U.S. OFFICIAL'S REMARKS ON ALLOWING ARTISTIC EXPRESSION

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT 
Opening Remarks at Screening of Film Leaving Fear Behind
Remarks
Sarah Sewall
Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights 
George Marshall Auditorium
Washington, DC
December 11, 2014

Good morning. Happy Human Rights Day. To our guests, welcome to the State Department.

This is the holiday season. One of our holiday traditions is going to the movies with friends and families. Or perhaps these days, streaming them into our living rooms.

We will watch comedy films that entertain us, action films that thrill us, and documentary films that inspire us. We are fortunate to live in a country where such variety of content is widely available, and where artistic expression is cherished and allowed to flourish.

Sadly, this is not the case everywhere. In too many countries, censorship regimes limit citizens’ access to creative works. In such places, being a film-maker can be risky. Making a film can land you in jail.

Yesterday, we celebrated the Human Rights Day. As Secretary Kerry said, “we live at a time when democratic principles and respect for human rights have greater reach than at any previous time in history. This is due not simply to what governments have done, but to what people around the world have done to elevate, monitor, and enforce human rights standards.”

And yesterday was also the 25th anniversary of the Nobel Peace Prize being awarded to His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

To mark this occasion, I am pleased to join with the Bureaus of East Asian and Pacific Affairs and Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, to offer this screening of “Leaving Fear Behind” by filmmaker Dhondup Wangchen.

In 2008, Dhondup traveled around Tibet to interview fellow Tibetans about their hopes, aspirations and fears in the lead-up to the Beijing Olympics. He knew that documenting these voices would put him at risk. Just before authorities detained him, he was able to smuggle his footage out, where associates edited the final film.

Following release of the film, Dhondup Wangchen was given a six-year prison sentence for “inciting separatism.” He was released on June 5, 2014, but has not been permitted to travel outside of China to reunite with his family.

Dhondup Wangchen has won numerous international awards for his work including the 2012 International Press Freedom Award of the Committee to Protect Journalists, and the 2014 Václav Havel International Prize for Creative Dissent.

Last month, I was fortunate to meet with Dhondup’s parents in Dharamsala, India. They are humble people, and spoke of their longing to see their son in freedom. I also met with Jigme Gyatso, a Tibetan monk who helped Dhondup in the making of “Leaving Fear Behind.” He spent much of the last six years in detention and then went into hiding to avoid further arrest. He arrived in exile earlier this year.

As Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues, I reiterate the call for Dhondup to be allowed to reunite with his family. Now, I am pleased to introduce his wife, Lhamo Tso, who lives in San Francisco with their four children, who will join us by teleconference.

Llamo Tso has been a tireless champion for her husband for the last six years. She has accepted numerous awards on his behalf. Lhamo Tso, we welcome your remarks.