| WI Tibetan Association celebrates the 18th anniversary Remembering the Dalai Lama's receipt of the Nobel Peace Prize |
| WTA President Lobsang Tenzing |
By Heidi M. Pascual
It was a happy gathering of Tibetans in the Madison area on Dec. 8 at
Eagle Heights Community Center. Hundreds of Tibetans — young and old
— shared traditional Tibetan dishes and later, a program highlighting their
culture through dances and songs. The event was the celebration of the
18th anniversary of the receipt of the Nobel Peace Prize by His Holiness,
the Dalai Lama. Amidst the celebratory atmosphere, however, was a deep
sense of longing and desire of a people to free their homeland from China
which has occupied Tibet for almost 50 years. This sentiment was
expressed by Lobsang Tenzing, Wisconsin Tibetan Association’s president,
in a brief interview with Asian Wisconzine.
“This event is to remember that His Holiness, the Dalai Lama received the
Nobel Peace Prize in 1989,” Tenzing said. “He has tremendously worked for
world peace not oly for the Tibetans, not only for the Himalayan Region,
but also for the whole world, and people count him as an apostle for world
peace. Today, we also celebrate International Human Rights Day, and on
Dec. 10, we are going to hold a rally at the Memorial Library to make sure
that our American friends are aware that China is still abusing human rights
in Tibet. China is a member of the United Nations and also a Security
Council member, but it doesn’t abide by UN’s laws.” He then cited some
cases of human rights violations now happening in Tibet.
Tenzing explained why the Dalai Lama is calling for autonomy instead of
independence. “I think that’s his approach — nonviolence, the middle path
— because it’s very hard to get complete independence from China. Even
with autonomy, they are not prepared to talk to the Dalai Lama at this time.
The representative of His Holiness is prepared to talk, but there’s no straight
response from China. We really want them to talk but never in a third
country.”
He issued a call for international support because “everybody loves
freedom.” “Please tell your friends about our plight.” Tenzing stressed that
Tibetans are not asking for anything which does not belong to them. “We
want independence because Tibet belongs to Tibetans.”
Wisconsin State Assembly Rep. Joe Parisi and his family were guests, as
well as Deer Park Buddhist Temple head, Geshe Sopa.
Parisi, in his speech, focused on several positive accomplishments of the
Tibetan community in Wisconsin. “Last year, we started out celebrating His
Holiness' receipt of the Nobel Peace Prize,” Parisi said. “Soon after that, as
we do every year, the state legislature recognized Tibetan Uprising Day and
His Holiness on the Wis. State Assembly. We're the only state in the country
that passed that resolution year after year, which demonstrates the support
that the Tibetan people have from the Wisconsin state legislature. An
interesting thing happened, as many of you know, after we passed this
resolution last year. I received a visit from a couple of gentlemen from the
Chinese Consulate who tried to convince me that we should not be
recognizing Tibet; that we should not be recognizing His Holiness. But I
guarantee you, I wasn't swayed by the visit, nobody was swayed by their
visit, (applause) and this year, at the State Assembly, we will again
recognize Tibetan Uprising Day’; we will again honor His Holiness in the
Wis. State Assembly.” (applause)
In addition to the State Legislature’s actions, Parisi noted other positive
events for Tibetans, locally and nationally. “We had a wonderful cultural
festival in downtown Madison last year,” he recalled. “Tibetans from all over
the country came and we had a wonderful showing of the Tibetan
community. And of course, we had the visit by His Holiness, the Dalai
Lama.” He also recalled a controversy surrounding the Dalai Lama’s visit —
on the raising of the Tibetan flag in the City-County Building. “The Tibetan
community rallied the City Council, and the Tibetan Flag was raised in the
City-County Building.” Parisi then highlighted the recent action in
Washington, D.C. “Another wonderful thing happened in the U.S. Congress.
Pres. Bush and Congress agreed with one thing, and that is, that His
Holiness, the Dalai Lama, is deserving of the Congressional Medal of Honor.”
Lastly, he welcomed the opening of the Tibetan Temple in Deer Park this
year, thanked the audience, and said, “Don’t give up. We will be here for
you.”
