Development in Tibet irked the miscreants

Lhasa (Tibet), July 21, (ANI): The recent demonstrations by people of Tibet, which disrupted the normal life, according to the Chinese have harmed development work being carried out by the Chinese Government.The vice chairman of the Tibetan Autonomous Region, Baima Chilin, who was recently in Lhasa, has blamed the Dalai Lama and his supporters who, according to him, instigated violent protests in Tibet.During the anti-China riots on March 14, the activists had allegedly burnt several shops and a school building in Lhasa. The violence left 18 people dead and several others as injured.While giving details of several development works being carried out by the Central government with the help of local government to a team of foreign mediapersons, Baima Chilin claimed that over 98 per cent of the students were receiving primary education at present in Tibet.In 1959, during Dalai Lama’s rule here, more than 90 percent of the people of Tibet were illiterate, he added.He admitted that transportation facilities in Tibet were not in very good shape at the moment, but all efforts were being made to improve them and soon there would be good infrastructure in the region.There had been, he claimed, steady improvement in agricultural production.According to available figures, in 1978 Tibet’s per capita GDP was 375 Yuan. It rose to 10,430 Yuan in 2006. Output value of Agriculture, Forestry, Animal husbandry and Fishery in Tibet during 1959 was 14,417 units, which has also risen to 704,765 units in 2006.The export and import trade value in 1970 was 10,30,000 (1.03 million) US dollars. In 2006, it was over 176.18 million US dollars. Output of major crops like Rice, wheat, winter wheat and Qingke Barley has also risen to many folds in the region.Total grain production in 1959 was 182,905 tonnes. In 200, it was 923,688 tonnes. The figures say that the financial revenue of the region has also risen from 133.02 million Yuan in 1959 to over 2.56 million Yuan in 2006. In Beijing, Dong Yunhu, the Director General of the State council information office said that Tibet issue is an issue of modernization of Tibet.Yunhu said since 1959 when the Tibet was taken over by the Chinese Government from the clutches of Dalai Lama, the Central government decided to work for Tibet’s modernization and for the uplift of the inhabitants in the region, which is also and main human right issue.He alleged that most of the income of the monasteries and other religious places situated in Tibet was either spent for the maintenance of standard of living of the masters of the monasteries and not much had been spent over the development of Tibet and its people’s welfare.“It was the policy of the China's government to speed up development works in Tibet” Yunhu said.The rapid development in the region, it is argued, has forced Dalai Lama's supporters to run away from the monasteries.Yunhu said that the Dalai Lama and his administrators would find it difficult to maintain the pace of reforms in Tibet undertaken by the Central government of China. The Dalai Lama, he alleged, was not qualified to administer Tibet properly.Dong said that if Dalai wanted to return to China he could come as a Chinese citizen.While expressing his views on India China relations, Dong said, " I believe that the friendship between India and China is not only important for South Asia but for the whole world.”Dong appreciated the steps taken by India to contain the impact of demonstrations by the supporters of Dalai Lama against China during the march of Olympic Torch in New Delhi. He urged India to stop Dalai Lama and his supporters to indulge in activities against China.The Chinese and Tibetans leaders in Lhasa admitted that the issues connected with Tibet were difficult to solve and looked for support from India.

Mao and the Tibetan National Flag

Even Mao Zedong had heard about the existence of the Tibetan national flag. In his address to the parliamentarians at the 4th World Parliamentarians' Convention on Tibet held from 18 to 19 November 2005 in Edinburgh, His Holiness said, "Let's now come to the Tibetan national flag. I think some of the present Chinese officials when they see this flag (pointing at the Tibetan national flag) they become angry. They feel it is the sign of a splittist. When I was in China, on one occasion, Chairman Mao asked me whether we have a national flag or not. With a little hesitation, I said, 'Yes'. Then, Chairman Mao encouraged me by saying, You should keep the Tibetan national flag along with the red flag."In his biography, A Tibetan Revolutionary: The Political Life and Times of Bapa Phuntso Wangye, the founder of the Tibetan Communist Party, touches on this incident. He recounts, "Mao perceived that the Dalai Lama was concerned by his question and immediately told him, "That is no problem. You may keep your national flag."

