The Tibet Post International Online Newspaper

Buddhist Festival Page1 Tibet and Paper Tigers Page

Dharamsala:

10th November: His Holiness the Dalai

Lama addressing the gathering,

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2 Dalai Lama Page 3 Pictures from Tibet Page 4 Canadian beauty is Miss Earth 2007 Page 5 GERE’S NIGHT TO

REMEMBER Page 6

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aids awarded to Richard Gere, page 6

Photo: TPI

Vol. 01, Issue 02, 15 November, 2007 T P I S h o r t s Ta k e s

Kalon Tripa to visit Delhi, Uttarakhand and Nagpur Monday, 12 November 2007 Dharamshala: Kalon Tripa Samdhong Rinpoche will leave this afternoon for a 9 day visit to New Delhi, Uttarakhand and Nagpur from 13 to 21 November.

On his arrival in New Delhi tomorrow, Kalon Tripa will attend the Satyagraha Centenary International conference. He will deliver a key-note address on “Globalisation of the Gandhian Way: Sociology, Politics and Science of Satyagraha between 1906-2006.”

During his two-day visit to Uttarakhand from 14 to 15 November, Kalon Tripa will attend the children’s day function at the Tibetan Homes’ Foundation in Mussoorie and Rajpur.

On 15 November, Kalon Tripa will leave for a two-day visit to Nagpur.

From 17 to 18 November, Kalon Tripa will deliver a speech on “Perception of reality from the Buddhist point of view” during the annual religious study camp at the Institute of Gandhian Studies in Nagpur.

During his two-day visit to New Delhi, on the request from the Acharya Kirpalani’s Memorial Trust, Kalon Tripa will give a key-note memorial lecture.

Next day, Kalon Tripa will attend a function on Lord Buddha’s Mahaparinirvana in Gargi college in New Delhi. He will deliver a lecture on the “Contemporary relevance of Buddha’s message.”

Kalon Tripa will D return h a r on a a22mNovember. s a l a Photo: TPI

TYC’s 13th Executive Body portfolios announced

Bod-Kyi-Pho-Nya

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Russian and Mongolian celebrates Buddhists festival

Russian and Mongolian are waiting for H.H the Dalai Lama in-front of main temple. Photo: TPI

Dharamsala, November 10: Tibetans and tourists today enjoyed cultural songs and dances of Tibet, Mongolia and Russian Republics of Buryatia, Kalmykia and Tuva in a very re-

laxed presence of His Holiness the Dalai Lama here this afternoon.

Today’s celebration marked the conclusion of a five-day Buddhists Festival of Mongolia and

EU Urged to promote Political Dialogue on Tibet’s Autonomy

the three Russian Republics in Dharamsala that began Tuesday.

For Russian Buddhists and Mongolians, it was an occasion to celebrate the revival of Budcontinued on page 3

Tibetan Woman

European Parliament adopts Resolution on the Environmental Situation in Tibet and the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics

Dharamsala, November 9: The newly elected President of the Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC), Mr Tsewang Rigzin today announced Administrative-member portfolios of the newly formed 13th Central Executive Body (CENTREX).

Miss Tibet 2007, Tenzin Dolma with Miss.

Taiwan and Miss. Hong Kong more details see page 5

T i b e t

World

Monks at Drepung before the whitewashing of the wall was broken up by People’s Armed Police on October 17.

The image shows the celebratory mood at Drepung on the day of the Congressional Gold Medal award – the marks on the monks’ robes indicate that tsampa (roasted barley flour) was being thrown in honor of the day. Although it is clear this was a celebration and not a protest, the group was soon broken up by armed police. Picture obtained by the Tibetan Center for Human Rights and Democracy, India, www.tchrd.org

by Tibet Intergroup November 12th, 2007.

The European Parliamentarian Conference on Tibet in Brussels today expressed deep concern about the continuing violation of the rights of Tibetan people by the Peoples Republic of China, and unanimously called upon the European Union (EU) and national governments of European countries to push for a political settlement of the long standing Sino-Tibetan issue.

More than 200 participants from 20 countries Members of the European and National parliaments, Members of the EU Commission and the Council, Ambassadors, Human Rights and Environmental activists and Olympic goldmedallists - attended the conference at the

European Parliament in Brussels. They were invited by the European Parliament’s Tibet Intergroup.

The conference was opened by President of the Tibet Intergroup, Mr. Thomas Mann and the President of the European Parliament Hans-Gert Poettering and comprised two workshops on the Tibetan Environmental Situation and on the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics. In a statement to the conference, Mr Poettering welcomed the renewed contact between the government of the People’s Republic of China and the envoys of H.H. the Dalai Lama, but urged the Chinese leadership to embark upon earnest and sincere negotiations with the object of finding a just and lasting political solution on Tibet’s Autonomy situation. continued on page 4

China Mobile sets up on Mount Everest

BEIJING - China’s largest cell phone service provider successfully tested a transmission station on Mount Everest on 11, November, making it possible for climbers and those on next year’s Olympic torch relay to make calls, the Xinhua News

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THE EDIT PAGE

15 November, 2007 Dharamsala

Tibet Post

Why are Arab-World issues and Tibetan issues treated differently?

‘India should be given voice in UN’ ”Terrorists are increasingly finding safe havens in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan,” Clinton wrote in an Essay in the respected Foreign Affairs Magazine.

