Tibetans ejected as Chinese Govt. propaganda event takes over in Australian University (RMIT).
First witness statement: I am writing to you to express my deep concern at the events surrounding a public lecture at RMIT University in Melbourne Australia, on Thursday June 25th. The lecture, titled "Development of China -Tibet" featured a delegation of politicians and academics from the Chinese Communist Regime (CCR) and was officially hosted by RMIT's Chinese-Australian Studies Forum. The event was to have been co-hosted by Guosheng Chen and Paul James as a public event to which everyone was welcome to attend. However, the event was subject to a takeover by the Chinese Consulate, which then arrogated to itself the right to decide who would attend and used a combination private security guards and Consulate staff to enforce its will. I arrived at the venue (in Building 12) with two friends, met by an aggressive and officious security guard (McCall Security Services) who said "Can I help you?" I explained that we would be attending the lecture and she replied that we had to show our invitations or would be asked to leave. I explained that it was a public lecture and that it explicitly said on the notice that everyone was welcome to attend. She said it was a private function and by invitation only. As several persons of Chinese appearance walked straight through without being asked to show their invitations, I asked why there was a double standard being applied. She then said they were students and anyone showing their student card would be admitted. I reiterated that it was meant to be a public event, to which she replied that we would not be getting in and should leave before we were ejected. She added that those were simply her orders. As the 5 or 6 McCall security staff were backed up by around 10 men who appeared to be security staff from the Chinese Consulate, we had no reason to believe other than that they would carry out their threat. We then left the building, and ran into Paul James and explained what had happened. Paul explained that he was co-chairing the meeting and that we were welcome to attend as his guests. We gave an undertaking that we were there to hear what the delegation had to say and to ask difficult questions during question time and had no intention of disrupting the event. Paul said that asking difficult questions is exactly what should happen at such an event. However, when we arrived at the venue with Paul he was told by the McCall security woman that there was no way we were entering. Paul stated that he was co-chair of the event and had agreed to be so on the basis that it was a free and public event. He then walked past the Mc Call security guards and attempted to enter the lecture. I attempted to enter with him. The Consulate security staff then stepped in and blocked our way. Paul said "If you are refusing these people entry then it is no longer a public lecture and i am no longer willing to chair the meeting." Paul calmly explained to the people blocking his way that he would be taking the matter further. We then left the building. At this point we ran into two Tibetan friends, who had both also been refused entry to the lecture. One Tibetan had been asked to present his student card, which he duly did. However, Consulate staff took one look at his student card and pronounced: "Xinjiang!" (Chinese for Tibet) at which point he was told to leave the building immediately. We then went to find someone from RMIT security to make a complaint. We were treated courteously and professionally by the RMIT security guard who gave some suggestions about how we could lodge a formal complaint. We then staged a silent protest outside the lecture, so those leaving would be aware the (CCR) delegation was an affront to local Tibetans. We were again threatened by the female security guard, who told us to leave the building immediately or they would use force to eject us. She then switched momentarily to an apologetic mode and explained that she was just doing her job and didn't like it any more than we did. However, when the four Tibetans produced placards with the message "China speak to the Dalai Lama" and "Human Rights are being crushed in Tibet", she turned angry again and shoved one Tibetan into the lift. He momentarily resisted to say: "First they steal my country and kill my brothers and sisters and now you continue their work and shove me out of here." The rest of us stood our ground. She later shoved another Tibetan as well and shouted extremely loudly at us. This situation could have escalated as the McCall Security Guards became steadily more determined to impose their will and eject us. <another witness called Victoria police, who spoke to McCall security lady on a mobile, she went pale and said she wished she'd never come to work that day, ed.> Also, a number of RMIT security arrived and defended our right to protest. Their presence too defused the situation. Clearly internal RMIT security staff are in a much better position to ensure everyone's safety at RMIT than either Chinese Consulate security staff or private security guards in their pay. I believe that these events should be thoroughly investigated. The cause of China- Australia dialogue will not be served well by the Chinese Consulate being able to revert to authoritarian modes of conduct to create the appearance of "harmony", regarding either China's occupation of Tibet or any other issue in which China is subject to criticism from the international community. Second witness statement: In an unprecedented move, a private Australian security company ‘McCall Security’ barred Tibetans and Australians from a “Public Lecture” at RMIT in Melbourne. Then physically pushed them into a lift, acting as thugs for the Chinese Communist Party. In Australia to lay hands on a person like that constitutes assault. Invitation to the lecture includes these statements “Public lecture: Development of China – Tibet Today… Understand and appreciate Tibet today. Free entry, all welcomed”. Those barred acted peacefully the whole time, interested in hearing the lecture, wishing only to ask some very relevant questions.
