tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22235330163607440182024-03-18T07:29:35.037+00:00Bath & Dist. Tibet Support GroupA group dedicated to the freedom of Tibetans in their own homeland.
Find us on FacebookBath Dist. Tibet Supporthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15436903992937017424noreply@blogger.comBlogger446125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2223533016360744018.post-80925199294720708302015-04-20T22:12:00.002+01:002015-04-20T22:12:52.459+01:00Hong Kong historian deviates from official China line on sovereignty over TibetHONG KONG: A leading Chinese historian and a veteran of the committee that advises on official Chinese history textbooks has broken step with the official Chinese line on historical sovereignty over Tibet and said that to claim that the ancient Buddhist kingdom “has always been a part of China” would be a “defiance of history”.<br />
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In an article in the China Review magazine, Professor Ge Jianxiong, 62, director of the Institute of Chinese Historical Geography and the Research Centre for Historical Geographic Studies at Fudan University in Shanghai, states that while considering how big China was during the Tang Dynasty (7th to 10th century), “we cannot include the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, which was ruled by Tubo/Tufan…”<br />
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Tubo/Tufan, notes Ge, “was a sovereignty independent of the Tang Dynasty. At least it was not administered by the Tang Dynasty.” If it were not, he argues, there would have been no need for the Tang emperor of the day to offer Princess Wen Cheng in a “marriage of state” to the Tibetan king, Songtsen Gampo.<br />
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“It would be a defiance of history,” asserts Ge, “to claim that Tibet has always been a part of China since the Tang Dynasty; the fact that the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau subsequently became a part of the Chinese dynasties does not substantiate such a claim.”<br />
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Ge’s article is an exploration of a larger theme of Chinese identity in history — and precisely when it evolved. And his comments on Tibet conform to scholarly accounts that acknowledge that the takeover of Tibet during the Qing Dynasty (17th to early 20th century) was the starting point for “Chinese sovereignty” over the region.<br />
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Yet, Ge’s comments are controversial insofar as they deviate from the official Communist Party line that Tibet has always been an inalienable part of China; in the past China has regarded as any weakening of that theory as “anti-national” and “split-ist”. It will be interesting to see how the authorities respond to Ge’s scholarly article.<br />
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Ge’s major research fields include historical population geography, population and migration history, and cultural history. He has written and edited numerous books, and over 100 articles on historical population geography, population and migration history, and cultural history.<br />
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In his latest article, Ge notes that prior to 1912, when the Republic of China was officially founded, the idea of China (in Chinese, Zhongguo) wasn’t clearly conceptualised. Even during the late Qing period, he writes, the term ‘China’ would on occasion be used to refer to the “Qing State, including all the territory that fell within the boundaries of the Qing empire”; but at other times, it would be taken to refer only to the “18 interior provinces”, excluding Manchuria, Inner Mongolia, Tibet and Xinjiang.<br />
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Therefore, he argues, “if we want to understand the extent of ancient China’s territory, we can only speak of how large the actual territory controlled by a particular dynasty was at a particular moment.” Noting that notions of a ‘Greater China’ were based entirely on the “one-sided views of Qing court records that were… written for the court’s self-aggrandisement”, Ge criticises those who feel that “the more they exaggerate the territory of historical ‘China’ or China’s successive dynasties and kingdoms, the more patriotic they are.”<br />
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In fact, he says, the opposite is true. “If China really wishes to rise peacefully and be on a solid footing to face the future, we must understand the sum of our history and learn from our experiences.”richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10708303117672495414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2223533016360744018.post-63725392995657360622015-04-20T22:05:00.001+01:002015-04-20T22:05:29.210+01:00Schoolboy sends fan letter to Dalai Lama <a href="http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/schoolboy-sends-fan-letter-dalai-9071881">From the Birmingham Mail</a><br />
Edgbaston 13-year-old George Morris and dad stunned when Tibetan guru jets them out to meet him<br />
<img alt="George Morris who got to meet the Dalai Lama" src="http://i1.birminghammail.co.uk/incoming/article9074800.ece/alternates/s615/JS61404621.jpg" /><br />
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It's a story so fantastic, heart-warming and brimful of hope it could have been scripted by Disney.<br />
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The schoolboy who sent fan mail to the Dalai Lama and received an invitation to meet Tibet’s spiritual leader.<br />
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Incredibly, 13-year-old George Morris was granted a private audience with the exiled Holy Man in a monastery in Dharamsala, India.<br />
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After talking about faith, he left the “life-changing” meeting with 18 books and a blessed statue, presented by the Dalai Lama.<br />
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“Buddhists do not believe in one god,” says the Edgbaston teenager who made the religious journey with dad Andrew.<br />
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“But it did seem God himself had dropped the words into the Dalai Lama’s mouth.”<br />
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Andrew, a teacher, was equally moved by the meeting.<br />
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George Morris and his dad Andrew meet the Dalai LamaGeorge Morris and his dad Andrew meet the Dalai Lama<br />
“I was stunned,” admits the 53-year-old. “It was one of those moments when you really don’t know what to say, when your brain goes blank. It had a massive effect on me.”<br />
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George, a pupil at King Edward VI Five Ways School, is no ordinary youngster.<br />
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Sharp, perceptive and with an intellect way beyond his years, he searches for spiritual answers and rails against global injustices. He has strong views on poverty when many his age are simply worried about the Premier League title race.<br />
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Of China’s brutal crackdown on Tibet’s campaign for independence, he says: “There has been a genocide since 1959. Some 1.2 million people have effectively been slaughtered, and 200,000 forced out of Tibet.<br />
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“Yet this is a country we are striving to strike trade deals with.”<br />
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He converted to Buddhism 18 months ago – “Granny thinks it’s a fad, she thinks I’m a hippy,” he laughs – and wrote a speculative letter to the Dalai Lama last September.<br />
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“I expressed my sympathies and views on the situation in Tibet,” he recalls. “I expressed how I thought he is doing good work in trying to end that in a peaceful way.”<br />
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To George and his family’s shock, the Dalai Lama replied, inviting him to Dharamsala.<br />
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George and Andrew began a long journey, punctuated by a three day stop-off in Dubai, the unbridled luxury providing a stark contrast to the poverty they encountered on the Indian sub-continent.<br />
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They were among 1,500 devotees from 56 nations who gathered at the monastery gates, but George and Andrew were among just a handful to be granted a one-to-one meeting.<br />
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George Morris who got to meet the Dalai LamaGeorge Morris who got to meet the Dalai Lama<br />
“I was paranoid about doing something stupid, like not turning my phone off,” says George.<br />
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“Imagine if it rang in the middle of our conversation. Now that would be embarrassing!”<br />
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During the 10-minute meeting, the Dalai Lama described the boy’s conversion to Buddhism as an inspiration, but warned: “Do not follow a faith blindly.”<br />
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“He told me not to look on Buddhism as just a philosophy, but as a revolutionary science,” says George. “I thanked him for everything he has done for the Tibetan people.”<br />
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“He was everything I thought he would be and much, much more. He had a God-like aura.”<br />
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And it may not be the last conversation between the unlikely pair.<br />
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“He said I could call him and ask him anything,” reveals George.<br />
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Andrew admits to dwelling on more earthly thoughts.<br />
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“He came in so normally. I remember thinking he had soft hands,” he chuckles, “and wondering if he uses moisturiser.”<br />
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“It was a life-changing moment,” he adds on a more serious note. “And I thought his message not to follow a faith without question was phenomenal. He wasn’t pushing his religion. He was saying, ‘Don’t just be a Buddhist, look into it first’.”<br />
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Since their return from the two-week trek, George has struggled to find people who believe a tale that seems too tall to be true.<br />
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Thankfully, he has the photographic evidence.<br />
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“The usual response is ‘That’s amazing, but did it really happen?’ shrugs George. The meeting has strengthened his faith, and his parents support the path their son has taken.<br />
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“I thought Buddhism made the most sense,” he explains. “It impacts on my decisions, but it does not impact on my routines. The way that I think about what I do is impacted.<br />
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“Granny thinks I’ll grow out of it – but she thought the same when I became a vegetarian.”<br />
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The stark contrast between life in oil-rich Dubai and India has only hardened George’s resolve to pursue a legal career centred on civil rights.<br />
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“I loved India, but hated Dubai,” he admits. “Dubai is a capitalist venture, built solely to get money out of people. It is a hideous place.<br />
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“In India, at times I felt guilty because I was in a nice, air-conditioned car and I was seeing people begging for water.<br />
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“But they love their country, they are very patriotic. I loved the people and I loved the culture.”<br />
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George publicly thanks King Edward VI Five Ways head teacher, Mrs Y Wilkinson, for allowing him time off to make the incredible journey. She has asked for only one thing in return – the prize pupil has to give an assembly on his meeting with the Dalai Lama.<br />
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He is bracing himself for the inevitable whispers from classmates: “C’mon, it’s a wind-up.”<br />
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It’s not.<br />
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George Morris has the statue and books to prove it.richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10708303117672495414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2223533016360744018.post-74174058760323884312015-02-11T23:32:00.003+00:002015-02-11T23:32:19.658+00:00Cafe Momo and Three Times TibetIts Cafe Momo on Sunday 15th February 2015 starting at 12:30, with momos, soup and a selection of cake. Teas and Coffee. <br />
At 3pm Special Slide show: A Bike ride from Manali to Leh by Valerie Parkinson. Valerie has spent the last 30 years leading trips in the Himalayas. At this Cafe Momo she will give a talk with photogtraphs on her cycle trip across the Indian Himalayas from Manali to Leh, one of the most demanding cycle journeys in the world.<br />
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Three Times Tibet</h2>
An event at Hartham Park Friday 10th April starting at 7:30 -<br />
see <a href="http://www.bathtibetsupport.org.uk/three-times-tibet/">http://www.bathtibetsupport.org.uk/three-times-tibet/</a><br />
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Hennie and Martin Simmington (1986), Richard Moulton (1993) and Sharon Penwell (2010) who has led tours of Tibet will be recounting their respective visits to Tibet and showing their pictures taken during those visits.<br />
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The evening is complemented with live traditional Tibetan music from Tashi and Sherab and contemporary solo guitar from Ben Powell (guitarist)<br />
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Tickets are £5 each (under 12s go free).<br />
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<br />richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10708303117672495414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2223533016360744018.post-38899649000470510382015-01-06T16:23:00.001+00:002015-01-06T16:23:12.731+00:00Next Cafe MomoWe finished our year with a big 'Thank You' from the TADRA Project Team, which we would like to pass on to all of you, as you all helped to raise the money by coming to our Cafe's.<br />
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Speaking of which, our next Cafe Momo is not far away, on the 18th this month to be precise and this time we have a special guest !!!<br />
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Sue Dowle will be joining us to talk about her trip to N.India (Autumn 2014) where she travelled by motorbike through the Spiti Valley.<br />
The Spiti Valley is a high altitude desert valley in the Himalaya, located in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. The name means ' The Middle Land', the area between Tibet and Northern India that was once part of western Tibet. It is home to a homogenous population of about 10000 people who are ethnically Tibetan and has been described as 'one of the last undisturbed enclaves of Tibetan Buddhism on Indian soil'. The valley is cut off by snow for much of the year and is not easily accessible, which adds much to its character. The talk will be accompanied by some photographs and followed by 'question time' where Sue will be happy to answer all your questions. <br />
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Sue will start at 3pm, so make you sure you had your share of soup and cake by then.<br />
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<br />richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10708303117672495414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2223533016360744018.post-80804844517335428512014-12-23T22:01:00.002+00:002014-12-23T22:01:13.280+00:00Another Tibetan dies in flames, thousands gather in solidarity:Tawu<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="_ctl1_storyTable"><tbody>
<tr><td><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="newsSource" id="_ctl1_lblSource" style="color: grey; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11px;">Phayul</span><span class="newsDate" id="_ctl1_lblDate" style="color: grey; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10px;">[Tuesday, December 23, 2014 22:28]</span></span></td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=35590&article=Another+Tibetan+dies+in+flames%2c+thousands+gather+in+solidarity%3aTawu#" title="Click to enlarge"><img alt="Kalsang Yeshi/file" src="http://www.phayul.com/images/thumb.aspx?src=1412231153312X.jpg" style="border: 0px;" width="250" /></a><br />
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Kalsang Yeshi/file</div>
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Another Tibetan has reportedly died by setting himself ablaze in less than 24 hours of the self-immolation by a Tibetan woman in Ngaba yesterday.<br />
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Kalsang Yeshi, a 37 year old Tibetan monk of Nyitso Monastery in Tawu in eastern Tibet, set himself on fire right in front of the police post in the premises of the monastery today around 11 AM (local time), said Lobsang Jinpa, a Tibetan from Tawu now residing in India.<br />
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Kalsang had studied at the Ganden Jhangste monastery in south India in the past after he left home in Thewa village in Kunor township, Tawu County, according to Jinpa, who accompanied him during his flight to exile. “I knew him very well. We came into exile together in 1997. I met him a few years ago when I went to Tibet,” said Jinpa.<br />
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<a href="http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=35590&article=Another+Tibetan+dies+in+flames%2c+thousands+gather+in+solidarity%3aTawu#" title="Click to enlarge"><img alt="Graphic image/charred body of Kalsang Yeshi, 37, who died after immolating himself, Dec. 23, 2014" src="http://www.phayul.com/images/thumb.aspx?src=141223115500OC.jpg" style="border: 0px;" width="250" /></a><br />
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Graphic image/charred body of Kalsang Yeshi, 37, who died after immolating himself, Dec. 23, 2014</div>
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Around a thousand local Tibetans have gathered outside the Tawu County police station demanding that the authorities return the body to the family.<br />
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Kalsang called for the return of the exiled Tibetan leader the Dalai Lama, said Jinpa, citing an eyewitness. Kalsang collapsed to the ground within minutes of sustaining severe burns.<br />
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Police have immediately taken away the charred body despite protests from the local Tibetans who appealed to the police to hand over the body to the family.<br />
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Kalsang was held in high esteem by the local Tibetans for his contribution towards the preservation of Tibetan culture and religion. He taught Tibetan and Buddhism to local Tibetans, especially elders and children, said Jinpa.<br />
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Authorities fear of more protests by the Tibetans who have gathered in huge numbers outside the police station. Communication lines have been cut off to monitor the tense situation in the area as the authorities fear more Tibetans will join in tomorrow.<br />
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Kalsang became 135th Tibetan to self immolate in protest against the Chinese government since 2009 and 116th to succumb to the burns. His self immolation is the third by a Tibetan in just less than a month. </div>
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richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10708303117672495414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2223533016360744018.post-89463448114045892042014-12-23T21:58:00.003+00:002014-12-23T22:01:31.276+00:0020 yr old Tibetan woman immolates self to death<table border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" id="_ctl1_newsTable" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody>
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<tr><td><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="newsSource" id="_ctl1_lblSource" style="color: grey; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11px;">Phayul</span><span class="newsDate" id="_ctl1_lblDate" style="color: grey; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10px;">[Monday, December 22, 2014 18:00]</span></span></td></tr>
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(graphic content) Charred body of Kyi</div>
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A 20 year old Tibetan woman has died after she set her body on fire around 2PM (local time) today in Tibet's Ngaba County.<br />
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A Tibetan exile source with contacts in the region said the deceased has been identified as Tsepey Kyi from fourth village of Meruma township in Ngaba County.<br />
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The same source said Kyi succumbed to her burn injuries within minutes of her self immolation protest and her body was immediately taken away by the police. Police have cordoned off the site of her self immolation and stepped up restrictions around the area making it difficult to acquire more information.<br />
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Tsepey Kyi is daughter of Chime Dorjee and Chenpa of Chudotsang family. Kyi's parents have also been taken away from their home by the police but it is not known if they have been detained.<br />
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Kyi is the 134th Tibetan to resort to self immolation as a form of protest against the Chinese government and 115th to die after self immolation protest.<br />
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Less than a week ago, another Tibetan named Sangay Khar died after he set himself ablaze in Amchok town in Sangchu County. </div>
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richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10708303117672495414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2223533016360744018.post-32900072164527259262014-12-16T23:20:00.005+00:002014-12-16T23:20:50.125+00:00Breaking: Tibetan dies after setting self on fire<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="_ctl1_storyTable"><tbody>
<tr><td><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="newsSource" id="_ctl1_lblSource" style="color: grey; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11px;">Phayul</span><span class="newsDate" id="_ctl1_lblDate" style="color: grey; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10px;">[Tuesday, December 16, 2014 19:43]</span></span></td></tr>
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Palden Khar</div>
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A Tibetan man has died after he set himself on fire earlier today in Amchok town, Sangchu County, Kanlho Tibet Autonomous Prefecture in Gansu province.<br />
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Sangyal Khar set himself on fire right in front of the Police Station Tuesday around 9 AM (local time).<br />
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A Tibetan source said that Khar's charred body was taken to Sangchu County by the Chinese police who refused to hand over the body to his family despite protests from the local Tibetans.<br />
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The situation in Amchok town remains tense as authorities cordoned off the area and put restrictions on local people's movement and communication lines.<br />
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Khar became the 134th Tibetan to immolate self, and 114th to succumb to the burns. </div>
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richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10708303117672495414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2223533016360744018.post-28672040617030963432014-11-04T23:18:00.002+00:002014-12-16T23:25:18.295+00:00<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.25px; text-align: justify;">Last week, the Irish broadcaster RTE
transmitted several reports from Tibet. RTE was participating in a Chinese
government-controlled media trip to the region, which RTE described as
"carefully choreographed". In its reports, RTE challenged the authenticity of
China's version of Tibet presented on the trip, saying a true picture "remains
out of reach".</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.25px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: black;">In the
first of two video reports, RTE's Philip Bromwell reports from Lhasa, which he
describes as a "modern, sprawling city".</span></span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.25px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: black;"><img align="right" alt="RTE logo" src="http://www.tibetsociety.com/images/stories/logos/rte-logo.jpg" height="81" hspace="6" width="150" /></span></span></span><span style=" color: #444444; font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.25px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: black;">During an interview at
the Jokhang temple, a monk says he hopes Dalai Lama will return to Tibet.
However, when he is asked why some Tibetans are protesting, the Chinese
interpreter interrupts, the monk looks concerned and only says, "This is a
difficult question for me".<br /><br />In its report, RTE refers to the
self-immolation protests Which China blames the Dalai Lama for inciting. In
addition, China counters claims that it restricts religious freedom and
expression of culture in Tibet by stating it has brought development and
prosperity to Tibet. However, RTE notes China has responded to the protests
with<strong>"tighter security and surveillance"</strong> which is "far from
subtle", such as security cameras disguised as prayer wheels.<br /><br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/hRuJj6cuxrw" width="640"></iframe>
<br /><br />RTE also makes it clear that there is clear message the Chinese
government wishes to convey, as Tibetans provided for interview praise the
government. For example, a lecturer at a college of Tibetan medicine says,
"Tibet has received support from the government and has been well-developed and
grows very rapidly." At a thangka painting workshop, the manager says "Business
has been better than before because the government has fully supported this
business."<br /><br />Philip Bromwell concludes the first report
saying, <strong>"A carefully choreographed trip like this perhaps is only
ever going to reveal one version of events but even inside Tibet it seems a true
picture of what life is really like here remains out of
reach."</strong></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.25px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.25px; text-align: justify;">In the second report, Philip
Bromwell visits Kongpo prefecture (Chinese: Nyingchi) located east of Lhasa, to
examine recent changes in Tibet.</span><br />
<br style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.25px; text-align: justify;" />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/A8k9Q6RL7kk" width="640"></iframe>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.25px; text-align: justify;">The report looks at the rapid
development of Tibet. Whilst showing images of construction on an industrial
scale, the report says of Tibet, </span><strong style=" font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.25px; text-align: justify;">"One thing is clear. It's changing, quickly."</strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.25px; text-align: justify;"> As well as economic
development, the report also highlights the issues of large-scale immigration of
Han Chinese and tourism. In 2013, almost 13 million tourists visited the Tibet
Autonomous Region, compared to a population of 3 million Tibetans.</span><br />
<br style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.25px; text-align: justify;" />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.25px; text-align: justify;">RTE notes that China rejects
criticism that Tibet's unique way of life and its environment is being
threatened, by reiterating its claims to have brought prosperity to Tibet and is
protecting Tibetan culture.</span><br />
<br style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.25px; text-align: justify;" />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.25px; text-align: justify;">Philip Bromwell
concludes, </span><strong style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.25px; text-align: justify;">"This trip
has given us a fascinating glimpse of a beautiful region, but in terms of seeing
the true Tibet, well, that may have already disappeared from view."</strong><br />
<br style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.25px; text-align: justify;" />
<strong style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.25px; text-align: justify;">Further reading
& listening:</strong><br />
<a href="https://www.storehouse.co/stories/o0sq5-inside-tibet" style="color: #990033; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.25px; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Inside Tibet </a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.25px; text-align: justify;">- RTE's multimedia report </span><br />
<a href="http://www.rte.ie/news/player/2014/1021/20668301-tibet-a-rare-insight/" style="color: #990033; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.25px; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Tibet: A rare insight</a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.25px; text-align: justify;"> - RTE Radio broadcast </span><em style=" font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.25px; text-align: justify;">(4 minutes)</em><br />
<br style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.25px; text-align: justify;" />
<strong style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.25px; text-align: justify;">Undercover reports from
Tibet:</strong><br />
<a href="http://www.tibetsociety.com/content/view/442" style=" color: #990033; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.25px; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">BBC evade
ban, report from inside Tibet:</a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.25px; text-align: justify;"> December 2013 (video)</span><br />
<a href="http://www.tibetsociety.com/content/view/423" style=" color: #990033; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.25px; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none;">BBC: Lhasa under heavy
security and predominantly Chinese:</a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.25px; text-align: justify;"> Sept 2013 (audio)</span><br />
<a href="http://www.tibetsociety.com/content/view/400" style=" color: #990033; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.25px; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none;">France24: Seven Days in
Tibet - extended undercover report:</a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.25px; text-align: justify;"> June 2013 (video)</span>richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10708303117672495414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2223533016360744018.post-54385085564558127722014-11-04T23:10:00.002+00:002014-11-04T23:12:54.942+00:00Chinese state media reports compliments for China's work in Tibet<div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin: 15px;">
China's <a href="http://eng.tibet.cn/2012sy/xw/201408/t20140812_2012811.html" style="color: #2faeb9; text-decoration: none;" target="new window" title="Lord Davidson: Chinese media report">state media has reported</a> that a senior UK politician has told a meeting in Lhasa that the “Chinese government has done a great job in developing Tibet to the current stage, where people live happily”.</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin: 15px;">
The reports have not been independently verified but if correct, the comments by Lord Davidson at the Chinese government's Fourth Forum on Development of Tibet back Chinese propaganda and provide a deeply misleading picture of <a href="http://freetibet.org/about/facts-about-tibet" style="color: #2faeb9; text-decoration: none;" title="Facts about Tibet">life for Tibetans.</a></div>
<h3 style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.3em; line-height: 21px; margin: 1.154em 0px 1.154em 15px;">
Misrepresentation of Tibet</h3>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin: 15px;">
Lord Davidson described economic development in Tibet as "remarkable" and is quoted as saying:</div>
<blockquote style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin: 1.5em 2em;">
<div style="margin: 15px;">
"Many western reports are written by enthusiasts of the Dalai Lama. And they may feel uncomfortable when their presumptions or assumptions are challenged. It is uncomfortable and expensive to have their prejudice challenged."</div>
</blockquote>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin: 15px;">
Free Tibet Director, Eleanor Byrne-Rosengren said:</div>
<blockquote style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin: 1.5em 2em;">
<div style="margin: 15px;">
“We hope that the comments attributed to Lord Davidson significantly misrepresent his contribution at this event. If the reports are accurate, Lord Davidson should have acquainted himself with the facts before regurgitating China’s propaganda on Tibet.</div>
<div style="margin: 15px;">
Economic development in Tibet is far from what it seems from the window of a car or a plush meeting room in Lhasa.”</div>
</blockquote>
<h3 style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.3em; line-height: 21px; margin: 1.154em 0px 1.154em 15px;">
Tibetans far from 'happy'</h3>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin: 15px;">
The UN Economic, Cultural and Social Rights committee recently issued a report noting that Tibet is the worst area in China <a href="http://freetibet.org/news-media/na/children-malnourished-tibet" style="color: #2faeb9; text-decoration: none;" title="Children hungry in Tibet">for child malnutrition</a>. Immigration of Han Chinese people into Tibet, the use of Chinese labour and restrictions on freedom of movement for Tibetans<a href="http://freetibet.org/about/introduction-to-tibet" style="color: #2faeb9; text-decoration: none;" title="Introduction to Tibet"> have excluded them </a>from most of the benefits of the economic development that has taken place.</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin: 15px;">
China's heavy investment in transport infrastructure is designed to help China's security forces move quickly around Tibet and make it easier for <a href="http://freetibet.org/about/tibets-environment" style="color: #2faeb9; text-decoration: none;" title="Tibet's environment">Tibet's natural resources </a>- including copper, gold and lithium - to be exported to China.</div>
<h3 style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.3em; line-height: 21px; margin: 1.154em 0px 1.154em 15px;">
Western media blocked</h3>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin: 15px;">
The report stated that Lord Davidson said Western media did not report Tibet because travel there was too “costly”. In reality, international media are banned from Tibet by the Chinese government.</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin: 15px;">
Chinese state media does not report criticism of its Tibet policies so it is possible that Lord Davidson also addressed issues such as human rights abuses in Tibet.</div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin: 15px;">
Lord Davidson is a <a href="http://www.labourlords.org.uk/neil-davidson---lord-davidson" style="color: #2faeb9; text-decoration: none;" target="new window" title="Lord Davidson biography">senior spokesman for the Labour Party</a> in the UK Parliament's House of Lords.</div>
<h3 style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.3em; line-height: 21px; margin: 1.154em 0px 1.154em 15px;">
Take Action</h3>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin: 15px;">
Tibetans are constantly under surveillance and subject to arrest at any time. Since 2012 at least eleven singers have been arrested, joining thousands of other political prisoners in this occupied country. Please<a href="http://freetibet.org/petitions/1742" style="color: #2faeb9; text-decoration: none;" title="Jailed musicians ">take action</a></div>
richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10708303117672495414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2223533016360744018.post-66825247624758203402014-10-06T23:52:00.003+01:002014-10-06T23:52:55.870+01:00Tibetan immolates self in Golok<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="_ctl1_storyTable"><tbody>
<tr><td><span class="newsSource" id="_ctl1_lblSource" style="color: grey; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11px;">Phayul</span><span class="newsDate" id="_ctl1_lblDate" style="color: grey; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10px;">[Monday, October 06, 2014 19:35]</span></td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=35366&article=Tibetan+immolates+self+in+Golok#" title="Click to enlarge"><img alt="Kunchok, 42," src="http://www.phayul.com/images/thumb.aspx?src=14100607520900.jpg" style="border: 0px;" width="250" /></a><br />
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Kunchok, 42,</div>
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DHARAMSHALA, October 6: A Tibetan man immolated himself near a police station in Gade County, Golog Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, eastern Tibet on September 16, a day before another Tibetan set himself ablaze in Tsoe County, Kanlho Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, according to the UK based <i>Tibet Watch.</i><br />
<br />
Kunchok, 42, set himself on fire on 16 September near a police station Tsangkor Sholma township, Gade County, before onlookers doused the flames and rushed him to hospital. He became the 133rd Tibetan to resort to self immolation as a form of protest against the Chinese government.<br />
<br />
"News of his protest has just emerged as local Tibetans did not want to put him or those who assisted him at risk of arrest," said <i>Tibet Watch.</i><br />
<br />
“I failed to accomplish my wish,” Kunchok kept saying after regaining consciousness at hospital.<br />
<br />
A father of two, Kunchok has sustained serious burn injuries and is currently undergoing treatment. His family, however, are concerned that he will succumb to his burns.<br />
<br />
Details of the hospital are being withheld to prevent him from being detained by security forces, said the Tibetan Watch. "Most surviving self-immolators are detained incommunicado; those who die in custody or whose bodies are taken by the police are usually cremated by the authorities who return the ashes to the family, preventing them from conducting normal funeral services."</div>
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richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10708303117672495414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2223533016360744018.post-37068623438793839962014-10-05T21:59:00.000+01:002014-10-05T21:59:35.007+01:00Dalai Lama may return to Tibet<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="dateline"><span style="font-size: x-small;">From the Washington Post</span> </span></div>
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<span class="dateline">DHARMSALA, India —</span><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The Dalai Lama said Thursday that informal talks with the Chinese are continuing over his possible return to his homeland of Tibet — if only for a visit — and cautiously praised Chinese President Xi Jinping as a realist.</div>
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The Dalai Lama, 79, sat down for an interview in his temple in the north Indian town of Dharmsala before a celebration of the 25th anniversary of his Nobel Peace Prize, after a month of media speculation of a thaw between the exiled leader and the Chinese government.</div>
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The two sides have sparred for years over the future of Tibet. The Dalai Lama argues for autonomy for the Himalayan region he fled in 1959, while the Chinese accuse him of being a separatist. Just this week, another gathering of Nobel winners was canceled in South Africa after that country refused the Dalai Lama a visa, reportedly under pressure from China.</div>
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Meanwhile, the Chinese have continued to increase their control over the Tibetan region, with the opening of a new railway line last month that will give greater access to its rich natural resources. Foreign travel is still greatly restricted. And more than 130 people have<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/china-powerless-to-prevent-rising-tide-of-tibetan-self-immolations/2012/10/30/e3149830-22ac-11e2-8448-81b1ce7d6978_story.html" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(212, 212, 212); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #2e6d9d; text-decoration: none; zoom: 1;">self-immolated</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>to protest the Dalai Lama’s exile and press for freedom for Tibet since 2009, including two during<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/troops-face-off-at-india-china-border-as-leaders-of-nations-meet/2014/09/18/a86e7b8a-1962-4446-b80c-f038a57527f3_story.html" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(212, 212, 212); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #2e6d9d; text-decoration: none; zoom: 1;">Xi’s recent visit to New Delhi</a>.</div>
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Elsewhere in China, the streets of Hong Kong have been filled in recent days with<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/china-warns-hong-kong-protesters-of-unimaginable-consequences/2014/10/02/245eb391-e506-4c24-9cdc-f1c62528e6fb_story.html" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(212, 212, 212); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #2e6d9d; text-decoration: none; zoom: 1;" title="www.washingtonpost.com">thousands of pro-democracy protesters</a>.</div>
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Bath Dist. Tibet Supporthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15436903992937017424noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2223533016360744018.post-3333089762699888752014-09-23T14:41:00.003+01:002014-09-23T14:41:43.637+01:00Cafe Momo Autumn season<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy-_cUvW92LBcp8WXKN8OF_54UeG1iPTcFw_2MsdMCj9xu9zc9PJHxH4k9RJfRD8AO7ybkS1kRU21fy1ozO1XrqmHh82yT94MN6svR-evmJ0vcWdx0eMlvZtQG1jzhHMUq1PfdP8BDfG0/s1600/cafemomo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy-_cUvW92LBcp8WXKN8OF_54UeG1iPTcFw_2MsdMCj9xu9zc9PJHxH4k9RJfRD8AO7ybkS1kRU21fy1ozO1XrqmHh82yT94MN6svR-evmJ0vcWdx0eMlvZtQG1jzhHMUq1PfdP8BDfG0/s1600/cafemomo.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10708303117672495414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2223533016360744018.post-30700766792528275622014-09-09T22:18:00.001+01:002014-09-09T22:18:37.413+01:00Kate Bush support Tibet<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZadOEymIY_FyOYS7p10d9xAM_Xa3aLhCyHf7LW-fH8YzfTsferpP0NCGwcRKkBm6dNGcXv3I_rFkFKC1ZqQOk2BaGo7K1tvlU0rvrOwiv7H-7_AaCmhWmoizzQjBI7VQPYwIY5pjI8ow/s1600/tibetkatebush.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZadOEymIY_FyOYS7p10d9xAM_Xa3aLhCyHf7LW-fH8YzfTsferpP0NCGwcRKkBm6dNGcXv3I_rFkFKC1ZqQOk2BaGo7K1tvlU0rvrOwiv7H-7_AaCmhWmoizzQjBI7VQPYwIY5pjI8ow/s1600/tibetkatebush.jpg" /></a></div>
I came across this image of Kate Bush dressed in Traditional Tibetan Costume and with a bit more searching I found this <a href="http://www.katebush.com/news/note-tibet">note</a> on Kate Bush's web site that supports Tibetans. I think its dated 2011 and says...<br /><br /><b>A note for Tibet</b><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From Kate... Everyone will know that events in Tibet have taken a terrible turn. I want to express my sadness at such a gentle and spiritual culture suffering so greatly.I am so shocked by the desperate measures being taken by people whose only way to call out for help is by taking these horrific actions. I would feel ashamed if I didn't express my feelings. I just hope the world is listening to them.<br /> Kate</span><div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thank you</span></div>
richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10708303117672495414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2223533016360744018.post-81823588920505620302014-08-16T18:35:00.000+01:002014-08-16T18:35:37.747+01:00Tibetan writer Woser detained at Lhasa airport<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td><span class="newsSource" id="_ctl1_lblSource" style="color: grey; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11px;">Phayul</span><span class="newsDate" id="_ctl1_lblDate" style="color: grey; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10px;">[Saturday, August 09, 2014 09:30]</span></td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=35179&article=Tibetan+writer+Woser+detained+at+Lhasa+airport&t=1&c=1#" title="Click to enlarge"><img alt="Woser, who has never seen the Dalai Lama in person, pays her respect to the Tibetan leader before an interaction with Chinese human rights lawyers on Skype/highpeakspureearth" src="http://www.phayul.com/images/thumb.aspx?src=140809093744R1.jpg" style="border: 0px;" width="250" /></a><br />
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Woser, who has never seen the Dalai Lama in person, pays her respect to the Tibetan leader before an interaction with Chinese human rights lawyers on Skype/highpeakspureearth</div>
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DHARAMSHALA, August 9: An outspoken Tibetan writer who lives with her Chinese husband in Beijing told the <i>Radio Free Asia</i>that she was “intimidated” by Chinese authorities during questioning that lasted for three hours on Wednesday.<br />
<br />
Tibetan writer Tsering Woeser said Chinese authorities detained her on her arrival at the Gonkar airport, around 60 miles from the capital Lhasa.<br />
<br />
The Beijing based Tibetan writer who supports the exile Tibetan government’s policy of Middle Way Approach said on Twitter that airport security authorities took pictures of her lingerie, medicine, cosmetics, books, DVDs and even copied the contents of her laptop.<br />
<br />
“They also thoroughly checked my cell phone.<br />
<br />
“Last year I had the same problem, but this time the one thing I couldn't tolerate was that they even interrogated my 72-year-old mother yesterday,” she said.<br />
<br />
Her mother lives in Lhasa, the capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region.<br />
<br />
Woser and her husband Wang Lixiong were briefly put under house arrest to prevent the couple from attending a dinner at the US Embassy residence last month as US Secretary of State John Kerry visited China.<br />
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Tsering Woeser was awarded the 2013 International Women of Courage Award by the U.S. State Department in March 2013, but was banned from traveling to Washington to receive the award.<br />
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At the award ceremony, Kerry praised Woeser for her courageous writings on Tibetan people and their causes at a time of deteriorating human rights. "Tsering Woeser has emerged as a clarion voice of the people, even as the Chinese government has worked to curtail the flow of information from Tibet," Kerry said at the time.</div>
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Bath Dist. Tibet Supporthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15436903992937017424noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2223533016360744018.post-86470887520152238722014-08-16T18:16:00.003+01:002014-08-16T18:16:49.210+01:00UK politician's Tibet visit under fire<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Labour's Lord Davidson in hot water over Tibet comments made in China</span></h2>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: start;">Lord Davidson is a Labour party front-bencher in the House of Lords, the UK's upper house</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">by <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/biography/chris-green">CHRIS GREEN </a>SENIOR REPORTER Thursday 14 August 2014</span></h2>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lord Davidson is a Labour party front-bencher in the House of Lords, the UK's upper house<br /><br />A senior Labour peer who praised the “remarkable accomplishments” of the Chinese government in Tibet while attending a conference in the disputed region has been accused of taking part in a “cynical exercise in propaganda”. <br />Lord Davidson of Glen Clova, a front-bench member of the House of Lords, has been participating in the Fourth Forum on the Development of Tibet in Lhasa this week. His party says it is “deeply concerned” about the human rights situation there.<br />In a video released by China’s state-run broadcaster China Central Television, the shadow Advocate General for Scotland is seen telling a journalist: “It’s very clear that the investment that has been put into Tibet has raised the standards of living of people here quite remarkably. I was hearing about the doubling, more or less, of the longevity of the population. These are remarkable accomplishments achieved in a very short time.”<br />At the end of the two-day conference, which was organised by China’s Communist Party and concluded on Wednesday, a “Lhasa Consensus” was issued which was extremely critical of the Dalai Lama. China claimed it had the backing of all 100 attendees although this has not been confirmed.<br />One part of the agreement read: “Participants unanimously agree that what they have actually seen in Tibet differs radically from what the 14th Dalai and the Dalai clique have said.<br />“The Dalai clique’s statements on Tibet are distorted and incorrect. Many Western media reports are biased and have led to much misunderstanding. Seeing is believing. Participants express the aspiration to introduce the real Tibet to the world.”<br />The document also said attendees agreed that Tibet “enjoys sound economic growth, social harmony, deep-rooted Tibetan culture and beautiful natural scenery, and the people enjoy a happy life”.<br />The idyllic picture of Tibet painted by the Lhasa Consensus is rather different from reality, where the violent repression of protests at Chinese rule is common. In the past three years, more than 120 Tibetans are thought to have resorted to self-immolation, many of them dying in the process.<br />Lord Davidson could not be reached to clarify his comments, which may have been manipulated or taken out of context by China’s state media. It is unclear who paid for his trip to Lhasa.<br />Eleanor Byrne-Rosengren, director of the UK-based group Free Tibet, which campaigns against China’s “occupation” of the region, said he should never have attended the conference in the first place. “The statement issued at the end of this event makes clear that the whole thing was an utterly cynical exercise in propaganda which Western participants blindly or willingly allowed themselves to become part of,” she said.<br />“It remains to be seen whether the claims that they all agree with the outrageous and wholly inaccurate statements in the ‘consensus’ are actually true. Many may well be surprised to find themselves endorsing these views. Nevertheless, an invitation to an event on Tibet organised by the State Council Information Office of China belongs in the bin, not on the mantelpiece.”<br />On the second day of the conference, police in China’s Sichuan province reportedly opened fire on a group of Tibetan demonstrators who were protesting about the detention of a respected village leader. Ten people were seriously wounded in the incident.<br />“As Lord Davidson was enjoying China’s hospitality in Lhasa, unarmed Tibetans were being shot by China’s security forces,” Ms Byrne-Rosengren said. “This highlights how grave his misjudgement was in attending this meeting. We look forward to hearing his urgent response.”<br />A spokesman for Lord Davidson’s law firm Axiom Advocates said he could not be reached for comment. A Labour Party spokesperson said he had attended the conference in a personal capacity.<br />“As part of the People’s Republic of China, it is in Tibet’s interest to build long term stability,” they added. “But that can only be achieved through respect for human rights and greater autonomy for the Tibetans. Labour remains deeply concerned about the human rights situation there.”</span><div class="caption full-width" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #505050; float: none; font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 15px; position: relative;">
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<i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">From the BBC</span></i><span style="font-size: 1.077em; font-weight: bold;"> </span></div>
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Ten people were injured when Chinese police opened fire on Tibetan protesters demonstrating against the detention of a village leader, two activist groups and overseas news reports say.</div>
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The incident is said to have taken place on Tuesday in Sichuan province's Ganzi prefecture, also known as Kardze.</div>
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Arrests were also made and some people fled, the activist groups said.</div>
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The incident does not appear to have been reported in Chinese state media.</div>
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Obtaining independent confirmation of events both in Tibet and in ethnic Tibetan areas in surrounding regions is extremely difficult.</div>
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Both access to these areas and information flow out of them is tightly controlled.</div>
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Chinese state media does confirm some of the incidents but not all. Accounts from activist groups have proved reliable in the past.</div>
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<a href="http://freetibet.org/news-media/na/china-opens-fire-tibetans" style="color: #4a7194; font-weight: bold; line-height: 16px; text-decoration: none;">According to UK-based group Free Tibet</a>, a village leader named Wangdak was arrested on Monday over a dispute with local authorities.</div>
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The group said the row related to alleged harassment of female members of a dance troupe at a celebration villagers had been ordered to stage for senior officials.</div>
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The US-based International Campaign for Tibet <a href="http://www.savetibet.org/ten-tibetans-injured-after-police-open-fire-in-kardze-tibet/" style="color: #4a7194; font-weight: bold; line-height: 16px; text-decoration: none;">said</a> it also related to a dispute over official restrictions on a traditional gathering at a local horse festival.</div>
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After Mr Wangdak was detained, a crowd of Tibetans gathered to protest.</div>
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Both groups said armed police were deployed, used tear gas and then opened fire.</div>
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Mr Wangdak's son was among those who were shot, both activist groups said.</div>
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Free Tibet said at least two people were shot but the nature and cause of the other injuries was not clear.</div>
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The village was now surrounded and many adults had gone into hiding,<a href="http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/shooting-08132014220307.html" style="color: #4a7194; font-weight: bold; line-height: 16px; text-decoration: none;">Radio Free Asia reported</a>, citing a Tibetan exile monk.</div>
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Many ethnic Tibetans live in Gansu and Sichuan provinces, which lie near Tibet. Activists say China enforces tight restrictions over Tibetans' religious and cultural activities.</div>
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China argues its investment into Tibetan areas has greatly advanced standards of living.</div>
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In recent years more than 100 young Tibetans have set themselves on fire in what activists say are protests against Chinese rule. Most of these incidents have taken place in Tibetan communities outside Tibet.</div>
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There have also been other shootings. Last year, activist groups said Chinese police opened fire on Tibetans who had gathered to mark the Dalai Lama's birthday, injuring several.</div>
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Bath Dist. Tibet Supporthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15436903992937017424noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2223533016360744018.post-23961718428680550292014-06-23T13:37:00.003+01:002014-06-23T13:37:26.851+01:00China opens 24 police stations in monasteries in Labrang<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="_ctl1_storyTable"><tbody>
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police officers affixing an official Public Security Bureau nameplate to their new office in a Tibetan monastery in Kanlho Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture</div>
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DHARAMSHALA, JUNE 21: In a move to further step up surveillance and control of Tibetan monasteries, China has established more than twenty police stations in monasteries in Labrang in Gansu province this week. An official report called it a part of “recent focus on policing monasteries” in the region that has seen several self immolation protests by Tibetans since 2009.<br /><br />The International Campaign for Tibet said the move is a part of Chinese government “policies of placing almost every monastery in Tibet under direct government rule and intensifying Party presence in both rural and urban Tibetan areas.”<br /><br />“Following the protests that swept across Tibet in 2008, the Chinese government has adopted a strategy of actively stepping up Party presence as the answer to 'instability.’ This has led to a more pervasive and systematic approach to 'patriotic education', the ‘management’ and securitization of monasteries and a dramatic increase in work teams and Party cadres in rural as well as urban areas of Tibet,” the Washington DC based NGO said in a report on its website.<br /><br />The ICT said the Chinese government seeks to replace loyalty to the Dalai Lama among Tibetans with allegiance to the Chinese Party-state, and in doing so, to undermine Tibetan national identity at its roots.<br /><br />Speaking about the policy in February, 2012, Communist Party Secretary of the Tibet Autonomous Region Chen Quanguo said that ranks of cadres stationed in monasteries should ensure that monks and nuns “become an important force in loving their country, loving their religion, observing regulations, abiding by laws, safeguarding stability, and building harmony.”<br /><br />Chinese Communist Party cadres, the ICT said, are being encouraged to befriend monks and nuns and gather information about them and their family members, while guiding them to be "patriotic and progressive".<br /><br />Meanwhile, the Tibetans have submitted petitions at the regional Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference held in Xining, Qinghai province, in January this year, appealing the government to stop deployment of troops in monasteries.<br /><br />China has long considered Buddhism as a key element of Tibetan identity and monastic institutions as the hotbed of political dissidence.<br /><br />Following widespread unrest against Chinese rule, largely led by monks and nuns, in 2008, Chinese government launched renewed and intensified "Patriotic Education" campaign covering almost every sections of society and mainly targeting the monastic institutions.<br /><br />Under the campaign, Chinese “work team” officials are sent especially to monastic institutes on a regular basis to “educate” monks and nuns to be patriotic towards nation and one's religion, and to oppose ‘splittist’ forces, which include denouncing the revered Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, whom China reviles as a “splittist”.<br /><br />Meted out with serious threats involving imprisonment and expulsion from monasteries, monks are compulsorily forced to give their signatures or finger prints to express their non-allegiance to the Dalai Lama.<br /><br />Reports have surfaced in recent years of monks committing suicides in the aftermath of political indoctrination classes and in the face of growing religious oppression in the monastery.</div>
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richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10708303117672495414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2223533016360744018.post-40686309546182336802014-06-23T13:32:00.001+01:002014-06-23T13:33:55.303+01:00Dhondup Wangchen released from prison<h1 class="title" id="page-title" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 15px 15px;">
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Dhondup Wangchen released (source: Filming for Tibet)</div>
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<strong>Six years’ punishment for giving Tibetans a voice</strong></div>
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The Tibetan film maker was driven by the police to his sister’s home about 3.00pm local time, after his release.</div>
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In a phone call with his cousin (Gyaljong Tsetrin) in Switzerland, <a href="http://freetibet.org/news-media/na/remembering-tibets-political-prisoners-human-rights-day" style="color: #2faeb9; text-decoration: none;" title="Dhondup Wangchen">Dhondup Wangchen</a> said:</div>
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“At this moment, I feel that everything inside me is in a sea of tears. I hope to recover my health soon. I would like to express my feeling of deepest gratitude for all the support I received while in prison and I want to be reunited with my family”.</div>
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Mr Tsetrin, the president of <a href="http://filmingfortibet.org/press/" style="color: #2faeb9; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="Filming for Tibet ">Filming for Tibet </a>and co-producer of Leaving Fear Behind, said:</div>
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“Though Dhondup is still under the control of the Chinese authorities I am very relieved that he could finally leave prison and has now the possibility to consult a doctor.”</div>
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During his incarceration he was subjected to prison labour and six months of solitary confinement. In 2013 he was moved to the Qinghai Provincial Women’s Prison, where he was the only male Tibetan political prisoner.</div>
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International recognition</h3>
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Dhondup Wangchen and Golog Jigme travelled across Tibet in 2007 and 2008 documenting Tibetan voices on the eve of the Beijing Olympics and unprecedented Tibetan protests in Tibet.</div>
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These short interviews culminated in the documentary Leaving Fear Behind which has been translated into a dozen languages and screened in over 30 countries worldwide.</div>
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richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10708303117672495414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2223533016360744018.post-52553956738758597632014-04-25T23:21:00.000+01:002014-04-25T23:21:09.046+01:00Dead Mantra by Dead Skeletons<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/CsyrOGRxF0E" width="640"></iframe>richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10708303117672495414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2223533016360744018.post-33217577840786831832014-04-22T11:13:00.001+01:002014-04-22T11:13:19.823+01:00China scraps human rights talk with UK<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span class="newsSource" id="_ctl1_lblSource" style="color: grey; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11px;">Phayul</span><span class="newsDate" id="_ctl1_lblDate" style="color: grey; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10px;">[Wednesday, April 16, 2014 09:33]</span>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">DHARAMSHALA, APRIL 16 : </span><br />
China has cancelled a bilateral human rights dialogue with Britain, accusing the British government of interfering in its internal affairs by using human rights as a pretext.<br />
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Chinese and British officials were to meet for a round of Human Rights Dialogue in London on Wednesday.<br />
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"The UK should stop making irresponsible comments and using human rights issues to interfere in China's internal affairs, to create the conditions for the human rights dialogue between China and the UK in the next round," Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said.<br />
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"Britain's path on this issue is not helpful to dialogue and discussion on the subject of human rights, and not good for the stable development of the health of China-U.K. relations," Hua added.<br />
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In its annual human rights report, Britain listed China as "a country of concern" saying it had observed increased curbs on freedom of expression, association and assembly in 2013. The report had made references to human rights issues and unrest in Xinjiang and Tibet.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
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British Prime Minister David Cameron had cited the resumption of the dialogue this spring as one of the successes of his December visit, which followed a diplomatic standoff between China and UK due to his meeting with the exiled Tibetan leader Dalai Lama in 2012.<br />
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"We are disappointed that the Chinese government this week unilaterally postponed the dialogue, which was due to take place on 16 April. It is not for us to say why it was postponed,” a Foreign Office spokesman told the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Guardian</i><br />
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"We are now in discussion to agree new dates for the dialogue. We consider the dialogue to be an important part of our bilateral relationship with China. It was agreed at the last UK-China summit in December 2013 by the prime minister and Premier Li [Keqiang].<br />
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"We have registered our disappointment with the Chinese government. We believe a human rights Dialogue is essential, and are working on agreeing new dates."<br />
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Nicholas Bequelin, senior Asia researcher at Human Rights Watch, said: "China is responding to a critique of its shortcomings on human rights by cutting back further on human rights engagement.<br />
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"I don't think that indicates that China is genuinely committed to the outcomes of this dialogue … China is trying to intimidate its international partners by walking away from the table."</div>
