the tibet post

CTA religion minister visits Australia

Three Tibetans sentenced to jail terms for alleged role in self-immolation

Dharamshala: On March 1 a Chinese court sentenced three Tibetans to jail terms of up to 15 years for their alleged involvement in the wave of self-immolation protests against Chinese oppression, which have now reached at 107.Sources inside Tibet told TPI that the “so-called Intermediate People’s Court hearing was held under heavy military surveillance. The three were charged over accusations of inciting Tsering Namgyal to self-immolate. Tsering (31) set himself on fire near the local Chinese government office in Luchu county, [Kanlho Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture], on November 29, 2012.”

Top photo: From left: Nyima, Kalsang Kyab and Lhamo Dorjee. Remaining photos: Dorjee Dhondup, Kalsang Sonam, Akhu Samdup and Tsering Namgyal,who self-immolated in Lhuchu on 29 November 2012. Photo: TPI

By Yeshe Choesang: 02 March 2013

UN releases correspondence with China

Geneva: On February 20, in the run-up to the UN Human Rights Council’s 22nd session, which started in Geneva on 25 February, the UN released for publication its communications with the Chinese government in 2012 regarding the human rights situation in Tibet.Five UN Special Procedure mandate holders made a joint appeal to China on 13 July 2012, asking for information on Jigme Dolma, a 17-year-old girl who was beaten by the Chinese police for her peaceful protest in the main market of Karze county, eastern Tibet (Chinese: Ganzi in Sichuan) on 24 June 2012. Dolma was hospitalised for two months and then sentenced to prison.In its response, Beijing said, “Our investigation reveals that we have no knowledge about the case but there is a similar case.” Citing Article 51 and 54 of the Chinese constitution, it continued

China jails senior Buddhist monk

World leaders criticized for silence on Tibet

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I n t e r n a t i o n a l

Bi-monthlyB o d - K y i - Cha-Trin Rs.10Vol. 02, Issue 82, Print Issue 6, March 15, 2013 www.thetibetpost.comA Voice For Tibet

Sikyong’s statement on 54th Tibetan National

Uprising Day See Page 3.....


Dharamshala: A Chinese court has sentenced a senior Tibetan Buddhist monk to one year and three months in prison for his alleged involvement in a self-immolation protest.Sources inside Tibet report that, on the afternoon of March 1, a local Chinese intermediate people’s court sentenced 42-year-

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By Matthew Singh Toor: 28 February 2013


Brisbane: Mr Pema Chhinjor, Kalon (minister) of the exile Central Tibetan Administration’s (CTA) Department of Religion and Culture, has met with members of the Tibetan community in Australia.Mr Chhinjor was received on March 6 at Brisbane airport by Mr Ngodup Gyaltsen, secretary of the Office of Tibet, and Mr Tsering Wangchuk, president of the Queensland Tibetan Association. He then visited Chenresigwang Tibetan Buddhist Institute and later addressed members of the Tibetan community about the current situation in Tibet.Mr Chhinjor called on Tibetans living in the free world to strengthen their efforts to make the international community aware of the aspirations of Tibetans inside Tibet, and urged them to maintain unity and harmony in the community. He also briefed the audience on the efforts made by the CTA to resolve the Tibet issue via the Middle Way policy.On March 7, Mr Chhinjor visited the Dolkar Tibetan Buddhist Institute and later in the tour addressed the 54th Tibetan National Uprising Day in Melbourne before heading to Canberra on March 11.

Mr Pema Chhinjor, Kalon of the Department of Religion and Culture. Photo: TPI

Sikyong Congratulates Woeser for winning Women

of Courage award

The Venerable Yarphel, a senior Buddhist monk from Yershong Monastery in Rebkong county, who received a one year, three months jail sentence.

Photo: TPI

Geneva: The spiritual leader of the Kalmyk people of the Russian Federation has described the current situation in Tibet as genocide and criticised world leaders for not doing enough for basic human rights and freedoms there.Speaking on March 6 at a UN event in Geneva sponsored by five NGOs - The People’s Republic of China: Threat to the Survival of Tibetan Buddhism - Telo Rinpoche, spiritual head of the Republic of Kalmykia, said it was unfortunate that world leaders

Dharamshala: A top official of the exile Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) in Dharamshala, northern India, has responded to the Chinese government’s allegations over the wave of self-immolation protests in Tibet.On March 7, Ms Dicki Chhoyang, Kalon (minister) of the Department of Information and International Relations, said that Beijing has accused the Tibetan government-in-exile

CTA responds to Chinese allegations

From left: Mr Ngawang Choephel, the Venerable Kirti Rinpoche, Ms Sophie Richardson, the Venerable Telo Rinpoche and Mr Adam Koziel in Geneva, 06

March 2013. Photo: Tibet Office, Geneva


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Kalon Dicki Chhoyang. Photo: TPI/Artemas Liu

Jigme Dolma, a 17-year-old Tibetan girl from Karze county, who was beaten and imprisoned by the Chinese authorities. Photo: TPI


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His Holiness the Dalai Lama receives doctorate from Himachal university

By Yeshe Choesang and Matthew Singh Toor: 04 March 2013

Dharamshala: The Central University of Himachal Pradesh (CUHP) conferred an honorary doctorate of philosophy on His Holiness the Dalai Lama at its first convocation ceremony on February 28.CUHP’s chancellor, Arun Maira, presented the degree to the Nobel Peace Laureate at the Temporary Academic Block in Shahpur near Dharamshala in northern India. The Deputy Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament-in-exile, the Venerable Khenpo Sonam Tenphel, and finance Kalon (minister) Mr Tsering Dhondup, were among the dignitaries to attend.Addressing the audience, His Holiness spoke on happiness and well-being. “I believe that the very purpose of life is to be happy,” he said. “From the very core of our being, we desire contentment. In my own limited experience, I have found that the more we care for the happiness of others, the greater is our own sense of well-being.“Cultivating a close, warm-hearted feeling for others, however different from us they may seem to be, automatically puts the mind at ease. It helps remove whatever fears or insecurities we may have and gives us the strength to cope with obstacles we encounter. It is the principal source of success in life. Since we are not solely material creatures, it is a mistake to place all our hopes for happiness on external development alone. The key is to develop inner peace.”The spiritual leader continued that, fundamentally, human beings are all the same, as they want happiness and do not want suffering, despite differences in skin colour or the texture of their hair, in their religious beliefs, in the languages they speak, in the culture they uphold or even gender differences.“Appreciating this sameness is crucial to respecting and

His Holiness the Dalai Lama during the first convocation of the Central University of Himachal Pradesh in Shahpur, HP, India on 28 February 2013/Photo: TPI

understanding other people and to developing compassion and kindness toward them,” he said, adding that the short-sighted way of pursing our own vested interests causes conflicts.“If we focus only on our own requirements, regardless of the needs

and interests of others, we are likely to hurt them and provoke their hostility. This is especially true when we view happiness predominantly in terms of material possessions, wealth and power. Although, to my mind, this viewpoint is mistaken, it is

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According to Chinese state-controlled media, at a secret trial the court sentenced Lhamo Dorjee to 15 years in prison, with his civil and political rights suspended for three years. Kalsang Sonam also had his rights suspended for two years and received an eleven-year jail term. Tsezung Kyab was charged with ‘intentional homicide’ and sentenced to ten years, with his rights suspended for one year.In total, nine Tibetans from Dzamtsa Lotso village in Luchu, Amdho province, were arrested on charges of inciting others to self-immolate: Kalsang Samdup, Nyima, Tsezung Kyab,

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TPI NEWS The Tibet Post International2Tibetan exile administration rejects allegations

of funding self-immolation protests in Tibet By Yeshe Choesang: 12 March 2013

Dharamshala: The exile Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) in Dharamshala, northern India, has refuted allegations by a Beijing-appointed official of the ‘Tibet Autonomous Region’ that the His Holiness the Dalai Lama is providing money to encourage Tibetans to self-immolate in protest against Chinese rule.In a statement issued on March 11, the CTA said it “categorically rejects the baseless allegations made by Padma Choling, chairman of the standing committee of the so-called Tibet Autonomous Regional People’s Congress, that they have evidence of His Holiness the Dalai Lama providing money to encourage people to set themselves on fire.” Mr Choling made his allegations in Beijing on March 8.Further addressing the self-immolations, the CTA said “The blame and solution lie squarely with Beijing. Occupation and repression are the causes and reform is the solution. If the blame game continues and unless independent fact-finding delegations and the international media are allowed to visit Tibet to assess the real situation...the international community, including the Chinese people, will view the Chinese government with deep scepticism.

“We once again invite the Chinese authorities to Dharamshala to prove their allegations of our alleged role in the self-immolations. As life is precious, the Central Tibetan Administration has consistently discouraged self-immolations and any other forms of drastic actions. But the self-immolations persist...The time has come for the international community to press the Chinese government to enter into dialogue to peacefully resolve the issue of Tibet.One of the world’s leading media organisations, The

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Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay at the anniversary event of the 54th Tibetan National Uprising Day in Dharamshala,10 March 2013. Photo: TPI

New York Times, recently reported that, “Chinese officials in the past said the self-immolators were mentally unstable or blamed outside agitators. Despite the accusations, Chinese officials have never provided evidence of any connection between the acts and the Dalai Lama or other Tibetan leaders in exile.”The Tibetan political leader Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay has repeatedly urged the world media and international human rights groups to investigate the cases of self-immolation, to clarify the facts.

