Subject: [CASonline] CAS: Tibet talks.
 

 
 
Dearest Friends @ CAS,
 
We are sending to you all, excerpts from different angles on the current Tibetan revolt against the Chinese occupation of their country. This is revolt against what they feel is prolonged suppresion, subtle or overt, of their culture, belief, language. 
 
At the risk of being "unfair", the great unhappiness we are complaining about below, we acknowledge here that our online message mainly presents from the points of views, we feel, not fully represented locally, that is, the points of views from the Tibetans, the informed Singaporeans and the world press. 
 
The Chinese versions have been more than often broadcasted. 
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We are dismayed by what we believe is, yet again, grossly one-sided coverage of this matter, only from the point of view of China.
 
We understand the economic advantages and political capital to be gained from siding with the probable victor but we feel that decent fairness, at least to a reasonable degree, could still be observed.
 
For our unknowing friends, it will really help to see the position of the person who is reported:
Are the interviews, quotes given in the local media only provided from the point of view of China ??
what does the "other side" have to say about the matter ?? 
Has there been any reasonable or fair coverage, besides slim snippets, of the Dalai Lama's point of view ?? 
 
Also, who has to gain from reporting in this way ??
Is it in the interest of the current ruling party to report from and side with China ??
If so, it may affirm unfair censorship and loopsided coverage as the foremost interest of "rational" organizations are survival and / or expansion of its "rule" cum influence and the furthering of their own national interests.      
 
While we certainly feel indignant, we also empathise with the position they have decided to adopt, in the name of national interest, good of the majority or even simply, perceived method to self-preservation.
 
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The Tibetans, not to say, the monks resorting to violence have gone against the consistent stand and advice of their beloved leader and have transgressed the religious precepts of the Buddha.
 
This reaction to brutal and brazen Chinese rule may be justified in-principle, but can never be endorsed as "skilfull" or "wholesome" action from the point of view of the Buddha's teachings. 
 
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That said, it appears that our lcoal media have not just chosen to report what the Chinese Foreign Ministry said, what the governor of Tibet say, what the pro-Chinese residents in Tibet say. There is strangely no report of what the Dalai Lama says !! He is THE other critical player in the affair.  
 
We are one of the rare minorities in the world who are parroting China. What we read and have easy access to are so different from what the rest of the world has avenue to.
 
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Also, it is clear that our local media has highlighted the "damages" and "destruction" of the "Tibetan trouble-makers". Film snippets were shown again and again of monks and Tibetan residents hurling stones, smashing windows and all.
 
What we feel is shamelessly missing is the media's almost complete absence to account for the reason behind the uproar !!
 
China over-ruling the Dalai Lama and selecting their own Panchen Lama candidate. We should not forget that the Tibetan Masters mean everything to their students. Running over the Dalai Lama's choice of the second seniormost figure in their faith is tantamount to slashing their mother's cheeks.
 
The Dalai Lama's chosen Panchen Lama candidate has now been under house-arrest for decades and he is the world's youngest ever political prisoner. Calls from every concerned country in the world calling for release of the incarcerated boy were all arrogantly ignored and reciprocated with bluffs of how these calls were hurting the feelings of all one billion Chinese and that these calls were "western imperialistic interventions", intent on thwarting China's rise ( I do not 100% discount this though !! ). Then, again, frankly, I personally am feeling so sick of these cheap gimmicks.
 
The banning of the Dalai Lama's picture even to be placed on the shrine for purely religious worship is another rude poke in the Tibetans' eyes. 
 
The easy and open arrest for prayer session for the Dalai Lama on His birthday, the fanatical imposition of ban and blatant arrest for lighting incense on the anniversary of the Dalai Lama being awarded the Nobel Prize and all can never go down well with a people aggrieved at the obscene excesses during the Cultural Revolution -- merely 20 to 30 years back -- where they witnessed their fathers' faces smashed with shoes, clubs and all a few thousand times in a single night in the communist "Struggle Sessions", their grandmothers being spat, kicked and brutalized in every way unimaginable.
 

To curtail the influence of the Dalai Lama, policies limiting the number of monks who could be admittied into some of Tibet's greatest monasteries were ruthlessly enforced. Even in far-flung places with unusually high percentage of Chinese Sangha in residence together wuth their Tibetan counterparts such as in Serta, the late Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok's monastery, the administration sent in tanks and soldiers. Temples and monasteries where the pure Dharma was taught and practiced were literally, physically crushed. Monks and nuns tracked across the Himalayas to try to reach India to be with the Dalai Lama. Many died from frost bite or were shot in their escape.