She also said America’s relationship with China will be “the most important bilateral relationship” in the world.

“Tibet and Paper Tigers” Ongoings at the 61st general assembly of UN only show member nations in an unending scramble for power - power to occupy, power for war, power for weapons.

Of course, there are talks about religion, nonviolence, good will, environment protection, global warming, etc. So-called peace makers see the same problems in Tibet, Iraq, Afghanistan and the Middle East. But there is no voice rising for humble and occupied Tibetans. All attention gets focussed on Iraq, Afghanistan and Middle East, only for material gains like oil or increasing terror or political power. Why is there no resolution for the Tibetans?

Peace is but a meaningless word, in a world competing for weapons, economic power and political advantages. The world saw the war on Iraq and Afghanistan, can we count of the people killed? The war on terror is on, can we count the people that have become terrorists? In 1959 China occupied Tibet, killing 1.5 million Tibetans from 6 millions Tibet population, the victims were only Tibetans. The Tibetan governmentin-exile has estimated at least one million Tibetans have died under Chinese rule and around 80,000 refugees have fled the country. The death toll is comparable to the Jewish deaths from Nazi attrocities. It is common belief that involving paper heroes such as UN, USA, EU, ARAB world and SAARC etc can be helpful. But, unfortunately, a Paper Tiger never bites, will never bite.

1 Nov, 2007, PTI

WASHINGTON: India, which has “special significance” as an emerging power, should be given a bigger voice in regional and international For the Tibetans, the dilemma is clear exclusion from political stake holding, which radicalizes and legitimizes violence of red Chinese. Which is why there is no effort to institutions like the UN, Hillary solve the Tibetan crisis. Isn’t that how Iraq, Afghanistan and Middle East are Clinton, the Democratic frontrunner different? We must take the first difficult steps on that road of equality. An equality for the upcoming US Presidential that has so far evaded the snow people since the 1950s. The Chinese are still hunting down Tibetans like rats in the snow. I say, Tibetans can’t trust the world that doesn’t election has said. care about Tibet. Tibetans are losing hope to resolve their issues.

A huge banner, with the humble character for way or road painted on it, hangs above the main hall of the assembly to constantly remind the more than 450 to 550 senior religious and political world leaders attending many conferences, to find ways to fulfill the stated aims of confronting violence and advancing shared security of peace in this world. Tibetans are escaping from their home, without a single weapon, getting killed by heavy arms of Chinese military in Tibet and its neighboring borders. Big eats small, even in animals, the bigger ones become friends, UN is one of them. Smaller become victims, like Tibetans are.

UN, EU don’t have any old or new proposals for Tibet and its people’s sufferings.

The Chinese occupation since 1959 sent thousands of Tibetan refugees into India, Nepal and abroad. The bodies, however, never considered any welfare, security, aid and support for Tibetans inside and outside Tibet. Neither was there any effort to call for an active participation of all Asian states. Hardly are there any press conference addressing Tibet issues, but many leaders have commented that attempts at peace were not successful at creating peace between Tibet and the China for the reasons that Chinese secular efforts were not enough to solve the problems between people of different faiths.

Mediations may be necessary in the Utsang province (Western Tibet), Kham province Eastern Tibet, Amdho province (Eastern Tibet)’ from western country.

Thousands of Tibetans from occupied Tibet, they cried out to the world to help the Holy Land regain freedom of all and peace. There has been too much bloodshed over Snowland, particularly the recent murder of 7 Tibetans between Tibet and Nepal boundary. China can claim no victory after killing innocent Tibetan women (Nun) and children.

No official international Committee ever invited the spiritual leader of Tibet, The Dalai Lama on a platform of the International Inter-religious and Political Affairs for Tibet. The reason is clear, he is known to the world as a peacemaker. Many current anti-peace men dwelt on the causes of violence in the name of religion. When our identities are threatened we seek to defend them. As an ancient scholar once explained the reality of future, “All scholars are thieves; I am the leader of the thieves.”

One of my friends, Mr. Dhardho Karma said because religion is so profoundly related to identity, when people are hurt they fall on their religious traditions to give them a sense of purpose and seek self-justification in a way that disregards and stigmatizes the other. This way, he continued, politicians come to the conclusion that for peace building must be kept away from religion. He said, he would have urged the assembly to acknowledge that terrible things have been done in the name of religion and would refer to the Holy Land as an area where conflict resolution has failed because red politicians did not work together with religious leaders. I know that he is trying to remind me how many holy places were destroyed by Chinese in Tibet since 1950s.

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Advicer Advicer Editor Sub Editor Reporter Reporter Circular Publisher Press of Tibet, Room # 306 Nechung Hostel, Gamru Village P.O. Dharamsala - 176215 Distt. Kangra, H.P., INDIA

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Mr. Thomas Keimel Dr. Vincent Brossel Mr. Yeshe Choesang Mrs. Rigzin Wangmo Mr. Palden Gyatso Miss. Dolma Lhamo Mr. Tenzin Sangpo Mr. Tenzin Kunga Tele: 0091-1892-224641 E-mail: editor@thetibetpost.com www.thetibetpost.com

The Tibet Post

”....India has a special significance both as an emerging power and as the world’s most populous democracy. As co-chair of the Senate India Caucus, I recognize the tremen-

dous opportunity presented by India’s rise and the need to give the country an augmented voice in regional and international institutions, such as the UN,” Clinton, who according to polls is leading in the race to become the next US President,said.