March 15, 2013 Dharamshala

China’s baseless accusations against His Holiness and Tibetans in exile do nothing but hurt all Tibetans

Dharamshala: In all parts of occupied Tibet, the suffering of the Tibetan people under Chinese rule grows day by day. Gross violations of basic rights and the freedom to practice religion and culture are endemic, and the situation has been long known to whole world.Over 1.3 million Tibetans have sacrificed their lives in the name of freedom and human rights since 1959. In 2008, during and after the Beijing Olympics, hundreds of Tibetans were killed and thousands more ‘disappeared’ or were imprisoned.The six million Tibetans in Tibet are human beings. They are born free and equal in dignity and rights. But the Chinese government doesn’t see or treat Tibetans as human beings. As Sikyong Dr Lobsang said in his March 10 address, Chinese policies in Tibet “could easily lead one to suspect that China wants Tibet but not the Tibetan people”. Tibetans in Tibet who feel they have no dreams, no future, left believe self-immolation is the only available option. The messages that the self-immolators have left behind spell this out clearly.The many baseless allegations made by the Chinese authorities against His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Central Tibetan Administration serve only to hurt millions of Tibetan people, including those who have grown up under the current regime. The Chinese have no evidence, but continue to propagate misinformation via such state-controlled media as Xinhua - even since Xi Jiping’s election to office and purported mission to fight corruption.The situation is exacerbated by claims made by some foollish Tibetans, including Jampa Phuntsok, Lobsang Gyaltsen and Pema Trinley, who call themselves ‘top officials’ of the so-called Tibet Autonomous Region. Increasingly, they blame His Holiness the Dalai lama and Tibetans living in exile for inciting and funding self-immolation protests. They make such allegations without a proper knowledge of Tibetan history, religion and cultural identity - a history that teaches us how to


Editorial:


Dharamsala: Dr Lobsang Sangay, Sikyong (political leader) of the exile Central Tibetan Administration, has congratulated Tsering Woeser, the Tibetan author, poet and blogger, for being honored with the 2013 International Women of Courage Award.Ms Woeser, who lives in Beijing, was given the award in absentia by the US state department. In his message of March 5, Dr Sangay said, “We would like to congratulate Tsering Woeser for getting this honour in recognition of her courage and dedication to the cause of Tibet. Despite facing great personal risk, she has kept informing the rest of the world, including the Chinese people, about the issue of Tibet.”The US state department issued a press release saying, “In a period marked by increasing self-immolations and protests in Tibetan areas of China, Tsering Woeser has emerged as the most prominent mainland activist, speaking out publicly about human rights conditions for China’s Tibetan citizens.“Born in Lhasa, Tsering Woeser’s website, Invisible Tibet, together with her poetry and non-fiction and her embrace of social media platforms like Twitter, have given voice to millions of ethnic Tibetans who are prevented from expressing themselves to the outside world due to government efforts to curtail the flow of information.“Despite the constant surveillance of security agents

Tibetan writer Tsering woeser, winner of the International Women of Courage award. Photo: TPI

and routinely being placed under house arrest during periods deemed to be politically sensitive, Tsering Woeser bravely persists in documenting the situation for Tibetans, noting that, ‘To bear witness is to give voice to,’ and asserting that, ‘The more than 100 Tibetans who have expressed their desire to resist the forces of oppression by bathing their

bodies in fire are the reason why I will not give up, and why I will not compromise.’”On March 8, Secretary of State John Kerry honored ten women with the International Women of Courage Award. First Lady Michelle Obama joined Mr Kerry as a special guest. Since the inception of the award in 2007, the Department of State has honored 67 women from 45 countries.

Sikyong congratulates Tsering Woeser on winning US Women of Courage award

Tibetan representative seeks help from Austrian parliamentarians

From 3rd left: Mrs Judith Schwentner, Mr Tseten S Chhoekyapa, Mr Werner Amon, Mr Gerhard Huber, Mrs Lenea Reuvers, Mr Ngawang Lodoe and members of the Tibetan community. Photo: Tibet.net

By Matthew Singh Toor: 28 February 2013

By CTA Tibet.net: 06 March 2013

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learn from our own and others’ mistakes. It is not too late for these official to realise the reality of the situation. But first they must learn the true history of Tibet, as taught by their ancestors, if they are to avoid turning themselves into the enemies of their religion, culture and even their own people.So where is the evidence that Tibetans are treated as equal citizens, living the contented lives that Beijing claims? Chinese court officials commonly announce that they are depriving Tibetans of their civil and political rights during sentencing. In point of fact, Tibetans have no civil or political rights, because they are proscribed from any type of political activity or protest. Further, the arbitrary detention and political indoctrination of Tibetans are abuses of international laws and, indeed, China’s own laws.The communist regime has certainly brought some economic development to Tibet, but has it benefited Tibetans? Developments in transport have served to help the government take natural resources out of Tibet and bring Chinese immigrants into the country. Since 2009, at least 107 Tibetans have set themselves alight in protest against Chinese rule. This is the largest numbre of self-immolations committed during a freedom struggle in world history. Only those living in Tibet know the reality of how bitter life is under Chinese occupation. The facts should speak for themselves and lead the international community to demand change in Tibet. But year after year, the UN and parliaments around the world adopt weak statements and resolutions condemning China’s treatment of Tibetans which fall on the deaf ears. The UN and EU like to be seen as champions of democracy, freedom and human rights, but they seem handcuffed by China’s lack of cooperation and their own inability to enforce any meaningul pressure on the regime. Instead of meaningful protest or action, they allow the tragic situation of Tibet and Tibetans to continue.

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TPI NEWS 3The Tibet Post International March 15, 2013 Dharamshala54TH TIBETAN NATIoNAL UPRISING DAY

Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay pays homage to Tibetans in Tibet on 54th anniversary of Tibetan National Uprising Day


Below, TPI publishes the full text of the Statement of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile on the 54th National Uprising Day. The statement was read by Khenpo Sonam Tenphel, deputy speaker of the Tibetan Parliament-in-exile at the Tsuglak Khang (main temple) in Dharamshala, northern India on March 10.Today marks the day when, 54 years ago, the government of the People’s Republic of China, pursuing a devious stratagem to seize Tibet, unleashed in the country’s capital Lhasa actions that included a vicious threat to the life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.It also marks the day when the Tibetan people staged an uprising against these designs of the Chinese government in a spontaneous unity of thought and action. From this year onwards, we will be observing this day not only as Tibetan National Uprising Day but also, simultaneously, as Tibetan Martyr’s Day, to symbolically commemorate the heroic Tibetan men and women who have given up their lives for the Tibetan national cause.During the approximately 64 years that have gone by since it began its invasion of Tibet, the government of China has brought about the untimely deaths of more than one million Tibetans and obliterated thousands of Tibetan religious places. With actions such as these, it carried out the destruction, plunder, and robbing of Tibet and its internal riches, leaving the land in pitiful ruins.Besides, it was unrelenting in its continuous initiation of policies of cruelty aimed at the obliteration of Tibetan religion, culture, language, and so on, which are the very embodiment of the identity of the Tibetan people. This policy continues to this day and its objective is to transform the historical Tibetan land into a land of Chinese people.As a result, the situation in Tibet today has reached a highly critical juncture. Besides, far from entertaining any thought about resolving

Dr Lobsang Sangay addresses the 54th Anniversary of Tibetan National Uprising Day commemoration, Dharamshala, 10 March 2013. Photo: TPI

Tibetan Parliament declares March 10 as Tibetan Martyrs DayBy The Tibet Post International: 10 March 2013

Khenpo Sonam Tenphel, deputy speaker of the Tibetan Parliament-in-exile, makes his address at the 54th Anniversary

of Tibetan National Uprising Day, 10 March 2013. Photo: TPI

the problems concerning the issue of Tibet, the leaders of China resort to unmitigated lying, using it as a tool to deceive and practise subterfuge for the purpose of concealing from both the people of China and the outside world the real situation in Tibet. This is, however, a fact all too well known to everyone.Concerning the issue of Tibet, ever since the world of human existence came into being, until its occupation by the People’s Republic of China, the politics, administration, and the legal system of the nation were supervised and controlled only by the Tibetan people themselves. No outside power had any kind of say in its affairs, for it was an independent country throughout. And its status as an independent country was fully in conformity with today’s universally recognized meaning of a nation and of the citizenry by which it is constituted.Besides, it has a history which dates back much longer than that of many of the independent countries of today. However, in the period after the Second World War, when many countries struggling under imperialist colonization regained their independence, the People’s Republic of China, seizing the opportunities provided by the political situation and a multitude of other circumstances prevailing at that time, launched an armed invasion of Tibet. This eventually led His Holiness the Dalai Lama and more than 80,000 other Tibetans to flee their homeland and to live in exile.Today, the situation in Tibet has become extremely tragic and critical, with the Chinese government pursuing a policy of colonialism whereby in all the economically profitable cities and towns Tibetans are continuously being pushed to the fringe of the society, to live the marginalized existence of a neglected minority community.The Tibetan people are not only devoid of any kind of political freedom but are also subjected to very tight restrictions with regard to the exercise of their human rights, freedom of religious practices,

freedom of movement, and linguistic freedom. And the natural environment of Tibet has been subjected to such severe ravages that it would be very hard to restore them again.For these reasons Tibetan people in Tibet have, without any concern for their own lives and with displays of utmost courage and conviction, carried out numerous kinds of peaceful protest actions on successive occasions. With such courses of action, they made clear their rejection of the policies of the Chinese government which are repressive and not at all in keeping with the desires and aspirations of the Tibetan people. And the situation in Tibet kept getting especially serious and worsened considerably after the widespread, large-scale demonstrations of the Earth-Mouse Year in 2008.It is undoubtedly owing to the kindness flowing from His Holiness the Dalai Lama that there are in every part of the world people who show concern for the Tibetan people and lend support to us - and their numbers continue to increase. Motivated solely by his concern for the current and long-term interests of the Tibetan people, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, based on his assessment of the reality of the situation today, proposed a middle way approach for resolving the issue of Tibet.Rather than being designed to benefit oneself at the expense of the other side, this is an approach

which is mutually beneficial to both China and Tibet. And through a democratic process, this was unanimously adopted as the policy of the Central Tibetan Administration. It is strange that the leaders of China have so far not accepted this proposal with the proper attention it deserves.Through the commemoration of this anniversary today, we would like to express our heartfelt obeisance and gratitude to our compatriots in Tibet for their patriotic courage and ethnic loyalty.Everyone knows how the situation in Tibet today keeps going from bad to worse and we, therefore, do not deem it necessary to explain the situation again. Facts reported and authenticated show that so far a total of 107 patriotic men and women in Tibet have immolated themselves in the cause of the Tibetan religion, nation, and people. Of them, 89 have died.In exile too, not a small number of Tibetans have given up their lives for the sake of the fundamental cause of Tibet. In Tibet, the Chinese government has been arresting Tibetans for their alleged links with the people who have carried out self-immolations. And it subjects them to legal punishments, and so on, as a means to tighten control over them, to persecute them, and to torture them without any kind of limit or restraint.This makes it clear that the Chinese government has absolutely no desire to fulfill the genuine desires and aspirations of the Tibetan people on the basis of their supposed policy of seeking truth from facts. Rather, for the purposes of concealing the true situation in Tibet, it bars foreign journalists as well as delegates from foreign governments and non-governmental organizations from visiting Tibet for the purpose of carrying out unbiased investigations. And with absolutely no sense of shame, Chinese leaders continue to try to deceive the world by invariably hiding the truth and keeping on telling lies.

