Board of Directors
Prof. Robert D. Sloane, Chair Nima R.T. Binara, Esq.
Dennis Cusack, Esq.
John Isom
Joshua Levenberg, Esq. Wangchuk Shakabpa, Esq. Yodon Thonden, Esq.
2138, Year of the Iron Rabbit
26 January 2012
Chinese Forces Fire on Unarmed Tibetans,
Escalating Crackdown in Eastern Tibet
TJC Joins Efforts to Intensify Multilateral Pressure on China as
Tibetans Continue to Self-Immolate for Freedom
Tibet Justice Center has joined 184 Tibet-advocacy NGOs around the world today to strongly condemn China's policies and continued crackdown in Tibet, which have provoked an unprecedented wave of self-immolations by Tibetan monks, nuns and laypeople. Each individual who has carried out the act of self-immolation has demanded freedom for Tibet and the return of the Dalai Lama.
Palden Choetso, a 35-year-old Buddhist nun who self-immolated on 3 November 2011, in Eastern Tibet.
TJC has learned that on 23 January Tibetans in Drango, Kardze, eastern Tibet, began demonstrating, possibly following the arrests of Tibetans suspected of distributing political leaflets in the area. Chinese security forces opened fire and used tear gas on large numbers of Tibetans, many of who are displaced farmers and nomads. Protestors carried Tibetans flags and shouted slogans for Tibetan freedom as they marched towards a government office. A Tibetan named Yonten is reported to have been killed and a number of others injured.
These events follow an incident in Ngaba, Eastern Tibet, on 14 January, when Chinese security forces severely beat two Tibetans and shot at least two others after layman Lobsang Jamyang self-immolated. Tibetans became distressed and angry after witnessing Chinese police beating Lobsang Jamyang; they began to protest and attempted to reclaim the dying man, but police beat and opened fire on some in the crowd. There have been unconfirmed reports that a woman was killed and, as in Drango, those injured are apparently not seeking medical help for fear of arrest.
To date there have been 17 self-immolations in Tibet since February 2009, and four since the start of 2012. At least 12 of these self-immolations have been fatal. One of these, 42-year old respected monk Lama Sopa who set light to himself and died on 8 January, left behind a tape-recording in which he paid his respects to those who had self-immolated before him. He said, “Tibet’s future as a glorious country depends on the efforts of these heroes and heroines and all of you united as one." He offered his life for the “well-being of Tibet’s six million people and especially of all high lamas, headed by His Holiness the Dalai Lama."
Since demonstrations began occurring across the Tibetan Plateau in 2008 much of the formerly independent nation has undergone repeated lock-down and been flooded with armed troops, virtually closed off from the world. Many monasteries have been all but shut down and Tibetans are routinely harassed by the authorities in the streets, in their workplaces and in their homes.
Tibetans across the Tibetan Plateau are now facing yet another cut-off from the outside world, beginning mid-February through March, according to reports. The ban encompasses two important events; the Tibetan New Year, from February 22-24 and the Tibetan national uprising day, which is commemorated on March 10. Three years ago, demonstrations on March 10, 2008 had led to the biggest ever pan-Tibet uprisings seen for decades.
Tibet Justice Center joins with Tibetans in Tibet and around the world to vehemently condemn China's use of force against unarmed Tibetan protestors. We urge China to cease all extralegal actions and policies that are contributing to unrest and self-immolations in Tibet, and to respond positively to the calls of Tibetans for freedom and the return of the Dalai Lama.
We further urge governments to vigorously pursue actions in appropriate international forums that will convince the government of the People’s Republic of China on the severity of the situation in Tibet and on the legitimate concerns of the inter-national community that Tibetans enjoy the rights and freedoms enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international covenants to which China is a party.
Whom to Contact
In the United States you can contact President Obama and Members of Congress. You can write to President Obama here – http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/submit-questions-and-comments – to members of the US Senate here – http://www.senate.gov/ (click at upper right to find your senator) – and to members of the US House of Representatives here – http://www.house.gov/ (at upper right, enter your zip code and click to find your representative).
You can contact your country's embassy in Beijing directly and ensure they are aware of these demands. Ask them to seek full and detailed information about casualties and obtain assurances that those needing medical attention receive it without fear of arrest.
For a list of embassies, see http://www.chinahighlights.com/embassy/embassy-in-china/beijing/.
Finally, you can all local government offices in the affected regions and tell them the world is watching their violent response to Tibetan protests. Contact information for offices in Ngaba, Golog and Drango (Luhuo) can be found at http://www.studentsforafreetibet.org/article.php?id=1235.
Suggested Text
Suggested Email Subject: Enough! It's Time to Condemn China's Use of Force Against Unarmed Tibetan Protesters
Dear Person's Name Here :
China continues to intensify its crackdown in Tibet, which has provoked an unprecedented wave of self-immolations by Tibetan monks, nuns and laypeople. Each individual who has carried out the act of self-immolation has demanded freedom for Tibet and the return of the Dalai Lama.
Person's Name Here , I urge you to condemn China's use of force against unarmed Tibetan protestors, and further urge that China cease all extralegal actions and policies that are contributing to unrest and self-immolations in Tibet, and to respond positively to the calls of Tibetans for freedom and the return of the Dalai Lama. Tibetans that have been detained should be released, and those injured be able to obtain medical help without fear of arrest.
Your Country’s Name Here must vigorously pursue actions in appropriate international forums that will focus the attention of the government of the People’s Republic of China on the severity of the situation in Tibet, and on the legitimate concerns of the international community that Tibetans enjoy the rights and freedoms enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international covenants to which China is a party.
Person's Name Here , please call on China to cease all actions and policies that are contributing to the tensions, unrest and self-immolations in Tibet; to allow peaceful protest and to respond positively to the calls of Tibetans for freedom and the return of the Dalai Lama. Finally, I urge you to send diplomats to affected Tibetan areas, and demand from China assurances that foreign journalists will be allowed unfettered access to the Tibet Autonomous Region (including during the closure of the TAR from late February to mid-March) and Tibetan areas of Sichuan, Qinghai, Gansu and Yunnan.
Sincerely,
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