Tibetan Headlines
Sep 22: US Congressional hearing
The International Campaign for Tibet gave a written testimony to the United States Congressional-Executive Commission on China’s hearing China’s Environmental Challenges and US Responses. ICT’s submission drew attention to the connection between the Chinese government’s abuse of the Tibetan people and its destruction of natural resources in Tibet. Other legislators and witnesses raised concerns about China’s environmental policies in Tibet.
Sep 22: Deprived of Education
Students who attended schools in Tibet which have been forcibly closed are unable to register at new schools, reports Tibet Watch, the United Kingdom based Tibet advocacy and research organisation. This is particularly affecting orphaned and otherwise disadvantaged children. Tibet Watch reports that the current closures of Tibet-medium schools - part of the drive to sinicise Tibet - are causing distress and breakdown of closely-knit student communities.
Sep 22: Swiss Hearing
The situation in Tibet was presented to a Swiss Parliament human rights hearing entitled Coherent implementation of the Swiss China Strategy: the role of Parliament in strengthening human rights. United Nations Advocacy Officer from the Tibet Bureau in Geneva, Kalden Tsomo testified at the hearing saying, “[Switzerland] has more potential in defending the rights of the people who are silenced and suppressed by the Chinese Communist Party, including Tibetans”.
Sep 21: Vajrayana Monlam
More than 30,000 people joined online the first ever Vajrayana Monlam to be held in the United States. The Vajrayana Monlam is a practice of the Shakyamuni and this event was designed to include four Vajrayana communities - Kagyu, Nyingma, Sakya and Gelug - as well as Theravada and Mahayana traditions.The ceremony was led by His Eminence Che-Nga Rinpoche and attended by the Office of Tibet Secretary Tashi Dhondup.
Sep 20: Compulsory Mandarin Chinese
The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy, a Dharamshala-based non government organisation, reports that a Chinese Ministry of Education (MoE) have decreed that all preschool children will be taught Mandarin Chinese The MoE’s “’Children Homophony’ Plan for Putonghua Education for Preschool Children” came into force on September 1 with the aim of building “a sense of community for the Chinese nation” from an early age”.
Sep 18: 25 Arrested
At least 25 Tibetans from Lithang County in Kham were arrested around July 6, HH the Dalai Lama’s birthday, reports the Tibet Post International. News has only just emerged because of the communications restrictions. 15 of those arrested were monks, many of them senior, from Lithang Monastery. The lay people arrested with them are reported to be nomads. Celebrating His Holiness’s birthday is banned in Tibet.
Sep 17: Attempt to End Impasse
Elected representatives of the 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile will meet on September 27 to discuss how to resolve the ongoing parliamentary crisis which has been the cause of international criticism and prevented the appointment of the new Speaker and approval of the Kalons or the ministers of the respective departments of the CTA: the new Sikyong has been unable to set up his Kashag [Cabinet].
Sep 17: World’s Oldest Artwork
A panel has been discovered on the Tibetan plateau which experts have identified as the oldest known artwork in the world. There are hand and footprint patterns on the panel which were created sometime between 169,000 and 226,000 years ago. The experts have confirmed that the find is a work of art and not just coincidental markings made by ancient humans and had been placed there with intent.
Sep 16: Denied Access
Zheng Zeguang, the Chinese Ambassador to the United Kingdom, has been banned from entering the UK parliament - this follows on from the sanctions imposed earlier this year by the UK on Chinese officials involved in human rights abuses on Tibetans and other minorities in China. China retaliated at the time with sanctions against UK officials. Zheng was to attend a meeting on China but was stopped at the last minute.
Sep 16: Detainee Critical
There is concern for the health of Kardon, aged around 50, a Tibetan woman who was among those arrested in Dza Wonpo recently. She is reported to have been declined treatment in both Sershul County Hospital, where she was initially taken, and another. She remains critically ill, in detention, where there are reports of severe mistreatment of detainees.
Sep 15: UN Calls for Information
Four independent United Nations human rights experts and bodies have expressed “serious concern for the alleged arbitrary detention and enforced disappearance” of two detained Tibetans, Rinchen Tsultrim and Go Sherab Gyatso. They have called on the Chinese government to provide information on the arrests and whereabouts of the two Tibetans, and say they are concerned that the detentions reflect a “worrying pattern of arbitrary and incommunicado detentions”.
Sep 13: TWA Celebrates
The Tibetan Women’s Association (TWA) celebrated its 37th anniversary by urging world leaders and Tibet support groups to call on China to resume talks with the exile Tibetan administration. TWA is one of the oldest and largest of the Tibetan non-government organisations; its founding was inspired by the women’s uprising which took place in Lhasa on March 12, 1959 in protest against the Chinese invasion in Tibet.
Sep 13: Gold Medals!
Dickyi Palmo, Tenzin Tseyang and Tenzin Noryang, three Tibetan women students at Mysore University and KLE College of Higher Education and Research in Karnataka, have been awarded gold medals for their outstanding performances in their exams. Dickyi Palmo was born in Tibet, escaping to India in 2003 while Tenzin Tseyang was born in Bylakuppe and Tenzin Noryang in Mungod.
Sep 10: Olympic Broadcasting Deals
Over 200 rights groups across the world have urged 26 Olympic broadcasters to drop coverage of the Beijing Winter Olympics 2022. The coalition of Tibetan, Uyghur, Southern Mongolian, Hong Kong, Taiwanese, Chinese and other human rights groups called to “immediately cancel broadcasting deals”, reports Phayul. Despite calls to boycott the Beijing Olympics from many right groups and governments, organisers and sponsors have been silent so far.
Sep 9: China Warns India
The South China Morning Post has reported that recent displays of Chinese military might in Tibet were intended as a "warning" to India. The website of the People's Liberation Army released footage of several PLA units occupying a key command centre at an altitude of 4700 metres, demonstrating their prowess in the Himalayan theatre. The units included infantry, artillery, army aviation, special operation forces, electronic warfare, engineers and chemical defence units.