They thereby render the situation highly gloomy, giving no cause for any kind of optimism. Worse, in order to conceal their own mistakes, the leaders of the Chinese government direct their criticism at others, reverse-painting themselves as the good people and the others as the bad ones. In the course of doing so, they present distorted explanations of Buddhism on the issue of self-immolation and also fabricate false propaganda information to allege that the self-immolations are being instigated and coerced by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Central Tibetan Administration.In addition, the Chinese government puts out all sorts of new documents, including suggestions of opinions on the ways in which cases concerned with the self-immolations occurring in the Tibetan areas should be dealt with in a legal manner through the judicial process without due processes of law. Such kinds of actions cannot, however, deceive the people of the world. They also cannot deceive the people within China. And by keeping on alleging that the Central Tibetan Administration campaigns for Tibet’s independence, even while knowing fully well that it does not seek any such solution, and by calling it a separatist group and criticizing it in all sorts of manners, the government of China itself lays the foundation for the country’s eventual disintegration.In Tibet, there is absolutely no opportunity of any kind for the Tibetan people to stage peaceful demonstrations, as in a free country. That is why, in an effort to seek a resolution to the just cause of the Tibetan people, in order to invite His Holiness the Dalai Lama back to Tibet, with a hope to see a halt to the repressive policies of the government of China, and so on, the people of Tibet find themselves in a situation of having no other choice but to take recourse to immolating themselves without causing even an iota of harm to others.

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Dharamshala: Thousands of Tibetans took part in the official commemoration of the 54th Tibetan National Uprising Day, at the Tsuglak Khang (main temple) in Dharamshala, northern India, on March 10.Led by Dr Lobsang Sangay, the Sikyong (political leader) of the exile Central Tibetan Administraion, and other dignitaries, the function began with a rendition of the Tibetan national anthem and the raising of the Tibetan national flag. A minute’s silence was then observed to mourn the thousands of Tibetans who have sacrificed their lives for the Tibetan cause.The following is the full text of Dr Sangay’s statement to mark the occasion:On this day in 1959, thousands of Tibetans from all walks of life and all three regions of Tibet (U-Tsang, Kham and Amdho) converged in Lhasa to resist and protest the Chinese invasion and occupation of Tibet. We are the children of this tragic yet historic moment in Tibet’s rich, unique, 2,000-plus-year history.Today, we are gathered here to rededicate ourselves to the brave struggle started by the selfless elder generation. We pay tribute to all those who have sacrificed their lives for Tibet. The yearning for freedom that moved our elders to undertake the epochal events of March 10, 1959 is a beacon that guides our present-day struggle to secure our basic freedom, dignity and identity.The continuing vicious cycle of repression and resentment in Tibet is manifested in the devastating number of Tibetans setting themselves on fire. Since 2009, 107 Tibetans have self-immolated, including 28 in November 2012, just before and during the 18th Party Congress of the Chinese Communist Party. Sadly, 90 of them have died. Such a high toll is perhaps unprecedented in recent world history.Though most of the self-immolators are monks, their ranks include the full spectrum of Tibetans – nomads, farmers and students – from all three Tibetan regions of U-Tsang, Kham and Amdo, including the capital city of Lhasa. We dedicate this day to all the self-immolators and those who have died for Tibet.The occupation and repression in Tibet by the government of the People’s Republic of China are the primary conditions driving Tibetans to self-immolation. Tibetans witness and experience China’s constant assault on Tibetan Buddhist civilization, their very identity and dignity. They deeply resent China’s demonization of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. They look on with alarm as Chinese settlers stream into Tibet, taking away Tibetan jobs, land and their very future - and in the process, transforming Tibetan towns and cities into ‘Chinatowns’.

They oppose the forced removal of hundreds of thousands of nomads from the grasslands to permanent ghettos, reducing formerly self-sufficient families to impoverishment. They see colonial-like development activities cart away billions of dollars worth of Tibetan natural resources to a resource-hungry China. These policies could easily lead one to suspect that China wants Tibet but not the Tibetan people.Yet when Tibetans respond to these violations with even the slightest show of dissent, they risk prolonged imprisonment, torture, public humiliation and disappearance at the hands of security forces. The prohibition of peaceful protest and harsh punishments compel Tibetans to resort to self-immolation. They choose death rather than silence and submission to the Chinese authorities. Recent attempts by the authorities to criminalize self-immolators and persecute their family members and friends through sham trials are likely to prolong the cycle of self-immolation, persecution, and more immolation.Through various media, the Kashag has consistently appealed and categorically discouraged Tibetans in Tibet from self-immolating as a form of protest.

Life is precious and as human beings we do not want anyone to die in such a manner. As Buddhists, we pray for the soul of the deceased. As Tibetans, it is our sacred duty to support the aspirations of Tibetans in Tibet: the return of His Holiness the great Fourteenth Dalai Lama to Tibet, freedom for the Tibetan people, and unity among Tibetans.The only way to end this brutal and grave situation is for China to change its current hardline Tibet policy by respecting the aspirations of the Tibetan people.The Kashag is fully committed to the Middle Way Approach, which seeks genuine autonomy for Tibetans to solve the issue of Tibet. His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama has shown this to be the most viable and enduring approach. After careful deliberations, the Tibetan Parliament-in-exile unanimously adopted the Middle Way approach. It is supported by Tibetans inside and outside Tibet, and has garnered the support of key foreign governments, world leaders, and Nobel laureates. It has, in particular, resonated with and been supported by a growing number of Chinese intellectuals, scholars and writers.At this time, the Kashag hopes that the new

Chinese leadership will view this pragmatic political approach, which bridges both Tibetan and Chinese interests, as a win-win solution. In 2002, the resumption of dialogue gave hope to Tibetans for a peaceful resolution of the issue of Tibet. Unfortunately, this hope has been shaken by the present stalemate in the dialogue process.Tibet is not a constitutional or an institutional problem for the government of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). As per Article 31 of the PRC Constitution, China has created a separate institutional mechanism of one country, two systems for Hong Kong and Macau. The Chinese leadership has also displayed the political will by forming a cabinet-level committee to deal with Taiwan (Republic of China). However, when it comes to Tibet, the Chinese leadership has neither employed the available constitutional mechanism at its disposal, nor has it shown the political will to resolve the issue peacefully. From our side, we consider substance primary and process secondary, and are ready to engage in meaningful dialogue, anywhere, at any time.Finding a just and lasting solution to the issue of Tibet is also in the interest of the world at large.

Tibet, one of the oldest civilizations, is viewed as the Third Pole, as its glaciers feed the ten river systems of Asia. It will contribute to the peace and prosperity of over a billion people in Asia who live downstream and depend on Tibet’s water for sustenance. A speedy resolution will send the right message and serve as a model for other freedom struggles as the Tibetan struggle is one firmly anchored in non-violence and democracy. Last, but not the least, solving the issue of Tibet could be a catalyst for moderation of China.We extend our deepest gratitude to the great people and government of India. We are also immensely grateful to all governments, international organizations, Tibet support groups and individual supporters across the globe for their supportive resolutions, statements, and for their unflinching and generous support. At the same time, we believe that the moment has come for governments and the international community to take concrete actions to press the Chinese government to enter into meaningful dialogue with the Tibetan leadership.We call on the international community to press the Chinese government to allow the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights entry into Tibet, and also to give access to diplomats and the international media. Only in this way can the truth about the grave situation in Tibet be unveiled and the self-immolations abated.The Kashag has announced 2013 as a year of Solidarity With Tibet campaigns. Each of our numerous events are organized peacefully, legally and with dignity. Thousands of Tibetans and Indian friends gathered in New Delhi on January 30 for a four-day mass campaign, organized by the Central Tibetan Administration. Many prominent Indian leaders representing various parties attended and pledged action for Tibet. Tibetans and friends in Europe today are holding The European Solidarity Rally for Tibet in Brussels. This month Tibetans in North America, Europe and elsewhere are organizing Tibet Lobby Days. The core message we request everyone to communicate are the three Ds: Devolution, Democracy and Dialogue.The character of our people is being shaped by our endurance of the darkest period in Tibet’s history. Under the enlightened leadership of His Holiness the great Fourteenth Dalai Lama, we continue to meet adversity with exceptional unity, resilience, and dignity. I fervently pray for the long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.The Kashag [cabinet] is uplifted and deeply gratified by the support and solidarity it has received from Tibetans inside and outside Tibet. With unity, self-reliance and innovation as the guiding principles, we are determined to fulfill the aspirations of all Tibetans to enjoy the freedom and dignity which we deserve and is our right.Let me conclude by again paying homage to our brothers and sisters in Tibet.

