Tibetan Headlines
Oct 5: Film Opens in NY
The film Tharlo has opened at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. By renowned Tibetan film-maker Pema Tseden the film is adapted from a novel written by Pema Tseden and depicts a man’s transition from a traditional shepherd's lifestyle to that of becoming part of the State system. The film depicts Tharlo’s quest for his personal identity and rights.
Oct 4: USAID Funding Award
Tibetan communities in south Asia have been awarded $23m (£18m) by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The grant, which is to strengthen self-reliance and resilience of Tibetan communities, is being awarded over a five year period from now until September 2021. Key focus areas will be leadership, successful economy, vitality of Tibetan communities and identity and culture.
Oct 3: Crackdowns to Increase
Wu Yingjie, the recently appointed Party Secretary of the Tibetan Autonomous Region, has vowed to “Deepen the struggle against the Dalai Lama clique” and to “Thoroughly expose the reactionary nature of the fourteenth Dalai Lama, crack down on separatist and subversive activities”. His speech follows His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s recent successful trip to Europe, where he addressed the European Parliament.
Sep 30: Released
Chodzin, a Tibetan who was sentenced to three years in prison after being linked to his sister’s self-immolation in 2013, has been released after completing his three-year sentence and returned to his village in Dzamthang in Sichuan. His sister Kalkyi, 30, a mother of four died during her protest in their village in Dzamthang Barma township in March 2013 .
Sep 29: 25th Anniversary
The former political prisoners group Gu-Chu-Sum is celebrating its 25th Anniversary while holding their three-day 7th General Body meeting. President Lukar Jam Atsok opened the meeting, saying the biggest weapon Tibetans hold against the Chinese Communist government is the unfathomable spirit of the Tibetan self-immolators and the political prisoners. Gu-Chu-Sum provides support to ex-political prisoners and works to secure the release of political prisoners in Tibet.
Sep 28: Another Detention
Dowa Samdrub, a friend of popular Tibetan writer Gangkye Drubpa Kyab who was rearrested last week, has been detained by police in southwestern China’s Sichuan province. Samdrub took part in a reception ceremony and was photographed with a picture of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and also greeted Kyab on his brief release from prison. Samdrub is only recently released from prison himself.
Sep 28: Papers for Refugees
The Nepal government has issued a notice to INHURED, a human rights organisation in Nepal, stating that Tibetan refugees in Nepal will be issued Registration Certificates. This follows INHURED’s submission to the National Human Rights Commission about the difficulties facing the 20,000 Tibetan refugees in Nepal who are without any identity papers.
Sep 27: New Justice Commissioner
Dr Ngawang Rabgyal has been voted in as the new Justice Commissioner of the Tibetan Supreme Justice Commission. He replaces one of the two Justice Commissioners, Mr Tsering Dhondup Namey Lhakang, who has retired from service. Dr Rabgyal is currently Secretary of the Department of Education, he has been serving the Central Tibetan Administration in various posts around the world since 1980.
Sep 26: Four More Arrests
Four more Tibetans were arrested with Tibetan writer Gangkye Dubpa Kyab for allegedly forming a group called the Anti-Communist Party Association and were given varying prison terms. Samdrup, 32, was sentenced to six years, he was briefly released in August but was rearrested on September 18. Three other Tibetans, Yudrang, Dransal and Shelgyal were sentenced to two, three and two years respectively, reports the Tibet Post International.
Sep 26: Voted Out
Dhardon Sharling has been voted out as Kalon for the Department of Information and International Relations in the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile. She had been nominated by Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay. Sharling said that the proceedings were a result of a democratic process which is a matter of pride for the exile administration. She secured the highest number of votes in the Chithue (Member of Parliament) polls earlier this year.
Sep 24: Writer Re-arrested
Gangkye Drubpa Kyab, 36, the popular Tibetan writer who was released from prison earlier this month, was taken into custody again after attending a reception in his honour. Local police told him he would be held for at least 15 days and said he should “change his thoughts and embrace the official political line” or risk being thrown back into jail, a local source has told Radio Free Asia.
Sep 24: Passports for Tibetans
The Delhi High Court has ordered the Home and External Affairs ministries to issue passports to Tibetans born between 1950 to 1987 saying they meet the criteria of being Indian citizens by birth under the Citizenship Act. The historic judgment was delivered after hearing a petition filed by three Tibetans who had been refused a passport as they had no citizenship certificate, despite being proven Indian citizens.
Sep 23: Students Protest
Tibetan students from the Northwest University of Nationalities in the provincial capital Lanzhou in northwestern China’s Gansu province are voicing concerns about a large hike in school fees which have doubled to 8,220 yuan (US$1,200, £920). They have also been forced to move to a remote campus without residence halls or a library, and they are warning they will protest if their concerns are not addressed.
Sep 23: Festival in Japan
Hundreds of people gathered for the Kiki Soso Tibet Festival which celebrates Tibetan culture and history near the city of Matsumoto in northern Japan. The festival has the goal of strengthening exchange between Japanese and Tibetans. The festival started with a traditional Sangsol smoke offering ceremony, followed by opera and Tibetan circle dance as well as music and workshops.
Sep 22: Questions in Parliament
The second session of the 16th Tibetan Parliament in exile is underway and will continue until September 29. The Prime Minister, Lobsang Sangay, faced questions on his cabinet’s progress towards achieving a Sino-Tibetan dialogue with China, with members hoping that Sikyong’s second term in office will bring about success in this sphere. They wanted to know what steps were being taken.