The former first lady also said terrorists are increasingly finding safe havens in Pakistan, its staunch ally in the war on terror, and called for “redoubling” of efforts in the South Asian country.

”The US and China have vastly different values and political systems, yet even though we disagree profoundly on issues ranging from trade to human rights, religious freedom, labor practices, and Tibet, there is much that the US and China can and must accomplish together,” Clinton said.

The Democratic senator slammed the Bush administration for “squandering the respect, trust, and confidence of even our closest allies and friends.”

After 9/11, Clinton said the world rallied behind the US and “we had a historic opportunity to build a broad global coalition to combat terror, increase the impact of our diplomacy, and create a world with more partners and fewer adversaries.”

The danger in Chinese impunity PTI. 13. November.

The closer we get to the Beijing Olympics, the more China resembles global warming: We’re all aware of the problem, it threatens every one of us and we can all do something about it. But we choose not to.

certain amount of time to make necessary adjustments.

The evidence of Beijing’s dereliction continues to pile up. From toys that can have the same effect as a “date rape” drug if swallowed to the systematic detention of dissidents of all stripes to the arming of gross violators of human rights abroad, China remains an irresponsible stakeholder with relative impunity, thanks partly to international acquiescence to its demand that no one meddle in its affairs.

Despite commitments it made as a future host of the Olympics, Beijing has continued to violate media freedoms. As Human Rights Watch reported last week: “Foreign correspondents routinely face harassment, detention and intimidation at the hands of Chinese security forces and plainclothes thugs who appear to operate at official behest.”

When a state acts irresponsibly in the 21st century, everybody is at risk. As China expands its interactions with the global economy, domestic matters can no longer be treated in isolation from the outside world.

Problems stemming from the trade in dangerous goods, criminal negligence, lack of official oversight and mere incompetence pose a threat to consumers of Chinese products. But because China is likely to remain a manufacturer’s paradise for some years to come, it is not unreasonable for the international community to give it a

Where the world should be less patient, however, is on matters where adjustments need to be immediate. Human rights and espionage come to mind.

Nothing underscores this reality better than a BBC correspondent who spent a day in detention for covering simmering unrest, only to find that in the meantime the bolts holding the wheels of his car to the chassis had been tampered with.

The International Olympic Committee is fully aware of these transgressions, but Beijing will not be rebuked. And if it is allowed to act in such a manner with foreign correspondents, one can only imagine how the government must be treating people far from the gaze of journalists and cameras of the international press.

By giving Beijing a free hand to harass and endanger foreign journalists, the international community condones repression in China.

With regard to espionage, US Director of National Intelligence Michael McConnell told a House of Representatives hearing in September that Chinese espionage activities against the US were “reaching Cold War levels,” while in April the Canadian Security Intelligence Service said Chinese spies were stealing US$1 billion in technological secrets every month and that almost half of its counterintelligence efforts were against China.

Given Beijing’s close and sometimes inseparable relationship with the private sector, the recent discovery of spyware on Chinesemade portable hard drives — which collects information on computers and beames it to servers in Beijing — also points to the possibility of state involvement in the gathering of intelligence through exporters. As China sells more electronics abroad, opportunities to use such technology to conduct espionage can only multiply.

Failure to hold Beijing accountable on these serious matters will only encourage it to amplify its repression in areas where the international community has less say.

The Tibet Post

TPI DALAI LAMA

Russian and Mongolian celebrates Buddhists festival

15 November, 2007 Dharamsala

Dalai Lama arrives in Japan

11-15-2007, 08h41 NARITA, Japan (AFP)

Photo: TPI continued from front page

dhism in their country and reconnection with Tibetan people and meeting with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, whom they equally revere as their spiritual leader in the world.

It was a celebration unfolding Tibet’s long shared ancient historical ties with the people of the Buddhist regions before the relationship was briefly cut off during the reign of Communism which affected the spiritual and cultural lives of the people in all the Buddhists states.

Senior officials of the Tibetan Government-in Exile based here in Dharamsala, including Tibetan Prime Minister Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche, Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament Mr Karma Choephel and Tibetan Chief Justice Commissioner Mr Namgyal Tsering attended the concluding function of the Buddhists Festival.

Some 400 people from the three Russian Republics and Mongolia have been in Dharamsala, the exile seat of the Dalai Lama, to participate in the Buddhists Festival,

the first of its kind ever held here.

The festival is led by Telo Rinpoche the spiritual head of the Kalmyk Buddhists.

The visiting Buddhists communities made a grand long life offering to His Holiness earlier this morning before the cultural show resumed in the Tsuglagkhang courtyard in the afternoon drawing in hundreds of crowd.

The groups also had an opportunity to listen to a special day-long on teaching by His Holiness on Friday.

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Tibetan spiritual leader and Nobel laureate Dalai Lama gives a blessing upon his arrival at Narita Airport, outside Tokyo, 15 November 2007. Dalai Lama is in Japan to meet Japanese Buddhists.

The exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama arrived in Japan on Thursday for a week-long visit at the invitation of a Buddhist group.The Dalai Lama flew into Narita airport east of Tokyo early Thursday on a commercial flight from India.A small crowd greeted him, with many bowing their heads to show respect as he walked by.

