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Sequel of a wildlife film in the making
Friday, 22 December 2006, 04:20 p.m.
Dharamshala: In the aftermath of the mass campaign against using or trafficking in wildlife products inside Tibet, the Department of Information and International Relations is currently working on a sequel to the documentary film, Sog-chag Kunla Jham-tse, or compassions for all beings.
The first part of the film featured speeches of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Kalon Tripa Samdhong Rinpoche on wildlife, in addition to recent footages of Tibet obtained from Wildlife Protection Society of India and Environment Investigation Agency.
The Department’s environment and development desk distributed some 2,500 copies of the 30-minute documentary film earlier this January, when His Holiness the Dalai Lama conferred his 30th Kalachakra empowerment at Amravati in South India.
Speaking to some 120,000 devotees attending the Kalachakra, particularly the 8000-odd Tibetans from Tibet, His Holiness reiterated the importance of preserving Tibet’s wildlife heritage.
His Holiness exhorted the Tibetans to refrain from using or trading in animal products, adding that he had heard and seen pictures of Tibetans wearing elaborate costumes adorned with endangered animal furs and skins.
His Holiness also said that he was proud of those Tibetans who are campaigning for animal welfare and vegetarianism. During and before the Kalachakra, many exile Tibetan NGOs had also beefed up their efforts to generate environmental consciousness among the Tibetans in Tibet.
Just days after His Holiness’ statement, a wave of mass burning of apparels adorned with animal skins was witnessed all over Tibet. So much so that in some areas, the local Chinese authorities issued circulars, directing people not to pay heed to outside calls on wildlife protection.
"The sequel of Sog-chag Kunla Jham-tse aims to sustain this mass movement of environmental consciousness in Tibet," says Tenzin Tsultrim, the head of environment and development desk of the Department.
The sequel would feature His Holiness’s speeches during the Kalachakra at Amravati and footages of mass burning of animal hides in Tibet, along with comments of various people. The film is expected to be out by March 2007.
(www.tibet.net is the official website of the Central Tibetan Administration of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.)
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