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Dramatic March 10 re-enactmentin Taiwanese capital Taipei

Taipei: Hundreds of Tibetans and their supporters took to the streets of the Taiwanese capital Taipei on March 10 to commemorate the 54th anniversary of the 1959 Tibetan Uprising.The march and rally was organized by Taiwanese Tibetan groups and was addressed by the exile Central Tibetan Administration’s (CTA) finance Minister, Tsering Dhondup, who said the CTA and Tibetan Parliament-in-exile were resolved to settle the Tibet issue through peaceful and non-violent means and the Middle Way approach. He added that Tibetans do not seek independence and hope to resolve the Tibet issue through peaceful talks under the existing framework.The march proceeded along Taipei’s bustling Zhongxiao East Road, with demonstrators shouting, “Free Tibet!”, “Tibet belongs to Tibetans!”, and “China, get out of Tibet!” in Tibetan, Mandarin and English. A Tibetan monk and an activist dressed as a Chinese soldier performed a street drama depicting the 1959 uprising, followed by 110 protesters holding portraits of the 110 Tibetans who have self-immolated since 2009.Tashi Tsering, adviser to the Taiwan Tibetan Welfare Association, stated that, “Tibetans and Chinese are all humans. As long as the Chinese respect Tibetans’ rights to our own culture, religion, language and self-determination, we will respect the Chinese as brothers and good neighbors.”

By Keary Huang and Matthew Singh Toor: 11 March 2013

Tibetan and Taiwanese protesters mark the 54th National Uprising Day in Taipei, 10 March 2013. Photo: TPI/Artemas Liu

Su Tseng-chang, chairman of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) told the rally that, as a people who have struggled against an authoritarian regime, the Taiwanese understand the suffering of Tibetans, and support their struggle for freedom. “Even today, there is still injustice and we should give each other support until all the repressed are liberated,” he said.Several DPP politicians, including legislators Hsiao Bi-khim, Yu Mei-nu and Chen Chieh-ju also attended the event, together with Taipei City councillors Chien Yu-yen, Alan Lee and Hsu Chia-ching.Former DPP chairperson, Tsai Ing-wen, expressed her support in a Facebook message. “Our grief for the more than 100 Tibetans who have self-immolated in the past three years is indescribable,” she wrote. “As we are free, we should fight for the freedom of those who suffer, and make the annual March 10 march a regular element in Taiwan’s social movement.“US president John F Kennedy expressed his support for West Germany and people’s right to pursuit freedom and human rights by saying that he was a Berliner, in a speech in 1963. Today, on the 54th anniversary of the Tibetan uprising, I offer the same support. I am a Tibetan. We are all Tibetans.”

MLAs from Himachal join Tibetans from Bir, Chauntra and Tashi Jong

Dharamshala: Over 1,000 Tibetans from Bir, Chauntra and Tashi Jong, in the northern Indian


Mrs Juchen Kunchok Chodon at the 54th Tibetan Uprising Day event, 10 March 2013. Photo: TPI

state of Himachal Pradesh, converged in Chauntra on March 10 to commemorate the 54th Tibetan National Uprising Day.Indian dignitaries, including Mr Gulab Singh, member of the legislative assembly, attended the event to show their support and empathy for the Tibetan people. Mrs Juchen Kunchok Chodon and Mr Tsultrim Tenzin - members of the Tibetan Parliament-in-exile - also took part in the function, together with representatives of monasteries, schools and the Chauntra Tibetan settlement.The settlement officer later held a press conference in Palampur to apprise the media of the prevailing critical situation in Tibet under Chinese rule.

US Congress members lend voice insupport of March 10 commemoration By Yeshe Choesang: Tuesday, 12 March 2013

Dharamshala: Members of the United States Congress from Massachusetts expressed their support on the 54th anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising Day on March 10, calling on the Chinese government to address the aspirations and grievances of the Tibetan people.The members highlighted the efforts made by the Tibetan Association of Boston to promote the urgency of finding a lasting solution to the Tibet issue - particularly the wave of self-immolation protests by Tibetans against Chinese rule. Below, TPI publishes extracts from the members’ statements:Representative James P McGovern: “For more than half a century, the Tibetan people have struggled to preserve their basic human rights and freedoms in the face of cruel repression by China, aimed at destroying their culture, heritage and very identity as a people and a nation.“I commend the work of the Tibetan Association of Boston for ensuring that the lives and sufferings of the millions of Tibetans who have died and been displaced by violence will not be forgotten, and for turning a spotlight on the current repression against the Tibetan people, which has led to the desperate act of more than 100 Tibetans taking their own lives through self-immolation. “The United States and the international community can no longer stand idly and watch Tibet and its people suffer. We must act to stop the repression now.”Representative Stepen F Lynch: Today we mark 54 years since the people of Tibet rose up in protest against the human rights violations committed by the ruling communist Chinese military. Sadly, despite decades of international pressure and calls for the Chinese government to loosen its stranglehold, grave human rights violations have continued in Tibet. This is unacceptable behaviour for a state that wants to be seen as a world leader and a responsible nation.“It has been more than two years since the Chinese government sat down with representatives of the

The eight US Congress members from Massachusetts. from top left: James P McGovern, F Lynch, Michael E Capuano,Niki Tsongas, John F Tierney, Theodore C Speliotis, Ed Markey and William R Keating. Photos: File

Dalai Lama, and it is long past time for them to engage in meaningful dialogue with the Tibetan people.”Representative Michael E Capuano: “You have been sustained and the entire world has been inspired by the teachings of His Holiness the Dalai Lama Lama. He exemplifies a form of resistance to tyranny that will, I believe, ultimately prevail. Temples and shrines have been destroyed but, as the Dalai Lama teaches, ‘My brain and my heart are my temples. My philosophy is kindness.’ A nation cannot be obliterated if its people survive as a people. I wish you courage today and tomorrow and every day until Tibet is free. “Congresswoman Niki Tsongas: “The United States must actively engage partner nations in measures that serve to de-escalate rising tensions brought about by hard-line Chinese policies and actions. In addition, continued attention must be paid to promoting dialogue between Chinese officials and Tibetan leaders in order to achieve a negotiated solution to the problems afflicting Tibet and the Tibetan people.Congressman John F Tierney: “The Tibetan people

and others around the world have a right to live in peace and be treated with respect and dignity. In December, I joined with several of my colleagues to urge President Obama to continue his efforts to ensure that the United States remains a leader in advocating for human rights in Tibet and pressing for an end to the abuses. “Representative Edward J Markey: “While we recently celebrated the accomplishments of Martin Luther King, Jr, a hero of civil rights here in the United States, it is important to remember that there are many throughout the world who continue to struggle for basic human rights and dignity.”Congressman William R Keating: “We have witnessed remarkable transitions in the last two years – a Tunisian street vendor’s despair ignited a flame of democratisation across the Middle East, young Christian protestors protected Muslims in prayer in the midst of demonstrations in Cairo. The fall of dictators has been followed by the creation of new constitutions. However, much remains to be fulfilled.”

Tibetan National Uprising Day commemorated around the globe

Dharamshala: Tens of thousands of Tibetans and their supporters from all over the world participated in rallies and prayer services on March 10 to commemorate the 54th anniversary of the Tibetan people’s uprising against the Chinese occupation of Tibet. Below, TPI presents a round-up of the day’s events.

New Delhi107 Tibetan activists participated in two flash-mob campaigns organised by the Tibetan Youth Congress. Wearing T-shirts adorned with images of Tibetan self-immolators, the activists caught Indian shoppers unawares by lying on the city’s pavements and singing “We shall overcome” in Hindi, English and Tibetan. Other participants chalked their outlines and distributed pamphlets and press releases.

BerlinTibet Initiative Deutschland (TID) commorated the victims of the 1959 uprising with a Tibetan flag performance in front of the Chinese embassy.“All over the world, the Tibetan flag stands as a symbol for the right to self-determination,” said TID executive director Nadine Baumann. “In Tibet, even owning the flag is prohibited and punished.” TID groups in more than 20 other German cities organized demonstrations, and 1,236 German cities,

By Matthew Singh Toor: 12 March 2013

A Tibetan activist in Taiwanese capital Taipei, 10 March 2013. Photo: TPI/Artemas

municipalities and counties, including the regional capitals Bremen, Hannover, Magdeburg, Potsdam Saarbrücken, Stuttgart and Wiesbaden, followed TID’s appeal to raise the Tibetan flag at town halls and public buildings, and on their websites.

New YorkThousands of Tibetans and their supporters, led by the representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Mr Lobsang Nyandak, gathered in front of the UN Headquarters. Mr Nyangdak read the Kashag’s (exile Tibetan cabinet’s) statement at the gathering, saying the international community must support the determination and legitimate aspirations of the Tibetan people.

ParisHundreds of people held a protest rally in the French capital. The event was organised by Students for a Free Tibet France and included representatives from the Tibetan, Chinese, Japanese and Taiwanese communities.A commemoration ceremony was held at the Place de Trocadero, where homage was paid to all those Tibetans who have sacrificed their lives for Tibet. Mr Tsering Dhondup, secretary of the Bureau du Tibet, read a statement from Sikyong (Tibetan political leader) Dr Lobsang Sangay. A French translation was read out by a Tibetan youth.

Mr Jean Patrick Gilles, member of the French National Assembly and co-president of the French Tibet Group, said the Tibet Group would be meeting with President Francois Hollande before his scheduled visit to China, to urge him to press the Chinese leadership to enter into constructive dialogue with the Tibetan leadership.

MoscowThe commemoration in the Russian capital began with the chanting of the Prayer of Truth, composed by His Holiness on 29 September 1960. Mrs Nadya Berkengeym, vice-president of Moscow’s Tibet House, and Mr Nawang Rabgyal, representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States addressed the gathering.Tibetans and their supporters also observed the March 10 anniversary in the Kalmyk, Tuva and Buryat Republics.