Nepal Police detain 100 Tibetan separatists in Kathmandu after anti-China rally

Kathmandu, July 19 (ANI): Nepali Police have detained about 100 Tibetan separatists who were involved in anti-China activities in Kathmandu. The separatists were apprehended after they tried to throng the Chinese Embassy’’s visa office. In the process of doing so, they blocked a street that was already choked with heavy traffic. According to China’’s official news agency Xinhua, Nepal Police had to step in and disperse the rally, when the demonstrators shouted anti-China slogans and reiterated demands for a free and independent Tibet. During the ensuing melee, some Tibetan leaders of the rally climbed the wall of a nearby cinema, and instigated others to ignore the police’’s attempts at dissuasion. Xinhua quoted the Kathmandu Police Control Center as saying that the detainees were supposed to be released after being questioned in various police stations. The Government of Nepal has repeatedly said that Tibet is an inalienable part of China, and that it will not allow any anti-China activities on its territory.Tibetan separatists have staged frequent anti-China protests in Kathmandu since mid-March. The activities often turned ugly, leading to disruptions of city traffic and clashes with police which injured Nepali policemen. Chinese Ambassador Zheng Xianglin said last month that there were criminal acts of beating and smashing by Tibetan separatists in Kathmandu against other Tibetans who either refused to take part in anti-China activities or held different positions from the separatists.

Guess who's not invited to the Olympics?

Reuters[Monday, July 21, 2008 00:23]By Benjamin Kang LimBEIJING - The Dalai Lama may be the guest of honour of U.S. President George W. Bush, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other world leaders, but you won't find Tibet's exiled spiritual leader on the Beijing Olympics guest list.Also missing from the list is Ma Ying-jeou, the Harvard-educated, democratically elected president of self-ruled Taiwan which Beijing has claimed as its own since their split in 1949 amid civil war, despite a recent thaw in relations.The Dalai Lama's appearance could have helped repair China's international image, which was dented by a government crackdown following rioting among Tibetans in March -- the worst in the Himalayan region since 1989. But China fears he would steal Chinese President Hu Jintao's thunder."It's supposed to be Hu Jintao's Olympics, but it'll become the Dalai Lama's Olympics if he attends," a source familiar with government policy said requesting anonymity.The Dalai Lama, who fled into exile in India in 1959 after an abortive uprising against Chinese rule, had said during a visit to London in May that he hoped to attend the August 8-24 Games if talks between his envoys and China produced results.China has not rejected the Dalai Lama's overtures outright, but hopes were dampened when the closed-door talks ended with the government-in-exile accusing China of lacking sincerity.The Chinese government has blamed the Dalai Lama and his followers for instigating the March unrest and attempting to sabotage the Olympics, charges he has repeatedly denied.For China, the Games are supposed to showcase the prosperity and modernization of what is now the world's fourth-biggest economy after three decades of economic reforms and rapid growth.AND MA?Ma is a different story. China has mixed feelings for the Taiwan president, who is opposed to Taiwan formally declaring independence, a stance Beijing welcomes.But Ma has repeatedly urged China to politically reassess the 1989 Tiananmen Square pro-democracy protests -- anathema to the country's leaders.Beijing has sought to push Taiwan into diplomatic isolation and considers the island a province that must eventually return to the fold, by force if necessary."(Dignitaries) attending the Olympic opening are all heads of state, but China does not recognize Taiwan as a state," Taiwan political analyst Andrew Yang said by telephone."How will (Hu Jintao) address Ma Ying-jeou? 'Taiwanese leader' won't be acceptable to the Taiwan people or Ma."Hawks in the Chinese government are opposed to the Dalai Lama's visit, worried that thousands of Tibetans would flock to Beijing by plane, train, bus or horseback to catch a glimpse of their revered god-king, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989.There are more than 10 ministerial-level government and Communist Party bodies with a stake in blocking the Dalai Lama's return, including the local governments of Tibet, Qinghai, Gansu, Sichuan and Yunnan provinces, the Ministry of State Security, the Ministry of Public Security, the People's Liberation Army and the paramilitary People's Armed Police.For China, domestic stability during the Olympics is far more important than international applause."Even if there are people who want to change things, they would have all sorts of worries," Wang Lixiong, a Chinese author and expert on Tibet, said in an interview."In China, government officials do not hope for achievements but they hope to avoid committing mistakes," Wang said, referring to political risks for the leadership.

