PHOTO HOAX UPDATE: My Findings Reported & Supported in LA TIMES!
thinkpossible
Mr. Magnier followed up on the information I provided to him, as well as digging up plenty of his own. The result is this article in today's LA TIMES.
I feel that Mr. Magnier did the best he could with this article, considering the difficulties he must encounter trying to report anything at all out of Beijing. The end result is not an outright 100% confirmation, but what I would consider substantial evidence, especially when all the pieces are put together.
Here, in my opinion, are the most important pieces from the article:
* Urgen Tenzin, director of TCHRD (Tibetan Center for Human Rights and Democracy) in Dharmasala, said that the Dalai Lama's comments that "A few hundred soldiers have been dressed like monks." were drawn "...on independent sources." "He never based his information on that photo."
* I had informed Mr. Magnier that I was able to locate set reports and quotes from actress Michelle Yeoh's (now deleted) online diary from the 2001 film set of "The Touch", which talked about the filmmakers needing to use 2,500 extras because they couldn't find enough genuine lamas. (Michelle Yeoh fan website - See Entry 10/28/01) and (Film Gossip Site - See Entry 9/12/01)
Mr. Magnier reported this, and took it a step further by making contact with a photographer and an extra who were on the set in Tibet in 2001, both of whom confirm the story. The photographer, Yuan Rongzhao, shared his pictures from the set on his blog. The images clearly show military wearing monks robes in Lhasa on the 2001 set of 'The Touch'.
I suspect that these are the photos that are the "...similar images of soldiers carrying monks’ robes in the Jokhang temple in Lhasa, which were taken during a film shoot in 2001 which involved soldiers appearing as monks." which 'The International Campaign for Tibet' acknowledged that they are in possession of. (which I mentioned in a previous update)
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I had reported in my previous update that I had a solid confirmation from the films' distributor that the photo was from the 'The Touch'. At this time, due to complications I'm sure you can imagine in dealing with information coming out of China, I cannot provide support for that specific confirmation.
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On a personal note, my one real disappointment with the article is that even though I made a very strong effort in my posts and throughout my hour long conversation with Mr. Magnier to point out that I am a Buddhist in the Tibetan tradition -- he did not mention it... or even that I was a Tibet supporter. In fact, the quote attributed to me in the article leaves out the heart of what was actually said, and without the context of my being a practicing Buddhist who supports the Tibetan cause, the reasons why I 'made it my mission' to convince people to not pass the photo along, are lost.
What was printed: "But the Internet picture supposedly featuring the Chinese paramilitary and the robes did not pass the smell test, as it seemed vaguely familiar, said Ehron Asher of Denver, a blogger, musician and artist. He has made it his mission on his blog and in Internet chat rooms to persuade people not to pass it along.
"Yes, the Chinese government should respect human rights," Asher said. "But the Tibetan cause should not come at the cost of our own honesty."
What was actually said to Mr.Magnier, and what I have repeated here and elsewhere many times: "It does not help the Tibetan cause (nor does it make sense, logically or karmically), to use deceit when trying to expose the Chinese govt's deceit. As a practicing Buddhist of the Tibetan lineage, devoted to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, His Holiness the Karmapa, the Vajra-Vidyadhara Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche and Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche -- I firmly do not believe that the freedom of the Tibetan people should come at the cost of our own genuine truthfulness, compassion and respect. Yes, the Chinese govt should respect Human Rights... and we should respect ourselves enough to not use deception and dishonesty to attain that goal."
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With that being said, I sincerely appreciate Mr. Magnier's effort and recognize how difficult it must be to try to investigate anything in China and try to report anything out of China. I wish you well, Mark. Please stay safe.
May all beings benefit from the truth.
with sincere respect,
Ehron
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By this merit may all obtain omniscience.
May it defeat the enemy, wrong doing
from the stormy waves of samsara may I free all beings.
By the confidence of the Golden Sun of the Great East
May the lotus garden of the Rigdens' wisdom bloom.
May the dark ignorance of sentient beings be dispelled.
May all beings enjoy profound, brilliant glory.