 

Bordering upon the incredible, the Chinese administration funded anything which they could make use of to curtail the Dalai Lama's influences and to stay entrenched in power, such as splurging on the construction of as many "shugden" temples ( a spirit banned by the Dalai Lama ) and building many "Bon" temples ( Tibet's pre-Buddhist belief ) in Tibet and its surrounding areas.

 
The stubborn but probably darkly strategic insistence on education in the Chinese language but not in Tibetan has caused generations of semi-literate Tibetans and is showing us now of generations of Tibetans who can read and write Chinese but cannot write Tibetan.
 
This has barred the Tibetans from their traditional literature and sacred texts. It is almost a standard procedure for new ruling dynasties to twist and limit the linguistic competencies-parameter of their subjects to allow for access to only selected information.
 
The economic progress has grotesquely widened the rich-poverty gap and very much so in Tibet where financial progress has been passed on to mainly the Chinese merchants but not the common Tibetans who now find themselves, overwhelmed numerically in their own capital. They see giggling Chinese girls posing beside their holiest shrines, quaint hats over crooked mouths, being shot with gleaming cameras they will never afford in their lives, while devout pilgrims prostrating around them, so near the tourists' petite feet, to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas for the liberation and happiness of "mother sentient beings". 
 
The list goes on and on and on and on and on.........
 
I certainly can understand the very deep resentment and the abject desperation. 
 
It is too easy to understand the massive rage indeed.
 
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From the impression I have, the present Chinese administration has had a bad history of slaughtering its own people then denying it. It blocks out news reports in the world from reaching its people and on the other hand, weaves tales and lies to hide its hideous acts, pushing the blame to a "small" group of people while pounding its chest pretending to speak on behalf of every Chinese that walks and lives: "The one billion Chinese condemns this small group of XXX ? "This is hurting the feelings of one billion Chinese comrades !!"  
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Don't we deserve to know the full story ??
Who will like to remain foolish puppets to be manipulated by what is decided for them as what they are allowed to read and know ??   
 
We feel sick of atrributing the Tibetans' anger and revolt at being merely triggered off by "backward" and "simple" Tibetans who have been foolishly manipulated by the "Dalai clique" and the "Dalai clique", in turn, being pathetique pawns of the western powers, sore at losing their central stage in the world.
 
I think the Chinese leaders themselves have to be careful not to be made use of by wily businessman drooling for a cheap slice of commercial contract by pretending to scold the Dalai Lama and to kow-tow to China's position on Tibet. Think of Rupert Murdoch's opportunistic comment of the Dalai Lama's supposed shuffling around in Gucci shoes ( His Holiness meets American Presidents in the White House in a Buddhist monk's sandals actually ) during a crucial negotiation. He won the bid.   
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I do not mean to be apologetic for the violent reaction, not for the Tibetans' revolt nor for the infinitely harsher suppression of the Chinese army.   

 
Fears of condemnation from all over the world for the over-use of force against Tibetans armed with sitcks and stones have triggered off yet more alleged lies of minimal casualties, peaceful surrender. 
 
We can only shake our heads in the face of so much samsaric visions. 
 
This has also reminded us of Myanmar last year where only one-sided coverage is given as it is perceived to be, probably, unfortunately, in the interest of the majority.    
 
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One crucial issue involved here but which again our friends may not be infomed is that the Dalai Lama has declared to the world and China since1989 that He is not asking for independence from China. He only seeks genuine autonomy and respect for the Tibetans' rights to preserve their belief and culture. 
 
The Dalai Lama's inclusive "Middle-Way" approach has met with China's harsh rebuffs and pre-conditions that they will only begin to talk if the Dalai Lama declares Tibet and Taiwan to be integral Chinese territory.
 
China wants the Dalai Lama to renounce His right to choose Tibetan reincarnate Masters. China states this as a pre-condition for talks. The  A non-theistic, irreligious communist regime's authority in this area is absolutely unacceptable for any Tibetan Buddhist.
 
The Dalai Lama could hardly meet the above pre-conditions so as Tibet had indeed been both, at different periods, independent and a dependency of China for centuries. Tibet had in fact invaded Tang Dynastic China, winning, in addition, Princess Wen Cheng as bride to the then Tibetan King. Tibet's political independence is a matter of heated contention and the Dalai Lama has no authority even to twist historical realities.    
 