John Nichols: Obama, McCain & Tibet

The Capital Times[Monday, July 21, 2008 00:21]President Bush has announced that, despite China's violent crackdowns on dissent in Tibet and its support for the brutal dictatorships of Sudan and Burma, he will attend next month's opening ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics.In response, Barack Obama distinguished himself from the man he seeks to replace.Asked whether he, as president, would convey legitimacy on the Chinese government's recent actions by attending the opening ceremonies, Obama said, "In the absence of some sense of progress, in the absence of some sense from the Dalai Lama that there was progress, I would not have gone."This was not Obama's first statement regarding Tibet or the Dalai Lama, who this week is in Wisconsin as part of a visit to the United States.In a foreign policy address delivered in March, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee member said that the advancement of human rights must be a central U.S. priority. And he pointedly declared, "We can start now by speaking out for the human rights and religious freedom of the people of Tibet."Around the same time, Obama announced, "If Tibetans are to live in harmony with the rest of China's people, their religion and culture must be respected and protected. Tibet should enjoy genuine and meaningful autonomy."While Obama's election would represent a clear break with the compromised commitments of the Bush administration -- and of the Clinton administration before it -- the jury is still out on Republican John McCain.Without a doubt, McCain is more sensitive to concerns regarding China's human rights abuses than Bush. This spring, when the Chinese crackdown in Tibet turned particularly violent, the senator from Arizona issued an excellent statement."I deplore the violent crackdown by Chinese authorities and the continuing oppression in Tibet of those merely wishing to practice their faith and preserve their culture and heritage. I have listened carefully to the Dalai Lama and am convinced he is a man of peace who reflects the hopes and aspirations of Tibetans. I urge the government of the People's Republic of China to address the root causes of unrest in Tibet by opening a genuine dialogue with his holiness, the Dalai Lama, aimed at granting greater autonomy."At the time, McCain suggested that he might also boycott the opening ceremonies as a protest against Beijing's policies.In recent months, however, McCain has been increasingly critical of Obama's emphasis on diplomacy and respecting human rights when it comes to international affairs. When Bush announced he would attend the opening ceremonies, McCain made no formal move to condemn the decision.While Obama has been firmer in his embrace of human rights, McCain's past statements suggest a consciousness of what is at stake in the dispute over China's treatment of Tibet that runs far broader than that evidenced by George Bush or Bill Clinton during their presidencies.As such, though Bush's decision to attend the opening ceremonies is both disappointing and embarrassing, 2008 might yet be the year when America moves from the shadow of complicity into the sunlight of a more genuine commitment to human rights.

TYC to launch second “Tibetan People’s Mass Movement”, vows protests during Beijing Olympics

Tibetan Youth Congress readies to launch its second phase of the Tibetan People’s Mass Movement ahead of the 2008 Beijing Olympics and vows series of protests before and during the Games and reiterated its call on International community to “Boycott Beijing 2008 Olympics”, saying “No Olympics in China until Tibet is Independent”Dharamsala, July 21: With 2008 Summer Olympics due to begin in Beijing in less than three weeks, Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC) today announced it would launch the second phase of its “Tibetan People’s Mass Movement” ahead of the Games to highlight the issue of Tibet and its people’s plight.The Tibetan youth body, which struggles for the restoration of Tibet’s independence and decisively opposes Beijing’s right to host the prestigious international sporting event because of its “appalling Human rights record” and its ongoing oppression on Tibetan people in their homeland, also vowed to stage series of protests worldwide before and during the Beijing Games.“We have consistently stood by ‘No Olympics in China until Tibet is Free’ right from the start when China was given the right to host the Games in 2001,” TYC president Mr Tsewang Rigzin said during a press conference at the organisation’s head office here.The organisation, which claims over 30,000 members worldwide, plans to first launch an “Indefinite Fast for Tibet – without Food and Water” on July 28 in New Delhi before formally launching the second phase of the “Tibetan People’s Mass Movement” on August 7, on the eve of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.“To protest against the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and the continuing colonial occupation of Tibet by China, Tibetan Youth Congress will launch and “Indefinite Fast for Tibet – without Food and Water” on 28th July, 2008 at New Delhi as part of the Tibetan People’s Mass Movement”, Mr Rigzin said.The youth congress leader, however, insisted that his organisation’s activities would be based on the “principles of nonviolence and Gandhi’s tradition of ‘satyagraha’ (Insistence on Truth)”.“TYC will begin Tibetan People’s Mass Demonstration on 7 August, 2008 based on the principles of nonviolence and Gandhi’s tradition of ‘satyagraha’ (Insistence on Truth)” Mr Tsewang said, however, declining to give specific details of the number of participants and the exact venue for the entire protests. He said the details would be revealed later at an “appropriate time” for specific campaigns..“TYC will also organise many other campaigns throughout the Olympics”, Rigzin said, adding “With the start of ‘Indefinite Fast for Tibet – without Food and Water’ in New Delhi, all regional chapters of TYC will organize campaign against Beijing Olympics in their respective regions throughout the world”.According to Rigzin, TYC’s decision to carry out the second Phase of the movement before the Beijing Olympic Games was made according to the resolutions passed during the organisation’s General Body Meeting held in September 2007 at Dharamsala and the Annual Working Committee Meeting in July 2008 at Manali.TYC’s first Tibetan People’s Mass Movement against China was launched in the Indian capital, New Delhi, on August 8 last year to mark a one-year countdown to the Beijing Olympics. Over 25,000 Tibetans from India, Nepal and other countries are said to have taken part in it. The movement somehow turned out to be the single biggest protest gathering of Tibetans in exile and largest since the Tibetan uprising in Lhasa, Tibet’s capital city, in 1959.The first phase of the Movement, marked by a day-long peaceful demonstration, was disrupted, however, with the then TYC president calling on Tibetan demonstrators for its immediate end. With it an indefinite hunger strike by 14 Tibetans that began earlier on July 8 and continuing on its 33rd day was also ended.The then TYC leaders described the People's Mass Movement as an "effort to bring about a renewed vigour and vitality in the Tibetan movement” and called it a “departure from the traditional approach of appealing to the international community for support” by “putting direct pressure on the Government of People's Republic of China (PRC) by creating a situation where they have no choice but to respond” to their stated demands. The organisation’s executive members also vowed to resume the mass movement’s second phase at a later appropriate time.Reacting to China’s allegations calling TYC a Terrorist organisation engaged in violent activities, Mr Rigizn said the accusations are baseless devoid of any evidence. “In our almost 40 years of struggle for Tibet’s independence since TYC was formed in 1970, we have always adopted peaceful and non-violent strategic methods to achieve our goal,” he said.“The Chinese people deserve to host the Olympic Games but what the Tibetans and the Chinese people deserve more now is freedom; freedom of speech, of religion, of association, of equal opportunity, or electing their own government, of feeling safe in their own homes,” Mr Tsewang said of the Beijing’s right to host the games.“The day might not be far when Tibet will again be an independent nation and the Chinese people would be free from the inhuman communist regime, only then it will be the right time for Beijing to host the prestigious Olympic Games. But not now,” he said. “Not while the butchers of 1.2 million Tibetans remain in power. Not while the communist butchers of 70 million Chinese remain in power,” Tsewang added.For him Olympics are a “symbol of freedom and peace, an international event where friendship and brotherhood are celebrated” through sport. He accused the International Olympic Committee of breaching the ideals of the Olympics by honouring China with the right to host the games.Tibetan Youth Congress is the largest Tibetan non-governmental organisation outside Tibet and seeks to restore Tibet’s independence, a stand opposed to the “middle-way approach” seeking “real and meaningful autonomy” for Tibet as advocated by the exiled Tibetan Leader the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Government-in-exile.

