This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by Radio Free Asia.
This post was originally published on Radio Free.
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Video courtesy of @AnonymousTibet
As Tibetans and supporters commemorated ‘Tibetan Uprising Day’ in various global locations anonymous hacktivists released a video affirming support for Tibet, and pledging to continue their operation against Chinese government and corporate targets. Many thanks to @AnonymousTibet for sharing news of this on ‘X’.
This post was originally published on Digital Activism In Support Of Tibetan Independence.
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Image: @tibettruth
If ever further proof was necessary, then the horrific situation inside occupied Palestine, is a harrowing reminder of how the political interests of governments; driven by commercial factors, geopolitics and ideology, callously ignore the suffering of peoples.
But Tibet is not afforded such solidarity, it is a fringe issue and China’s regime is very happy indeed that it remains so. There have been efforts to secure greater support from Governments, various initiatives within the US and in Europe attract the interest of some political representatives. However, too often such assistance is limited to regarding the plight of Tibetans as one of cultural rights, as opposed to national freedom. Again this position suits Chinese interests, since it avoids the thorny issue of Tibetan independence. It is no accident, that within Congress, the State Department or Parliaments in Europe; what few mentions of Tibet which are presented, consistently omit any discussion of Tibetan sovereignty.
Yet the dream of a Tibet, free from Chinese occupation and rule, remains in the hearts of Tibetans, both inside and beyond that blighted land. The Chinese authorities however would of course prefer you knew nothing of that, and are ceaseless in their efforts to censor, deflect and distort when it comes to the matters Tibetan. From their propaganda perspective they want the Tibet, which yearns for the return of its national and cultural freedom, to be forgotten and marginalized. Look instead, urges China’s Ministry of Disinformation, at the happy ‘progress’ and ‘development’ of Tibetans under the enlightened vision of Xi Jinping and the Chinese Communist Party.
To that end, either through national economic interest and/or greed-driven complicity, Governments turn a blind-eye to the cultural genocide taking place inside occupied Tibet. Like the Chinese leadership they’d prefer their constituents didn’t know about the plight of Tibetans or their common political aspiration for national freedom. Far better to maintain the profitable status quo than have inconvenient issues causing distractions and taking up valuable political time!
It is for such reasons, the cynical desire for a veil of amnesia to fall over the cause of Tibet, that we must not allow our politicians and Government to forget the condition, and political hopes, of the Tibetan people.To that end informing our representatives and presenting them with questions on Tibet is an important and significant action. One that can be done online in a few moments.
We call upon those who care for, and uphold human rights and freedom, to stand with the just cause of Tibet. Don’t let Tibet become a discarded page of history, take action this March 10. Support local rallies for Tibet, Be you in the US, Europe or Britain join our online lobbying of political representatives https://tibettruth.com/action-for-tibet/
Your voice and solidarity count!
March 2024
This post was originally published on Digital Activism In Support Of Tibetan Independence.
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The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday passed a bill that urges China to resolve issues related to Tibet through dialogue with the Dalai Lama or Tibetan leaders and directs the State Department to actively counter disinformation about the history of the formerly independent country.
The Promoting a Resolution to the Tibet-China Dispute Act, also known as the Resolve Tibet Act, passed by a vote of 392-28, with 11 abstentions.
To become law, it still needs to pass the Senate.
It calls for a resumption in negotiations between Chinese officials and the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhists, or his representatives. Since 2010, no formal dialogue has happened and Chinese officials continue to make unreasonable demands of the Dalai Lama as a condition for further dialogue.
The bipartisan bill was introduced by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, a Texas Republican, and Rep. Jim McGovern, a Democrat from Massachusetts, along with Senators Todd Young, an Indiana Republican, and Jeff Merkley, an Oregon Democrat.
The Dalai Lama fled Tibet into exile in India in the midst of a failed 1959 uprising against rule by China, which invaded the then independent Himalayan country in 1950.
Since then, Beijing has sought to legitimize Chinese rule through the suppression of dissent and policies undermining Tibetan culture and language.
‘Clear message’
The legislation articulates that Tibet includes the Tibetan-populated regions of Gansu, Qinghai, Sichuan and Yunnan provinces, in addition to the Tibet Autonomous Region, thereby challenging China’s claim that Tibet is restricted to that latter region alone.