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CAS may yet again be a solitary voice on 'sensitive' issues related to His Holiness. The other Buddhist centres, Tibetan ones or not, have all learnt self-censorship, bashful disguises and adoption of the Dalai Lama at convenient times. We respect their concerns, whether valid or not, and their silence of course. We will nevertheless try to assert truthfulness into the hands of our friends in CAS. 
 
"Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Samma Sambuddhassa."
"Namo Amituofo." 
 
bb @ CAS of Thousand Arm Chenrezig
 
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From Asiaone.com
[ Singapore's main online daily ]
 
 

Hey, how come we have very different news then the rest of the world?

Go search in the internet and you will see very different side of the story.

One of the best description of the situation is "RETRIBUTION"...
In the first place, Tibetan and not Chinese and Chinese are not Tibetan.

I visited a few years ago, the young Tibetan dun even know how to sing Tibetan songs. There are more so many chinese there in
Tibet and the Tibetan children all have to learn chinese...

The way Tibetan react will be the same if
China is rule by Americans or any Europeans. They can give China "China Autonomous Regions" but put more Americans/Europeans there and force all Chinese to learn English....

This happen during Sun Yat Sen's time isn't it...

So, what I feel is,
China should just give up Tibet...
Tibet is never suppose to be a part of Chinese. China belongs mainly to the Chinese Han.

That part of the history of Tibet occupation is the mistake of Chairman Mao, what the Chinese have done to the Tibetans are the mistake of "Cultural Revolution".


Trying to fit things will never result in Happiness.

 

come on la CHINA.. i do not mind if you want Taiwan to become part of China as it is also chinese origin country. But even Tibet which does not originally belong to Chinese, you also want to occupy the place, give the people some human rights.

thomas

 

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That article titled "No return to old Tibet" by China Daily, ANN is so chinese propaganda.

It says,
"Anyone who visits
Tibet can see how life has improved for the people, the freedom they enjoy in religious affairs and how much their cultural heritage has been preserved."

That's so wrong.
Everyone besides the Chinese when visit
Tibet can feel there is so much "pain" in their life, there are grief they cannot express.

Freedom in religious affairs?
Since when?

Preservation of cultural heritage?
The Tibetan can't even sing Tibetan folk songs...
The Tibetan cultural dance is not the cultural tibetan dance, it's more like
Beijing dancers trying to mix Xin Jiang and other weird chinese dance step.


"it is ironic, and even ridiculous, to raise the issue of "human rights" when the rioters have infringed upon the rights of the majority of Lhasa people - as well as all the residents on the Roof of the World - to live and work in the holy land to improve their lives and work in peace and prosperity."

There are more Chinese people than Tibetan people in
Tibet.
Whose life is improved and whose peace and prosperity are we talking about here. They are the Chinese who live in
Tibet.

What the rioters most likely to do is to chase away the Chinese from their land. But there are no confirmation about this. So it might also be done by the Chinese Army to bluff the world that the rioters are violent. They prevent media from going in, so this possibility is also very likely.

"Local Tibetans have managed their affairs well with aid from inland provinces across the country and without interference from the Dalai Lama."

Some of these officials in
Tibet are traitors during the take over. Now they are enjoying good life.

Life was good during the Qing Dynasty before the Communist party.
So maybe we should have the Qing Emperor back?

In addition to that article titled "No return to old Tibet" by China Daily, ANN which is so chinese propaganda.

"It is revealing that the rioters made clear their objective: To split
Tibet from the motherland and return to those days that can only be described as the dark middle ages."

The statement "
Split Tibet from the motherland" is wrong.
Tibetan's mother and Han's mother are different.
Does chinese drink Yak's milk?
Does chinese eat Yak meat?

The right statement should be:
"It is revealing that the rioters made clear their objective: To split Tibet from China to return to their motherland and return to those days that yaks and man run freely in the vast open land"


"It is tragic that they are not even aware that as often as the Dalai Lama talks about human rights, scholars in the West have revealed that the political exile has continued his rule with an iron fist that smashes any challenge to his power from anyone or any sect."

It's ironical that
China believe in this report from the West.
But fail to quote where they get this report from?

Is it from the Chinese Embassy of a western country?

