Dalai Lama in London

“Breaking News: Dalai Lama says Tibetans should not disrupt progress of Olympic torch when it is taken through their country” the Sky News strap read. The word ‘country’ changed to ‘territory’ during later news reports but like so many reports connected with contentious regions of the world there is the tricky issue of names and descriptions applied. CNN call the region hit by Cyclone Nargis, Myanmar, the name accepted by the UN. But other broadcasters refer to the country by its colonial name of Burma. Tibet, or as China refer to it, the Autonomous Region of Tibet, has itself brought a minefield for Western journalists. Not wishing to upset Chinese sentiment, but at the same time not wishing to side with authorities, news organisations have been careful in their naming of the province. Some have referred to the province as merely the ’Tibetan region of China’ or just ’Tibet’. But occasionally mistakes are made and the region has been called a ‘country’. The Dalai Lama avoided all references to Tibet’s status when calling on Tibetans not to disrupt the torch relay when it arrives in Lhasa. But he himself is the subject of name calling. Some Chinese politicians have called him a ‘jackal in monks robes’ and the Chinese Ambassador to the UK has said “he wears many hats”. But the religious leader remains unflustered by such criticisms and has even said he was willing to attend the Beijing games if talks with his aids make progress. Besides his apparent moderate stance and his calls for calm when the Olympic torch arrives in Tibet, Chinese authorities are unlikely to give way to any of his demands or requests. His visit to London is likely to draw fresh criticism from Beijing.