Tibetan Headlines
Jan 3: Border Patrols
China is using unmanned machine-gun mounted vehicles to patrol the Tibet-India border to combat the problem of Chinese troops being unable to operate effectively at the high altitudes in the Himalayan border regions. China is increasing its presence in the area as well as increasing surveillance on visitors.
Dec 30: Security Tightened
Security in Tibet is being tightened ahead of the Winter Olympics in Beijing which takes place in February. Large numbers of police have been deployed in Lhasa and restrictions imposed in other areas on Tibetans’ movements, reports Radio Free Asia, citing local sources. Visitors to Lhasa are being “closely questioned”, and in some areas “household inspections” are taking place, searching for hidden pictures of HH the Dalai Lama.
Dec 29: Candlelit Vigil
A candlelit vigil was held in Dharamshala in support of Tibetans living in Drago County in Kham [Ch: Sichuan] who are suffering under China’s oppressive policies which include the destruction of sacred statues, prayer wheels and prayer flags built by local Tibetans. Placards at the vigil and march included slogans such as "End China's occupation of Tibet" and "Communists end destruction now".
Dec 29: TCHRD Report
The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) has published a report, China must end cultural assimilation campaign and crackdown on Tibetan intellectuals and cultural leaders, which claims that China is targeting and silencing influential Tibetan writers, intellectuals and cultural leaders that it (China) views as hindrance to its cultural assimilation campaign, citing details of current cases of political detentions. China is also closing down Tibetan activist websites.
Dec 27: Sacred Statue Demolished
A statue of the Buddha in Drago in Kham [Ch: Sichuan] has been destroyed under instruction of the Chinese authorities, reports Tibet Watch. The 99-foot high statue, costing 4,000,000 Yuan (US$ 630,000 / £470,000), was built with money raised by local Tibetans and with the full approval of the local authorities. 45 nearby huge prayer wheels were also destroyed, and large vertical prayer flags removed and burned.
Dec 27: Mongolian Visit
Telo Tulku Rinpoche, Hon Representative of HH the Dalai Lama in Russia, Mongolia and the Commonwealth of Independent States countries, has concluded a visit to Mongolia where he met Buddhist leaders, the heads of Buddhist organisations and local Tibetan community members. He also met Mongolian government officials, past and present Members of Parliament and leaders of non-government organisations. He is travelling on to St Petersburg and the Republic of Kalmykia.
Dec 26: Archbishop Desmond Tutu
Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the South African anti-apartheid and human rights activist has died aged 90. HH the Dalai Lama wrote to his daughter, Rev Mpho Tutu saying, “Your father and I enjoyed an enduring friendship [...] He was a true humanitarian and a committed advocate of human rights. His work for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission was an inspiration for others around the world [...] We have lost a great man”.
Dec 24: Prisoners Denied Visits
Political prisoners held in Kham and Amdo [Ch: Sichuan and Qinghai] are being denied family visits, reports Radio Free Asia who say the authorities there are citing concerns over the spread of COVID-19 as the reason. This despite the fact that there have been no cases reported for more than a year in the prisons there. Nor are families allowed to send clothes, food or medicines to prisoners.
Dec 24: APIPFT Relaunched
The All-Party Indian Parliamentary Forum for Tibet (APIPFT) has been revived following lobbying by the Tibetan Parliamentary delegation who reached out to 38 lawmakers. Khenpo Sonam Tenphel, Speaker of Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile visited Delhi and met the delegation members and the Director of ITCO; the meeting was followed by the relaunch.
Dec 24: Student Released
Sangay Tso, a student and co-founder of a chat group who was arrested in February this year along with two others, Dadul and Kansi, has been released in very poor health and is barely able to walk. The three were arrested from their home in Domda Town in Kyegudo, Yushul; Dadul was badly beaten at the time. There is no news of Kansi’s whereabouts.
Dec 24: No News
Tibet Watch reports that there is concern for the health of Tenzin Dargye, a monk in his 30s from Warong Monastery in Sershul in Kham [Ch: Sichuan] who was arrested in September last year after being found with pictures of HH the Dalai Lama and other information on his phone. There are also unconfirmed reports of other Tibetan monks being arrested from the same region.
Dec 23: Tenzin Tsundue Home!
Tenzin Tsundue, the Tibetan activist and poet who has spent the last four months travelling and campaigning for Tibet along the India-Tibet border, is back home in Dharamshala. He travelled over 20,000 kilometres through five Indian Himalayan states, campaigning to “create more awareness about the 70 years of Chinese occupation of Tibet and its impact on Indian Himalayas, also the growing Chinese security threats on India”.
Dec 23: Call for Boycott
Three activists, Chemi Lhamo, a Tibetan-Canadian, Zumretay Arkin from World Uyghur Congress and Frances Hui from We The Hongkongers, are calling on Olympic athletes to boycott Beijing 2022 saying, “life under Chinese government rule is literally death for our people” and appealing to athletes to “make history, change the world and […] to stand on the right side of history and say no to the Genocide Games.”
Dec 22: Meeting in Paris
Tashi Phuntsok, Representative of HH the Dalai Lama in Europe, met Taiwanese Ambassador Francois Chih-Chung Wu at the Taiwanese Representative’s Office in Paris, along with Mr Namgyal Samdup, Coordinator at the Paris Bureau du Tibet. They reviewed the current situation in Taiwan, and Representative Phuntsok updated Ambassador Wu on the situation in Tibet. They also discussed the situation regarding the forthcoming Beijing Winter Olympics.
Dec 21: Special Coordinator for Tibet
Ms Uzra Zeya has been appointed as the United States Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues; she is the Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy and Human Rights - a position which traditionally doubles as the Special Coordinator. She will coordinate and promote Tibetan projects and issues in the US government, consistent with the Tibetan Policy Act of 2002, particularly the issue of Tibetan dialogue with China.