MelbourneMr Pema Chhinjor, Kalon (minister) for the CTA’s Department of Religion and Culture adddressed a commemoration event in Australia, saying that Tibetans living in the free world and Tibet supporters must redouble their efforts to make the world aware of the cries of Tibetans inside Tibet.Members of the Chinese-Tibetan Friendship Association, Tibet support groups, and Vietnamese and Nagaland communities joined hundreds of Tibetans in Melbourne. Mr Tsering Samdup, president of the local Tibetan association, urged the international community to stand up for the Tibetan self-immolators’ genuine aspirations for freedom and His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s return to Tibet.

PretoriaThe Office of Tibet in South Africa organised a photo exhibition at the Littleton Community Library on March 9. His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s representative, Migyur Dorjee, gave a talk on the significance of the day and on the primary causes of the wave of self-immolations in Tibet. Mrs Heldigard, a practising Buddhist, who assisted in organising the exhibition, and Tenzin Kunsang of the Office of Tibet, visited other libraries in Pretoria and distributed leaflets about the Tibet issue. On March 10, a special prayer service for all those Tibetans who have sacrificed their lives for the Tibet cause was held at Lamrim Buddhist Centre in Johannesburg.Further commemorations were also held on the streets of Taipei, Sydney, Tokyo, London, Vienna, Brussels, Washington, Hong Kong, Toronto and other world cities.

4 54TH TIBETAN NATIoNAL UPRISING DAY The Tibet Post InternationalTPI NEWSMarch 15, 2013 Dharamshala

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CTA responds to Chinese allegations over self-immolationsA

....... Continued from front page

and His Holiness the Dalai Lama of “publishing a ‘self-immolation guide’ on the internet,” and “openly encouraging Tibetans to carry out self-immolations…”Ms Chhoyang’s statement came after various misinformation had been spread by China’s state-run propaganda agencies, including Xinhua.“On March 1, 2013, Xinhua news agency issued a press release accusing the CTA and His Holiness the Dalai Lama of encouraging self-immolations in Tibet through blog postings by Mr Lhamo Kyab (Chinese: Lhamo Je),” said Ms Chhoyang. “Mr. Kyab is a former member of the Tibetan Parliament-in-exile who now resides in France. He is neither a part of the CTA nor the private office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. His blog reflects his personal opinion.“Such writings are irresponsible and unnecessarily give excuses to the Chinese government to resort to

the blame game and shirk its responsibility for the root causes leading to self-immolations.”Ms Chhoyang continued that the CTA has repeatedly

issued statements about self-immolation, saying,

“As life is precious [the administration] has

consistently discouraged self-immolations and any

other forms of drastic action.

“The CTA supports the aspirations of Tibetans

inside Tibet for the return of His Holiness the Dalai

Lama to Tibet and freedom for Tibetans. The onus

for the problem in Tibet firmly lies with the Chinese

government. The CTA welcomes the Chinese

authorities to visit its offices in Dharamshala [if they

wish to try] to find proof of their allegations.”

Almost all of the self-immolators in Tibet have

reportedly called for the return of His Holiness the

Dalai Lama to Tibet. Many have also called Tibetan

independence.

Tibetan Parliament declares March 10 Tibetan Martyrs Day

....... Continued from page 3Nevertheless, the government of China has so far responded only with continuously increased repression, without taking recourse to any kind of approach designed to alleviate the suffering of the Tibetan people. Besides, the international community too has done little beyond expressing concerns and sympathies on these latest developments in Tibet. It is a matter of great sadness to the Tibetan people that none in the international community has been able to make any productive move to address the harrowing, very tragic and critical situation in Tibet today – a situation which is unprecedented in world history.It is the unavoidable duty of the Tibetan people in exile to give the people in the outside world all the details about every development that is taking place in Tibet. And if that is to be cited as suggestive of a reason showing that the self-immolations in Tibet are being encouraged thereby, why does not the same logic apply to the reporting all the other news throughout the world through the various media channels?Based on the foundation of the duty of all the Tibetan people living in exile, the Tibetan Parliament-in-exile led several major campaign actions in the last year. One of them was the international Flame of Truth relay which continued for more than five months. This was followed by a month-long campaign covering all the states of India, with the objective of creating awareness about the situation in Tibet today and of garnering support for the Tibetan cause. And for four days from the end of January to the beginning of February this year, a Tibetan People’s Solidarity Campaign was successfully held in New Delhi, jointly organized by the Kashag [cabinet] and the Tibetan Parliament-in-exile.Everyone concerned with the campaign showed solidarity in facilitating and supporting it, contributing to its successful conclusion, and we take this opportunity to express our thanks to them

all. The government and the people of India, in particular, provided strong support for the campaign and we take this opportunity to express our heartfelt gratitude to them too. In future, too, so long as there is no negotiated settlement to the current tragic situation in Tibet, and the Sino-Tibetan dispute remains unresolved, it is inevitable that we will have to carry out numerous more campaign actions. In view of this prospect, we look forward to continuous support from everyone concerned.Given the fact that this year’s 10th March anniversary coincides with the change of leadership in the People’s Republic of China, we would like to propose the following mutually beneficial suggestions for consideration by the new leaders of China:1) Accept that the Sino-Tibetan dispute deserves to be, needs to be, and can be solved, and begin at once peaceful negotiations on the basis of the mutually beneficial Middle Way approach.2) Concerning the critical situation in Tibet today in general and especially in order to save the Tibetan people whose precious lives are still being lost in self-immolations, the government of China should carry out an investigation on the basis of seeking truth from facts and with impartiality. Besides, people from the international media as well as from governments and non-governmental organizations should be allowed to visit Tibet.3) The government of China should change the hardline, violent, and oppressive policies it is currently pursuing in Tibet, for if it fails to do so, there is no doubt that the hostility between it and the Tibetan people will increase. Hence, China must forthwith end its policies of violence and repression against the Tibetan people.4) On the basis of a clear understanding of the gravity of the highly critical situation in Tibet today, the government of China should protect the Tibetan people’s human rights, their religion and culture, their linguistic heritage, and their natural

environment. It should end the ethnic discrimination, violent repression, torture, and other forms of ill-treatment against the Tibetan people. In this milieu, it should also release forthwith all the Tibetan political prisoners, including the young reincarnate Panchen Rinpoche.The international community also should not maintain a distant view of the ongoing violent repression being carried out against the Tibetan people. Rather, leaders of nations and officials of governments should adopt a clear stand and intervene in whatever fruitful ways they are able to, for the time to act in this way is overdue and we would like to make an emphatic appeal in this regard.Within the Tibetan people ourselves, efforts should be directed at seeking to achieve a just solution to the Tibet issue, acting with a sense of fraternity and unity. With this end in view, the Tibetan people should pool whatever capabilities they may have for the purpose of achieving the common goal. They should not resort to speaking, writing articles and propagating information through the various communication channels without any sense of responsibility. Rather, we emphatically appeal that everyone stand together, turn in the same direction, and direct their efforts at achieving the common desires of the Tibetan people, both in Tibet and in exile.Finally, we pray, remembering the gratitude we owe to him for all his enormous sacred deeds of body, speech, and mind, that His Holiness the Dalai Lama live for a hundred eons for the sake of all the sentient beings of this world in general and, especially, for the benefit of the Tibetan people, both in Tibet and in exile, as the common embodiment of their sacred savior. On that basis, may His Holiness the Dalai Lama be able, in all speediness, to set foot on the Land of Snows, his appointed realm of spiritual teaching, and the Tibetans left behind in Tibet and in exile be reunited.

Tibetan minister visits snow-affected nomads in Jangthang region, Ladakh

By The Tibet Post International: 09 March 2013

Leh: A top official of the exile Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) has met with members of the Tibetan nomadic community in Ladakh’s Jangthang region, northern India, who were severely hit by heavy snowfall this winter.Ms Dolma Gyari, Kalon (minister) of the Department of Home, announced the Kashag’s (cabinet’s) decision to release Rs 5 lakh, ex-gratia. The Office of the Chief Representative extended its sincere thanks to the Kashag for the timely help. The Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama also offered the affected nomadic herders Rs 10 lakh as compensation, on February 27.Ms Dolma was scheduled to begin visits to the nomadic settlements in Jangthang on March 8, according to the CTA media, Tibet.net.The Chief Representative’s office said heavy snowfall between January and February had trapped the Tibetan nomadic community, killing over 5,000 livestock, including goats and many sheep.

A film director who is making a documentary about Tibetan political leader Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay is keen to meet Tibetans with “interesting stories to tell”.Christian Paehler (36), from Munich in Germany, needs the stories to expand his 90-minute documentary The Outsider - for which he began following Dr Sangay two days before his election in April 2011 - beyond the political arena, in order to give an accurate and personal perspective on Tibetan life in exile.Mr Paelher, who has been directing documentaries in Germany and India for the past 15 years, said, “In The Outsider we don’t simply aim to present the story of the Tibetan people, His Holiness the Dalai Lama and China. The film is about universal questions of identity

Home Kalon Dolma Gyari meeting with members of the Tibetan nomadic community in Ladakh. Photo: Tibet.net

The worst affected areas were, Kakshung, Goyul, Chumur, Hanley, Sumdho and Nyoma in Jangthang. Army units, including ITBP, ITBF and Vikas

(Army), opened the roads, housed people in tents and supplied them necessities such as food, medicine and fodder for their livestock.

International documentary maker seeks personal stories on Tibetan life in exile for film about Dr Lobsang Sangay

By Sophie Jay: 12 March 2013

and how important it is to feel at home.“How important is it to make good things from the past into good things in the future, and to terminate bad things from the past? How can you bring such an ancient culture into the modern age? It all has to do with feeling at home, feeling loved and knowing your identity.“The political system in Tibet before 1950 was not democratic,” continued Mr Paelher, who has nurtured a deep fascination with Tibet and its people since receiving books on the country as a Christmas present when he was a small boy.“This is also what His Holiness told me during a private audience in 2011, when he said that political and spiritual issues have to be separated.