Access: PublicDHARMA or DECEPTION?: Chinese Soldiers Dressed as Tibetan Monks
thinkpossible
I received the following email thru a large Buddhist community’s email list. The article claims British intelligence has taken images, via satelitte, of Chinese soldiers dressed as Tibetans starting the recent violence in Lhasa, Tibet. The image that accompanied the article seemed somewhat familar to me... that and the fact that the image’s angle tells me that it could not have been taken from a satelitte raised my curiosity level and prompted me to look into the truth of these claims and image.
After alot of research, what I discovered was that the photo is from the set of a 2001 movie. And the reliabilty of of the article is highly questionable, at best.
If you would like more details on exactly what I discovered and how I found out this information, please read on. I encourage you to please post a link to this blog anywhere you see this disinformation online, or pass this on to anyone who may have seen this photo or article and were led to believe it was accurate.
So, what is my motivation for wanting to clear this? Am I calling the His Holiness the Dalai Lama a liar? Am I defending the Chinese’ brutal oppression of the peaceful Tibetan people? Am I denying that the Chinese government has or could have their soldiers masquerade as monks and incite violence?
I am a Buddhist practioner in the Tibetan tradition. I have been a social activist. I have worked to help ease suffering and have advocated for rights and freedom at home and abroad. I am a member of the Buddhist community and devoted to the Tibetan lineage. As a Buddhist, I do my best to study and follow the teachings of the Buddha and all the great teachers of the many lineages who have followed. In Buddhism (as well as Hinduism, Sikhism and Jainism) the precious holy teachings are called "Dharma". The word Dharma is often translated as "truth". It would make sense then, to have a deep respect and appreciation for honesty and truthfulness.
As far as my research has uncovered, His Holiness has never addressed this particular photo. He has stated that he had heard reports of Chinese soldiers masquerading as monks and starting the violence in Tibet. Personally, I do not doubt that the Chinese government has done the very things they are accused of in this article/photo. We have seen it plainly and recently in Burma and earlier in Thailand, Vietnam and elsewhere... I absolutley would not be suprised to see this very same tactic from China.
However, I do not believe that the Tibetans’ freedom from oppression (or anyone else’s) will come or should come at the cost of our own honesty. We should not participate in the same kind of disinformation and deceit as the Chinese government. Spreading untruthful rumors based on photographs of a theatrical film and calling it real is dishonest and will only create more suffering, not ease it. It will create more problems, not less.
I think we can all recognize the importance of looking beyond the surface, beyond initial or obvious appearances, and deeper into the heart of honest truthfulness -- even though what we may find is not convenient to our current ways of thinking or perceiving. Especially in this age of immediate global information, we must take individual responsibility for the information we distribute. The dissemination of incorrect or inaccurate information can have repercussions that reverberate around the world and become the cause of further confusion and suffering. A single email rumor can sway the outcome of elections, public support for war, generate debilitating fear, propagate hateful stereotypes, ruin reputations, destroy fortunes, tear apart friendships and communities. It is harmful and ignorant gossip at best. There is simply no excuse for not checking facts and sources.
May the Tibetan and Chinese people, and all beings on this planet always know peace, offer love and respect, be kind, and have happiness and freedom from oppression.
And may all beings benefit from the Dharma (the truth).
Ehron Asher
My Tibetan Buddhist name is:
Palchen Chotsam (trans: Great Glorious Dharma Holder)
"Verily, that which is Dharma is truth.
Therefore they say of a man who speaks truth, ’He speaks the Dharma,’
or of a man who speaks the Dharma, ’He speaks the Truth.’
Verily, both these things are the same."
(Brh. Upanishad, 1.4.14)
Here is the original email I received:
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Canada Free Press [Friday, March 21, 2008 10:20] Brit spies confirm Dalai Lama’s report of staged violence By Gordon Thomas
2) The article states it is by Gordon Thomas for the Canada Free Press. A search of the Canada Free Press website did not return the article. I sent an email to Canada Free Press asking about the article. Judi McLeod, editor of Canada Free Press responded:
"Gordon Thomas generally files columns to Canada Free Press. The article he wrote was apparently for World Net Daily’s G2 Bulletin. David Dastych our Polish-based reporter sent the article in knowing CFP would be interested in the topic. After posting the article, Gordon Thomas wrote to say we had no right to post it. I immediately wrote to Mr. Joseph Farah, editor of World Net Daily, who requested for us to take the article down. Apparently WND G2 only goes out to paid subscribers."