Update on Tibet Demonstrations, 21 July 2008

Monday, July 21 2008 @ 11:55 pm BST10 July 2008
Ngaba (Ch: Aba) County, Ngaba "TAP", Amdo (incorporated into the Chinese province of Sichuan) - Three given arbitrary sentencesOn around 10 July, three people, who allegedly participated in a protest held in Ngaba county on 16 March, were given arbitrary sentences by the People's Intermediate Court of Ngaba "Tibetan Autonomous Region".Kelbar (23) from Lota township in the lower division of Ngaba county was sentenced to life prison. Terzoe (25) from Drongtoe Tsang family in Ngaba county was sentenced to 15 years and Tsegor (27) from Gongma Tsang family to 13 years of imprisonment.
18 June 2008
Nyagchu (Ch: Yajiang) County, Karze "TAP", Kham (incorporated into the Chinese province of Sichuan) - A monk commits suicide due to "patriotic re-education"Trangma, a monk from Minyak Drapa Yangdhen monastery in Nyagchu county, committed suicide on 18 June for not being able to undergo the "patriotic re-education" which mainly includes denouncing His Holiness the Dalai Lama.His aged mother Ache and other monks were warned and intimidated against disclosing information about this incident to the outside world. The work-teams have temporarily withdrawn from the monastery following his suicide.A school within the above-mentioned monastery with around 30 monk-students were closed down by the Chinese authorities as a part of their "patriotic re-education".
No Specific Date
Bathang (Ch: Batang) County, Karze "TAP", Kham (incorporated into the Chinese province of Sichuan) -Numerous men from Lingkha-Sho and Gangri villages flee to mountainsA few days back in July, Jampa Gyaltsen, a leader of Gheymo village with an influential personality, successfully mediated to resolve the long-standing land dispute between the Lingkha-Sho and Gangri areas.However, the Public Security Bureau (PSB) and officials from Bathang county arrived at the village, and decided to give the disputed land to Lingkha-Sho village saying that none other than the Chinese government has the authority to resolve the land disputes.The people of Gangri village were outraged by their decision. They opposed the authorities saying that their decision was an unfair and they were intentionally creating rift among the Tibetans. Therefore, the people can't listen to the Chinese authorities, and they should leave the village.However, the people were instead intimidated at a gun point by the PSB which has further infuriated them. As a result, the people started shouting slogans such as "Tibet belongs to Tibetans. Long live His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Tibet is an independent county." This has led the PSB and the officials to run away from the scene.Later, two truck full of Chinese forces and work-teams led by the county head arrived at the Gangri village to suppress its people. However, all the men from the village have already fled to the mountains. The Chinese forces continue to guard the village and have already ordered those to surrender. Till now, no one has surrendered. There are over 100 families in Gangri village.