“Before the Arab Spring, the Arab world was also not democratic, but the highest level people in these countries didn’t have the idea to say, ‘OK, our political system is not up to date any more. We have to create reforms and build a new democratic society.’“But His Holiness decided that it wasn’t up to date to have someone who is both a spiritual and political leader. No-one was putting pressure on him. He decided this on his own.”If you have an interesting story about Tibetan life in exile which you would like to share with Mr Paelher and his crew, please contact him on: [email protected], visit the The Outsider’s Facebook page: www.facebook.com/TheOutsiderthefilm, or the film’s website at: www.theoutsider-documentary.com.

China launches crackdown on personal cellphones in Tibetan capital Lhasa

By Matthew Singh Toor: 11 March 2013

Chinese soldiers patrol the plaza in front of the Jokhang Temple in Tibet’s capital Lhasa, 2009. Photo: TPI

Dharamshala: Following their destruction of satellites dishes earlier in the year, the Chinese authorities in Tibetan capital Lhasa have begun a campaign to examine personal cellphones owned by Tibetans, particularly those in monastic institutions.The crackdown was launched on March 10 - the 54th anniversary of the Tibetan uprising in Lhasa. Sources inside Tibet said a special ‘work team’ arrived in Lhasa on March 7, comprising experts in cellphone security and technology.The latest move is targeted at Tibetans who share information about Tibet with those in foreign countries, whom local authorities intend to punish

with detention and imprisonment.On March 8, the team visited Drepung Monastery, where it began security screenings of monks’ cellphones. The operation was expected to last for four days.Cellphone crackdowns will also be carried out in Sera and Ganden monasteries, and later Ramoche and Tsuglakhang (Jokhang) temples. Other smaller monastic institutions will be subject to the operation in the coming months, in accordance with decisions taken by the local government.Information is routinely censored in Tibet and the Chinese authorities make liberal use of its ‘state secrets law’ to prosecute and imprison Tibetan dissent and resistance.

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5The Tibet Post International TPI NEWS March 15, 2013 Dharamshala

TPI NEWS6 The Tibet Post InternationalMarch 15, 2013 Dharamshala RELIGIoN

India is the land of ancient wisdom: His Holiness the Dalai Lama


Raipur: India is the land of wisdom, where civilization developed in ancient times, His Holiness the Dalai Lama told an avid audience in Raipur, central India, on March 7.Addressing the first convocation ceremony of Kushabhau Thackeray University of Journalism and Mass Communication (KTUJMC) in Chattisgarh state, the Tibetan spiritual leader said that modern education is important but we should not neglect the ancient Indian education system as it gives us deeper knowledge of Indian culture and tradition.His Holiness praised India as an example of the way people of different religions and faiths can live together in harmony. Every country across the world, he said, has its own culture, tradition and philosophical thoughts, but India is the only country which provides space for Jainism, Sikhism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, etc. He added that, “We should all draw strength from our traditional and cultural values.”Referring to his morning visit to the sprawling historical site of Sirpur, 75km away, and its Laxman temple and Buddha viharas, His Holiness commented, “Really amazing! The history of Sirpur is glorious. I am now carrying the memories of Lord Buddha from here.’’ He added that he felt blessed and would like to sit in meditation at Sirpur when he next visited.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama receives a memento from His Excellency Shri Shekhar Dutt, Governor of Chattisgarh, during a luncheon in Raipur, 7 March 2013. Photo: Tenzin Taklha/oHHDL

Also speaking at the ceremony, during which around 425 degrees and 24 gold medals were awarded to graduates, the Honorable Dr Raman Singh, Chief Minister, said that it was a matter of great joy for the state of Chattisgarh in general, and for the students of KTUJMC in particular, that the chief guest of the convocation, His Holiness, was the harbinger of world peace. The Chief Minister continued that the

meditation of His Holiness the Dalai Lama at Sirpur will enter the records as the second great event since Nagarjuna made his sojourn there, that His Holiness followed in the footsteps of Mahatma Gandhi for the sake of Tibet, and that the entire world has become a home for him.During his visit, His Holiness also met with members of the Tibetan settlements in Mainpat, Chattisgarh, and Bhandara, Maharashtra.

Newly appointed Canadian religious freedom ambassador to visit ‘forbidden’ countries

By Yeshe Choesang and Matthew Singh Toor: 07 March 2013

Dharamshala: The newly appointed Canadian religious freedom ambassador, Dr Andrew Bennett, has said he will be visiting ‘forbidden’ countries which suffer from a lack of religious freedom and freedom of conscience.Dr Bennett was appointed by the Canadian prime minister, Stephen Harper, on February 19 to “amplify the voice of voiceless people around the world”.On March 3, Canada’s Catholic Register quoted Dr Bennett as saying, “I’ll be travelling a fair bit to countries where there is a lack of freedom of religion, a lack of freedom of conscience, meeting with groups that are experiencing persecution. I expect to be fairly busy.”His comment came after Mr Guy Saint-Jacques - a career diplomat and Canada’s climate-change negotiator - was denied permission by Beijing to enter Tibet. Dr Lobsang Sangay, Sikyong (political leader) of the exile Central Tibetan Administration, had strongly urged Canada to send Mr Bennett to

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper with Dr Andrew Bennett (R), in Maple, Ontario. Photo: Frank Gunn

His Holiness the Dalai Lama receives doctorate from Himachal university....... Continued from front page

widespread. Moreover, while many people are driven by greed, others act mainly out of fear of losing the possessions, wealth and power they already have.“Wars are fought, people are killed or driven from their homes and entire communities are destroyed, because of human greed and fear. All over the world, people no different from us see their lives ruined by someone else’s desire to gain, or [their] fear of losing their territory, economic resources and cultural and political supremacy - not to mention naked ideological and religious self-righteousness. This is not something that only happens elsewhere, for it is often governments that we have elected, and corporations whose products and services we buy or whose shares we own, that cause suffering while pursuing their narrow interests. Sooner and later, the victims of such short-sightedness attempt to defend themselves and assert their right to happiness. Tension and conflict result.”Speaking further on conflict, His Holiness said, “Clearly, many of the world’s problems and conflicts arise because we have lost sight of the basic humanity that binds us all together as a human family. We forget that, despite the diversity of race, religion, ideology and so forth, people are equal in their basic wish for peace and happiness. However, such goals will not be achieved by merely talking or thinking about them, nor by waiting for someone else to do something about them. We each have to take responsibility as best we can within our own sphere of activity. As free human beings we can use our unique intelligence to try to understand our world and ourselves. But if we fail to use our creative potential, we will forego one of the basic characteristics of human beings.“As our world becomes smaller and communication becomes faster, we are all much more interdependent. Therefore, it is essential that we look to the future, not only with an international perspective and respectful appreciation of other people, their cultures and environments, but also with a broad and long-sighted outlook.”

His Holiness called upon the students present at the ceremony to preserve India’s ancient treasure of knowledge and combine it with modern education for a better future. “Though modern education is essential for development,” he said, “you should also treasure your traditional knowledge, which is thousands of years old.” He added that modern education is oriented towards materialistic values and can only provide physical comfort, not mental peace.“There is a big difference between appearance and reality,” His Holiness said, “and the very purpose of education is to reduce ignorance and lead us towards reality. I pray and do analytical meditation every day, but I think the effect must come from action, not just from desire.” Addressing those students who have been awarded degrees, the spiritual leader said that they have reached a crucial point in their lives and that it is now time to face the real world. “Life is not easy and it depends on yourself how you want to live it,” he said. “Things will be more complicated from now onwards and you will have to prepare yourself. If you take things for granted there will be a lot of disturbance in life.”His Holiness concluded by drawing together ancient and modern history, saying that the concept of quantum physics, which the Western world developed in the last century, had actually been described in the text of Nagarjuna almost 2,000 years ago. He also pointed out that Buddhism was introduced to Tibet by the great masters from Nalanda University in India, in the 8th and 9th centuries.“India has a long and rich ethical tradition, exemplified by self-sacrifice and non-violence. But it is not enough to talk admiringly about these qualities - we must incorporate them into our daily lives. We must apply them to our relations within our own families and communities. If we look forward to great peace, justice and honesty in society, we must start by applying these values ourselves.”

China jails senior Buddhist monk for one year and three months


old Yarphel, of Yershong Monastery in Rebkong county, eastern Tibet, to one year and three months. The sources told The Tibet Post International that, “Yarphel is a respected senior Tibetan Buddhist monk.”Dorjee Lhundup, a 25-year-old Tibetan, set himself on fire on 4 November 2012 in Rebkong, Amdho region. Chinese security forces attempted to force their way towards the body and remove his remains from the site.Lhundup died at the scene and his body was protected by local Tibetans and monks, who then cremated him. “The Venerable Yarphel was charged over accusations of taking part in carrying Lhundup’s ashes from Rongpo Monastery to his home-town,” TPI’s sources said. “[Lhundup] is originally from Dragkar village, Rebkong, Malho…and his father’s name is Lhubum Gyal.”The report follows news that three Tibetans from Dzamtsa Lotso village in Luchu, Amdho region, were sentenced to jail terms of up to 15 years for their alleged involvement in self-immolation protests. Their trials took place behind closed doors.

