Tibetan Headlines
Jul 27: Tibetans Barred
Around 4,000 Chinese tourists are visiting the Potala Palace in Lhasa every day and have free access to other religious sites following the easing of coronavirus restrictions. Radio Free Asia reports a local source as saying that Tibetan visitors’ access is restricted: they are thoroughly screened and government workers, retirees, and school students are completely banned from entering. Tibetan students are not allowed to visit local monasteries.
Jul 27: Biking for Tibet
Tibetan activist and former political prisoner Tawu Lobsang Jinpa la has cycled hundreds of miles from Boston, MA to Washington DC in America to raise awareness about Tibet’s occupation, the missing Panchen Lama and the many Tibetans who are still in Chinese prisons.
Jul 27: SFT Unfurls Banner
Students for a Free Tibet-India unfurled a giant banner, 30 x 50 feet) in Dharamshala proclaiming “Tibet’s Independence, India’s Security” to coincide with the Chinese Communist Party celebrating its 99th anniversary. SFT Director Rinzin Choedon said, “It is now time for the India government to correct the errors of the past and to take a lead in finding a solution to the Tibet situation.”
Jul 25: HH on Medical Compassion
His Holiness (HH) the Dalai Lama has discussed the role of compassion in medical matters, stating that, “cultivating peace of mind should part of our approach to health”. The Tibetan spiritual leader went on to explain that where, “health is concerned, it relates not only to our bodies, but also to our minds and emotions. The practice of compassion and altruism brings us peace of mind”.
Jul 25: Increase in Migrants to Tibet
Chinese media reports that the Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR) has seen an increase in migrants, with 32,300 moving to the region in 2019. According to Tibetan Review this figure is likely to be just the tip of the iceberg as, “the overwhelming majority of Chinese immigrants in the TAR do not figure in official lists”. Beijing is accused of encouraging migration in an effort to dilute the ethnic Tibetan population.
Jul 24: Tibet Pressure on British Government
Cross-part pressure is increasing on the British government to sanction China for its human right violations, including those in Tibet. Labour Party leader, Sir Keir Starmer, has argued for “sanctions in this country against Chinese officials who have been involved in human rights abuses”, whilst Conservative, Tim Loughton, has said “it is important to not lose sight of the ongoing and long-standing atrocity and repression still taking place in Tibet”.
Jul 24: 8 Million Visitors to Tibet
Despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic the Chinese occupied Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR) is reported to have received more than 8million visitors in the first half of 2020. According to Chinese media TAR was the only region under Chinese control to see growth in visitor numbers. The vast majority of tourists came from within China, with the United States sanctioning China earlier in July for restricting international access to the region.
Jul 24: Another Minor Earthquake in Tibet
Another earthquake has struck Tibet, this time in Nyima County. The shock measuring 6.6 on the Richter scale was felt 20km from Rongmar Township is not reported to have caused injuries or damage. The report comes after similar 4.1 and 6.2 quakes in Bomi County of Linzhi City and Xizang earlier in the week.
Jul 23: Police Protection for HH
Police in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh (HP) have proposed the creation of a new intelligence office in Dharamshala that would oversee security for His Holiness (HH) the Dalai Lama. The proposal for posting a “deputy inspector general of police, intelligence” states that, “effective and regular supervision of the security set-up of the Dalai Lama is vital and can be ensured with the posting of one regular senior officer”.
Jul 23: Preparing for CTA Elections
Election preparations are underway for the exiled Central Tibetan Administration (CTA). Current CTA president Lobsang Sangay will retire at the end of his current term in May 2021 with potential successors yet to announce their candidacy. Chief Election Commissioner, Wangdue Tsering Pesur, said that, despite COVID-19, “we are hoping and planning that the Tibetan diaspora around the world can proceed for the general election vote to take place on time”.
Jul 23: Minor Earthquakes in Tibet
Minor earthquakes are reported to have hit Bomi County of Linzhi City and Xizang, Tibet. The magnitude 4.1 and 6.2 quakes are not reported to have caused injuries or damage with the Xizang shock described as affecting “an uninhabited area… with the nearest location to the earthquake centre being 450.3 km away in Saga”.
Jul 23: Dalai Lama Praises EU
His Holiness the Dalai Lama has praised the European Union’s (EU) decision to allocate €750 billion ($858 billion) to help rebuild the economies of countries hit by COVID-19. In a statement the Tibetan spiritual leader said that, “once again, the European Union has shown the importance of taking the common interests of all its members into account… This shows wisdom and maturity in a world often unsettled by emotional crises”.
Jul 22: Hackers Targeted Dalai Lama
Two Chinese hackers are reported to have targeted the office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, as well as COVID-19 researchers and “hundreds of other victims worldwide”. The US Federal Bureau of Investigation has described Li Xiaoyu and Dong Jiazhi as "one of the most prolific group of hackers we've investigated" and in court documents accuse the pair of being, “contractors for China's Ministry of State Security”.
Jul 22: Support for Tibet in Italian Parliament
A member of the Italian Parliament has called on his government to “change its position on China’s increasing atrocities in Hong Kong and Tibet”. Expressing his concern at “Chinese destruction of the Tibetan culture”, and citing the recent removal of prayer flags under a behavioural reform campaign in Tibet, Matteo Luigi Bianchi declared that, “we cannot tolerate violent repressions from our business partner [China]”.
Jul 20: Tibetans Protest in Toronto
Tibetans have joined more than one hundred protestors outside the Chinese consulate in Toronto, Canada. Speakers at the event “urged the Chinese Communist Party to free Tibet and Hong Kong, and also opposed Chinese aggression in Ladakh”. The demonstration was joined by representatives from the Indian, Iranian and Vietnamese communities with calls made for the Canadian government to take action and boycott Chinese products.