Plenty to report on this month: a visit to Government frontbencher and strategist Anthony Albanese MP, briefings with members of the first official Australian parliamentary visit to Tibet since 1991, arrival of the Dalai Lama’s new representative in Australia and much more.

But first… Why Won’t Kevin Rudd Meet the Dalai Lama?
Seems it’s not only the Australian public who are dismayed at the Prime Minster’s decision not to meet the Dalai Lama in December. Member of all major parties have expressed privately to ATC their disappointment at the PM’s decision and are doing what they can behind the scenes to encourage him to reconsider.

Senator Sarah Hanson-Young picked up the issue during a live chat on Sky’s “About the House” program last week, commenting that since Australia’s relationship with China is now “back on track” (a reference to Foreign Minister Stephen Smith’s comments prior to a visit of Chinese Vice Premier Li last week), what reason was there for the PM not to meet His Holiness?

You can read more about this debate in our short piece “What Price for Mending Ties with Beijing?” copied below.

Seven of Our MPs and Senators to Visit Lhasa
On Monday this week (2 November) an official Australian parliamentary delegation landed in Beijing for the start of a 12-day visit to China and Tibet. The delegation, led by President of the Senate John Hogg, requested a visit to Lhasa as part of their program. Chinese authorities have agreed, making this the first official Australian parliamentary delegation to visit a Tibetan area since 1991.

On their return the 1991 delegation tabled a damning report in Parliament that highlighted the deplorable human rights situation in Tibet and the dissatisfaction of Tibetans with Chinese policies. Consequently no official delegation from the Australian parliament has been allowed to visit Tibet since.

This time the group will be in Lhasa for a mere 48 hours for what is sure to be a tightly controlled visit. ATC met one-on-one with five of the seven MPs and Senators travelling to Tibet and held detailed discussions on what to expect in Lhasa, strategic questioning of officials, developments since March 2008 and dealing with the Chinese media.

The delegation includes Senator Scott Ludlam, a member of July’s delegation to Dharamsala and a core member of our All-Party Parliamentary Group for Tibet.

ATC has welcomed this initiative by the Australian Parliament, noting that visits to Tibetan areas by international observers are extremely important under the current circumstances. We were impressed by the knowledge and motivation of the delegates with whom we met and have no doubt they’ll be asking some pointed questions of officials in Lhasa.

We’ll be checking in with the delegation on their return and look forward to sharing some of their observations.

News Ltd: Federal MPs in First Visit to Tibet in 18 Years

Marrickville Tibetans Pay a Visit to Their Local Member
Anthony Albanese receives over 100 requests for meetings a day. Our small delegation of Tibetans and Tibet supporters was therefore determined to make best use of our allotted 15 minutes with one of the most powerful people in the Australian Government. Mr. Albanese’s constituency in the inner west of Sydney is home to around thirty Tibetans.

ATC member, Marrickville resident and long-time Tibet supporter Harry Richards organized the meeting on behalf of the local Tibetan community. Speaking in Tibetan, Namloyak, a prolific writer on Tibetan issues, briefed Mr. Albanese on key issues for Tibetans in Tibet, including political prisoners, the forced removal of nomads and degradation of Tibet’s environment. Namloyak also explained the environmental and strategic significance of Tibet to the greater region and appealed for greater help from Australia to promote a peaceful and lasting resolution. Tenpa Tenpa, another Tibetan living in Marrickville, translated for Namloyak, with Sherab, another local Tibetan, Harry Richards and Simon Bradshaw making up the rest of the party.

Mr. Albanese gave knowledgeable and sympathetic responses to the group’s concerns and encouraged the Tibetans in his electorate to maintain ongoing contact. The Minister also emphasized the value for Tibetans in sharing their personal stories as a way of building greater support from the community and Government.

Australian Parliament Welcomes Sonam Dagpo, new Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Bids a Fond Farewell to Tenzin Atisha
Sonam Dagpo, the incoming Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Australia, received a warm bipartisan welcome from the Australian Parliament during a weeklong handover from outgoing representative Tenzin Atisha.

MPs and Senators from all major political parties in Australia formally welcomed Mr. Dagpo at a reception inside Parliament House on Tuesday 27 October. The group, which included several members of July’s Australian Parliamentary Delegation to Dharamsala, also bid a fond farewell to Mr. Atisha, a familiar face in Canberra who has held the post since 2003.

The representatives shared their thoughts on the current Tibetan situation with the parliamentarians and discussed the important role for Australia in promoting a peaceful resolution. Mr. Atisha reflected on his six years as representative in Australia and thanked the MPs and Senators for their active support. The group reaffirmed their support for a peaceful and lasting resolution of the Tibetan situation and committed to working closely with Mr. Dagpo over the coming years. The group also committed to continuing the work of Australian All-Party Parliamentary Group for Tibet.

In the evening members of July’s delegation to Dharamsala hosted a dinner for the representatives in the Parliament dining room. The following day Mr. Dagpo joined ATC staff in briefing members of an upcoming Australian Parliamentary Delegation to China and Tibet.

Australia Welcomes New Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama

What Price for Mending Ties with Beijing?
Australia Tibet Council, 30 October 2009

Amid the excitement surrounding the arrival of the Chinese Vice-Premier and relief at an apparent end to months of bilateral tension, one unfulfilled commitment seems to have slipped yet lower on the Government’s priorities: Tibet.

While we shouldn’t underestimate the difficulties the Government faces in managing relations with an ever more assertive China, neither should we overlook the compromises that have been made in order to mend ties with Beijing.

Thanks to Mr. Rudd’s skilful use of the media cycle, his decision not to meet the Dalai Lama when he visits Australia in December (leaked quietly to The Australian at the start of the October long weekend) went almost unnoticed.

Similarly the PM’s remarkable ability to deflect criticism and create a false sense of action has served him especially well on this issue. Even some of our best commentators on Australia-China relations have parroted the PM’s justification that “the Dalai Lama is a regular visitor and they can’t be expected to meet on every occasion”. The PM has never met the Dalai Lama as Prime Minister, a period during which he has held five one-on-one meetings with Chinese President Hu Jintao, as well as multiple meeting with Premier Wen Jiabao and other senior Chinese figures.

Rudd’s colleagues continue to cite his controversial speech at Peking University in April 2008 as evidence that the Government takes the Tibet issue seriously and is playing its part in supporting a peaceful resolution. While few would deny the Prime Minster’s audacity in raising the Tibet issue publicly in Beijing, it is easily ignored that this was a full eighteen months ago.

Rudd’s near silence on Tibet since, despite the collapse of the Tibet-China dialogue and deteriorating situation inside Tibet, stands in contrast to the approach of his US counterpart. Obama has reportedly held discussions with the Dalai Lama by phone, recently sent a high-level delegation of US officials to Dharamsala and has committed to a meeting with the Dalai Lama before the end of the year.

Australians have repeatedly demonstrated the esteem in which they hold the Dalai Lama and their concern over the situation in Tibet. The Dalai Lama’s visit to Australia in December offers more than a photo opportunity for the Prime Minister. It is a chance for Mr. Rudd, after successive meetings with the Chinese leadership, to hold discussions with the Dalai Lama on the Tibet situation and possibilities for breaking the deadlock in negotiations with China. Will the Prime Minister live up to his commitment to non-violence, dialogue and the promotion of human rights? He must reconsider his decision not to meet the Dalai Lama.