A number of recent photos from Tibet show a heavily armed Chinese military presence in Rebkong and surrounding areas, deployed during and after the Losar (Tibetan new year) religious festivities.At least 107 Tibetans, including monks, nuns, students and laypersons, have self-immolated in Tibet since 2009. Most have reportedly died calling for the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Tibet, the preservation of the Tibetan language, and an end to restrictions on freedom of religion. Many have also called for Tibetan independence.“We remain concerned by the deteriorating human rights situation in Tibetan areas,” US state department acting deputy spokesman Patrick Ventrell told reporters on March 1, “including the numerous tragic self-immolations that have occurred and related reports of detentions and arrests.“We’ve also seen…in Nepal, self-immolations. We continue to call on the Chinese Government to permit Tibetans to express grievances freely, publicly, peacefully, and without fear of retribution.“And we urge Tibetans to end self-immolations,” Mr Ventrell added.

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Tibet to investigate the cases of over 107 Tibetans who have self-immolated since 2009.“Religious freedom is one of the core issues causing self-immolation,” Dr Sangay told MPs at a Canadian parliamentary human rights committee meeting.

Dr Bennett, who has previously worked for the Privy Council Office and Natural Resources Canada, made it clear that his area of focus will be international religious freedom issues, saying, “My focus is on foreign policy, not domestic.” He stressed that Canada’s business relations with the countries concerned would not compromise its commitment to being the voice for the voiceless. “Whether with China, Iran or Pakistan, we will be consistent,” he said.Prime Minister Harper urged Dr Bennett to keep track of the day-to-day religious freedom situation across the world. “In China, Christians who worship outside government-approved boundaries are driven underground,” he said, “and their leaders are arrested and detained, while Uyghur Muslims, Tibetan Buddhists, and Falun Gong practitioners are subjected to repression and intimidation.”“Canada will not forget you,” Mr Harper promised the millions of people who face religious persecution. “We will use our freedom to plead for yours.”

Three Tibetans sentenced to jail terms for alleged role in self-immolation


Lhamo Dhondup, Dorjee Dhondup, Kalsang Kyab, Kalsang Sonam, Kalsang Namdren and Sonam Kyi.On January 31, a court in Sichuan sentenced another Tibetan to death with a two-year reprieve for “inciting eight people to self-immolate, three of whom died,” and on February 7 the Chinese media agency Xinhua reported that authorities in Qinghai had detained 70 “criminal suspects”, of whom twelve were arrested, since November 2012.Among the 70 detainees was Phagpa (27), who was sentenced to 13 years in jail. Xinhua reported that Phagpa had travelled illegally from Tibet to India in 2005, where he received training at “an institute specially created for the Tibetan independence”. According to Xinhua, after Phagpa’s return to Tibet he taught English at an orphanage and “delivered agitative speeches at the funerals of self-immolators”.Nyima TJ, a Tibetan political analyst living in exile, told TPI, “There is great confusion when the world talks about the decisions made by Chinese court officials, announcing the deprivation of civil and political rights of Tibetans for certain years. There are no civil and political rights, because any type of political activity or peaceful protest is not allowed. “Hu Jintao’s version of harmony has brought only deadly bloodshed in Tibet, that has pushed China

to the top of the list of worst human rights abusers in modern history. The whole world knows [the situation] cannot be helped without real political reform and openness in China, but so-called harmony is only possible if the violation of human rights is stopped in Tibet.”Nyima continued, “Arbitrarily detaining people and forcing them to undergo political indoctrination is an abuse of Chinese and international laws. The sentences are unjustified and against international norms. The Chinese government is playing with the lives of innocent Tibetans, and the world community, including governments, cannot remain silent on the current tragic situation in Tibet.“It is true that the communist regime has brought some economic development - mainly infrastructure development - inside Tibet since the occupation, but the question is who actually benefited from this development in Tibet?“The developed transport facilities have assisted the regime to extract resources from Tibet and facilitated bringing more Chinese immigrants into Tibet. Newly constructed huge buildings accommodate the government and military officials.”Nyima concluded, “Of course, there is an economic development in Tibet, but it is not because of China - we can see this kind of development in every corner of the world.”

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TPI NEWS 7INTERNATIoNALThe Tibet Post International March 15, 2013 Dharamshala

Sikyong seeks Canada’s help in solving Tibet issue peacefully

By James Dunn and Matthew Singh Toor: 04 March 2013

From left: Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay with Mrs Peggy Nash and Mr Thomas Mulcair, leader of the official opposition, in Ottowa, 27 February 2013. Photo: TPI

Dharamsala: Dr Lobsang Sangay, the Sikyong (political leader) of the exile Central Tibetan Administration has implored the Canadian Parliament to stand by Tibet as the wave of self-immolations in the occupied country continues.Addressing the parliament’s Subcommittee on International Human Rights in Ottawa on February 26, Dr Sangay said, “The causes of self-immolation protest are occupation of Tibet and repression of Tibetans.”The Sikyon began his speech by saying, “It is an honour and privilege to be in your presence to testify about the situation in Tibet on behalf of the Tibetan people. I would like to extend deep appreciation to Canada for awarding His Holiness the Dalai Lama the honorary citizen of Canada. We also welcome the statement issued by honorable foreign minister John Baird on December 14 on the self-immolations, particularly encouraging the Chinese government to enter into dialogue with His Holiness the Dalai Lama and his representatives.“The Central Tibetan Administration maintains that we have to resolve the issue of Tibet peacefully through dialogue, and Middle Way is the official policy which seeks genuine autonomy within the framework of the Chinese constitution.”Dr Sangay went on to praise the Canadian government for allowing the migration of Tibetans into to the country since December 2010, when Canadian minister Jason Kenney announced, “Our government’s openness to Tibetan refugees is in keeping with Canada’s best humanitarian traditions.”The Sikyong next focused on the self-immolations, which have received much media attention in Canada. “I am sad to inform that the number is keep on increasing and now we have 107 cases of self-immolations,” he said.“It all started in 2009 and there was only one case that year inside Tibet. In 2011, there were 13 cases…but unfortunately, in 2012, the majority of self-immolations took place, including 28 cases in the month of November alone, when the Chinese Communist Party had its 18th party congress.“This year, several self-immolations have taken place and the self-immolators’ universal slogan or aspirations are that His Holiness the Dalai Lama return to Tibet. Canada has witnessed His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s visit where thousands of Canadians have met him and heard him. But that right is denied to Tibetans inside Tibet. Hence the universal aspiration of Tibetans inside Tibet to have His Holiness the Dalai Lama return to Tibet. “The second aspiration is to have freedom for Tibetans. We fully recognise and appreciate democracy, freedom and rule of law, which are three core principles of Canada enshrined in the Canadian constitution also. That freedom, which the Canadians enjoy, is the aspiration of Tibetans inside Tibet.”Dr Sangay continued, “As far as Tibetan Buddhism is concerned, 108 is an auspicious

number but, unfortunately, if there is one more self-immolation it will be very inauspicious in the history of Tibet… Hence, the Tibetan administration and I have made repeated calls to Tibetans inside Tibet not to resort to self-immolation. We have categorically discouraged drastic actions including self-immolation, because as a human being we do not want see anyone die the way Tibetans are doing inside Tibet.”The Sikyong then addressed China’s stance on the self-immolation issue, saying, “Unfortunately, the Chinese government, instead of finding solution, is resorting to the blame game and they are blaming us as the instigator. First they said the self-immolators are crazy and they have lost their mind. When this did not work, they started saying these are jobless, hopeless people. Then when, self-immolation escalated, they said these are instigated from outside, by us.“There is not even a shred of evidence as far as these allegations are concerned and we have welcomed the Chinese government to come to Dharamsala to see our files and look for evidence if there is any. We can categorically say that the allegations made by the Chinese government are baseless.“In reality, the blame and solution lies with Beijing. The causes of self-immolation are occupation of Tibet and repression of Tibetans. Tibetans are saying occupation is unacceptable and repression is unbearable. Hence there is political repression, economic marginalisation, environmental destruction, cultural assimilation, and denial of religious freedom.“These are the reasons why Tibetans are forced to resort to self-immolation,” said Dr Sangay. “There is no space for any kind of protest and there is no freedom of speech for Tibetans. Hence tragically and sadly, they are resorting to self-immolation.” He concluded, “Having said all that, we do believe…that we have to find the solution through peaceful means. Tibetans have subscribed to non-violence and democracy for these many decades. We will continue to subscribe and believe in these principles. So we seek the support from friends like you who believe in freedom, who believe in democracy, that the Chinese government ought

to enter into dialogue to solve the issue of Tibet peacefully.”On February 27, Mr Irwin Cotler, MP for Mount Royal, told the Canadian parliament, “Our International Human Rights Subcommittee received…Dr Lobsang Sangay, who provided compelling testimony on the ongoing repression and persecution of Tibetans by the Chinese government.”The subcommittee is in the midst of a study entitled The Human Rights Situation in Tibetan Areas of China, which resulted from meetings between Canadian Members of Parliament and Tibetan officials during the World Parliamentarian Convention on Tibet which took place in Ottawa in April 2012.

Mr Cotler said, “Dr Sangay spoke with great sadness of the 107 Tibetans since 2009 who have expressed the ultimate cry of protest through self-immolation - which we ignore both at their peril and our own - to protest against the occupation and environmental degradation of their lands, against arbitrary detention and forced disappearance, and against marginalization, cultural suppression and the denial of religious freedom.“Tibetans value democracy, freedom and respect for the rule of law, while subscribing to the principle of non-violence in their pursuit of genuine autonomy, pursuant to the Chinese constitution.” Mr Cotler concluded by listing the numerous ways in which Canada could and should stand with Tibet. “Let us all join our voices with Dr Sangay,” he said, “in calling on Canada to press China to dialogue with the Tibetan administration, to permit Canadian representatives to visit Tibet, and to work closely with the US, EU and international partners to end the persecution and pain of Tibetans.”During his visit, organised in collaboration with the Canada Tibet Committee, Dr Sangay met with MPs from the Parliamentary Friends of Tibet group and Canada’s Minister of Immigration, Multiculturalism and Citizenship, Monsieur Jason Kenney. He also appeared on several TV shows, including Power and Politics, and was interviewed by the Globe and Mail newspaper.

