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MDHIAM
PROPOSE TIBETAN INDEPENDENCE. NOR DID IT DRAW ANY COMPARISON WITH (OR EVEN MENTION) HONG KONG, ABOUT WHICH NCNA HAD COMPLAINED EARLIER. THE FILM WAS A BIOGRAPHY OF THE DALAI LAMA, A WELL KNOWN AND RESPECTED RELIGIOUS LEADER. WE HAD ALLOWED IT TO BE SHOWN AS PART OF THE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL, AND IT WAS NOW NOT POSSIBLE UNDER THE LAW TO WITHDRAW OUR PERMISSION FOR ITS SHOWING.
5. CHEN REPEATED THAT THE CHINESE SIDE WERE SURPRISED THAT WE ALLOWED THE FILM TO BE SHOWN. THE DALAI LAMA WAS NO ORDINARY RELIGIOUS LEADER. THERE WAS A CLEAR POLITICAL BACKGROUND AND THE AMERICAN FILM MAKER HAD AN OBVIOUS POLITICAL PURPOSE. HE ADDED THAT A DEAL OF COMMENT ABOUT THE DREADFULNESS OF OLD TIBETAN SOCIETY (BUT SPARED US ANY POINTS ABOUT HOW MUCH HAPPIER THE TIBETANS ARE NOW). EHRMAN SAID HE WAS NOT GOING TO COMMENT ON THE SITUATION IN TIBET BUT NOTED AGAIN THAT THE FILM DID NOT CALL FOR TIBETAN INDEPENDENCE.
COMMENT
6. THE FILM IS A POWERFUL AND EMOTIVE DOCUMENTARY, BASICALLY A BIOGRAPHY OF THE DALAI LAMA BUT INCLUDING A GOOD DEAL ABOUT THE FATE OF TIBET AND THE TIBETANS UNDER CHINESE RULE. THE DALAI LAMA COMES OUT OF IT AS AN ATTRACTIVE PERSONALITY, AND SMUGGLED FILM OF CHINESE POLICE BEATING UP MONKS, TOGETHER WITH APPALLING ACCOUNTS OF CHINESE TORTURE AND BRUTALITY CALL OF WHICH ARE RELATED IN A CAREFUL, UNEMOTIONAL TONE) LEAVES A PRETTY STRONG IMPRESSION. IT IS EASY TO SEE WHY THE CHINESE DO NOT LIKE IT. HOWEVER, IT IS A SERIOUS FILM. THE TELEVISION AND ENTERTAINMENT LICENSING AUTHORITY FAILED TO REFER IT TO THE POLITICAL ADVISER'S OFFICE FOR VETTING, BUT EVEN IF THEY HAD DONE SO, WE ALMOST CERTAINLY WOULD HAVE DECIDED THAT THE DOWNSIDE BOTH LOCALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY OF SEEKING TO BAN IT WOULD HAVE BEEN WORSE THAT THE CHINESE CRITICISM.
7. GIVEN THAT CHEN SAID HE WAS SPEAKING ON INSTRUCTIONS, WE IMAGINE THAT THE CHINESE MAY RAISE THE MATTER WITH YOU OR PEKING.
WILSON
YYYY
“ཇ་
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