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Tibetan New Yorkers Claim Queens Library Exhibit About Tibet Is Chinese Propaganda
By
Elizabeth Kim
and
Annie Todd
Published Feb 13, 2020
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Annie Todd / Gothamist
By
Elizabeth Kim
and
Annie Todd
Published Feb 13, 2020
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A group of Tibetan New Yorkers are protesting a Queens library exhibit over what they say is a propagandist view of their homeland spearheaded by Chinese government officials.
The photo exhibit at the Elmhurst Library is part of an ongoing series called "China Today" organized by an affiliate of the Chinese consulate. The current display, which was installed near the circulation desk on Saturday, shows portraits of everyday Tibetans and sites, including a refurbished monastery and children in a classroom.
“The pictures that are displayed inside are not the real story of Tibet," said Ngawang Tharchin, 38, the president of the Regional Tibetan Youth Congress, an international organization fighting for Tibet's independence.
Tharchin was among roughly 25 protesters on Wednesday who stood outside the library in the rain, holding signs with sayings like, "Stand for truth."
Tibet has been controlled by China for six decades. Tibetans have long clashed with Chinese officials over efforts to assimilate them and erode their culture. They've also charged the Chinese government with killing Tibetans as well as demolishing thousands of monasteries. The region has been closed to foreign press for many years, although President Donald Trump in 2018 enacted a law requiring the State Department to punish Chinese officials who prevent American officials, journalists and other citizens from freely entering Tibetan areas in China.
According to the Tibet House, a nonprofit that promotes Tibetan culture, there are about 10,000 Tibetans currently living in New York City.
Tharchin pointed out a photo that showed schoolchildren holding Tibetan scrolls. He said that China does not teach the Tibetan language in schools, a source of anguish for Tibetans who have watched younger generations unable to speak their mother tongue. In public schools, the language is treated as a foreign language, if it is taught at all. In 2012, a 20-year-old student in the Gansu province, which is near Tibet, set herself on fire and died after her high school changed its main language to Chinese.
"We couldn’t believe that the country where the freedom, democracy and human rights are respected, you see propaganda of the Chinese communist party in a country like the United States of America," he added. "It really shocked us."
A librarian at Elmhurst Library did not respond to questions. A reporter for Gothamist was asked to leave after taking photos of the exhibit.
Some photos from the exhibit.
Annie Todd / Gothamist
Organizers have been protesting since Wednesday, calling on the Queens Library to shut down the exhibit. To date, more than 1,500 people have signed an online petition supporting the group's demands.
Tseriang Wangamo, a 34-year-old Tibetan refugee who works as a nurse at Elmhurst Hospital, objected to the staging of the exhibit in a public library that is located in a neighborhood with many Chinese residents. "It’s very convenient, everyone can go," she said, adding that they were going to be exposed to lies.
In a statement, the Chinese consulate described the exhibit of showing the culture and history of "Xizang," the Chinese term for the area known as Tibet. The spokesperson added:
Xizang has been part of China since ancient times. Xizang affairs are purely China's internal affairs that allow no foreign interference. During the past 60 years or so, Xizang has seen historical progress in economic, social, cultural, ecological and other areas. Today, it enjoys sound economic growth, social stability, ethnic solidarity, religious harmony, cultural vitality, well-preserved ecological environment and improving living-standards. People of all ethnic groups in the Xizang Autonomous Region endorse wholeheartedly the policies of China's central government and the regional government. They are working with people of other provinces towards completing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects. In recent years, the international community have also come to know Xizang better, which leads to greater understanding and support for China's Xizang-related policies.
In an email statement Elisabeth de Bourbon, a spokesperson for the Queens Public Library, said the chief librarian and head of the library system's programs division intends to meet on Friday with the head of Students for a Free Tibet and other members of the Tibetan community at the Phuntsok Dheshe Tibetan Community Center in Woodside to discuss their concerns and how best to address them.
De Bourbon said that a couple of their libraries have in the past displayed exhibits from the series, which have also included photos along with some explanatory text about Chinese history and culture.
She said the current exhibit's theme is about “everyday life in Tibet." The library had not been paid for the exhibit, according to de Bourbon.
Over the years, thousands of Tibetans have organized protests in the city calling for an end to Chinese rule. Most recently, Tibetans have joined pro-democracy Hong Kong demonstrators in several of their events.
This story has been updated to include a quote from the Chinese consulate.
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Elizabeth Kim
Elizabeth Kim is a reporter on the People and Power desk who covers mayoral power. She previously covered the pandemic, housing, redevelopment and public spaces. A native of Queens, she speaks fluent Mandarin. Got a tip? Email [email protected]
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Annie Todd
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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