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University of Sydney Un-invites Dalai Lama

Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2013 11:44 am
by Wayfarer
There was a news story on the ABC (Australia) last night concerning the withdrawal of an invitation for the Dalai Lama to speak at a theatre on the University of Sydney's grounds in June this year. It was suggested that this reversal was due to lobbying by the Chinese, however the University denies that. Story is here:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-04-17/u ... ection=nsw

WARNING - the story contains graphic footage of self-immolation by Tibetan monks by way of background to the story.

There's a newspaper report on the issue here -http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/ap ... dalai-lama

Re: University of Sydney Un-invites Dalai Lama

Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2013 12:09 pm
by shaunc
Pretty ordinary. A few years ago some Australian politicians also refused to meet him. My belief is that it's because of pressure from the Chinese government.

Re: University of Sydney Un-invites Dalai Lama

Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 5:01 pm
by Roland
The University of Sydney has withdrawn its support for a talk by the Dalai Lama - a global icon of peace and human rights. The only explanation for this shocking decision is that the University has caved into pressure from China.

We can't let the Chinese government and the University of Sydney's administration get away with censoring the Dalai Lama's message at one of Australia's most prestigious universities.

TAKE ACTION: Sign the petition below calling on Michael Spence, University of Sydney's Vice-Chancellor and John Keane, Director of the Institute of Democracy and Human Rights to immediately rectify their mistake and welcome the Dalai Lama to the University.
Message
Welcome the Dalai Lama to Sydney University
Dear [Decision Maker],
I write to express my grave concern at your decision to block the Dalai Lama, a Nobel laureate and global icon of peace, from speaking at the University of Sydney. This decision can only have been motivated by Chinese government pressure and raises serious questions about your University's commitment to academic integrity and free speech.

It is difficult to imagine anyone more qualified than the Dalai Lama - one of the world's most respected leaders of all time - to speak to Australian students about the value of education in today's society. At a time when the Tibetan people are undergoing a life-and-death struggle for human rights and democratic freedoms, the values that your University's Institute of Democracy and Human Rights is meant to uphold, you are censoring the very discussion this Institute should be promoting.

I urge you to immediately rectify this mistake by welcoming the Dalai Lama to your campus.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[City, State ZIP]
Petition - Students For A Free Tibet

Re: University of Sydney Un-invites Dalai Lama

Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2013 5:23 pm
by T. Chokyi
Roland wrote:
The University of Sydney has withdrawn its support for a talk by the Dalai Lama - a global icon of peace and human rights. The only explanation for this shocking decision is that the University has caved into pressure from China.

We can't let the Chinese government and the University of Sydney's administration get away with censoring the Dalai Lama's message at one of Australia's most prestigious universities.

TAKE ACTION: Sign the petition below calling on Michael Spence, University of Sydney's Vice-Chancellor and John Keane, Director of the Institute of Democracy and Human Rights to immediately rectify their mistake and welcome the Dalai Lama to the University.
Message
Welcome the Dalai Lama to Sydney University
Dear [Decision Maker],
I write to express my grave concern at your decision to block the Dalai Lama, a Nobel laureate and global icon of peace, from speaking at the University of Sydney. This decision can only have been motivated by Chinese government pressure and raises serious questions about your University's commitment to academic integrity and free speech.

It is difficult to imagine anyone more qualified than the Dalai Lama - one of the world's most respected leaders of all time - to speak to Australian students about the value of education in today's society. At a time when the Tibetan people are undergoing a life-and-death struggle for human rights and democratic freedoms, the values that your University's Institute of Democracy and Human Rights is meant to uphold, you are censoring the very discussion this Institute should be promoting.

I urge you to immediately rectify this mistake by welcoming the Dalai Lama to your campus.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[City, State ZIP]

Thank you for posting, Students for a Free Tibet is a good group, and it takes just 10 seconds to sign to help HHDL
and freedom of speech.

