Contact is taking a holiday!

Contact is taking a break after 25 years of bringing you news of Tibet and Tibetan issues. We are celebrating our 25 years by bringing you the story of Contact and the people who have made it happen, and our archive is still there for you to access at any time, and below you can read the story of Contact, how it came into being and the wonderful reflections of the people who have made it happen over the years.

When and how Contact will re-emerge and evolve will be determined by those who become involved.

News From Other Sites

China detains relatives of U.S. reporters in apparent punishment for Xinjiang coverage

Simon Denyer, 27 February 2018 Read original story here BEIJING — China’s security services have detained several close relatives of four U.S.-based reporters working for Radio Free Asia, in an apparent attempt to intimidate or punish them for their coverage … Continued

Liverpool deal with Tibet Water Resources to be target of protest

Source: bbc.com A protest calling for Liverpool to cancel a sponsorship deal with Tibet Water Resources will be held before Sunday’s game against Manchester City. The club signed a deal in July for Tibet Water Resources to be an official water partner in China, which claims sovereignty over the Himalayan read more →

Campaigners issue fresh call for Liverpool FC to drop controversial sponsor

Source: bdaily.co.uk Campaigners are renewing efforts to get Liverpool FC to drop their partnership with Chinese firm Tibet Water. International consumer group SumOfUs and Several Tibet organisations are working to convince the club to sever ties with the water company. They said the deal, announced last summer, “legitimises the torture read more →

China: Big Data Fuels Crackdown in Minority Region

Human Rights Watch, 24 February 2018 Read original story here (New York) – Chinese authorities are building and deploying a predictive policing program based on big data analysis in Xinjiang, Human Rights Watch said today. The program aggregates data about … Continued

‘Dictator for life’: Xi Jinping’s power grab condemned as step towards tyranny

The Guardian, 26 February 2018 Read original story here The news broke at three minutes to four on a chilly winter’s afternoon in a two-sentence bulletin. “The Communist party of China central committee proposed to remove the expression that the … Continued

China’s ocean observatory in Maldives sparks fresh security concerns

Times of India – (Read Original Story Here) NEW DELHI: A Joint Ocean Observation Station which China is looking to establish in the Maldives could prove to be another security challenge for the Indian government with the Maldivian opposition leaders … Continued

China proposes to let Xi Jinping extend presidency beyond 2023

BBC, 25 February 2018 Read original story here China’s governing Communist Party has proposed removing a clause in the constitution which limits presidencies to two five-year terms. The move would allow the current President Xi Jinping to remain as leader … Continued

Responsible media should not act as Beijing’s pawns when reporting on staged, forced confessions

Published in the Hong Kong Free Press (Read Original Story Here) I wouldn’t claim to be an expert on the resumption of China’s cultural revolution era-type forced TV confessions, but as one of the 70 or more people who have … Continued

Tibetans Honor Longtime Activist at New Year Festivities

by Kymelya Sari – February 20, 2018 (Read Original Story Here) Last Saturday, about 150 people gathered at Faith United Methodist Church in South Burlington to honor Grace Spring, an artist and a longtime activist and Tibetan supporter. The award ceremony was … Continued

Is China Hiding Information About Tibet’s Jokhang Temple Fire?

By Charlotte Gao, February 22, 2018 The Diplomat (Read Original Story here) On February 17 — one day after the Tibetan New Year or Losar, the most important traditional festival for Tibetans — a fire broke out in Lhasa’s Jokhang … Continued

Xinjiang ‘separatists’ and Tibet’s ‘Dalai cliques’ – targets in China’s latest organised crime crackdown

South China Morning Post – Tuesday, 20 February, 2018 (Read original Story Here) “Dalai surrogates” in Tibet and Xinjiang “separatists” are among the groups of people targeted by regional governments in China’s latest national crackdown on “organised crime”. The authorities … Continued

Mandarin approved as official language of Pakistan

ANI News, 19 February 2018 Read original story here Islamabad [Pakistan], Feb 19 (ANI): The Pakistani Senate on Monday approved a motion to declare Mandarin as one of the official languages of Pakistan. The motion said the step was necessary … Continued

Triad crackdown targets Xinjiang ‘Separatists’ and ‘Dalai Cliques’

South China Morning Post, 20 February 2018 Read original story here “Dalai surrogates” in Tibet and Xinjiang “separatists” are among the groups of people targeted by regional governments in China’s latest national crackdown on “organised crime”. The authorities in the … Continued

Analysis: Ramaphosa’s China Conundrum – to kowtow or hit back?

Kevin Bloom, Daily Maverick, 20 February 2018 In the wake of China’s apoplexy regarding the recent visit to South Africa of a vocal Tibetan leader, our new president faces a question of major moral and economic import: will Beijing make … Continued

Nepal leader vows to revive Chinese dam project, open to review pact over Nepalese soldiers in India

By Debasish Roy Chowdhury, South China Morning Post, 20 February 2018 Read original story here Nepal’s new communist prime minister will restart a Chinese-led US$2.5 billion hydropower project that was pulled by the previous government considered friendly towards India, and … Continued