Friday, August 7, 2009

citizen or non citizen

Two young female journalists in shabby dress walked out of the chartered private jet, that former President Bill Clinton and his entourage flew to North Korea to secure their release. Both of them broke down in tears of joy, as a crowd of journalists and camera men showing live picture of their arrival in Sanfransco airport. The young female walked out into freedom and to the embrace of their loved ones. It is very moving to see the reunion of the families after a fearful and long ordeal in a hostile land.

After the two stars walked out of the plane, then audience worldwide see the exit of former president Bill Clinton and his delegates, who met with Northern Korea dictator King for hours. What was exchanged during the meetings were unknown to public.

It was an amazing moment, that recounts the American spirit of resilience and spirit .http://http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/32297560#32297625
Two of its citizens were detained and sentenced into 14 years of hard labour, just because they crossed the border illegally while on their journalistic duties. A high powered delegates at the behest of their government went in a private jet to secure their release and bring them home.

It is said that this dramatic release was due to months of intense negotiation involving Obama administration and the reclusive regime of Northern Korean. There is no doubt that an entire nation has thrown its weight for the freedom of its two citizens. This is a honour being the citizen of a great country and it is the greatness of the this nation /America that its citizen can count on times of crisis.

On the flip side of it, the dramatic release of two U.S citizen journalists from North Korea has a different meaning to stateless Tibetan. It drives home the point when you are a stateless refugee, you have no protection and you are a easy prey and vulnerable to the oppressor. leaving along that you have a private jet and a power delegates to come secure you, you are even denied a legal representation, and medical care and shut out from the reach of your family.
There is no much difference between what happened to a Tibetan filmmaker, Dhondup Wangchen and to these highly publicized American journalists. As a matter of fact, Dhondup has do nothing criminal and illegal, he was exercising the freedom of expression and working on film, when he was arrested. China charged Dhondup for "endangering state security" by allowing to express Tibetan peoples true feeling towards the Dalai Lama and Bejing Olympic on a video camera.

How fortunate it would be if Dhondup was born into American citizen, well protected, dignified and very worthy. How unfortunate that he was born into a Tibetan, stateless, protection less and worthless.

Thankfully, the conscientious people around the world, took up Dhondup's case and urged China to release him. There was out pouring of sympathy and support for his release through candle light vigil and demonstrations world wide. But China recognize strength and does not heed to sympathy and show no pity. So the fate of Dhondup Wangchen will not co relate to the fate of two American journalists, who are free and honoured.

This shame and pity of being a stateless Tibetan, might be very convincing for Tibetans to realize the importance of belonging to a sovereign state, and only Rangzen/independence, can give Tibetan the much deserved dignity as a worthy human beings. How can we change this imbalance and injustice in our life time?