During his stay in Japan, which he last visited a year ago, he will go to the ancient Shintoism shrine of Ise in western Japan and give a speech at a forum on religion in Yokohama near Tokyo.He will also visit local schools in Tokyo.China has opposed visits to Japan by the Dalai Lama, whom Beijing accuses of being a dangerous figure agitating for Tibetan independence. Japan allowed him to come on the condition he avoid political activities.Appearing at a function in New Delhi last week to celebrate him being awarded the top US Congress civilian honour this month, the Dalai Lama said accused China of what he called “demographic aggression.”

Tibet: The first Independent Weeekly Mongolian and Russian Buddhists offer long live pujas to His Holiness

Photo: TPI Tibet.net, 12,November 2007.

Dharamshala.On the margins of their 5-day Buddhist festival here, some 400 Buddhists devotees from Mongolia and Russian Republics including Kalmykia, Buriyatia and Tuva offered a long life prayer (Tenshug) at a ceremony held at Tsuglagkhang, the main temple on 10 November.

Thousands of Tibetans and devotees from other countries also joined in the prayer ceremony at

a packed main temple courtyard.

Dignitaries including Kundeling Rinpoche, justice commissioners, speaker of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, Kalon Tripa, members of Kashag and other officials of the Central Tibetan Administration attended the prayer ceremony.In his brief address, His Holiness the Dalai Lama recounted the long-standing religious and cultural ties between Tibet and Mongolia, build over hundreds of years ago.Later in

the evening, the Kashag hosted a dinner reception to the visiting dignitaries including Kalmykia President Kirsan Illumjhinov and others delegates from the Russian Republics and Mongolia. On 9 November, at the request of Mongolian and Russian Buddhists, His Holiness conferred a one-day teaching on the ‘Three Principal Paths’ (lamtso namsum) by Je Tsongkhapa to a large gathering of thousands of devotees at the Tsuglagkhang.

China expresses regret over Japan’s permission of Dalai Lama’s visit www.chinaview.cn 2007-11-15 BEIJING, Nov. 15 (Xinhua) — China has expressed regret over Japan’s permission of a visit by Dalai Lama, said Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao on Thursday. “We have reiterated many times our opposition to any country providing convenience or platform for Dalai Lama’s activities

aimed at separating China. We expressed our regret over Japan’s permission of Dalai’s entry into Japan and his visit to the country,” said Liu at a regular press conference. He said Dalai Lama has long been engaged in activities aimed at separating China, and no country or people in the world that upholds justice would support such activities. Editor: Yangtze Yan

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15 November, 2007 Dharamsala

EU Urged to promote Political Dialogue on Tibet’s Autonomy

continued from front page

“The EU must ensure that the EU and its member States implement effective policies to promote an end to the tragic oppression of the Tibetan people,” said Mr. Mann.

The European Parliamentarian Conference on Tibet adopted two resolutions. The first one highlighted ongoing risks to the health and sustainability of the Tibetan environment, resulting from Chinese government policies, including reckless resource extraction and timber harvesting, social reengineering that interferes with traditional livelihoods, rapid urbanization and the radical increase of Chinese settlers into Tibet. The resolution raises awareness about the spiritual, cultural, economic, and health significance of the Tibetan environment for the Tibetan people, as well for the people of China, for Tibet’s immediate neighbours and for the world at large.

“The Tibet Intergroup appreciates that Chinese President Hu Jintao has made commitments to addressing environmental issues during the October 2007 17th Party Congress.

But there must also come the acknowledgement that it is the Chinese government’s own failure to implement genuine autonomy for the Tibetan people that denies them local communities the opportunity to participate meaningfully in environmental decision-making and to contest environmental projects Tibetans regard as detrimental to their cultural, religious and/or economic interests”, said Thomas Mann.

“We must investigate and utilise NGO, governmental and international environmental programs that can be applied to Tibet and that will provide Tibetans with the opportunity to participate in the management of their environment”, added Mr. Mann.

In its second workshop, the conference participants discussed the upcoming Summer Olympics in Beijing 2008 and the role that previous Olympic Games have contributed to social and political change, and that the 2008 games in Beijing can also represent an opportunity to contribute to positive change in China and Tibet.

They underlined that His Holiness, the Dalai Lama has consistently supported the Chinese people’s desire to host the 2008 Olympics.

Dolma Gyari, Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, called upon the EP to reaffirm its support for the dialogue between representatives of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Chinese government, and its expectation that this dialogue will lead to tangible progress towards a negotiated settlement on the issue of

Tibet within the framework of the PRC.” Speaking on the Sino-Tibetan dialogue, the envoy of the Dalai Lama, Kelsang Gyaltsen said, “the pursuit of international recognition, respect and admiration is a top priority of the Chinese leadership. Without the cooperation, acceptance and deference of the members of the international community this ambition cannot be achieved. World opinion is far from being immaterial to the Chinese leadership.”

Mr. Vincent Metten, EU Policy Director for the International Campaign for Tibet, said that policymakers should call upon their governments to ensure that China’s actions and deeds actively contribute to the realization of the UN Olympics Truce, as passed by the UN General Assembly on 31 October 2007.

The conference participants also called on China to promote the freedom of press and independent reporting for international and domestic journalists. This should include all travel to and reporting from Tibetan areas.

“We intend to sign an official petition to President Hu Jintao urging that all rights to free expression, free religious belief and free association be respected in the run up to the Beijing Games and beyond”, added Mr Mann.