:namaste:



Letter from Students for a Free Tibet:

The Dalai Lama is a global icon of peace and human rights. Together, we can pressure the University of Sydney's administration to do the right thing and welcome the Dalai Lama to its campus.

It's shocking but true. On Wednesday we learned that the University of Sydney has blocked His Holiness the Dalai Lama from speaking on its campus.
The Dalai Lama was scheduled to give a lecture titled "Why Education Matters" for the University's Institute of Democracy and Human Rights in June, but the University unexpectedly withdrew its commitment to host the event and moved the talk off campus. This distressing turn of events is undoubtedly the result of Chinese government pressure.

TAKE ACTION: Sign a petition to the University of Sydney's administration urging it to welcome the Dalai Lama to its campus.

The Dalai Lama – a global icon of peace and one of the most respected leaders of all time – gives dozens of public talks and university lectures every year. It's common knowledge that the Chinese government routinely tries to coerce these institutions into canceling the event and blocking the Dalai Lama. While most refuse to kowtow to China's pressure in order to maintain their commitment to academic freedom, the University of Sydney appears to have caved in.

A university without academic freedom is not a university at all. In stopping this talk, Sydney University has put the interest of the Chinese government over that of its students and stakeholders. This decision is deeply offensive to all Tibetans and millions of people around the world who admire the Dalai Lama's lifelong work to promote freedom, human rights, inter-religious understanding, and world peace.

Let's send a global message to the University of Sydney: do the right thing now by welcoming the Dalai Lama. Your action will help restore dignity and academic freedom to the University of Sydney and will send a strong message to the Chinese government that it can't get away with exporting its oppressive policies.

With hope and determination,

Tendor
Executive Director



LEARN MORE

Read: SFT's letter to University of Sydney's Administration
https://www.studentsforafreetibet.org/c ... s-pressure
ABC News: Uni under fire for pulling pin on Dalai Lama event
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-04-17/u ... nt/4635720

Re: University of Sydney Un-invites Dalai Lama

Posted: Sat Apr 20, 2013 2:37 pm
by mandala
Actually in Sydney Uni's slick media release, it appears the only things they deny is getting an "offical" request to hold the event and they claim to have not cancelled the event (ie: it may be held elsewhere and not endorsed by them).

Frankly there's no denying that pressure from the Chinese Government played a major part in this - they just happen to fund Sydney Uni's Confucius Institute, who were involved in the decision to ban the event.

It's an absolute disgrace - please join in signing the petition to the University.

University of Sydney also has a FaceBook page... just saying.. ;)

Re: University of Sydney Un-invites Dalai Lama

Posted: Sat Apr 20, 2013 8:42 pm
by Sara H
Australlia has an enormous ammount of trade it depends on China for.
Especially mining exports.
It's almost dangerous how much they depend on one source like that for nearly the sole buyer of their major exports. Other than the US that is.
They really need to diverify their trade portfolio, otherwise their Free Speech and other freedoms sensitive to the Chinese are going to take a hit.
That, or show some spine.
The US would never have cared if some human rights activist critical of the US had spoken at an Australlian Uni.
Sounds like the Aussie's just became China's bendover buddy on this.
That's really a shame, I havn't been too impressed with some of the Aussie's govt.'s decisions regarding standing up for their values or themselves lately.
Come on Australlia, you don't need to get pushed arround by us or them.
You're the only country that has it's own continent after all, and the Great Barrier Reef!
Stand up for yourselves!

Don't let your values be eroded by China!