3) So, the article originated on "G2 Bulletin", a subscription only subsidiary of World Net Daily (WND), which are both uber conservative and far right-wing. G2, WND and CFP’s other columnists include: Ann Coulter, Pat Buchanan, the late Rev.Jerry Falwell, Dr. John Hagee, Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh, Robert Novak and Bill O’Rielly. (My including mention of these other columnists is only to illustrate the conservative --'neo-conservative'-- in some cases, world view of these publications.
Canada Free Press (CFP) is also a right-wing, conservative web-publication. CFP and WND have both been in legal trouble in the past for getting caught with false stories, slander/libel (see examples: CFP, WND, WND 2, WND 3)
Other misleading, unsubstantiated or downright dirty, dishonest and hateful stories from WND/G2: 'Vote for Romney is a Vote for Satan', 'Homosexuality, fornication cause of tsunami?', 'Whites-only immigration policy for North America', 'Gay Marriage: The Cure for Homosexuality', 'Soy is Making Kids Gay' and this case where they re-reported on a story over a year old as a completely new story
4) Gordon Thomas is an ’intelligence expert’, who is or has been an exclusive columnist for G2 Bulletin, World Net Daily, Canada Free Press, as well as ’American Free Press’ (publisher of 'The Barnes Review') which is well known to be an ’Antisemetic’ (some people claim Neo-Nazi) publication that thinks Hitler should have recieved the Nobel Peace Prize.
Mr. Thomas was the featured speaker at the ’Anti-Zionist’, Holocaust-denying "4th Conference on Authentic History, Real News and the First Amendment", hosted by the founder of the American Free Press and the ’Populist Party’ (the party of KKK Grand Wizard David Duke), Willis Carto.
Some titles of Mr. Thomas’ other articles: "Brit MI6 confirms bin Laden nukes", "Russian WMDs hidden in U.S." and from 2003: "Smoking Gun: Saddam’s Bodyguard Reveals Secret Arsenal", in which he claims he "independently obtained documents smuggled out of Iraq which show he (Saddam) does have weapons of mass destruction that have eluded discovery by UN inspectors." including "motorised underwater chemical weaponized mines", "self-detonating precise guided missiles" and warheads stockpiled in sand bunkers, all of which are "concealed in a tunnel complex deep beneath the sewers of Baghdad". He also wrote a book called "Seeds of Fire" in Dec 2001 in which he claims China used bin Laden to assault U.S. on 9/11.
5) This article by Mr.Thomas appears to have been then reprinted (with exclusive permission by G2) and disseminated by "The Epoch Times", a privately owned newspaper, originally published in Chinese with close ties to Falun Gong (another spiritual group persecuted by the People's Republic of China.) The photo in question was not included in the article.
6) A different article: http://en.epochtimes.com/news/8-3-29/67906.html DOES show a different photo which is said to have been doctored by Chinese to exclude what purportedly shows a Chinese policeman dressed like a Tibetan with a machete.
7) Neither the article by Mr. Thomas, or any of the information within it have appeared in any ’mainstream’ news outlet.
8) An email to the GCHQ (UK Government Communications Headquarters - the centre for Her Majesty’s Government’s Signal Intelligence activities) which is the main focus of the article, questioning the validity of the article yielded this response from Alan Thompson, Press Officer at the GCHQ:
"Thank you for your email. It is GCHQ’s long-standing policy to respond that we are able to neither confirm nor deny in respect to enquiries on intelligence matters. I would simply add that I am not aware of Gordon Thomas making any approach to GCHQ prior to publishing on this subject; such an approach would invariably be directed through the Press Office. I hope that is of some help."
9) A search of the website of the TCHRD (Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy), which is referenced underneath the image on the kalachakranet.org website, reveals none of the information reported in the article. Downloading a pdf file of "The 2003 TCHRD Annual Report" also makes no mention of any incidents of this nature and does not show this photo.
