Duke校报头条新闻
相比Duke，我们的校报对咱们集会的报道友善多了。有兴趣的读读Duke校报的文章：
http://media.www.dukechronicle.com/media/storage/paper884/news/2008/04/10/News/ProTibet.ProChina.Protesters.Clash.On.Quad-3316313.shtml
Crowds of upset protesters flooded the Chapel Quadrangle Wednesday
evening, interrupting a planned candlelight vigil supporting freedom in
Tibet.
Members and supporters of the Duke Human Rights Coalition, led by
juniors Daniel Cordero and Adam Weiss, marched from East Campus to West
Campus, Tibetan flags in hand, to advocate for the region's freedom
from the People's Republic of China.
In response, protesters bearing signs and Chinese flags filled the
Chapel Quad, expressing patriotism and criticizing Western media
through chants and song. When the pro-Tibet faction arrived outside the Chapel, protesters swarmed them en masse with chanting and shouting.
"We felt really intimidated. They're violating our right to free
speech," Cordero said. "It's really the microcosm of what's going on in
China. Just like China's suppressing free speech, so the pro-Chinese
protesters were suppressing free speech today by trying to block all
our signs, yell louder than us and use space that was reserved for us."
Since the Chinese army crossed into Tibet in 1949, people from around
the world have worked to counter the country's hold on the region. The
alleged inhumane treatment of Tibetans has caused years of debates and
protests.
"Tibet is a part of China and we want the Western media to tell the
whole story, not just the negative parts of the story, because that's
ridiculous," said Jin Huang, a graduate student at North Carolina State
University who came to Duke Wednesday with a group of other Chinese
supporters. "They only tell about how the Chinese government is against
Tibet, but not about how we helped Tibet."
Many protesters pointed to signs calling for the separation of the
upcoming Beijing Olympic Games and politics and said their purpose was
to tell the truth and to counteract damage they said has been done by
the media. Some supporters of the Chinese cause chanted, "One world,
one dream, one China," a modification of the Beijing Olympic Games'
motto, "One world, one dream."
Proponents and opponents also passed out hundreds of fliers and CDs in
attempts to reveal what each side considered the truth, which led to
verbal disputes.
"A lot of Chinese nationalists have come to counterprotest," Cordero
said. "They've been singing the Chinese national anthem. I said, 'God
bless America' and they all booed me. I yelled out, 'Liberty and
justice for all,' and they called me a liar."
Baldel Lobsang, a Tibetan monk from India who arrived in the United
States last week, said although he opposes the Chinese government, he
still feels love for the Chinese people.
"This is not peace," he said, gesturing toward the Chinese protesters. "I'm not surprised. I always see this in my country."
Weiss, who was escorted from the crowd because of safety concerns, said
he was protesting for human rights, freedom of religion and the right
to speak any language. He arrived on West Campus just after 7 p.m.
shirtless and carrying a Tibetan flag.
"I don't know if most Duke students know about this issue-even know
that it's a big deal anymore," he said. "I want people to know what is
going on in Tibet, what kind of human rights abuses are going on by the
Chinese government, and I believe that it's a personal issue because
I'm very interested in this culture."
Officials from the Office of Student Affairs were present at the event,
but said they were not aware that the Chinese protesters would be at
the vigil until Wednesday morning.
"For me it was gratifying to see there was intelligent dialogue, and I
just wish there were more of that," said Vice President for Student
Affairs Larry Moneta. "I was happy that once the protest and
counterprotest sort of went down there were actually pockets of very
real conversation. For me that's the best thing that could possibly
happen."
Many students said peaceful debates and negotiations are in order.
Zhizhong Li, a graduate student in molecular cancer biology who works
with the Duke Chinese Student and Scholar Association, said a panel
discussion about the issue will take place next week.