In Gassho,

Sara

Re: University of Sydney Un-invites Dalai Lama

Posted: Sun Apr 21, 2013 3:34 pm
by mandala
For anyone in Sydney, there is a protest rally planned at Sydney Uni campus on Wed 24 April, 10am.

http://www.facebook.com/events/437281929699604/

Re: University of Sydney Un-invites Dalai Lama

Posted: Sun Apr 21, 2013 4:06 pm
by Dan74
Sara H wrote:Australlia has an enormous ammount of trade it depends on China for.
Especially mining exports.
It's almost dangerous how much they depend on one source like that for nearly the sole buyer of their major exports. Other than the US that is.
They really need to diverify their trade portfolio, otherwise their Free Speech and other freedoms sensitive to the Chinese are going to take a hit.
That, or show some spine.
The US would never have cared if some human rights activist critical of the US had spoken at an Australlian Uni.
Sounds like the Aussie's just became China's bendover buddy on this.
That's really a shame, I havn't been too impressed with some of the Aussie's govt.'s decisions regarding standing up for their values or themselves lately.
Come on Australlia, you don't need to get pushed arround by us or them.
You're the only country that has it's own continent after all, and the Great Barrier Reef!
Stand up for yourselves!

Don't let your values be eroded by China!

In Gassho,

Sara
Too late for that, I am afraid, Sara.
Last weeks ''strategic partnership'' deal is Beijing's counter-move to America's deployment of marines to Darwin. When it was announced in 2011, Prime Minister Julia Gillard was sure China wouldn't mind. She saw it as something between the US and Australia.

She was wrong. Beijing saw the decision as part of America's strategy to contain China. And so did Washington. Getting Australia to agree to the Darwin deployment was not about training marines. It was about sending a clear signal that Australia was on America's side.

When Beijing quietly made its displeasure known, Gillard quickly lost her zeal for ever-closer defence ties with the US. Australia has now become very wary about any further US initiatives, while the Asian Century white paper was full of phrases Beijing likes to hear. China's leaders have been pleased, and last week in Beijing they gave Gillard her reward.

They also took a hostage. Last week's promises of a closer relationship will be easy to take back next time Canberra displeases Beijing. This will make Gillard all the more sensitive to China's interests, knowing Beijing can easily turn her diplomatic triumph into a political disaster. It is unlikely, for example, that the new defence white paper will say anything to upset Beijing.

Read more: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/opinion ... z2R6vBjfKf

Re: University of Sydney Un-invites Dalai Lama

Posted: Tue Apr 23, 2013 1:45 pm
by Ayu
News via facebook:
"The Institute for Democracy and Human Rights (IDHR) at the University of Sydney and representatives of His Holiness the Dalai Lama have agreed to host an on-campus lecture for students at the University of Sydney in mid-June 2013."
http://sydney.edu.au/news/84.html?newsc ... ryid=11428

Thanks to everybody who joined the protests.

Re: University of Sydney Un-invites Dalai Lama

Posted: Tue Apr 23, 2013 3:44 pm
by Roland
:applause: :woohoo:

Re: University of Sydney Un-invites Dalai Lama

Posted: Tue Apr 23, 2013 5:08 pm
by mandala
Interesting timing that Sydney Uni announces their backflip the day before the protest rally on campus grounds... Good news, but they don't appear to have addressed the former conditions of no Tibetans allowed to the event.

Re: University of Sydney Un-invites Dalai Lama

Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2013 12:03 am
by Wayfarer
I think it is likely more a matter that the issue was escalated to more senior levels who have stood their ground and rectified a poor decision.

I am very pleased about that, because the University is my alma mater and I love the place dearly. I am going there on 3rd May for my graduation ceremony for completing my Master of Buddhist Studies.

:namaste:

Re: University of Sydney Un-invites Dalai Lama

Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2013 2:39 am
by tobes
jeeprs wrote:I think it is likely more a matter that the issue was escalated to more senior levels who have stood their ground and rectified a poor decision.

I am very pleased about that, because the University is my alma mater and I love the place dearly. I am going there on 3rd May for my graduation ceremony for completing my Master of Buddhist Studies.

:namaste:
Congrats Jeeprs. Were you studying under Mark?

Are on the AABS mailing list?

:anjali:

Re: University of Sydney Un-invites Dalai Lama

Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2013 2:43 am
by Wayfarer
Yes, on both counts.

I managed to pass Pali 101 under Mark, but I think he was being generous. :tongue: