Toll rises to 107

Phayul[Tuesday, February 26, 2013 16:16]

DHARAMSHALA, February 26: In confirmed reports coming out of Tibet, a monk set himself on fire yesterday in Ngaba region of eastern Tibet in protest against China’s continued occupation of Tibet. Sangdag, a monk of the Dhiphu Monastery, set himself ablaze on a main road in Ngaba district at around 10 am (local time). According to the exile base of Kirti Monastery in Dharamshala, Sangdag’s present condition is unknown. “Soon after Sangdag carried out his fiery protest, Chinese security personnel arrived at the scene and doused the flames on his body,” Kirti Monastery said in a release today. “He was taken a hospital in Ngaba but shortly after that the Chinese police bundled him away to another place.” The release added that details of Sangdag’s self-immolation protest and his current condition and whereabouts are not available. The Dhiphu Gon Gelek Terzoe Ling Monastery, founded by Dhiphu Choeje, currently has around 500 monks. Also yesterday, another Tibetan, Tsezung Kyab, 27, passed away in his self-immolation protest in front of the Shitsang Monastery in Luchu region of eastern Tibet. The large number of Tibetans who were taking part in religious rituals at the Monastery surrounded Tsezung Kyab’s body and rescued it from falling into the hands of Chinese security personnel.  Since 2009, as many as 107 known Tibetans living under China’s rule have self-immolated demanding the return of Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama from exile and freedom in Tibet. 11 Tibetans have self-immolated since the beginning of this year with eight of those fiery protests occurring in February. Last month, the Tibet Policy Institute, a think tank affiliated with the exile Tibetan administration in a white paper on the crisis in Tibet noted that the self-immolations were a "stark judgment of Chinese rule in Tibet."  The report titled, Why Tibet is Burning? said China’s policies of political repression, cultural assimilation, social discrimination, environment destruction, economic marginalisation were the principle reasons for Tibet’s fiery protests.

BBC condemns jamming of its broadcasts by China

Phayul[Tuesday, February 26, 2013 17:48]

DHARAMSHALA, February 26: The BBC “strongly” condemned the jamming of its radio broadcasts in China, calling the action “designed to disrupt audiences' free access to news and information."  In a statement released on Monday, the British broadcasters, while noting that it was not possible to determine the exact origin of the blocking, said that the "extensive and co-ordinated efforts are indicative of a well-resourced country such as China.” It was not the first time international news broadcasters have complained of disruption to its services in China, which is listed at number 173 out of 179 countries on the World Press Freedom Index compiled by campaign group Reporters Without Borders. Apart from BBC, which has experienced “several instances of satellite services being jammed in recent years,” the New York Times, Bloomberg and Al Jazeera have also been at the receiving end of China’s intolerance of free and fair reporting. Tibetan language radio broadcasts and websites on Tibet’s current affairs based outside Tibet have been severely blocked by Chinese authorities.  Tenzin Peldon, Editor-in-Chief of the Dharamshala based popular Tibetan radio service Voice of Tibet notes that for them, jamming of their signals beamed throughout Tibet by Chinese authorities is their “biggest challenge.” “We are constantly fighting China’s attempts at keeping our voice from reaching inside Tibet,” Peldon told Phayul. “For us the jamming of our broadcast is our biggest challenge.” The radio service, which broadcasts news on current Tibetan affairs and speeches of the Dalai Lama in Tibetan and Mandarin, has also been a victim of cyber attacks originating from China. “During sensitive time, like the March 10 Tibetan National Uprising Day, our signals get heavily botched, especially across cities and towns throughout Tibet,” Peldon added. “Our webiste has also been compromised and rendered useless with DDoS attacks originating from inside China.” In recent months, Chinese authorities in eastern Tibet, which has been at the centre of the ongoing wave of self-immolations, intensified their campaign on banning satellite dishes as part of the government’s wider clampdown to stifle information on the self-immolations. The satellite equipments used by Tibetans to receive foreign radio and TV programmes are the only source of information inside Tibet besides the state sponsored propaganda news. Chinese authorities have issued public notices banning the sell, purchase, and use of all “illegal satellite equipment” and initiated a massive drive destroying and burning hundreds of seized satellite equipments. Monetary fines in addition to “other consequences” have been announced in the event of Tibetans failing to surrender satellite dishes. Dharamshala based rights group Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy, last month said the crackdown on satellite dishes in Tibetan areas “appear not only to be a deterrent against self-immolation protests but also a part of the intensified ‘patriotic education’ campaigns and the ‘Nine Must Haves’ programme under which government aid will be provided in terms of electricity, roads and pension in return for installing state provided satellite dishes and newspapers all of which feature state-controlled news and views.”

