LONDON: Television screens in Beijing and possibly beyond went black yesterday during a BBC TV interview with Kalon Tripa Dr Lobsang Sangay. Kalon Tripa was speaking to BBC presenter Mishal Husain live on the “Impact Asia” programme broadcast primetime in Beijing at 9.30pm local time. (watch)

Viewers in Beijing got a brief glimpse of the Kalon Tripa in the programme’s introduction to their interview before the remainder of the broadcast involving the Kalon Tripa was blanked out.Kalon Tripa responded to questions on the devolution of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s political authority to the elected Tibetan leadership, the self-immolation incidents in Tibet, and the likelihood of resolution of the Tibetan situation given the rising economic power of China during the interview.The viewer in Beijing were unable to hear Kalon Tripa’s responses to these questions due to the Chinese censors.Kalon Tripa commented: “This action is an indication of the fear that the Chinese authorities have about the truth of the Tibetan issue, a truth that they are prepared to go to any lengths to hide from their own people.”