 

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Press Release from the Office of the Dalai Lama
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Contacts:    Chhime R. Chhoekyapa, Secretary       Mobile + 91 (09816021879)
                   Tenzin Taklha, Joint Secretary           Mobile + 91
(09816021813)
 
PRESS RELEASE
 
I would like to take this opportunity to express my deep gratitude to
world leaders and the international community for their concern over the
recent sad turn of events in Tibet and for their attempts to persuade
the Chinese authorities to exercise restraint in dealing with the
demonstrations.
 
Since the Chinese Government has accused me of orchestrating these
protests in Tibet, I call for a thorough investigation by a respected
body, which should include Chinese representatives, to look into these
allegations. Such a body would need to visit Tibet, the traditional
Tibetan areas outside the Tibet Autonomous Region, and also the Central
Tibetan Administration here in India. In order for the international
community, and especially the more than one billion Chinese people who
do not have access to uncensored information, to find out what is really
going on in Tibet, it would be of tremendously helpful if
representatives of the international media also undertook such
investigations.
 
Whether it was intended or not, I believe that a form of cultural
genocide has taken place in Tibet, where the Tibetan identity has been
under constant attack. Tibetans have been reduced to an insignificant
minority in their own land as a result of the huge transfer of
non-Tibetans into Tibet. The distinctive Tibetan cultural heritage with
its characteristic language, customs and traditions is fading away.
Instead of working to unify its nationalities, the Chinese government
discriminates against these minority nationalities, the Tibetans among them.
 
It is common knowledge that Tibetan monasteries, which constitute our
principal seats of learning, besides being the repository of Tibetan
Buddhist culture, have been severely reduced in both in number and
population. In those monasteries that do still exist, serious study of
Tibetan Buddhism is no longer allowed; in fact, even admission to these
centres of learning is being strictly regulated. In reality, there is no
religious freedom in Tibet. Even to call for a little more freedom is to
risk being labeled a separatist. Nor is there any real autonomy in
Tibet, even though these basic freedoms are guaranteed by the Chinese
constitution.
 
I believe the demonstrations and protests taking place in Tibet are a
spontaneous outburst of public resentment built up by years of
repression in defiance of authorities that are oblivious to the
sentiments of the local populace. They mistakenly believe that further
repressive measures are the way to achieve their declared aim of
long-term unity and stability.
 
On our part, we remain committed to taking the Middle Way approach and
pursuing a process of dialogue in order to find a mutually beneficial
solution to the Tibetan issue.
 
With these points in mind, I also seek the international community?"
support for our efforts to resolve Tibet's problems through dialogue,
and I urge them to call upon the Chinese leadership to exercise the
utmost restraint in dealing with the current disturbed situation and to
treat those who are being arrested properly and fairly.
 
Dalai Lama
Dharamsala
                                                           March 18, 2008
 
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
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In quotes: Reaction to Tibet protests
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
BBC News
Monday, 17 March 2008
 
Governments around the world have urged China to use restraint in
dealing with Tibetan protesters, and called for dialogue between the two
sides to ease tensions.
 
 
CONDOLEEZZA RICE, US SECRETARY OF STATE
 
We urge China to respect the fundamental and universally recognised
right of all of its citizens to peacefully express their political and
religious views, and we call on China to release monks and others who
have been detained solely for the peaceful expression of their views.
 
LORD MALLOCH BROWN, UK FOREIGN OFFICE MINISTER
 
With the Olympics ahead, they really will pay a terrible cost in
international public opinion if they're seen to violently crack down on
dissidents.
 
And I very much hope they will take that to heart, and they will find a
way to talk this through, and start the dialogue which is long overdue
in Tibet.
 
PRANAB MUKHERJE, INDIAN FOREIGN MINISTER
 
We are distressed by reports of the unsettled situation and violence in
Lhasa and by the deaths of innocent people.
 
We hope all those involved will work to improve the situation and remove
the causes of such trouble in Tibet, which is an autonomous region of
China, through dialogue and non-violent means.
 
MASAHIKO KOMURA, JAPANESE FOREIGN MINISTER
 
I would like to know clearly what the situation is and the facts behind
what has happened.
 
I hope all parties involved will deal with this calmly and ensure that
the number of those killed and injured does not worsen any further.
 
STATEMENT, FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTRY
 
With the approach of the Olympic Games, which ought to be a great show
of fraternity, France would like to draw the attention of the Chinese
authorities to the importance of respecting human rights.
 
