Tibetan Headlines
Oct 8: Marathon Race
Tibetans and supporters participated in a mini marathon race organised by Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC), the largest pro-independence group in exile, on its 44th founding anniversary. Dolma Lhamo from TCV Gopalpur School and Tsering Dorjee from Sherab Gatsel Ling School came first winning Rs 10,000 each. TYC president Tenzin Jigme said that until Tibet is free, Tibetans in exile will keep the struggle alive.
Oct 7: Emory Visit – Live
His Holiness the Dalai Lama will give talks, teachings and hold discussion at Emory University in the US from October 8-10. There will be live webcasts of these events during the Dalai Lama's three-day visit on http://dalailama.emory.edu. For complete schedule, please visit http://dalailama.com/.
Oct 6: Solidarity March
More than 80 Tibetans in Switzerland, on a solidarity peace march, will walk 388 kilometers to highlight the Tibetan self-immolation incidents and to “draw international community’s attention to the grave situation in Tibet”. Setting off on October 4, the marchers will walk for 18 days and plans to conclude the peace march at Geneva on October 22.
Oct 6: Students Denied Passports
Chinese authorities have refused to issue passports to a group of Tibetan students who were selected to study in Japan and the US. The students were mostly from poor nomadic families and from the Girls’ School of the Tibetan Pastureland and the Qinghai Institute of Nationalities in Qinghai Province. Some students protested in front of Xining (provincial) government against the discrimination last month.
Oct 5: CM Support
Home Kalon Dolma Gyari of the Central Tibetan Administration met Shri Virbhadra Singh, Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, in Shimla. Dolma Gyari explained about the eviction notices issued by the Forest Department to Tibetan refugees living in TIPA and Bhagsunag roads, Mcleod Ganj and the problems faced by roadside Tibetan vendors who were evicted last week. The Chief Minister assured to look for a way to resolve these issues.
Oct 4: Child Rights
18 Tibetan non-governmental organisations submitted shadow reports on China’s compliance under the UN Child Rights Convention, prior to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child’s review of China’s record, including in Tibet. The Rapporteur, Mr Hatem Kotrane, questioned the Chinese delegation about the underlying causes of self-immolations and the whereabouts of Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, the disappeared Panchen Lama.
Oct 3: Driru Security Clampdown
Around 18,000 Chinese officials and security forces arrived in Driru county in Nagchu, Kham, last month and ordered Tibetan there residents to raise the Chinese national flag on every house ahead of the Chinese National Day. 40 Tibetans were arrested after a clash with officials and police when they defied the order, but were released after 1,000 supporters went on a hunger strike. Local schools were closed.
Oct 2: Shichung’s Remains
The remains of Shichung, the father of two who set himself on fire on Saturday have been thrown into a river. According to an exile source, some monks and the family members of the deceased approached the authorities to collect his ashes, but the police barred them from taking the remains and compelled the family to throw them into the Ngachu river.
Oct 1: Released!
Joleb Dawa, 41, editor of Dus-rab kyi nga (This Century’s Self), who was jailed in 2010, has been released after completing his three year sentence. From Tibet’s Ngaba region, Dawa was held in Mianyang prison near Chengdu, the provincial capital of Sichuan. Though the exact charges against him are not known, the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy said he was jailed on "trumped up charges of separatism.”
Sep 30: Policy Change
Gu-Chu-Sum, the organisation for former Tibetan Political Prisoners, has changed its political stand from complete independence for Tibet to the Middle-Way Approach, which is in line with the exile Tibetan government's policy of seeking genuine autonomy for Tibet within China. The policy change came with its new elected executive committee. “In our organisation, there can be different political views and opinions”, said Lukar Jam, the outgoing vice President.
Sep 29: Live Broadcast
There will be live webcasts of His Holiness the Dalai Lama's four day teaching on Nagarjuna's Sixty Stanzas of Reasoning (Rigpa Drugchupa) & Tsongkhapa's Concise Treatises on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment (Lamrim Dudon)in the Main Tibetan Temple in Dharamsala, September 30 to October 3 at: http://dalailama.com/liveweb
Sep 28: Appeal Against Demolition
An appeal has been launched against the demolition of Tibetan refugee houses in McLeod Ganj. The joint appeal was made by the Indo-Tibetan Friendship Association, Beopar Mandal, the Hotel and Restaurant Association, Bhagsu Taxi Union, Auto Union, Trekking and Mountaineering Association and Upper Dharamshala Development Association. Kalon Gyari Dolma of the Home Department said “The Central Tibetan Administration highly appreciates the solidarity and genuine support shown by Indian friends”.
Sep 27: Human Rights Lobby
Tibetans and supporters in Geneva are lobbying the United Nations Human Rights Council to press UN member states to raise the issue of Tibet during China’s second Universal Periodic Review (UPR) next month. In 2009, China accepted some UPR recommendations on human rights, but since then “the situation in Tibet has deteriorated significantly and looks set to continue on a downward spiral” said Migmar Dhakyel of the Tibetan Youth Association Europe.
Sep 26: Writer Detained
Reports are coming in that Lobsang Namgyal, 26, was detained in May last year in Chengdu, Sichuan province, for printing “politically sensitive documents” and being in possession of speeches by the Dalai Lama. His family has only now been informed of his whereabouts. In 2008 Lobsang was arrested for staging a peaceful protest and in 2011 he wrote the book Tsol (search).
Sep 25: Protest in Dhasa
Tibetans exiles protested against the Nepali government’s secret cremation of the body of Karma Nyedon Gyatso, the monk who set himself on fire in Kathmandu last month. Protestors put a white cloth and clay pot at the protest site to represent the Nepalese government’s failure to release the body and return his ashes to the Tibetan community. Prayers and butter lamps were offered to mark the 49th day of his demise.