The bill’s passage “sends a clear message to China that Tibet has always been an independent nation and negates the Chinese government’s claim that Tibet has historically been a part of China,” said Namgyal Choedup, the representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Central Tibetan Administration to North America.
The bill states that “claims made by officials of the People’s Republic of China and the Chinese Communist Party that Tibet has been a part of China since ancient times are historically inaccurate.”
Rep. Jim McGovern speaks during a hearing on the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on May 30, 2023. (Mandel Ngan/AFP) On Tuesday, McGovern, one of the lead sponsors of the bill, urged Congress to support the legislation, saying, “A vote for this bill is a vote to recognize the rights of the Tibetan people. And it is a vote to insist on resolving the dispute between Tibet and the People’s Republic of China peacefully, in accordance with international law, through dialogue, without preconditions. There is still an opportunity to do this. But time is running out.”
Beijing believes that the Dalai Lama, who lives in Dharamsala, India, wants to split off the Tibet Autonomous Region and other Tibetan-populated areas in China’s Sichuan and Qinghai provinces from the rest of the country.
Chinese authorities have urged Tibetan monks to denounce the Dalai Lama, and even possessing a photo of him is a crime.
However, the Dalai Lama does not advocate for independence but rather a “Middle Way” that accepts Tibet’s status as a part of China and urges greater cultural and religious freedoms, including strengthened language rights that are guaranteed for ethnic minorities under China’s constitution.
“Today’s vote shows that U.S. support for Tibet is only growing stronger even after 65 years of China’s control and occupation,” International Campaign for Tibet President Tencho Gyatso told RFA.
“China has been playing a waiting game, hoping that the international community would eventually abandon Tibet. Clearly that is not the case,” he said. “The Chinese government should take the hint and restart the dialogue process with Tibetan leaders.”
This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by By Tenzin Pema and Tashi Wangchuk for RFA Tibetan.This post was originally published on Radio Free.
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Video posted on Youtube by Anonymous Tibet Since this morning our team over on ‘X’ has seen a number of posts from hacktivists showing action being taken against Chinese corporate and government targets. Including businesses involved in surveillance technology. Servers and websites appear to have been taken offline and as noted on Facebook ealier, it’s a great start to Tibetan Independence Day. Our thanks to @AnonymousTibet (not to be confused with the fake account on Facebook) @teamriddler and @project_tibet for sharing news on this, especially a fascinating glimpse of an attack conducted by one of ‘Operation Tibet’. Awesome solidarity with Tibet’s cause, sincere respect and appreciation to all those making this happen
This post was originally published on Digital Activism In Support Of Tibetan Independence.
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Thanks to Anonymous Tibet for sharing the video With Tibetan Independence Day on February 13 anonymous activists who form ‘Operation Tibet’ have re-released a video statement exposing the nature and extent of Chinese digital tyranny in occupied Tibet.
The group have again vowed to target Chinese websites, servers and online infrastructure, in an act of solidarity with Tibet’s just cause, and to assert the historic and legitimate right of Tibetans to national, cultural and territorial sovereignty.
Thanks to @project_tibet for informing our team on ‘X’ about this development, and special appreciation to those anonymous friends of Tibet for showing such amazing support.
This post was originally published on Digital Activism In Support Of Tibetan Independence.
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Image: archivenet/@tibettruth
This post was originally published on Digital Activism In Support Of Tibetan Independence.
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Chinese Regime Launches Food Toxic Testing In Lhasa
Image: Researched and secured by @tibettruth
The once pristine land of Tibet is now, courtesy of military invasion and occupation by China, so polluted that foods grown outside the capital, Lhasa are now being regularly tested for toxins.
It is Chinese colonization and so-called development which has caused the poisoning of Tibet and its people. The mass population transfer of Han Chinese imposes huge environmental pressures and damage.
Image: Researched and secured by @tibettruth
While the associated flood of industries, mining, industrial farming, production and processing, along with massive housing projects and transport construction has resulted in significant increases in air, soil and water pollution.
This post was originally published on Digital Activism In Support Of Tibetan Independence.
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Illustration: Charlotte Giang Beuret for ISHR.