Other speakers at today’s conference included: · Isabel Hilton (UK), columnist for british newspapers, author of “the Search of the Panchen Lama”, editor of a website devoted to climate change and environment; · Penpa Tsering, Member of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, Director of the Tibetan Parliamentary and Policy Research Centre; · Peter Stastny MEP, participant of 4 Olympic Games (Winter); · Dieter Baumann, German athlete (1500 m and 5000 m distance), Olympic Medallist, gold medal winner of 5000 m at the 1992 Summer Olympics.

“This conference has provided an inspiring platform for supporters of Tibet to meet and discuss the challenges facing the Tibetan Issue”, said Ms. Tsering Jampa, Director of International Campaign for Tibet Europe.

“We appreciate the engagement of policymakers all across Europe on the Tibet issue and for adopting the strong resolutions that encourage the Tibetan people to continue their non-violent struggle towards freedom”, she added.

The conference was organized by the European Parliament’s Intergroup for Tibet, in association with Bureau du Tibet, Brussels, and the International Campaign for Tibet Europe.

TPI TIBET

The Tibet Post

Pictures from Tibet depicting strict vigilance in Drepung Monastery

by Chinese authorities

Armed troops gather at Drepung on October 17, the day the Dalai Lama received the Congressional Gold Medal. Photo: The Tibet Express Picture obtained by the Tibetan Center for Human Rights and Democracy, India, www.tchrd.org New images just received from Tibet show troops gathered outside Drepung monastery in Lhasa in a show of force after monks whitewashed a wall to commemorate the Dalai Lama being honored with the Congressional Gold Medal on October 17 in Washington, DC. Drepung monastery was sealed off and surrounded by armed troops after police stopped an attempt by monks to peacefully mark the honor to the Dalai Lama in the week of October 17. The images confirm the reports of a buildup of armed police at the monastery, depicting troops in the hills outside the monastery as well as gathered outside in riot gear. One observer reported: “The woods and hills around the monastery were full of police and troops.” During the same week, there were checkpoints on roads out of Lhasa, and an order to Lhasa citizens not to carry out any religious or celebratory activities.

People’s Armed Police troops moved in to stop the monks from whitewashing the walls on the morning of the Congressional Gold Medal ceremony. The Hong Kong newspaper Ming Pao reported that one monk was hit on the head with a baton, while a Tibetan source reported online on a Chinese language website that a monk who had just picked up a tool for stirring the whitewash was hit by a police officer and “then pummeled by punches and kicks.” According to the same account, the monks then left the scene, and a large number of People’s Armed Police troops entered Drepung, with others doing military exercises in the monastery parking lot.

Pilgrims and tourists were not allowed to enter the monastery, and monks were not allowed to leave. Most of the monks were not even allowed to go to the dining hall to eat or boil water for several days.

According to one report, on October 26, a few pilgrims were allowed into Drepung for the first time since the monastery had been sealed off. The same report, online in Chinese on a blogsite and informed by individuals in Lhasa, stated that on November 7, monks were finally allowed to leave the monastery, but only for a limited time period. The atmosphere at Drepung is reportedly still tense, with monks under continued surveillance.

Celebrations in Lhasa to commemorate the honor to the exiled Tibetan religious leader were more quietly devotional in Lhasa compared to those that took place in parts of eastern Tibet, where Tibetans set off fireworks and fire crackers. Several Tibetans were detained temporarily after celebrations with fireworks and prayers were held at Labrang (Chinese: Xiahe in Gansu province) monastery in the Tibetan area of Amdo.

Photo: The Tibet Express

Police and soldiers were seen gathered on the hillside beside Drepung on October 17

TPI WORLD

The Tibet Post

Canadian beauty is Miss Earth 2007

AP: 11-11-2007: A 22-year-old Canadian was crowned Miss Earth 2007 in a televised pageant at the University of the Philippines Theater in Diliman, Quezon City, early yesterday morning.

Jessica Nicole Trisko bested 87 other candidates from around the world in the pageant that focused on advocacy for the protection and care for the environment.

Trisko, who stands 5’10" and weighs 135 lb., was crowned by Chile’s Hil Hernandez, last year’s Miss Earth.

She said that the ozone depletion and global warming are the most serious threats to the environment.

Trisko added that she will create an educational program to teach individuals about caring for the environment.

Miss India Pooja Chitgopeker, 22, was named Miss Air, while Miss Venezuela Silvana Santaella, 23, was crowned Miss Water. Miss Spain Angela Gomez, 22, was chosen Miss Fire. They won cash, scholarships, jewelry, among others.

Miss South Africa Bokang Montjane, 21, won a special award called “Beauty For A Cause.”

The four semi-finalists impressed the judges on the final common question, “How would you describe the beauty of Mother Earth to a blind child?”

Special awards went to Miss Lebanon, Miss Friendship; Miss Lithuania, Miss Talent; Miss Thailand, Best in National Costume; and Miss Venezuela, Best in Long Gown and Swimsuit. Miss Philippines Jeanne Harn, 25, was Miss Photogenic.

Miss Venezuela was also named Miss Psalmstre New Placenta 2007 during a pre-pageant rite at the Airport Casino Filipino in Parañaque City last Nov. 5.

The award was presented by TV personality Jaime Acosta, president of

Psalmstre Inc., maker of New Placenta soap and other beauty products.

In the preliminary round, the delegates competed in fashion, national costume, and long gown.

