Tibetan Headlines
Feb 25: Jataka Tales
HH the Dalai Lama gave a short teaching from the Jataka Tales (Life Stories of the Buddha) on the 15th day of the Tibetan New Year (Losar) at the Tsug-la-khang courtyard, Dharamshala.
Feb 23: Taj in Tibet
The Taj group of hotels, one of the leading hotel brands in Asia, has expressed plans of establishing its presence in Tibet. The hotel group, which is currently involved in four projects in China, if allowed to proceed would become the first Indian company to run hotels in Tibet, according to the Hindu.
Feb 22: Pro-Independence Arrest
Chinese authorities arrested six Tibetan monks from the Markham region of eastern Tibet on the eve of the Tibetan New Year for their alleged involvement in a protest. The protest was in response to the Chinese authorities' restrictions on performing religious rituals, and the forced patriotic re-education at the monastery. The current condition and whereabouts of the monks remain unknown.
Feb 22: Mobile photos
China has sentenced a Tibetan youth to two years in prison for storing images of Tibet self-immolations and the banned Tibetan national flag, and other photos showing Chinese atrocities on Tibetans on his mobile phone. Ngawang Topden, 20, a student of thangka painting from Jomda region of eastern Tibet was arrested on October 12 last year in Lhasa where he had been staying with all required legal documents.
Feb 21: Tibet At Geneva Summit
Kalon Dicki Chhoyang, Minister of the Department of Information and International Relations of the Dharamshala based Central Tibetan Administration, addressed the 5th Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy. Kalon said self-immolations by the new generation of Tibetans born under Chinese rule “are sending an unequivocal message to the world about the gravity of the situation in Tibet”. She added: “China must be held accountable to the pledges it made to the UN Human Rights Council”.
Feb 21: Global Prayers For Tibet
The exile Tibetan administration held a two-hour prayer service at Tsug-la Khang, the main temple in Dharamshala, as part of a worldwide prayers and solidarity with all those who have self-immolated, which crossed the tragic milestone of 100 earlier this month. The service was presided over by Thomthog Rinpoche, the Abbot of Namgyal Monastery. Thousands of Tibetans and supporters, including prominent Government officials also attended
Feb 20: Heavy Prison Terms
A Chinese court in Drango, eastern Tibet has sentenced five Tibetans to varying prison terms of 10 years to 14 years for their alleged involvement in leading a major anti-China protest that erupted in the region on 23 Jan last year. Two monks Tashi Dhargyal and Namgyal Dhondup, have been sentenced to 14 years and a third, Thrinley, for 10 yrs for looting a bank during the demonstration. The two other unidentified Tibetans have been sentenced to 11 years each.
Feb 19: Appeal to World
A rally was held yesterday in the McLeod Circle by the five major Tibetan NGOs based in Dharamshala. With the horrific milestone of 102 self immolations in Tibet, participants demanded immediate international intervention on the ongoing crisis. The organisers were: Tibetan Youth Congress, Tibetan Women's Association, Gu-Chu-Sum, National Democratic Party of Tibet, and Students for a Free Tibet, India.
Feb 18: Global Prayer Service
The exile Tibetan administration has called for a worldwide prayer service on Wednesday, February 20 from 3 pm to 5 pm (IST) to “express solidarity with all those Tibetans who have self-immolated and those suffering torture and imprisonment.” This follows the death of the latest Tibetan self-immolator Namlha Tsering who set himself on fire yesterday.
Feb 17: Chinese armed forces
Following the 102nd self immolation in Tibet, Chinese security personnel arrived at the scene of the protest, doused the flames and bundled the 49 year old Tibetan away. In a photo received by Phayul, a number of armed forces could also be seen parading on the street soon after the protest.
Feb 16: Job Oriented Course
The Central Tibetan Administration has announced skills training on job-oriented courses for unemployed Tibetan youths. Starting from 1 April, the courses will include hair dressing, medical transcription, beautician, web design, computer repair, cookery, carpentry, and tailoring. The courses will last from 6 to 18 months.
Feb 16: Nepal holds body
The body of the Tibetan monk who set himself on fire in Kathmandu on February 13 has still not been handed over to Tibetan representatives. Nepalese authorities, acting under the influence of China, have been creating unnecessary obstacles in the process of handing over the body. Police have since increased restrictions in Tibetan areas in the city.
Feb 15: U.S. Denounces China
The U.S. has called on China to address its policies in Tibet underlying the “tensions and frustration” that have led to the self-immolations. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said the U.S. was “deeply concerned by the reports that these immolations are continuing”. She also called on “those who are immolating, or those who might be considering this, to think hard about whether it’s the best way to express yourself”.
Feb 14: CTA Press Statement
The exile Tibetan administration (CTA) has issued a press statement calling on China to stop the deteriorating situation in Tibet, declaring that case of Tibet is for the world to answer. The statement said the “ongoing and unprecedented self-immolations by an increasing number of Tibetans in Tibet are the ultimate acts of civil disobedience against China’s failed rule in Tibet.”
Feb 13: Independence Day
Today commemorates 100 years since the declaration of the “Tibetan Proclamation of Independence” by His Holiness the Great 13th Dalai Lama. Exile Tibetans and supporters all over the world have planned major events to commemorate the historic event reasserting Tibet’s independence.