The co-chair of the event was Professor Paul James, Director of the Global Cities Institute and Professor of Globalization and Cultural Diversity. He tried to take two other (westerners) Australians in as his guests, but they were barred also. McCall security, acting on instruction from plain clothed Chinese security would eventually allow Professor James into the “Public Lecture” alone. Professor James then refused to be a part of the event, saying to security “this is no longer an RMIT event, I am going to make a formal complaint. The “Public Lecture” that barred any balanced view proceeded with a hand picked audience of Chinese students. The speakers were: Mr Nyima Tsering, Deputy Director, People's Congress Standing Committee for the Tibetan Autonomous Region. Mr Geangyixi, a researcher with the Tibetan Academy of the Social Sciences. Mr Shen Weilian, Consul General, in the Consulate General of PRC in Melbourne. One McCall security guard repeatedly threaten to call the police, so I called the police myself and handed her the phone, where she was told that we have every right to be there and do what we were doing. Australian university directors seem have become so dependent on money from foreign students, particularly Chinese students, that they have lost all perspective. The response to complaints on this matter included these comments in a ‘form’ email by Deputy Vice-Chancellor & Vice-President “I can assure you that RMIT is committed to open dialogue over all issues that pertain to its teaching and research…I am advised that the speakers addressed a broad range of issues in a constructive and tolerant manner… speakers addressed a broad range of issues in a constructive and respectful manner.” Pro Vice Chancellor’s statements don’t bare any resemblance to what happened. There was no apology and no inquiry by Pro Vice Chancellor into the well-being of those set upon on RMIT premises. Two of the Tibetans barred entry were past and present heads of the Tibetan Community of Victoria, just wanting to know more about their homeland. They then staged a peaceful, silent vigil in the hallway. One of those barred made this comment “The event was conducted using the authoritarian approach to which the PRC. is accustomed. If RMIT is unwilling to take any action to bring the Consulate to account for this, the clear message to the PRC. will be that it can pursue this approach in future with impunity.” Australian delegations to India bendi over backwards to counter the bad press on account of the terrible treatment of Indian students in late night assaults on public transport. But what about Tibetan and Australian citizens being assaulted in university campuses, in broad daylight, by an Australian security company under the direction of the Chinese Communist Regime. while carrying out re-education about Tibet to the Chinese students here? Is this what has become of at least one Australian university? What about the rest? Has this become the norm? |
"As the 5 or 6 McCall security staff were backed up by around 10 men who appeared to be security staff from the Chinese Consulate, we had no reason to believe other than that they would carry out their threat."
We then staged a silent protest outside the lecture, so those leaving would be aware the CCR delegation was an affront to local Tibetans.
…she turned angry again and shoved one Tibetan into the lift. He momentarily resisted to say: "First they steal my country and kill my brothers and sisters and now you continue their work and shove me out of here."
…another witness called Victoria police, who spoke to McCall security lady on a mobile, she went pale and said she wished she'd never come to work that day.
Tell them what you think
RMIT Melbourne Contact Page…CLICK HERE
Email: RMIT Deputy Vice-Chancellor & Vice-President… CLICK HERE McCall Security Contact PagE… CLICK HERE Email: Att Mr. Brett McCall - CEO / Managing Director… CLICK HERE Chinese Consulate-General in Melbourne (Australia)… CLICK HERE Email: Chinese Consulate-General in Melbourne (Australia)… CLICK HERE |