Tibet in October 2004 in Dharamsala, the home
of the Tibetan government-in-exile and main residence of the Dalai Lama.
Tsomo, a college student, defended Tashi Yangchen's decision not to bow to
China's pressure.
''She is living as a refugee in India. She can of course represent Tibet in a
free society,'' he told IPS.
''If we were living under Chinese repression, we would not have this
opportunity to represent our homeland,'' added Tsomo.
The issue of Miss Tibet being ousted from the Malaysian beauty pageant
highlights a fundamental difference, between the Dalai Lama and Beijing, as to
whether Tibet is an occupied country or not.
''They (the Chinese) have realised the amount of publicity these pageants could
generate for Tibet, which they want to avoid as much as possible,'' said a
young Tibetan official, who did not want to be named, at the office of the
government-in-exile.
The Miss Tibet organiser and founder, Lobsang Wangyal, called the Malaysian
decision unfortunate.
''We started the Miss Tibet pageant as a platform for empowering Tibetan women.
We do not have any political aspirations. It's unfortunate that China
interferes in such events,'' he said in Dharamsala.
''I hope China understands that Tibetans as a people have their own identity,''
added Wangyal.Late last month, five representatives of the Tibetan
government-in-exile met Chinese officials in the Swiss capital of Berne. The
talks were the fourth between both sides since direct ties were resumed in 2002
and were the first ever talks between envoys of the Dalai Lama and Beijing
government officials not held on Chinese soil.
The Dalai Lama, who turned 70 on Jul 6, fled into exile in India in 1959 and
direct ties between him and Beijing collapsed in 1993.
Inter Press Service
