Tibetan Headlines
Nov 22: Tibet Lobby Day
The Australia Tibet Council held its 11th Tibet Lobby Day, urging the Australian government to nominate a policy to protect the succession of the 14th Dalai Lama without interference from the Chinese Government. 15 Tibetans from across Australia met over 30 Australian lawmakers to put their appeal and over 1,000 Australians have signed a pledge to “only recognise a Dalai Lama appointed via Tibetan Buddhist traditions and practices, without interference by the Chinese Government”.
Nov 21: Lockdown in Lhasa Eased
The Covid lockdown in Lhasa has been eased prompting a mass exodus of Han Chinese people and bumper to bumper traffic jams, reports Radio Free Asia. Protests broke out during the week involving many Han Chinese who came to Lhasa to work but who have been locked down for three months with no means of earning. Lockdowns continue with RFA’s sources reporting little change so far for the Tibetans there.
Nov 21: Award for His Holiness
His Holiness the Dalai Lama has been given the Gandhi Mandela award, the highly prestigious international award promoting Gandhian and Nelson Mandela’s values. He was chosen for his continued commitment to advocating peace and harmony. Accepting the award, His Holiness spoke of the importance of non-violence and compassion which are embedded in the ancient Indian culture saying, “Any problem cannot be solved by war but through dialogue and peace”.
Nov 18: Focus on HR in China
The United States Congressional-Executive Commission on China has released their 2022 report on human rights in China. The report documents the “continued use [of] tools of authoritarian governance to [...] restrict basic human rights'', records the “severe crackdown against Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims, Tibetans and Hong Kongers” and urges Members to “hold the Chinese government accountable and more effectively prioritize the promotion of universal human rights and the rule of law”.
Nov 17: Issue of Tibet Raised
United States President Joe Biden has met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Bali, Indonesia. The White House press statement says the leaders discussed a variety of issues, including working together on transnational challenges. The statement confirmed that President Biden raised concerns about China’s practices in East Turkestan (Ch: Xinjiang), Tibet, Hong Kong and Taiwan and that he will visit China to follow up on their discussion.
Nov 16: App Shutdown in Tibet
GangYang, a popular Tibetan language video sharing app used in Tibet, has announced its closure "for financial reasons", reports Radio Free Asia. The app, which was launched in 2018, has Tibetan language function keys. RFA's sources say they believe the reason for the shutdown of the app to be pressure from the Chinese government, in line with their policy of restricting Tibetans from using their own language.
Nov 16: Elected to Office
Bhutila Karpoche, a Tibetan living in Ontario, Canada and Member of the Provincial Parliament, has been elected as the Deputy Speaker for the 43rd parliament of the Ontario Legislature. In June 2018 she made history by becoming the first person of Tibetan heritage to be elected to public office in North America. She was re-elected in June 2022. Bhutila is active on issues around social justice and public health.
Nov 14: Chinese Objection
The Chinese Embassy has visited the Mexican Parliament to object to the formation last week of the new Friends of Tibet group. They met the President of the Chamber of Deputies, objecting to the group and demanding that the Chinese flag be waved in the Chamber. Deputy Salvador Caro Cabrera said China’s anger represents a “moral victory for the people of Tibet [...] Free Tibet!”
Nov 11: Stop DNA Collection!
Students for a Free Tibet has launched a petition to pressure the Massachusetts-based company Thermo Fisher Scientific to stop selling kits to China that are being used by the Chinese government for the mass collection of DNA samples of the Tibetan population of Tibet. The DNA collection, says SFT, “violates individuals’ privacy rights and the right to bodily integrity, it will also undoubtedly heighten China’s repression in Tibet”.
Nov 11: New Friends of Tibet
A new Tibet support group, Friends of Tibet, has been launched in Mexico by the Mexico Congress. The group is headed by Deputy Salvador Caro Cabrera and was launched during the Chamber of Deputies budget session. The group recognises the importance of preserving the rich culture of the Tibetan people, the environment and respect for human rights.
Nov 9: Poet Monk Detained
Jigme Gyatso, 36, from Tibet’s Tsongon Buddhist University in Xining, was detained by Chinese police in May 2021. He continues to be in custody without verdict, reports the Central Tibetan Administration. News of his arrest has only now emerged from Tibet; his charges appear to be linked to his distribution of poetry books to fellow monks during a university graduation ceremony. He had won a Tibet-wide poetry competition.
Nov 9: Political Prisoner Dies
Geshe Tenzin Pelsang, a Tibetan monk and former political prisoner, has died from injuries inflicted on him in prison, reports the Tibet research and advocacy group Tibet Watch. He served six years in prison between 2012 and 2018 following his arrest for allegedly leading protests in Drago County in eastern Tibet. During his time in prison he was beaten and tortured. Tibet Watch’s source says that he was denied medical treatment.
Nov 9: COP27
A five-member Tibetan team has met leaders at COP27 - the United Nations Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC currently underway in Egypt, where they briefed them on the current climate crisis in Tibet and its strategic importance for climate change across the world. They focused their presentation on the significance for neighbouring countries of Tibet’s major rivers and the environmental destruction resulting from China's developments in Tibet.
Nov 8: Sentenced for 3 Years
Rachung Gendun, a monk from Kriti monastery in Ngaba county in Tibet was sentenced to three years, charged with offering prayer donations to His Holiness the Dalai Lama and to Kirti Rinpoche who is based in India, reports Radio Free Asia. He is being held in Menyang prison near Chengdu; he was detained on April 1, 2021, his family was informed after three months. He had opposed China's patriotic re-education programmes.
Nov 8: Film Banned?
There is speculation that the superhero movie Black Adam has been banned in China; leading actor Pierce Brosnan spoke favourably about HH the Dalai Lama in an interview for the American magazine GQ, leading to online rumours and speculation that the film will not be shown in China. This is not the first time that films and celebrities have been banned in China for speaking favourably about His Holiness.