The 88 candidates were narrowed down to 16 semifinalists. Others who made it to the semi-final cut were Misses Peru, Martinique, Georgia, Nigeria, Romania, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Thailand, Lebanon, Sweden, and the Dominican Republic.

The 16 finalists were later trimmed to eight — Georgia, Peru, Canada, Switzerland, India, Venezuela, Thailand, and Spain.

Former beauty queen turned actress Evangeline Pascual was chairperson of this year’s board of judges. Other judges included actress Dawn Zulueta, Manuel Roxas, Architect Nestor Mangio, Jose Ramon Olives of ABS-CBN, Hong Jin, among others.

The event was hosted by VJ Utt, 2004 Miss Earth Priscilla Mereilles, and Ginger Conejeros.

Miss Tibet 2007 Tenzin Dolma has landed in Manila, the capital of the Philippines, to participate in the Miss Earth pageant. She is among eightysix young ladies from different countries around the world

Tenzin Dolma, Miss. Tibet 2007 participates in Miss Earth 2007

PAKISTAN PRES. PERVEZ MUSHARRAF RECONFIRMS ELECTIONS Pakistan’s President Gen.Pervez Musharraf speaks to the media at a press conference at the presidential palace in Islamabad, Pakistan on Sunday, November 11, 2007. Musharraf reconfirmed plans for parliamentary elections though the country would remain in emergency rule.

Former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto gestures as she addresses a news conference in Lahore, Pakistan on Sunday, Nov. 11, 2007.

Bhutto guardedly welcomed President Pervez Musharraf’s announcement of general elections by January 9 as a “positive step.”

CHILE 17TH LATIN AMERICAN SUMMIT IN SANTIAGO In Santiago, Chile, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez had a harsh meeting with Spanish Chief of Government Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero at 17th Latin American Summit in Santiago, Chile on November 10, 2007. Chavez claimed that his country “re-

serves the right to reply any agression under any tone, at any place and situation,” after Rodriguez Zapatero demanded due respect to Spanish former chief of government Jose Maria Assnar. (Marcel Garces/ N o t i m e x / W P N ) **Mexico Out**

15 November, 2007 Dharamsala

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Two Koreas agree on aid projects for North

North Korean Prime Minister Kim Yong-il (L) signs joint declaration documents with his South Korean counterpart Han Duck-soo during their meeting at a hotel in Seoul, South Korea, November 16, 2007. The text on the wall translates as “First Prime Ministers Meeting of South and North Koreas” REUTERS/Lee Jin-man/Pool Fri Nov 16, 2007 4:25 AM

By Jack Kim SEOUL (Reuters) - North and South Korea on Friday agreed more massive projects to help rebuild the North’s broken economy, including freight train services over their heavily armed border that had been severed since the 1950-53 Korea War. The agreements, which came during the first talks in 15 years between prime ministers of two countries technically at war, also envision South Korea building shipyards along North Korea’s west coast, the scene of naval clashes in recent years.

But the three days of talks between the prime ministers resulted in little immediate or tangible change to an economic relationship long marked by the hermit North’s preference for aid from its prosperous neighbor without the risk of actually opening itself up to a flood of outside investors.

“The agreements set the stage for our companies to expand investment in the North and substantially contribute to its economic development,” South

Korean Prime Minister Han Ducksoo’s office said in a statement.

The meeting focused on how to implement pledges made at only the second summit of their leaders last month and comes as impoverished and isolated North Korea begins to roll back its nuclear arms program under a deal with regional powers.

Trade between Asia’s fourth-largest economy and one of its poorest is barely $1 billion a year, most of it tied to aid from the South and two enclaves it operates — one industrial and the other for tourism — just inside the North.

That could get a boost after freight services across the Demilitarized Zone begins on December 11, more than half a century after the tracks were severed.

South Korea will help repair the 170km (105-mile) stretch of highway between Pyongyang and the North’s border city of Kaesong, about 70 km (45 miles) northwest of Seoul, as well as rail tracks between Kaesong and the North’s border with China.

Nicolas Sarkozy to cement closeness to USA

AFP. Last Updated: 2:24am GMT 05/11/2007

Nicolas Sarkozy embarks on his first official visit to Washington today amid claims that he has replaced Tony Blair as President George W Bush’s “poodle”.Mr Sarkozy, arguably the most pro-American French president ever, wants to end the bitterness caused by the opposition of his immediate predecessor, Jacques Chirac, to the Iraq war when he meets Mr Bush tomorrow. “The aim of this trip is to seal the renewal of ties between France and the United States following the crisis of 2003,” said the French presidential spokesman David Martinon. After talks at the White House, Mr Sarkozy and Mr Bush are to meet again at the Mount Vernon home of George Washington, who used French military might to help defeat the British in the War of Independence.Mr Sarkozy will speak on Wednesday to a joint session of the US Congress, a rare honour, in which he will “send a message” of friendship to Americans.But opposition Socialists rounded on the president yesterday, calling him a “poodle” — a label once reserved for Mr Blair.”I am not saying that France has become a satellite of the United States,” said Pierre Moscovici, the French Socialists’ spokesman on international affairs.