10) I then emailed TCHRD asking them if they could identify the image. I then received this email this morning from Tashi Phuntsok at the TCHRD:
"The photo you are referring has nothing to do with the recent unrest in Lhasa. It was true that the photo was depicted in our 2003 TCHRD Annual report back cover. The photo was a part of filmshoot (A MOVIE) made in Tibet where Chinese armies wore the monk robes. We received the photos in 2003."
11) After forwarding this information to the webmaster at Kalachakra.net, he changed the subtitle of the photo to read: "This is not an uncommon ’tactical move’ from the Chinese government, as could be seen on the back-cover of the 2003 annual TCHRD Report. This photo was apparently made when monks refused to play as actors in a movie, so soldiers were ordered to put on robes."
While this is slightly more accurate, it is still misleading... as he decided to interpret the information I gave him differently than the truth I offered. Nowhere does this information suggest that monks refused to be actors in the film. Without knowing what film it is actually from, this is just not possible to know. The people in the photo may not have even been real soldiers. Even if they were real Chinese soldiers, they are routinely asked to be extras in films made in China. The 2002 movie ’Hero’ used 18,000 soldiers as extras, for example.
UPDATE - TUES. APRIL 8: The International Campaign for Tibet made a statement via their website www.savetibet.org that they do not regard this photo as credible evidence of Chinese soldiers disguising themselves as Buddhist monks during unrest in Lhasa last month. They aknowledge that they are in possession of similar images of soldiers carrying monks’ robes in the Jokhang temple in Lhasa, which were taken during a film shoot in 2001 which involved soldiers appearing as monks.
UPDATE - SUN. APRIL 20: The photo is from the set of "The Touch", starring Michelle Yeoh, shot in Tibet in 2001. I have word from a good source that this has been confirmed by the films' distribution company, and am waiting to hear about a supporting confirmation from another inside source. Will update with support for this confirmation soon.
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Serendipity & Self Discovery
thinkpossible
Off the eastern coast of India in the Bay of Bengal - lay a large island country called Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka was once known by the ancient name of "Serendip".
There is a story of Serendip that tells of an ordinary young man, a tailor from Persia, who was chosen to be sent to the far east by the King to find Sarin, a fabled land of magical silk, and bring back as much as he could to make the King's royal garments.
He sailed for many months in search of Sarin without luck. Eventually, he landed on an island that was not on his map. The locals called the island Serendip. He wondered if Serendip could not be the fabled Sarin?
For many years, he searched every inch of Serendip and never found the magical silk. But in the course of his search, he saw the most exotic and beautiful places he'd ever seen, experienced a different and fascinating culture, learned many of their customs and traditions, made many friends, found love, lost love, learned other skills and trades, shared his skills with eager students, studied with great and accomplished teachers, and had many opportunities to be of help to others in need.
When he returned to Persia many years later without having found the land of magic silk, or any silk at all, many in the royal court demanded he be put to death for his failure. The King, however, recognized that the ordinary young tailor had become an extraordinary man, with great wisdom and knowledge that could be of shared with the people of his kingdom for the benefit of all.
The tailor went on to be considered one of the kingdoms' greatest teachers.
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Serendipity is setting sail for one destination and accidentally discovering the beautiful island paradise of Serendip. There are places on our journey that we simply cannot set course for, and in fact can only be found by losing our bearings.
The discovery of Serendip and therefore, that of self-discovery is a matter of discovery by fortunate accident. The coming together of circumstances both beyond and within our control.
The circumstances that are not in our control are the actions and choices that all other beings in the history of being have made that lead to the moment when it crosses your path. The circumstance within your control is the choice you make at that very moment. This is: 'being at the right place at the right time'. It is the confluence of billions upon billions of decisions to turn right instead of left - or left instead of right.
And the beauty of it all is - that regardless of whether you choose right or left, thereby plotting your course for one destination... you will undoubtedly discover the island of Serendip on your way.
in peace, with love & respect,
Ehron
ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE.
Changing the World
thinkpossible
Despite it's worthy and genuine altruistic goal, within this line of thought can be found an attitude of non-contentment with what is... including not being content or happy with ourselves, perfect as we are.
If what we want is change on a global scale, the only true way to accomplish it, is to abandon the pursuit of it.
First, we must be content with things as they are... this will help to generate peace, love, compassion and respect for ourselves. When we have this as our ground, it will reflect out thru our actions.