STATEMENT, GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTRY
 
Everything must be done to prevent a further escalation of the situation
and to enable a peaceful end to the conflict.
 
Minister (Frank-Walter) Steinmeier calls on his Chinese counterparts to
offer as much transparency as possible over the events in Tibet.
 
NAVTEJ SARNA, INDIAN EXTERNAL AFFAIRS MINISTRY SPOKESMAN
 
We hope that all those involved will work to improve the situation and
remove the causes of such trouble in Tibet, which is an autonomous
region of China, through dialogue and non-violent means.
 
KEVIN RUDD, AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER
 
These most recent developments in Tibet are disturbing and, from my
point of view, I would call upon the Chinese authorities to exercise
restraint.
 
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EU urges China to show restraint in Tibet (Reuters)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
BRUSSELS, Mar 14 (Reuters) - European Union leaders urged China on
Friday to show restraint in Tibet following an outbreak of violence in
Lhasa during pro-independence demonstrations, French Foreign Minister
Bernard Kouchner said.
 
"We asked for restraint on the part of the Chinese authorities. We
asked for human rights to be respected. There is strong condemnation,
coming from all the European Council and the 27 countries," Kouchner
told reporters.
 
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Statement of Senator Barack Obama on the situation in Tibet
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Chicago, IL, March 14-- "I am deeply disturbed by reports of a
crackdown and arrests ordered by Chinese authorities in the wake of
peaceful protests by Tibetan Buddhist monks. I condemn the use of
violence to put down peaceful protests, and call on the Chinese
government to respect the basic human rights of the people of Tibet,
and to account for the whereabouts of detained Buddhist monks.
 
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
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After Tibet violence, Germany halts aid talks with China
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Wed, 19 Mar 2008
DPA
 
Berlin - Responding to the violence in Tibet, Germany announced
Wednesday it was freezing aid talks with Beijing which mainly involve
grants to reduce air pollution by power plants. The move marks a fresh
upset in Berlin-Beijing relations, which had only recently been patched
up after the Chinese were angered at Chancellor Angela Merkel receiving
the Dalai Lama in her office in September last year.
 
The inter-government aid talks, set to begin in May, would not begin
until the violence has stopped, said German Development Aid Minister
Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul. "Force can never be the solution," she said.
 
"The two sides can only arrive at a solution through dialogue. Under
such conditions, it is hardly conceivable to be conducting
inter-government negotiations."
 
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
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Dalai Lama has a powerful hand
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
by David Williamson,
Western Mail
Mar 20 2008
 
THE Dalai Lama possesses the power to snuff out China's Olympic torch.
 
Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg all hope to meet the Tibetan
spiritual leader on his next visit to the UK.
 
He wants China out of Tibet. The tight grip the Communist superpower has
on his nation is, he fears, squeezing the life of its distinctive
culture. But he hasn't called for a boycott of the Olympics. Instead, he
calls on China to become a worthy host.
 
This is a devastatingly powerful tactic. If he had announced support for
Tibetan insurgents or called for the games to be abandoned he would have
been a lone voice shouting on a distant mountain.
 
Instead, he is beginning to enjoy the clout that Desmond Tutu had when
condemning the apartheid regime. Rather than matching the worst actions
of his oppressors, he exhibited a graciousness they were first shamed by
and then inspired into imitating.
 
Since the passing of Pope John Paul II and Mother Teresa and the
retirement of Billy Graham, Tutu and the Dalai Lama have become the
world's pre-eminent religious celebrities as demonstrated by the
hat-trick of party leaders queuing up for a photo-op.
 
This means that in his decades-long poker game with China, the Dalai
Lama now possesses a remarkably powerful hand.
 
By not urging athletes to boycott the games at this time, he has
established there could be a time to do so in the near future if the
Tibetan crackdown continues.
 
Now that Steven Spielberg has abandoned his participation in Beijing
2008 there is a precedent for not getting on the plane. Who could put on
their tracksuit and not feel selfish and ridiculous if the world has
seen pictures of beatings and the Dalai Lama has asked the world's
athletes for a show of solidarity?
 
This is the situation China has been desperate to avoid. It wanted to
use the games to cement its position as a proud and prosperous country
poised to define the century.
 
Unlike Zimbabwe, it has not starved its population but lifted millions
out of poverty. Unlike Russia, it has modernised without handing power
to oligarchs and does not wave its missiles at the West.
 
Unlike Sudan, it has not overseen a purge of ethnic groups, and unlike
Yugoslavia its many component states have not splintered in a bloodbath.
 