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Experts Speak on Tibet's Environment

Immolation Anguish in Tibet

Phayul[Monday, February 25, 2013 15:32]

Tsezung Kyab's body burns outside the Shitsang Monastery in Lhuchu, eastern Tibet, after he set himself on fire protesting China's rule on February 25, 2013.

In more alarming reports coming out of Tibet, another Tibetan, who is a close relative of a Tibetan self-immolator, set himself on fire today protesting China’s continued occupation of Tibet.

Tsezung Kyab, 27, torched himself in front of the main prayer hall of the Shitsang Monastery in Luchu region of eastern Tibet at around 1:30 pm (local time). He passed away at his protest site, the same place where his cousin Pema Dorjee, 23, passed away in his self-immolation protest on December 8, 2012.

At the time of filing this report, additional details on today’s protest are awaited.

This is the second self-immolation protest in Tibet in as many days. Yesterday, Phagmo Dhondup, a Tibetan in his 20’s set himself ablaze near the Jhakhyung Monastery in Palung region of eastern Tibet. His condition and whereabouts are not known.

Today is Choenga Choepa (Butter Lamp Festival), the 15th day of the first month of Tibetan new year considered auspicious by Tibetans for performing religious rituals.

According to Lhamo Kyab, a Tibetan living in Dharamshala, Tsezung Kyab is the first cousin of Tibetan self-immolator Pema Dorjee.

“Tsezung Kyab made the ultimate sacrifice for Tibet little more than two months after his cousin Pema Dorjee passed away in his fiery protest at almost the same place,” Lhamo said. “Their mothers are real sisters.”

Tibetan self-immolator Tsezung Kyab, February 25, 2013..

In a photo sent to Phayul by the same source, the body of Tsezung Kyab can be seen engulfed in towering flames. Despite strict government orders against public display of solidarity with the self-immolators, several people can be seen surrounding the deceased’s body.

Pema Dorjee set himself on fire on December 8, 2012 outside the Shitsang Monastery raising slogans for the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, independence of Tibet, unity among Tibetans and for the land of Tibet to be ruled by Tibetans.

Timing his protest on Gaden Ngamchoe, the day marked as the Parinirvana of Je Tsongkhapa, the great 14th century Tibetan Buddhist master, a large number of gathered Tibetans had witnessed his protest.

The unprecedented wave of Tibet self-immolations has witnessed 106 Tibetans living under China’s rule set themselves on fire since 2009. The self-immolators have demanded the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama from exile and freedom in Tibet.

Toll climbs to 105

Phayul[Sunday, February 24, 2013 23:21]

Chinese police encircle local Tibetans marking the Tibetan new year Losar in Kumbum eastern Tibet.

Reports are coming in of yet another self-immolation in Tibet today in protest against China’s rule.

Phagmo Dhondup, a Tibetan man aged in his 20s, set himself on fire in the ancient Jhakhyung Monastery in Palung region of Tshoshar, eastern Tibet.

According to Sonam, a Tibetan living in Swiss, Phagmo Dhondup carried out his protest within the monastery premises at around 8 pm (local time).

“The monks at the Monastery have rushed Phagmo Dhondup to a nearby hospital where he is currently undergoing treatment,” Sonam told Phayul.

“At the Monastery, monks are holding a prayer service for Phagmo Dhondup.”

No additional information on his condition as well as his fiery protest is available at the time of filing this report.

Local Chinese authorities immediately stepped up security following the self-immolation and dispatched a large contingent of security personnel at Monastery, the same source said.

Phagmo Dhondup is a native of Tsaphuk town of Palung region.

He is survived by father Shawo and a sibling.

Since 2009, as many as 105 known Tibetans living under China’s rule have set themselves on fire demanding freedom and the return of the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Nine self-immolations have already taken place inside Tibet since the beginning of the new year, in addition to Tibetan monk Drupchen Tsering's self-immolation protest in Kathmandu, Nepal on February 13.

The Chinese government has responded to the protests with a slew of measures resulting in a further clampdown on the fundamental rights and freedom of the Tibetan people.

Local officials have been given stern orders “to punish self-immolators and their families; even those who had offered condolences and prayers to the bereaved family members and relatives.”

China has criminalised the self-immolations and recently sentenced a Tibetan to death with a two year reprieve and several others to lengthy jail terms of up to 13 years on charges of “instigating” and “abetting” the protests.

In a statement released earlier this month, Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay, the elected head of the Tibetan people noted that the unprecedented self-immolations by an increasing number of Tibetans are the “ultimate acts of civil disobedience against China’s failed rule in Tibet.”

