DHARAMSHALA: After seeking permission to visit Tibet since assuming office for the last two years, the Australian ambassador to China was granted a rare visit to Tibet last week.  
 
Ambassador Frances Adamson visited the Tibet Autonomous Region from 20 to 23 August 2013. During her visit, the Ambassador went to Lhasa and Naidong County, discussed developments in Tibet with local officials and inspected Australian-funded health and agricultural projects, the Australian embassy in Beijing said in a statement.
 
The ambassador said she would welcome more frequent visits to Tibet by journalists and diplomats, “to mirror the growing numbers of international tourists who visit”, reported The Australian.
 
Meanwhile, the Chinese government organised a 5-day visit of Australian journalist group to Tibet from 20-25 August.  

During US ambassador Gary Locke’s visit to Tibet in June this year, the Chinese government cleared capital Lhasa and other areas of conspicuous police and security forces presence to show “Tibetans are leading a normal and happy life”.

Unless the Chinese government allow foreign diplomats and journalists free access to Tibetan areas to know the real situation without shepherding by government minders, such visits will be watched with deep skepticism by the international community.
 
The Chinese government has imposed tight restrictions on foreign diplomats, the international media and tourists from visiting Tibet following unprecedented self-immolation protests by Tibetans since 2009. Over 120 Tibetans have set themselves on fire in protest against the repressive rule of the Chinese government. The self-immolators have called for the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Tibet and freedom for Tibetans.
 
The Central Tibetan Administration in Dharamsala has repeatedly requested foreign governments and the United Nations to send a fact-finding delegation to Tibet, and that the international press be given access to Tibet.