Ahead of Thursday’s Canberra leg of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Torch Relay, the Australia Tibet Council has sent a powerful message to the Chinese leadership by projecting the words ‘Don’t Torch Tibet’ onto the northwest pylon of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Creating a striking image against the iconic backdrop of the Harbour Bridge and Opera House, the words signal a clear call from Australia’s Tibetan communities and Tibet support groups for China to remove Tibet from the Olympic Torch Relay route and begin a process of constructive dialogue with the Dalai Lama.

‘Carrying the Olympic Torch up Mount Everest and through Lhasa and other Tibetan areas has nothing to do with sport. It is a blatant political manoeuvre by the Chinese leadership to symbolically cement and legitimise their control over the region’ said Paul Bourke, Executive Director of the Australia Tibet Council.

‘ It will only deepen the current crisis, inciting further unrest inside Tibet and leading to more arrests and suffering among the Tibetan people. What we need to see instead is for China to sit down with the Dalai Lama and begin working through dialogue towards a peaceful resolution with the Tibetan people.’

Australia’s Tibetan communities and Tibet support groups will be using the Australian leg of the Olympic Torch relay to peacefully and constructively draw attention to the current situation inside Tibet.

Wednesday evening will see Tibetans from across Australia gather for a prayer vigil outside the Chinese Embassy in Yarralumla at 5.30pm. On Thursday morning a peaceful rally in support of Tibet is being held on Parliament Lawn to coincide with the torch passing Parliament House. A program of speakers and cultural performances will begin at 9am.

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