The media blackout over Tibet and the forced exit of independent journalists has made it impossible to get reliable information on the current situation and poses a grave danger to those inside Tibet.

In the last few days at least twenty-five reporters have been deported to Hong Kong. Canadian and British reporters were detained in Qinghai and the only western journalist in Lhasa has been escorted out.

China’s state-controlled media is working hard to promote a distorted version of events - falsely portraying Tibetans as indiscriminately violent and underplaying both the number of casualties and the level of continuing unrest. Until independent sources are allowed back into Tibet all news reports, most of which are originating from Chinese sources, should be considered unconfirmed.

Tibetans fear the crackdown will intensify once China has succeeded in ejecting all foreign media and independent witnesses. Getting foreign journalists back into Tibetan areas is the best short-term protection that could be provided to the Tibetan people, despite its limitations.

After considerable pressure from the Australian public, Foreign Minister Stephen Smith called on Saturday for China to ‘exercise restraint’. This was a start but not enough. Australia is still trailing other world democracies, many of which are now calling vehemently for media access and an independent investigation into events.

The Australia Tibet Council is continuing to build pressure on the Australian government. We have just updated our demands to the Foreign Ministry and are preparing further means of encouraging the Australian Government to speak up.

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