 Bollywood actress Pooja Batra with Pema Dhondup, Clear Mirror Pictures. DHARAMSHALA, June 30: A group of Tibetans are going to bring the ongoing self-immolation protests in Tibet right to the doorstep of the Chinese government by staging a full-body “Burning Man” protest in front of the Chinese consulate in the American city of Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Lhakar group along with Clear Mirror Pictures will be conducting the burning man event in front of the Chinese consulate on June 30. A leading team from Hollywood has been roped in to perform the stunt. The organisers said the main objective of the dramatic event is to “generate support and awareness” on the “messages of peace” of the 42 Tibetans who have set themselves on fire since 2009. “A big goal is also to show to the world and people of Tibet that we are worthy of these sacrifices and will do everything in our capacity as ordinary people to live up to it,” the organisers told Phayul. “We will not let their devotion be wasted.” Calling the self-immolations a “daring political defiance and a choice that emphasises peace,” the organisers noted that the Tibetans could have chosen other forms of protests as well. “However, if the world and China in particular ignores the issue of Tibet and the message of these martyrs, there is a chance that the movement may turn violent. Before a lot of lives are lost, we want to ask everyone to pay respect to those brave 42 Tibetans and listen to their message.” In their endeavour to bring the messages of peace of the Tibetan self-immolators to the world, the organisers plan to lay out the “ Flames of Freedom” campaign in three stages. Firstly, the organisers have launched a website with statements and videos of support from well-known people. This will be followed by the “Burning Man Solidarity Event” in front of the Chinese consulate in L.A. The final stage of the campaign will be the production of a short film titled “ Entrapment,” a story about making the “ultimate sacrifice for peace and freedom without harming anyone but oneself.” The organisers said that Bollywood actress Pooja Batra has already lent her support to the campaign by endorsing and making the first statement on June 10. “Many Bollywood and Hollywood celebrities plus people who can make a difference are expected to support us and record the campaign’s statement,” the organisers said. “Some of those are Whoopi Goldberg, Pierce Brosnan, Shah Rukh Khan, Gulshan Grover, Jackie Shroff.” |