“But Sarkozy is playing a dangerous game in abandoning any duty to take stock, any critical dialogue with Washington. What will he do if George Bush decides to bomb Iran?” Mr Bush and Mr Sarkozy met for the first time at the G8 summit in Germany

in June. They then shared a barbecue lunch during the French leader’s summer holiday in New Hampshire. Mr Sarkozy’s promises that he will bring a “rupture” with the past, introducing Anglo-Saxon reforms such as tax cuts and longer working hours, have convinced many that he is more interested in a liberal, US-style economy than the traditionally paternalistic French model. Mr Sarkozy never ceases to highlight “the historic friendship” between France and the US and, speaking about his growing relationship with Mr Bush, Mr Sarkozy said last month: “The trial has started, I will be a friend of the Americans. Oh yes, it’s true.

Don’t torture me, I confess. “Here is a country, one of the few across the world apart from Poland, with which we have never been at war. It is really not a reason for us to hate each other.”

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TPI VARIETY

The Tibet Post

GERE’S NIGHT TO REMEMBER Actor/activist receives Marian Anderson Award

For the Daily News ACTOR RICHARD GERE returned to the city of his birth last night, receiving the coveted 2007 Marian Anderson Award for his artistry and deeply felt humanitarian efforts supporting Tibet, Amnesty International and AIDS awareness, among other causes.

The evening had the red-carpet feel, with Gov. and Mrs. Rendell, Mayor Street and many attending dignitaries at the concert following a gala dinner in the Kimmel Center’s Commonweath Plaza.

Gere has used his clout and influence to raise the world’s awareness of the repressive and brutal treatment of Tibetans by the Chinese government, to push for research to combat HIV/AIDS, to support Survival International, and to champion numerous other causes through his Gere Foundation, founded in 1991.

Gere acknowledged family members in attendance, and brought his proud father, Homer, on stage. “I appreciate the honor,” he said, “but I am not worthy of it in any way. One thing I know is that we do nothing on our own, not one thing! Love and compassion, like Marian Anderson, is our job. I saw the Dalai Lama in that Capitol rotunda a few months ago, and considered him an essential American, an embodiment of selfless love and the revolutionary spirit of what we can become.”

The popular actor, who sat with his actress wife, Carey Lowell, spoke at the annual Philadelphia Orchestra tribute concert at the Kimmel Center. Thomas Wilkins conducted the finale to Stravinsky’s “Firebird” and a string arrangement of Beethoven’s Op. 132 String Quartet, a favorite of the honoree, who listened with eyes closed.

Hosted by ABC-TV’s Cynthia McFadden, the program featured three numbers of trademark hysteria by Philly’s Patti LaBelle after her shoes were placed on the Steinway.

One audience member jumped onto the stage to speak to her, upsetting LaBelle until an enormous security man removed him.

Jazz trumpet virtuoso Jon Faddis dazzled with his quartet and rising star soprano Measha Brueggergosman was brilliant in Strauss and Gershwin before a spiritual.

Dr. Helen Gayle, president of Care International, spoke, and the evening was brightened by the appearance of a radiant Diane Lane in red strapless dress, who first worked with Gere in the “The Cotton Club” (1984) and just wrapped their third film together, “Nights In Rodanthe.” Lane said Gere “embodies the Buddhist wisdom, and his tenacious advocacy has manifested into public respect.”

“Since his earliest days as a successful artist, Mr. Gere gave a voice to people with no voice,” said Patrick Moran, the tireless executive director and engine behind the Marian Anderson Award. “His philanthropy is aimed where the need is, rather than where the spotlight is. We wouldn’t even be as aware of Tibet if he hadn’t become involved in advocating for their cultural autonomy, for their large émigré populations in India, for keeping indigenous people on their tribal lands in Africa and South America.

“When he was contacted about receiving the award,” Moran said, “his reaction was, ‘Why me?’ He was responding to social conditions long before it was fashionable, and

has become the champion of those without a champion.”

An announcement was also made about the musical winners of the Marian Anderson Award, who will all perform at a concert jointly held with Astral Artistic Services at the Kimmel Center on Dec. 7. The winners and their prizes are baritone Jonathan Beyer, 26, a Curtis Institute graduate, $6,000 first prize; soprano Joyce El-Khoury, a fifth-year student at the Academy of Vocal Arts, $3,000 second prize; soprano Layla Claire, 25, a Curtis student, $1,500 third prize, and soprano Janinah Burnett, 28, an Eastman School graduate, $1,500 Marian Anderson Legacy Award.

The Marian Anderson Award carries with it a $100,000 unrestricted prize, which will benefit the Gere Foundation. Last night’s program will soon be aired on WPVI-TV (Channel 6). Last year’s telecast, honoring Sidney Poitier, came in second in local ratings only to the NBA finals. Mayor Street pledged $250,000 to the Anderson Award endowment, which he said would be matched by Rendell.

The recently opened $4 billion railway from Beijing to the Tibetan capital of Lhasa, according to Gere, signals an ominous state of emergency. Tibetans are now a minority in Lhasa, and since the Chinese invasion in which hundreds of thousands were killed, education is still meager and Tibetans’ land has been taken. It is even a criminal offense in Tibet to display an image of or to have one’s photograph taken with the Dalai Lama, who received the Congressional Gold Medal from President Bush last month.

Because of his strong belief in Buddhism and enthusiastic support for the Tibetan Independence Movement, Gere is permanently banned from China. He is also banned from being an Academy Award presenter after he used that platform to condemn the Chinese government, and even pleaded for the boycott of next year’s Olympic Games in Beijing to put pressure on the Chinese.