The kindness, generosity, patience and compassion that we manifest, extended out towards even a single person - cultivates the same peace, love, compassion and respect in that other person.
Gandhi famously said, "You must BE the change you seek in the world".
To cultivate peace, love, compassion and respect in everyone, everywhere, everyday by BEING the change we seek in the world, is an attainable goal which has an exponential effect - one of truely global proportions.
in peace, with love, light & respect...
Ehron
ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE.
Exploring Loneliness
thinkpossible
EXPLORING LONELINESS
When loneliness arises - and you have that feeling that you desperately need another person to fill that space of loneliness... to be there for you or with you... this is often when you will find yourself most alone.
After exhausting your phone list and any other avenue of friendly contact within your vicinity, you come to realize that no one is going to suddenly materialize to ease your suffering. At this point, as a result of not finding another person to take your mind off of how lonely you are feeling, you are instead forced to stay with and experience it. There is no other option available to you but to stay with it. There is no escaping or running away from it.
The next stage is when you explore, or express, your loneliness. For example, you may write an email or letter to someone and in it express how you are feeling. But this is less an email or letter to this other person, and more of an email/letter to your self - exploring the loneliness. Examining the feeling and the texture of your mind staying in the lonliness.
You may write a poem or a song, paint/draw, listen to music or watch a movie that deepens your exploration by relating to characters or voices who are also exploring. You might also just simply - cry.
Sometime after this cathartic exploration, after experiencing the loneliness arise - then staying with it - then exploring and examining it: the immediacy of the loneliness, not the loneliness itself, but just the immediacy and urgency of it begins to fade and thus you begin to simply rest in the loneliness.
When this occurs, it is at the moment when the tide is at it's furthest point from the shore - that exact moment just before it changes direction to come back in - the place that a wave both dies and is born - the space between space - also known as 'the gap'.
And just then, the phone rings... it's a friend, your lover or your mom/dad/sister/brother... and the wave begins its journey back to shore.
But here is the thing - the loneliness doesn't really go completely away when the tide comes in, right? For having experienced, stayed with, explored, examined and rested in it, you recognize the loneliness as the wave itself and that it is always visible from where you stand on the shore.
Likewise, when the tide goes back out, the 'togetherness' also really never goes away - for having experienced, stayed with, explored, examined and rested in it, you recognize it as being the VERY SAME WAVE as the loneliness.
Tide in - your feet are immersed in water - actually surrounded in a wave of loneliness.
This is 'togetherness'.
Tide out - your feet are no longer surrounded by water, but are still wet from the wave of 'togetherness'. This is 'loneliness'.
These waves of loneliness and togetherness are simply currents of agitated water in a larger ocean of wisdom.
May you and all beings be happy. In peace, love, light & respect,
Ehron
ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE.
Love Hurts?
thinkpossible
This common thought that 'Love Hurts' is a bit narrow-minded and doesn't see much outside of it's own bruised ego. In fact, quite the opposite of hurting, there is no more joyful feeling than completley offering your unconditional love to another being.
Attatchment hurts. (and is often mistaken for love).
Desiring something in exchange for your love or something/one you can't have -- this will also inevetibly hurt.
The first teaching that the Buddha offered after he attained enlightenment was that of
The 4 Noble Truths:
1) There is suffering in life for all beings.
2) There is a cause of suffering, which is egoistic craving and attachment.
3) There is a way out of suffering.
4) The way out of suffering is to eliminate attatchment and egoistic craving
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Identifying love with pain closes oneself off to loving, thereby closing oneself off to being loved.
Extend your love to ALL beings. Make it unconditional and all-encompassing -- even to your 'enemies'... and then let your love remain, even when it is not returned.
This is Love, with Light -- and is a joyous phenomena of life... which, by the way -- hurts.
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in peace, with love, light & respect...
Ehron
ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE.
About Awareness
thinkpossible
ABOUT AWARENESS.
if you let go
and allow yourself to
give in to awareness:
of your surroundings
of the present moment
of all phenomenal experience -
your mind will reveal itself.
you will know it when you see it,
and you will stand in awe at its
extraordinary power & beauty
and its completely ordinary existence.
aug 21, 2005
on i-70, somewhere in utah
buddhism
April 2008