The Observer - London

27 August 1995

China has ordered translator at the world meeting on the future of women not to interpret sentences that refer to Tibet. The order was given last month to Chinese translators approved by the organising committee in Peking.

They have been instructed wither to switch their microphones off or remain silent, pretending not to understand references to Tibet, a senior committee member said. "I think we made a serious mistake to stage this conference." The clampdown threatens to expose the conference to ridicule. The sources says its applies to the Forum on Non-Governmental Organisations that begin on Wednesday, and possibly to the main conference starting on 4 September.

China, which invaded Tibet in 1950, and forced the government into exile nine years later, has used its influence within the UN Economic and Social Council to have all Tibetan NGOs banned from the meetings. The order to translators is a clear attempt to silence any accredited organisation raising the thorny issue of Tibetan autonomy and rights of Tibetan women.

"I'm sure this will be a problem," said Joe Merlino of the NGO Forum organising committee. "The Chinese will attempt censorship on the proceedings. This will not be a surprise to anyone." He hopes the Chinese will be powerless to dominate groups debating issues it considers taboo. "I think it [the Chinese ban on translations] would come out and there would be a resolution against it."