It was a happy gathering of Tibetans in the Madison area on Dec. 8 at
Eagle Heights Community Center. Hundreds of Tibetans — young and old
— shared traditional Tibetan dishes and later, a program highlighting their
culture through dances and songs. The event was the celebration of the
18th anniversary of the receipt of the Nobel Peace Prize by His Holiness,
the Dalai Lama. Amidst the celebratory atmosphere, however, was a deep
sense of longing and desire of a people to free their homeland from China
which has occupied Tibet for almost 50 years. This sentiment was
expressed by Lobsang Tenzing, Wisconsin Tibetan Association’s president,
in a brief interview with Asian Wisconzine.
“This event is to remember that His Holiness, the Dalai Lama received the
Nobel Peace Prize in 1989,” Tenzing said. “He has tremendously worked for
world peace not oly for the Tibetans, not only for the Himalayan Region,
but also for the whole world, and people count him as an apostle for world
peace. Today, we also celebrate International Human Rights Day, and on
Dec. 10, we are going to hold a rally at the Memorial Library to make sure
that our American friends are aware that China is still abusing human rights
in Tibet. China is a member of the United Nations and also a Security
Council member, but it doesn’t abide by UN’s laws.” He then cited some
cases of human rights violations now happening in Tibet.
Tenzing explained why the Dalai Lama is calling for autonomy instead of
independence. “I think that’s his approach — nonviolence, the middle path
— because it’s very hard to get complete independence from China. Even
with autonomy, they are not prepared to talk to the Dalai Lama at this time.
The representative of His Holiness is prepared to talk, but there’s no straight
response from China. We really want them to talk but never in a third
country.”
He issued a call for international support because “everybody loves
freedom.” “Please tell your friends about our plight.” Tenzing stressed that
Tibetans are not asking for anything which does not belong to them. “We
want independence because Tibet belongs to Tibetans.”
Wisconsin State Assembly Rep. Joe Parisi and his family were guests, as
well as Deer Park Buddhist Temple head, Geshe Sopa.
Parisi, in his speech, focused on several positive accomplishments of the
Tibetan community in Wisconsin. “Last year, we started out celebrating His
Holiness' receipt of the Nobel Peace Prize,” Parisi said. “Soon after that, as
we do every year, the state legislature recognized Tibetan Uprising Day and
His Holiness on the Wis. State Assembly. We're the only state in the country
that passed that resolution year after year, which demonstrates the support
that the Tibetan people have from the Wisconsin state legislature. An
interesting thing happened, as many of you know, after we passed this
resolution last year. I received a visit from a couple of gentlemen from the
Chinese Consulate who tried to convince me that we should not be
recognizing Tibet; that we should not be recognizing His Holiness. But I
guarantee you, I wasn't swayed by the visit, nobody was swayed by their
visit, (applause) and this year, at the State Assembly, we will again
recognize Tibetan Uprising Day’; we will again honor His Holiness in the
Wis. State Assembly.” (applause)
In addition to the State Legislature’s actions, Parisi noted other positive
events for Tibetans, locally and nationally. “We had a wonderful cultural
festival in downtown Madison last year,” he recalled. “Tibetans from all over
the country came and we had a wonderful showing of the Tibetan
community. And of course, we had the visit by His Holiness, the Dalai
Lama.” He also recalled a controversy surrounding the Dalai Lama’s visit —
on the raising of the Tibetan flag in the City-County Building. “The Tibetan
community rallied the City Council, and the Tibetan Flag was raised in the
City-County Building.” Parisi then highlighted the recent action in
Washington, D.C. “Another wonderful thing happened in the U.S. Congress.
Pres. Bush and Congress agreed with one thing, and that is, that His
Holiness, the Dalai Lama, is deserving of the Congressional Medal of Honor.”
Lastly, he welcomed the opening of the Tibetan Temple in Deer Park this
year, thanked the audience, and said, “Don’t give up. We will be here for
you.”
State Rep. Joe Parisi
| Deer Park Buddhist Temple Leader Geshe Sopa |