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Bath Dist. Tibet Supporthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15436903992937017424noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2223533016360744018.post-16912349061166818202014-04-15T22:05:00.002+01:002014-04-15T22:09:29.388+01:00Little Tibet 2 showing at the Pound Arts Centre in Corsham Sat 24th May 2014<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://www.poundarts.org.uk/pound/EventDetails.aspx?artid=2685">Little Tibet 2</a> will be showing at the Pound Arts Centre in Corsham on Saturday 24th May 2014, see trailer below. The director Sonam will be there to take Q & As<br />
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Little Tibet 2 is a moving follow-up to Little Tibet where Sonam, a young Tibetan man living in the UK, went to Ladakh in search of the culture and traditions of his homeland, occupied Tibet. <br />
In Little Tibet 2, Sonam traces his father's footsteps through Nepal to Mustang, where the Tibetan language is still widely spoken and the traditional culture of Tibet remains. Sonam encounters a Yogi, has an audience with the King of Mustang, meets western trekkers and investigates a fascinating restoration project training local woman in traditional arts and crafts enabling them to conserve temple wall paintings that are widely regarded as masterpieces of the fifteenth century. <br />
The film's climax is an encounter with a veteran of the Tibetan guerilla army that operated from bases in Mustang during the 1960s and 1970s. Sonam learns about life in the 2000 strong army that included his father who fought with the guerillas. The encounter leads to the boarder of Tibet.</div>
Bath Dist. Tibet Supporthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15436903992937017424noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2223533016360744018.post-75222267098498830502014-04-15T21:16:00.002+01:002014-04-15T21:16:37.016+01:00Tibetan immolates self in Tawu<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td><span class="newsSource" id="_ctl1_lblSource" style="color: grey; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11px;">Phayul</span><span class="newsDate" id="_ctl1_lblDate" style="color: grey; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10px;">[Tuesday, April 15, 2014 22:18]</span></td></tr>
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<img alt="Thinley Namgyal" src="http://phayul.com/images/news/articles/140415103411J7.jpg" height="188" style="border: 0px none;" width="200" /><br />
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Thinley Namgyal</div>
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DHARAMSHALA, April 15: A Tibetan man today set himself on fire to protest against China’s occupation of Tibet, said Tawu Lobsang Jinpa, a Tibetan living in exile with close contacts in a region.<br />
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Thinley Namgyal, 32, set himself ablaze around 12 noon (local time) in Tawu County of Kardze region, in the traditional TIbetan province of Kham. Thinley succumbed to his burns. His body was taken to Gangthel monastery and was later handed over to his family.<br />
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Thinley lived with his father Dulho and mother Pelha in Khangsar township, Tawu County. He became the 131st Tibetan to self-immolate in Tibet protesting against China’s occupation of Tibet and its hard-line policies since 2009.<br />
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Following Thinley's self immolation, Tibetans and supporters here took part in a candle light vigil to express solidarity with his protest and mourn his death.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
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The candle light vigil was jointly organized by regional chapters of Tibetan Youth Congress, Tibetan Women’s Association and Students for a Free Tibet, India.</div>
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Bath Dist. Tibet Supporthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15436903992937017424noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2223533016360744018.post-27327593652589167372014-03-25T14:02:00.001+00:002014-03-25T16:23:40.663+00:00Cafe Momo and the Competition ResultsHere are results of the photographic competition<br />
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First Prize of the Cafe Momo hamper goes to Terry<br />
Photo taken at Tharpaling Monastery Bhutan not far from the Tibetan border.<br />
Caption: "They see themselves as Brothers with the future in their hands."<br />
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<img alt="image description" src="http://www.spindlesweb.com/freetheflag/FTF_WEB/09.jpg" /><br />
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The following runners up get Tibetan wind horse flags<br />
<b>Grace</b><br />
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<img alt="image description" src="http://www.spindlesweb.com/freetheflag/FTF_WEB/14.jpg" /><br />
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<b>Ben</b><br />
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<img alt="image description" src="http://www.spindlesweb.com/freetheflag/FTF_WEB/19.jpg" /><br />
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<b>Lyra and Furface</b><br />
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<img alt="image description" src="http://www.spindlesweb.com/freetheflag/FTF_WEB/02.jpg" /><br />
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<b>Di + Robert</b><br />
<img alt="image description" src="http://www.spindlesweb.com/freetheflag/FTF_WEB/01.jpg" /><br />
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<b>Lammins</b><br />
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<img alt="image description" src="http://www.spindlesweb.com/freetheflag/FTF_WEB/23.jpg" /><br />
<br />richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10708303117672495414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2223533016360744018.post-31736501944750594782014-03-24T21:17:00.000+00:002014-04-15T21:18:17.576+01:00The Last Cafe Momo<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Church House was packed with people spending an afternoon eating soup and cake while drinking tea and coffee. The results of the photographic competition were also announced where first prize went home with a Cafe Momo Hamper which is presented below<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXK8985zEA_cgWXsSqVuUcERVzYAQSsZw3ejUj9zNtJfzyvDRNNs1CWJeTVsO3pofoZraIynFnpTYcuyczhY-wtlPdfzys91qoDlhUTjAwBdE8wkwFhaDWh2TOvnWjPpDD5VLSXCggqpc/s1600/hamper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXK8985zEA_cgWXsSqVuUcERVzYAQSsZw3ejUj9zNtJfzyvDRNNs1CWJeTVsO3pofoZraIynFnpTYcuyczhY-wtlPdfzys91qoDlhUTjAwBdE8wkwFhaDWh2TOvnWjPpDD5VLSXCggqpc/s1600/hamper.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> You can view the full results <a href="http://bathdisttibet.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/cafe-momom-and-competition-results.html">here</a></span></div>
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Tsering Passang who is the sponsorship Programme co-ordinator for Tibet Relief Fund showed a short film and gave a talk on the Fund's work in Nepal and India. lots of questions were asked and Tsering had a lot to say. We gave him a traditional send off</div>
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richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10708303117672495414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2223533016360744018.post-17188679166231718622014-03-17T22:44:00.002+00:002014-03-17T22:44:26.668+00:00Double self immolation protest marks crackdown anniversary<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="_ctl1_storyTable"><tbody>
<tr><td><span class="newsSource" id="_ctl1_lblSource" style="color: grey; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11px;">Phayul</span><span class="newsDate" id="_ctl1_lblDate" style="color: grey; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10px;">[Monday, March 17, 2014 22:59]</span></td></tr>
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DHARAMSHALA, MARCH 17: Another Tibetan monk has immolated himself outside his monastery in Tsekhog County, Malho Prefecture, on Sunday, that saw double self immolation protests in Tibet.<br />
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A monk whose name is not yet known carried out the protest around 7.30 AM (local time) on Sunday. He was a monk of Sonag monastery in Jhador township in Tsekhog. As of now, it is not known if he is alive or dead.<br />
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Sources say that the authorities immediately cut down all communication lines including all micro-messaging apps to ensure that the news and pictures if any were not sent out.<br />
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Lobsang Palden, <a href="http://phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=34685&article=A+Tibetan+monk+self+immolates+in+Ngaba" target="_blank">another Tibetan monk immolated himself </a>at the 'Pawoe Sanglam' (Martyr's Street) in Ngaba town on Sunday, which marked six years since a brutal crackdown by armed Chinese forces on Tibetan protesters leading to the death of at least ten Tibetans including a monk in Ngaba.<br />
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March 16, 2014 marks the sixth year since protests by Tibetans in Ngaba in 2008 when several Tibetans died, were tortured or imprisoned in the run up to the Beijing Olympics. Three monks of Kirti monastery had died since 2011 by setting their bodies on fire on the same date (March 16) at the same spot which began to be known as 'Pawoe Sanglam' (Martyr's Street). They were Lobsang Phuntsok (2011), Lobsang Tsuiltrim (2012), and Lobsang Thokmay (2013). </div>
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richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10708303117672495414noreply@blogger.com0