Like the Olympians in training today, its people are working hard and
motivated by a clear vision of success on the global stage.
 
Will the games be a flash of glory or a globe-transfixing crucible of
embarrassment and scandal? The Dalai Lama and the Chinese government
will have to strike a deal, and there is unlikely to be a photo-call.
 
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
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China Tries to Thwart News Reports From Tibet
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
By THE NEW YORK TIMES
March 18, 2008
 
BEIJING ?The Chinese government is restricting foreign journalists from
entering Tibet and neighboring areas, and blocking some news, video and
Internet reports about the protests there from appearing inside China,
according to journalists working here.
 
For the past few days, CNN, the BBC, Google News, Yahoo and YouTube have
been blocked or have faced temporary blackouts or service disruptions in
some parts of China. Some foreign journalists also say their e-mail
service has been disrupted.
 
Such measures are not unusual here. China strictly censors news that
appears in the Chinese media and occasionally disrupts the activities of
international news organizations and foreign Web sites operating in
China, particularly if the content they are distributing is deemed
politically offensive to the government.
 
 
 
 
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Mass abductions in midnight raids by Chinese security forces in Lhasa
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TCHRD
16 March 2008
 
Hundreds of Tibetans are arbitrarily arrested in the ongoing
house-by-house raid by Chinese security forces in Lhasa beginning from
15 March 2008. All former political prisoners have already been rounded
off and thrown into prisons by the security forces according to
confirmed information received by the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights
and Democracy (TCHRD).
 
With streets filled with patrolling Chinese armed troops and tanks in
Lhasa city, the security agencies comb each and every house in Lhasa and
pick up all suspected Tibetans, especially youth, from their houses
accompanied by severe beatings by the armed forces. In testimonies
received by TCHRD, mothers and elderlies in the families helplessly plea
at security forces upon seeing their sons and loved ones being beaten
and dragged away.
 
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
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Dalai Lama's international profile enrages Beijing
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
By Richard McGregor in Beijing
Financial Times
March 16 2008
 
Beijing has depicted the violent protests in Tibet over the past week as
the product of a dark conspiracy, led by the Dalai Lama, and abetted by
foreign forces which want to 'split' China and sabotage the 2008 Olympics.
 
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
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Chinese seethe on Web over rare riots in Tibet
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
By Sophie Taylor
 
SHANGHAI March 15, 2008 (Reuters) - China's carefully controlled media
may have remained largely silent on the unrest in Tibet, but a look at
Chinese blogs reveals a vitriolic outpouring of anger and nationalism
directed against Tibetans and the West.
 
China -- which routinely censors its news to avoid stoking popular
sentiment -- has less of a stranglehold over what is posted online, and
over 200 million enthusiastic Internet users.
 
On Saturday, a rash of angry blog posts appeared after China confirmed
deaths in Lhasa, the Tibetan capital, and U.S. actor Richard Gere called
for a boycott of the Beijing Olympics should the authorities mishandle
the protests.
 
"Westerners think they know all about China, telling us that this, that
and the other is bad," wrote one blogger, who listed historical reasons
justifying Tibet's inclusion as part of China.
 
"Most foreigners have been brainwashed as far as this issue is
concerned," assented another user.
 
Other blogs were virulently nationalistic.
 
"If you behave well, we'll protect your culture and benefits," said one
blogger, addressing Tibetans in China.
 
"If you behave badly, we'll still take care of your culture ... by
putting it in a museum. I believe in the Han (Chinese) people!"
 
Many blamed the Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader and
Nobel Peace Prize winner, for inciting the riots.
 
"Simple monks, simple Tibetans, do they even know what is the driving
force behind the push for independence?" said one blog.
 
The view was echoed by some residents in Beijing, due to host the
Olympics in less than six months' time.
 
"I think that the Chinese government has to cut this cancer out. We can
start with the Dalai Lama, and even though we don't have relations with
the Dalai Lama, we should arrest those who are behind the riots," said
one man surnamed Song.
 
In striking contrast to the media blackout during the Tiananmen protests
in 1989, China's flourishing online chatrooms, bulletin boards and Web
logs means citizens have more opportunity to air their opinions
publicly, even as censors rush to remove the offending comments mere
hours later.
 
Some Web surfers expressed indignation at the muzzled mainland Chinese
press, having only stumbled on reports of the riots while browsing
international sites.
 