Since its inception in 1998, the Marian Anderson Award honors the memory and the inspiration of the inspiring “Lady From Philadelphia,” whose magnificent voice and serene bearing made her an international symbol of grace. During those years, supported by more than $2.7 million from Wachovia and other sources, the award has given more than $450,000 toward free public programs, residencies, commissions and grants to young artists.

Gere, whose 30-year career has led to more than 40 films, has scored in “An Officer and a Gentleman,” “Pretty Woman,” “Unfaithful” (with Lane) and “Chicago,” to name only a few. But only a year after his first great performance in “Days Of Heaven” (1978), Gere began championing the cause of Tibetans driven from their homeland by the Chinese and persecuted ruthlessly through cultural genocide.

He took a few years off from a budding career to become involved in a fact-finding mission in Central America. And, just a few years later, he also turned his advocacy towards addressing the scourge of those with HIV/AIDS. On three screens, the audience last night saw a retrospective of his career and those of Miss Anderson, kindred spirits on this night.

15 November, 2007 Dharamsala

Tibetan issue key to Indo-China ties: Dalai Lama 3 Nov 2007, 1713 hrs IST ,PTI NEW DELHI: Maintaining that resolution of Tibetan issue was vital for betterment of Indo-China ties, the Dalai Lama on Saturday favoured “genuine friendship” between the two Asian giants, rekindling the ‘Hindi-Chini bhai bhai’ spirit.

Addressing a function from which all Union Ministers kept away, the Tibetan spiritual leader attacked the Chinese government for continuing the policy of “suppression” in Tibet and warned that use of “gun” and “force” would only spew “more resentment and anger”. ”Resolution of issue of Tibet is relevant for India-China relationship.

I really wish to see a genuine friendship between India and

China,” he said after being felicitated by some NGOs and religious leaders here. ”I want to see the rekindling of the spirit of Hindi-Chini bhai bhai,” said the Dalai Lama who just returned from a visit to the US. Making it clear that he did not aspire to hold any “political position” if a local Tibetan government is formed, he quipped that he was already in the “semi-retirement” phase and would contribute to the Tibetan cause as a “senior adviser”.

Union Ministers kept away from the function following an advisory by the Cabinet Secretariat, apparently not to ruffle feathers in China which had voiced strong objection to the US honouring the Tibetan

leader recently.

Lashing out at China for following the “policy of suppression” in Tibet, the Dalai Lama said “genuine harmony should come from the heart and not from the gun”.

The Dalai Lama also voiced his concern over the “demographic aggression” of the Chinese in Tibet. “Out of the 300,000 people now residing in Lhasa, 200,000 are of Chinese-origin”.

Chinese authorities are also trying to prevent Tibetan students from taking lessons in Tibetan, saying that learning the language would be of no use, he said. ”There is a degeneration of the Tibetan way of life and cultural genocide is on the rise in various institutions and monasteries,” he said.

China convicts Tibetan of subversion Lama, a human rights monitor said Monday.

Runggye Adak, 53, was found guilty at the Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture Intermediate People’s Court on Oct 23, the Information Center for Human Rights and Democracy said in a statement.

During an Aug l ceremony in Litang County of Sichuan Province held to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the establishment of the People’s Liberation Army, Adak grabbed a microphone on the stage Tibetans and Tibet national flags in-front of White-house and called on people to support the Tuesday, November 13, 2007 at betan for subverting state authority return of the Dalai Lama, the Hong 06:00 EST HONG KONG — A by calling for the return of Tibet’s Kong-based center said. Adak was Chinese court has convicted a Ti- spiritual leader in exile, the Dalai arrested immediately.

Tibetans convicted for wildlife trafficking AP. Delhi, November 12: Three foreigners were convicted today in a case involving a landmark seizure of a huge number of leopard and otter skins in the Indian capital.

T h e y w i l l b e s e n t e n c e d l a t e r.

The trio, two Tibetans, Anand alias Tashi and Lobsang Phuntsok, and a Nepalese citizen Jeet Bahadur were arrested on April 6, 2005 with 45 leopard and 15 otter skins. They are the first Tibetans in Exile to be convicted of a wildlife crime.

The Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate of Delhi, Alok Agarwal, pronounced the conviction in one of the shortest trials under the Wildlife Protection Act that was investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) following orders of the Supreme Court in a petition filed by Ashok Kumar, vice-chairman Wildlife Trust of India (WTI). The prosecution was led by Rajan Dahiya advocate for CBI and assisted by Saurabh Sharma of the WTI. The Delhi police, reacting on the information provided by WTI started watching the old Tibetan Camp at Majnu Ka Tilla in old Delhi and were able to ap-

prehend the trio red-handed. Despite trying four times in the higher courts the accused did not get bail for the period of the trial, being ably opposed by the CBI counsel, Harish Gulati.

Coincidentally, this happened on the very day His Holiness the Dalai Lama launched the anti-wildlife trade campaign of the Care for the Wild International and WTI with the statement that ‘the law of the land has to prevail’.

During the investigation the accused had disclosed that they were working for a person called Tchhwang Tashi Tsering, a notorious wildlife trader from Nepal. He paid Lobsang Puntsok and Jeet Bahadur Rs 1000 each to store the skins and transport them to Nepal.

Tashi was Tchwwang’s point man and was assigned to conceal the contraband that he received from Sansar Chand, a well-known trader of Delhi, now in jail

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