Kirti Rinpoche testifies before European Parliament human rights subcommittee

By The Tibet Post International: 08 March 2013

From left: MEP Barbara Lochbihler, chair of the human rights subcommittee, His Eminence Kirti Rinpoche, and Ms Rigzin Choedon Genkhang of the Office of Tibet in Brussels. Photo: Tibet.net

Brussels: Kirti Rinpoche, the head of the Kirti monastic community, which has witnessed the highest number of self-immolations in Tibet, has testified before the human rights subcommittee of the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium.In a statement on March 7, the Rinpoche expressed his deep gratitude to the European Parliament for its consistent support of the non-violent freedom struggle of the Tibetan people, and for giving him the opportunity to exchange views with its members.The Rinpoche briefed the panel on the deteriorating human rights situation inside Tibet, particularly in the Ngaba region, expressing his immediate concern for the safety of the families, relatives and friends of the 107 self-immolators who are being given heavy sentences, including the death sentence, for their alleged role in ‘inciting’ self-immolation. The MEPs present listened attentively to his testimony and expressed their deep concern for and solidarity with the Tibetan people in their freedom struggle.

Kirti Rinpoche called on the European Parliament to take concrete action to help preserve Tibetan language, religion, culture and identity, and urged it to adopt a resolution demanding an immediate end to repressive policies and the withdrawal of Chinese security forces from Tibetan areas. He also called for the immediate release of all Tibetans imprisoned under false charges for their alleged role in the self-immolations, and for unfettered access for independent fact-finding delegations and the media to examine the real situation in Tibet.Later in the day, the Rinpoche met with prominent EU officials and attended the 95th meeting of the All Party Tibet Inter-group. The meeting was also attended by MEPs, parliamentary assistants, NGO representatives and Ms Chungdak Koren, the Tibetan Parliament-in-exile’s Europe representative.Following the Rinpoche’s visit, the Office of Tibet in Brussels stated, “It has come to our knowledge that China’s EU ambassador is also actively seeking meetings with officials that met Rinpoche during his visit to Brussels.”

Members of European Parliament briefed on human rights situation in Tibet

By The Tibet Post International: 28 February 2013

Brussels: Mr Ngodup Dorjee, the representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to the European Union (EU) addressed the All Party Tibet Intergroup (TIG) on February 26.Mr Dorjee expressed his gratitude to TIG’s members and the European Parliament for their consistent support of the Tibetan people’s non-violent struggle over the years, saying that their efforts had led to the adoption of an impressive number of resolutions on Tibet, and showed deep concern about the deplorable human rights situation in the country. “This will go a long way to reassure the Tibetans in Tibet that the leaders of the free and democratic world have not forgotten them,” he said.Mr Dorjee added that the situation in Tibet remains dire and apprised the TIG of how the Chinese authorities are meting out death and harsh prison sentences to Tibetans arrested on false charges

From left: MEP Thomas Mann, chair of the Tibet Intergroup, representative Ngodup Dorjee, MEP Landsbergis and MEP Csaba Sogor. Photo: Tibet.net

of inciting self-immolation protests.“The gravity of the situation calls for the immediate attention and intervention of the EU”, he said, calling on TIG members to take the lead in initiating more concerted and coordinated actions to deal with the situation.Mr Dorjee also urged the EU Special Representative for Human Rights to visit Tibet to investigate the real causes behind the self-immolations and other human rights violations.The meeting was chaired by MEP Thomas Mann, president of the TIG, and was attended by MEPs, NGO representatives and parliamentary assistants.The European Parliament’s TIG was founded in 1987 by MEP Michel Hervé, with the intention of disseminating information on Tibet and discussing the Tibet situation, in hope of finding a way forward.

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.... World leaders.......... Continued from front page

are not doing anything about the tragic situation in Tibet. His comment came in the wake of the 107 self-immolations in Tibet since 2009.The Rinpoche continued that the survival of Tibetan Buddhism affects not only the Tibetan people but also the world and that the preservation of Tibetan Buddhism implies the survival of Tibetan Buddhist science and philosophy.He added that Tibetan Buddhism can be only studied in Tibetan language, on which the Chinese government is placing restrictions.Born to a Kalmyk Mongolian family in the US, Telo Rinpoche studied at a Tibetan Buddhist monastery in South India from the age of seven. China’s occupation of Tibet prevented him from following the long tradition of Mongolians studying there. He told the meeting that he was able to visit Tibet in 2003 but was not allowed to travel or meet Tibetans freely.The other speakers at the event were Kirti Rinpoche, head of the Kirti monastery community, and Mr Adam Koziel of the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, Poland. The moderator was Ms Sophie Richardson of Human Rights Watch.Kirti Rinpoche said, “The present situation in Tibet is the result of 60 years of Chinese rule,” adding that his immediate concern was for the safety of the families, relatives and friends of those Tibetans who have self-immolated. In late 2012, Beijing vowed to charge Tibetans who ‘incite’ self-immolation with murder.The Rinpoche concluded that China must be held accountable to various pledges it had made when joining international bodies and that it must not get away with applying differing standards of human rights and democracy to different groups.

TPI NEWS8 The Tibet Post InternationalMarch 15, 2013 Dharamshala

UN releases correspondence with China on Jigme Dolma’s treatment by police....... Continued from front page

that the girl had “instigated Tibet’s independence and the splitting of the country. She has violated the laws of China and has gone beyond the scope of freedom of expression.”On June 29 2012, The Tibet Post International reported that “a 17-year-old Tibetan girl named Jigmey Dolma was arrested at 9.30pm for protesting against the brutalities within Chinese-occupied Tibet. The girl shouted slogans in her native language such as ‘Free Tibet’, ‘the Dalai Lama must be returned to Tibet’ and ‘all political prisoners must be released - including the Panchen Lama’. She continued to protest for approximately four minutes, after which she was taken into custody by the Chinese police. When she reached the main part of town, police overwhelmed her and took her away, beating her at the same time.” On 9 August 2012, eight UN investigative bodies made a joint urgent appeal to China, seeking information on the systematic undermining of the autonomous function of Tibet and the right to freedom of religion, culture and expression of the Tibetan Buddhist community. The communication asked for information on the following issues:1) The replacement of existing monastic Democratic Management Committees with Monastery Management Committees.2) Patriotic re-education and legal education campaigns, including the closure of monasteries.3) The self-immolations in Lhasa on 27 May 2012, which led to the round-up of around 600 Tibetans, and the arbitrary expulsion of several hundred Tibetans from eastern areas of the Tibetan plateau, without any accusation of past political activity or wrongdoing.4) The notification by the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) Committee for Discipline Inspection and Supervision Department which banned party members, cadres, government officials and students

from participating in religious activities such as Saka Dawa.5) The arrest of hundreds of Tibetan pilgrims, including some 75 to 80-year-olds, upon their return to the TAR in January 2012. The pilgrims were searched and arrested at the Nepali border for “illegally crossing the border to attend the Dalai Lama’s teachings,” despite having travelled from China with valid Chinese travel documents.6) The cases of over 64 Tibetan intellectuals who have been arrested and/or sentenced, or who have been sacked from their jobs or demoted since March 2008. The detention and whereabouts of the Singer Lolo (29). The popular Tibetan comedian, Arther (33), who was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment. The detention of handicapped singer Phulchung in June 1012. The Tibetan writer and poet, Ms Tsering Woeser, who was unable to collect an award from the Dutch Embassy in Beijing, due to house arrest.7) The closure of a 20-year-old Tibetan school by the Chinese authorities on 2 April 2012, for teaching and promoting Tibetan culture and language at Khadrok village in Rongpo Tsa Lema Township, Karze county. The school’s director, Nyendak, and a teacher, Yama Tsering, were arrested by Karze County Public Security Bureau officers, and their whereabouts remains unknown. A Tibetan orphanage school in Kanlho (Gansu Province), which housed 50 students, was also closed on the grounds that it taught Tibetan language and culture.China has provided no response to the above issues.Since mid-January, representatives Tseten Samdup Chhoekyapa and Tenzin Samphel Kayta of the Tibet Bureau in Geneva have met with 17 diplomats from the EU, USA, Canada and Asian and Latin countries, as well as UN officials and international NGOs, to brief them on the deteriorating human rights situation in Tibet.

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China arrests five Tibetans on uprising anniversaryBy Yeshe Choesang, Monday, 11 March 2013

Dharamshala: The Chinese authorities arrested five Tibetans in Sershul (Chinese: Serxu) county, Karze (Chinese: Ganzi) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, on March 10 - the 54th anniversary of Tibetan National Uprising Day.According to the Tibetan Center for Human Rights and Democracy in Dharamshala, northern India, at around 11 am local time three monks from Ganden Samten Dhargyeling monastery in Dzachukha area, Sichuan province, staged a protest march in Sershul county town, and were arrested along with two Tibetan laymen, who were actually trying to dissuade the monks from protesting for fear of arrest.The monks shouted slogans about freedom, democracy, and the need for a Middle Way approach to solve the Tibet issue. They also carried a huge flag emblazoned with a portrait of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, according to sources inside Tibet.The monks were identified as Lobsang Samten (31), son of father Kardey and mother Tashi Dolma, Sonam Namgyal (26), son of Lonpa and Gyagyong, and Thupten Gelek (29), son of Tsering Soede and Lhadon.

The two laymen were identified as Ngawang Gyatso (41), son of Soekyap and Tsewang Lhamo, and Lobsang Kelsang (17), son of Jamyang Tsering and Jamyang Dolma, from Bumnying Village.

The three arrested monks from Geden Samten Dhargyeling Monastery: Thupten Gelek, Sonam Namgyal and Lobsang Samten. Photo: TCHRD

This is the first protest of its kind to have taken place in the area. Dzachukha is now the subject of a security lockdown by armed police. The whereabouts of the five detainees remains unknown.

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