Tibet Film Screened at the Ongoing UNHRC Session
Wednesday, 10 September 2008, 2:41 p.m.
 delegates at the ongoing 9th session of the United Nations’ Human Rights Council watches a documentary film on Tibet/Photo: The Tibet Bureau, Geneva |
Geneva: “Leaving Fear Behind”,
a documentary recently smuggled from Tibet was shown at a side event
during the UN Human Rights Council’s 9th session, which began on 8
September. The Human Rights session will look at human rights problems
around the world.
Four NGOs with UN consultative status organized the side event.
The screening of “Leaving Fear Behind” was attended by representatives
from NGOs, government delegates from Germany, Sweden, Canada,
Netherlands and Finland; and journalist. The film maker Mr. Dhondup
Wangchen and his colleague Ven. Golok Jigme were arrested by the
Chinese security officials in Tibet.
Mr. Gyaljong Tsetrin, the co-producer of the film and a
former-political prisoner appealed to people working with UN human
rights mechanisms to help secure the release of the film maker Dhondup
Wangchen and Ven. Golok Jigme.
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He expressed deep concern on reports from Tibet that many
Tibetans interviewed in the film have been intimidated, harassed and
detained after the documentary was released.
Over 108 Tibetans were interviewed by the film maker and colleagues.
Mr. Gyaljong Tsetrin said he fears for those Tibetans for simply
exercising their fundamental right to freedom expression or opinion. He
said that through the film the world must understand how desperately
the Tibetans in Tibet His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s return to Tibet.
He appealed to the international community to help Tibetans
whose struggle is guided by peace and non-violence under the leadership
of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
The briefing was moderated by UNPO Geneva Representative Ngawang C. Drakmargyapon.
–Reporting by Tenzin Samphel KAYTA, Human Rights and Press/Information Officer, The Tibet Bureau, Geneva
