Published by: World Tibet Network News, Monday, Jun 10, 1996
BYLINE=PAUL FRANCUCH
LONDON, 07-Jun-96
Source: Voice of America .
INTRO: THE TIBETAN BUDDHIST LEADER, THE DALAI LAMA, IS REGARDED BY MANY WORLDWIDE AS A GENUINE MAN OF PEACE. THAT IS THE MESSAGE HE PREACHES. HE IS THE RECIPIENT OF THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE. BUT IN LONDON FRIDAY, A DEMONSTRATION OUTSIDE THE OFFICE OF THE DALAI LAMA'S REPRESENTATIVE TARGETED THE EXILED TIBETAN LEADER AS A MAN WHO PRACTICES RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION HIMSELF. MORE FROM LONDON AND VOA'S PAUL FRANCUCH.
// MUSIC - SINGING AT THE DALAI LAMA DEMONSTRATION - ESTABLISH, THEN FADE //
TEXT: STANDING PEACEFULLY BEHIND A POLICE BARRIER ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET NEAR LONDON'S SPRAWLING REGENTS PARK, 200 OR SO FOLLOWERS OF A TIBETAN DEITY KNOWN AS DORJE SHUGDEN (EDS: DOR-JAY SHUKE-DEN) CHANTED WITH EYES CLOSED AND HANDS CLASPED IN PRAYER. THEY WERE SENDING A MESSAGE TO PEOPLE ACROSS THE STREET BEHIND CLOSED DOORS IN A RATHER UNASSUMING BUILDING.
THE SPOKESMAN WAS A LEAN, INTENSE YOUNG ENGLISHMAN NAMED NICK GILLESPIE, WHO READ ALOUD A LETTER HIS GROUP HOPED TO SEND TO THE DALAI LAMA.
// ACT. GILLESPIE -- READING THROUGH BULLHORN //
AS THE DALAI LAMA, YOU HOLD THE HIGHEST RELIGIOUS
POSITION WITHIN TIBETAN BUDDHIST SOCIETY. BUT YOUR
BEHAVIOR IS THE WORST BEHAVIOR IN BUDDHIST HISTORY.
// END ACT //
// OPT // THE MESSAGE WAS RATHER ASTOUNDING TO THE FEW SPECTATORS STANDING NEARBY IN THE UNUSUALLY HOT LONDON SUMMER SUN. THE DALAI LAMA IS GENERALLY REGARDED AS A MAN OF PEACE. BUT NICK GILLESPIE SAYS HE HAS EVIDENCE TO THE CONTRARY.
// OPT SECOND GILLESPIE ACT //
WE HAVE EVIDENCE THAT THE DALAI LAMA HAS BEEN
INSTIGATING ACTS OF PERSECUTION AGAINST CERTAIN
SECTIONS OF HIS COMMUNITY -- IN THE TIBETAN EXILE
COMMUNITY -- PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO WORSHIP THE
BUDDHIST WISDOM BUDDHA, DORJE SHUGDEN.
// END ACT., END OPT //
IN THAT OFFICE OVERLOOKING THE DEMONSTRATORS ON THE STREET, MRS. KESANG TAKLA ('KAY-SAHNG TAHK-LAH) WORKS AS THE REPRESENTATIVE IN LONDON TO THE DALAI LAMA.
// TAKLA ACT //
AS WE ALL KNOW, HIS HOLINESS (DALAI LAMA) ALWAYS
TALKS ABOUT COMPASSION, NON-VIOLENCE. SO HOW CAN
HE ENCOURAGE PERSECUTION OF ANY KIND? I THINK THIS
IS TOTALLY EXAGGERATED.
// END ACT //
THE GROUP CALLING ITSELF THE "SHUGDEN SUPPORTERS COMMUNITY" PRESENTED MRS. TAKLA'S OFFICE WITH A LENGTHY LETTER ENUMERATING THE GROUP'S COMPLAINTS AGAINST THE DALAI LAMA. WHILE MRS. TAKLA SAID SHE HAD NOT READ IT, A PRESS RELEASE FROM HER OFFICE CALLS WHAT IT TERMS RUMORS OF RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION -- TOTALLY BASELESS. AND SPEAKING TO V-O-A, SHE ADDED...
// SECOND TAKLA ACT //
I THINK THE DEMONSTRATORS HAVE IN A WAY HAVE VERY
MUCH PUT THAT OUT OF PROPORTION. THERE'S NO
QUESTION OF PERSECUTION ANYWHERE. AND IT'S NOT
ENOUGH TO JUST SAY THAT THERE HAS BEEN PERSECUTION.
THESE ALLEGATIONS HAVE TO BE SUBSTANTIATED BY
ACTUAL INSTANCES WHERE THIS HAS HAPPENED.
// END ACT //
// DEMONSTRATORS CHANTING "DALAI LAMA, GET RELIGIOUS FREEDOM NOW" -- ESTABLISH IN FULL, FADE UNDER, SUSTAIN, THEN LOSE //
MR. GILLESPIE, WHO BEGAN PRACTICING BUDDHISM 16 YEARS AGO, SAYS HE HAS SIGNED STATEMENTS, PHOTOGRAPHS AND OTHER DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE OF PERSECUTION AGAINST HIS SECT.
// THIRD GILLESPIE ACT //
WE HAVE, IN EFFECT, A RELIGIOUS PURGE TAKING PLACE
WITHIN THE BUDDHIST COMMUNITY. THOSE WHO ARE
SHUGDEN PRACTITIONERS ARE BEING CHUCKED OUT OF
THEIR JOBS. THEIR CHILDREN ARE BEING EXPELLED FROM
SCHOOLS. FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE STORIES OF HOW
BUDDHIST IMAGES OF DORJE SHUGDEN ARE BEING TAKEN
OUT OF SHRINES. // OPT // THEY'VE BEEN DRAGGED WITH
A ROPE AROUND THEIR NECK ALONG THE FLOOR AND
BEATEN-UP WITH STONES AND BRICKS AND LEFT OUTSIDE.
WE HAVE A WHOLE SECTION OF THIS COMMUNITY LIVING IN
FEAR OF REPRESSION AND PERSECUTION. // END OPT //
// END ACT //
SO WHERE DOES THIS UNUSUAL RELIGIOUS PROTEST TURN NEXT? THE FOLLOWERS OF THE BUDDHIST DEITY DORJE SHUGDEN WANT A CLEAR STATEMENT FROM THE DALAI LAMA RESPONDING TO THEIR ALLEGATIONS. BUT ALL HIS REPRESENTATIVE IN LONDON WOULD GUARANTEE IS THAT THEIR LETTER WILL BE FORWARDED TO THE HOLY LEADER.