"The local papers haven't covered this. Luckily for us there is still
online media," said one.
 
China, which has ruled Tibet since 1950, maintains that the
predominantly Buddhist Himalayan region has been traditionally part of
the country for centuries, a view taught exclusively at Chinese schools.
 
Still, while most blog postings appeared to agree with Beijing's
official stance, a rare few differed.
 
"I'm not some big Stalinist, and I don't share the view that Tibet is
part of China. Every minority has the right to choose its own path of
development," said one blogger who claimed to have lived in Tibet for
four years.
 
(Editing by Ben Blanchard)
 
______________________________________________________________________________________________
 
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China rolls out tanks to suppress Tibet Protests (TibetNet)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
TibetNet
March 15, 2008
 
Dharamshala: Chinese armed police have killed around 100 Tibetans and
injured many others for taking part in peaceful demonstrations,
according to unconfirmed sources. These protests have spread from
Lhasa to all over Tibet both in intensity and scale.
 
His Holiness The Dalai Lama has issued the following statement today.
"I am deeply concerned over the situation that has been developing in
Tibet following peaceful protests in many parts of Tibet, including
Lhasa, in recent days. These protests are a manifestation of the
deep-rooted resentment of the Tibetan people under the present
governance.
 
As I have always said, unity and stability under brute force is at
best a temporary solution. It is unrealistic to expect unity and
stability under such a rule and would therefore not be conducive to
finding a peaceful and lasting solution.
 
I therefore appeal to the Chinese leadership to stop using force and
address the long-simmering resentment of the Tibetan people through
dialogue with the Tibetan people. I also urge my fellow Tibetans not
to resort to violence."
 
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Chinese Security Forces Maintain Calm in Lhasa
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By Stephanie Ho
 
Beijing, 16 March 2008 (VOA News) - China says Lhasa is calm, two days
after peaceful street protests in the Tibetan capital turned violent.
Beijing is stepping up its efforts to blame the Dalai Lama for the
riots, while countries around the world are urging Chinese authorities
to respond with restraint. VOA's Stephanie Ho reports from Beijing.
 
Video images from Lhasa on international television news channels Sunday
show Chinese police in riot gear, making door to door searches.
 
Following several days of peaceful Tibetan protests against Chinese rule
in Tibet, violence erupted in Lhasa last Friday. Buildings were burned
to the ground, cars were set on fire and at least 10 people were killed,
by official Chinese estimates.
 
Chinese authorities continued to level blame for the violence at what it
calls "the Dalai clique," headed by Tibet's exiled spiritual leader the
Dalai Lama, who lives in northern India.
 
Urgen Tenzin, with the Dharmsala-based non-governmental organization,
the Tibetan Center for Human Rights and Democracy, says these
accusations are baseless.
 
"They are blaming his holiness, the Dalai Lama, for this demonstration,
which is totally wrong," said Tenzin. "This is not true."
 
Tenzin says China is ruining its chance of negotiating in good faith
with the Dalai Lama, who wants autonomy for Tibet within China. Beijing
accuses him of seeking independence.
 
Tenzin expressed doubts about the Chinese government's offer of leniency
to demonstrators who turn themselves in or to people who inform on
others, before Tuesday.
 
"And when they get all the information about the demonstrators,
definitely they will use action against them, and I think the Tibetan
people will suffer," added Tenzin.
 
A Chinese government spokesman refused to comment and referred questions
to official Chinese media reports.
 
Control of information is one important aspect of the story.
International television news reports of the Lhasa unrest have been
regularly cut off inside China, while blog postings that present views
that differ from the official view are quickly removed from the Internet.
 
Xiao Qiang, director of the China Internet Project at the University of
California at Berkeley, says the Chinese government does not want the
world to see one of its weaknesses.
 
"This event, if it tells us anything, it tells us that the Chinese
government is not [as] in control as they think they are or as they
claim they are," said Xiao.
 
Meanwhile, leaders around the world have appealed for the Chinese
government not to resort to violence in dealing with the demonstrators.
And international human rights groups are calling for a United Nations
fact-finding mission to assess the situation in Tibet.
 
The unrest and ensuing crackdown come at a particularly bad time for
China, which is hoping to showcase unity when it hosts the Olympic games
in August. The violence comes about two weeks before China's Olympic
celebrations kick off, with the start of a torch relay that includes
Tibet on its itinerary.
 
 
 
 
 


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