Tibetan Headlines
Dec 30: Tibetan Nomad Jailed
Lhundup Dorje, a 30-year-old Tibetan nomad from Gangri village in Qinghai Province, has been handed a one-year prison sentence by Chinese authorities for posting photos and teachings of His Holiness the Dalai Lama on social media. Dorje had been held in custody since July 23. He initially came to the attention of authorities in February 2019 after posting a New Year greeting to the Tibetan government-in-exile.
Dec 28: Tibetans Detained in Nepal
At least five Tibetans have been detained by Nepali police after engaging in activity relating to the 2021 Tibetan exile community election for Parliament and Sikyong. The five, who count among them a journalist and one official, were arrested in the Boudha region of Nepal on December 27 after voting was held among the Tibetan exile community, largely in secret, on December 25 and 26.
Dec 28: Strike Hard Campaign
Chinese officials have announced yet another campaign against individuals who use the internet to “split the country” and “undermine national unity” in the Tibet Autonomous Region. Any political critique is considered tantamount to “splittism”. A list of banned activities, including using virtual private networks (VPNs) and joining discussion groups, was also made public on December 24. Offenders could face up to 8 years in prison under the regulations.
Dec 24: Water Reserves
A report by the Chinese Academy of Sciences has estimated the total water reserves of the Tibetan Plateau at 9 trillion cubic meters. The water is mostly stored in glaciers, snow, frozen soil, lakes and rivers. The total ice reserves equate to roughly 8 trillion cubic meters, the report said. Water has frequently been touted as the most important strategic resource of the 21st century.
Dec 23: Tibet Policy and Support Act
The United States Congress has approved legislation which demands that Beijing grant Washington a United State consulate in Tibet and creates the necessary conditions to sanction Chinese officials who attempt to interfere with the succession of the Dalai Lama. Any additional Chinese consulates in the United States will be blocked until a US consulate is opened in Lhasa. The legislation was lauded by the Central Tibetan Administration in exile.
Dec 22: Call for Tibetan Independence
Scott Perry, a United State's congressman from Pennsylvania, has called for the US to take “a definitive stance” on the Tibetan issue and recognise Tibet as an independent country. In a letter to President Donald Trump, Perry said the Tibetans deserved US recognition of their independence and called the Chinese occupation “illegal”. Perry’s stance goes beyond the boundaries of the Dalai Lama’s Middle Way Approach, which seeks only “meaningful autonomy” within China for Tibet.
Dec 22: Political Prisoner Released
A Tibetan man who organised a party to celebrate the Dalai Lama’s 80th birthday in 2015 has been released from prison after serving a 5-year sentence for the crime. Ajaja, formerly a monk at Kirti monastery in Sichuan’s Ngaba area, was arrested along with his fellow organisers after a rare public celebration of His Holiness’ birthday. Chinese authorities had tightened restrictions in the build up to the occasion and warned Tibetans against celebrations.
Dec 17: Chinese Propaganda Dropped
The US based Wall Street Journal and several Australian media outlets have dropped Chinese government paid content following persistent campaigning from various human rights organisations. The Wall Street Journal has cancelled a feature called China Watch, which featured articles written by pro-CCP journalists. Earlier this year the Telegraph and the Economist also ended deals with Chinese state media. The Los Angeles Times continues to carry Chinese government sponsored content.
Dec 15: Under Surveillance
Tibetans in Lhasa observing Ganden Ngamchoe, an annual religious festival held to commemorate the death of the founder of the Gelukpa school of Tibetan Buddhism, Je Tsongkhapa, were kept under heavy surveillance by Chinese police forces during the celebrations. Two short video clips from Tsuglakhang and Barkhor areas showed police officers lining the streets and keeping close watch on Tibetans circumambulating holy sites. A police drone was also in attendance.
Dec 10: Peace Prize Anniversary
Today, December 10, 2020 marks 31 years since His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. A small celebration was held to commemorate the occasion at CTA headquarters attended by Tibetan civil society heads and members of the government. The President of the Indo-Tibet Friendship Association spoke at the gathering saying he was “deeply honoured” and that the Dalai Lama was the “greatest apostle of peace” the world had ever seen.
Dec 8: Modern History of Tibet
Historian Sherab Dhargye has released a two-volume modern history of Tibet entitled Modern Political History of Tibet and Gyalo Thondup’s Work – Setting the Record Straight and Unveiling the Hidden. Each volume is over 600 pages long and stretches from early British involvement in Tibet in the 18th century to the establishment of the Mustang guerrillas in the 1960s. The book also includes extensive coverage of Gyalo Thondup and his activities with major world powers.
Dec 8: Poet Arrested
Gendun Lhundrup, a popular Tibetan writer, poet, and former monk, has been arrested by Chinese authorities after having his activities monitored for a long period of time. He is currently being held in an undisclosed location. Lhundrup released an anthology of poems called “Khorwa” in October and wrote a post on a website calling for more freedom for writers to express their thoughts without restriction.
Dec 7: Global Teacher Prize
His Holiness the Dalai Lama has written to Ranjitsinh Disale, a primary school teacher in Maharashtra, India, congratulating him on being awarded this year’s Global Teacher Prize. Mr Disale was awarded $1 million for his efforts teaching students from disadvantaged backgrounds and attempting to connect children in conflict zones through his “Let’s Cross the Borders” project. Mr Disale, in an unprecedented move, shared half of his prize money with the other nine contenders for the award.
Dec 7: Detained
Tsering Tso, a Tibetan woman known for her courage and conviction in calling for “democracy and rule of law in Tibet”, has spoken with an international media organisation about her most recent detention at the hands of the Chinese Communist Party. Tso was forcibly extracted from her home in Xining on the night of November 12 and held for 10 days by authorities. She was previously arrested and beaten in 2017.
Dec 3: Stop Free Flow of Tibetans
A Chinese minister on a visit to Nepal has asked his hosts to “stop the free flow of Tibetans” into their country. China’s Defence Minister Wei Fenghe also lauded Nepal’s efforts to adhere to the “One-China” policy and offered the Himalayan nation “firm support” in safeguarding its territory. Billions of dollars’ worth of investments by Beijing in Nepal has dramatically increased Chinese influence there in recent years.