The Australia Tibet Council said this afternoon that it understood the anguish felt by Tibetan exiles protesting at the Chinese Consulate in Sydney today, while not necessarily agreeing with all the tactics used.

ATC Executive Officer Paul Bourke said that local Tibetans were reacting to unconfirmed reports from Lhasa that up to 80 unarmed Tibetans have been killed by Chinese security forces in the last two days. “You can only suppress people for so long before there is a backlash. The entire international community must take some responsibility for not actively supporting the Dalai Lama’s efforts to negotiate a peaceful solution to the Tibetan situation.”

Mr Bourke said that events over recent days in Tibet, India and across the Western Diaspora showed that Tibetans everywhere are frustrated that the Dalai Lama’s attempts at dialogue to reach a peaceful solution to the Tibetan situation are not being responded to in good faith by China.

The Sino-Tibetan dialogue has been stalled for the past two years because China refuses to enter into negotiation around the substantive issues at hand, namely China’s heavy handed occupation of Tibet and its efforts to destroy the Tibetan religion and culture.

Mr Bourke said there was still time for the international community to turn the present crisis into a moment of opportunity by making it clear to the Chinese government that they must take some real steps towards autonomy for Tibet immediately, or risk the Beijing Olympics becoming embroiled in controversy and boycotts.

Although Australia Tibet Council did not organise this demonstration it fully supports its aims and totally understands the emotions of the people involved. ATC has urged Tibetans and their many supporters around Australia to bear in mind the Dalai Lama’s March 14th message in which he said “I therefore appeal to the Chinese leadership to stop using force and address the long-simmering resentment of the Tibetan people through dialogue with the Tibetan people. I also urge my fellow Tibetans not to resort to violence.”

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