“Concrete steps that the leaders of the world need to take immediately are to send Ms Navi Pillay of UNHCR on a visit to Tibet and investigate the real causes of self immolations, and convene a meeting to discuss and address the crisis in Tibet,” Sikyong Sangay said.

What's China doing in Tibet?

Stand with Tibetans

Cabinet split over bullying by Beijing

See Original Article at http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/Politics/article1215773.ece

Isabel Oakeshott and Jack Grimston Published: 17 February 2013

 
William Hague at a tense meeting with Chinese foreign minister Yang Jiechi (Alexander F. Yuan)

A CABINET split has emerged over deteriorating relations with China and a surge in cyberspying blamed on Beijing.

The prime minister and chancellor are anxious to avoid escalating tension with the People’s Republic amid fears that increasing hostility could damage trade relations.

But William Hague, the foreign secretary, insists Britain must not bow to “coercive” behaviour by the Chinese and is refusing to reduce diplomatic pressure over human rights abuses.

He is being backed by Nick Clegg, the deputy prime minister, who believes Britain must take a principled stand on issues such as the treatment of the people of Tibet.

Six Tibetan monks detained for pro-independence protest

Phayul[Thursday, February 21, 2013 17:33]

By Phuntsok Yangchen  Chinese authorities in eastern Tibet arrested six Tibetan monks on the eve of Tibetan new year for their alleged involvement in a protest calling for the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama from exile and independence for Tibet. According to exile sources, monks of the Drakdhib Monastery in the Markham region of eastern Tibet, staged a protest on February 10 after Chinese authorities restricted them from performing religious rituals and carried out forced patriotic re-education at the monastery. The monks then carried out a protest, raising slogans for the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama from exile and Tibet’s independence, following which all of them were detained by Chinese security forces. However, after protests by local Tibetans, all the detainees were released except for the six monks on February 13. Further details on the six detained monks and the protest are currently unavailable due to severe clampdown on the internet and phone lines in the region, sources added. The current condition and whereabouts of the monks also remain unknown. Following the protest, a large number of Chinese security forces have been deployed in the region, blocking all roads to and from the Monastery. In August last year, Chinese security personnel in the same region shot dead a Tibetan man for taking part in an anti-mining protest. Around a thousand Tibetans had marched to the Chinese-owned mining site in Markham mid-August, protesting the large-scale operations, which they said was environmentally hazardous. Chinese security personnel responded by firing tear gas and live rounds on the protesters, leading to the death of the Tibetan male identified as Nyima and the arrest of six others. Many areas of Tibet continue to remain under a state of undeclared martial law following the ongoing wave of self-immolation which has witnessed 104 known Tibetans living under China’s rule set themselves on fire demanding the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and freedom for Tibet.

Drango protests, five Tibetans given heavy prison terms

Phayul[Tuesday, February 19, 2013 23:18]

(From L to R) Drango Monastery monks Tashi Dhargyal and Namgyal Dhondup and Thrinley. DHARAMSHALA, February 19: A Chinese court in Drango, eastern Tibet has sentenced five Tibetans to varying prison terms of 10 years to 14 years for their alleged involvement in leading a major anti-China protest that erupted in the region early last year. The Dharamshala based Central Tibetan Administration in a report said the Intermediate People's Court of Drango sentenced two monks of the Drango Monastery and three lay Tibetans on January 26 for “leading the protests and looting a public bank.” The two monks, Tashi Dhargyal and Namgyal Dhondup, have been sentenced to 14 years in prison for leading the protests and instigating others to join the peaceful demonstrations of January 23, 2012. Both of them were also blamed for taking part in the pan-Tibet uprisings of 2008. Thrinley has been sentenced to 10 years in jail for taking part in the protests and “looting a public bank” during the demonstrations.  The two other unidentified Tibetans have been sentenced to 11 years each. Hundreds of Tibetans had come out on the streets in Drango on January 23, 2012, the first day of Chinese new year, calling for Tibet’s freedom and the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama from exile. Chinese security forces retaliated by firing indiscriminately at the unarmed demonstrators, killing and injuring scores of people. The protests flared after local Chinese Public Security Bureau officials began to arbitrarily arrest Tibetans on suspicion of their involvement in the appearance of leaflets and posters around the town following the wave of self-immolations in the region. The posters had warned of more Tibetan self-immolations if the Chinese government did not listen to Tibetan concerns. Following the protests, Chinese authorities led a large-scale manhunt for suspected demonstrators, arresting over a hundred Tibetans and in one instance, killing two brothers in their hideout in the nearby hills of Drango.