On 4 January 2024 ISHR published a massive, complete compilation of all recommendations issued by UN human rights bodies – including the UN Special Rapporteurs and Working Groups, the UN Treaty Bodies, and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights – on the human rights situation in China since 2018. Recommendations are sorted by topic and community affected.
This repository compiles all recommendations issued by UN human rights bodies to the Government of the People’s Republic of China since 2018, the year of its third Universal Periodic Review (UPR).
This includes recommendations in: Concluding Observations issued by UN Treaty Bodies following reviews of China in 2022 (Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)) and 2023 (Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR), Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)), as well as in Decision 1 (108) on the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) by the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) under its Early Warning and Urgent Action Procedure; communications and press releases by UN Special Procedures (Special Rapporteurs and Working Groups), including Opinions by the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention; press releases by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) as well as the OHCHR’s assessment of human rights in the XUAR.
These UN bodies are composed of independent, impartial experts, from all geographic regions.
The recommendations are categorised by key topic or community affected. Yet, this repository does not cover all topics, nor does it include all recommendations issued by the above-mentioned UN bodies.
This repository maintains the original language of the recommendation issued by a given UN body, with minor formatting changes. For the appropriate links please go to the original document.
This repository does not include recommendations to the Governments of Hong Kong and of Macao. Please click here for the repository of recommendations on Hong Kong, and here for the repository of recommendations on Macao.
The topics include very useful ones such as:
Chinese human rights defenders, lawyers and civil society organisations in mainland China
Uyghur region
Tibet
National security legal framework, judicial independence and due process
Surveillance, censorship and free expression
Reprisals, meaningful cooperation with the UN, and unrestricted access to the country for UN experts
Transnational repression
LGBTI rights
Business and human rights, including business activities overseas
Environment and climate change
North Korean (DPRK) refugees
This post was originally published on Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards.
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Norzin Dolma said government should sanction Chinese officials for ‘threatening the very existence … of Tibetan identity’
Australia must not compromise on human rights as it improves its relationship with China because “the truth must be told”, a minister from the Tibetan government in exile has said during a visit to Canberra.
Norzin Dolma, a minister of the Central Tibetan Administration based in Dharamshala in India, met Australian MPs from across the political spectrum on Thursday to warn against a “quiet diplomacy” approach to “gross human rights abuses” and “brutal suppression” in Tibet.
Continue reading…This post was originally published on Human rights | The Guardian.
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The leader of Tibet’s government-in-exile has urged the international community not to follow China’s decision to replace the use of the term “Tibet” with “Xizang” as the romanized Chinese name on official diplomatic documents.
Chinese media and the official account of the United Front Work Department of the Communist Party of China, “United Front News,” said there was “no more Tibet in the official documents of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” RFA reported on Oct. 12.
The United Front tries to co-opt and neutralize elite individuals and organizations inside and outside mainland China, which are sources of potential opposition to the policies of the ruling Chinese Communist Party, or CCP.
The RFA report noted that an English transcript of a speech delivered by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the opening ceremony of the Third Trans-Himalaya Forum for International Cooperation on Oct. 5, used ”Xizang” throughout the copy to refer to Tibet.
“I urge the international community not to compromise with the CCP’s efforts to reshape history and to stick to the established term ‘Tibet,’” Sikyong Penpa Tsering, the democratically elected political leader of the Central Tibetan Administration, told Radio Free Asia in an exclusive interview in Washington on Thursday.
“By imposing its Chinese concept on the English one, the Chinese government wants to tell others that Tibet is just the ‘Tibet Autonomous Region,’” he said.
“The Chinese government cannot justify themselves by propagating propaganda to change the historical fact,” he said. “Many history books and documents that exist in the past refer to ‘Tibet’ as Tibet.”
The name change comes as CCP scholars push for an amendment to the translated name which they claim will prevent the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, from reestablishing the right to speak about Tibet. The scholars argue that the CCP needs to promote its legitimate occupation and rule of the western autonomous region.
Sikyong Penpa Tsering (2nd from R) and International Campaign for Tibet Chairman Richard Gere (2nd from L), meet with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (3rd from L) at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, Oct. 18, 2023. Credit: Gemunu Amarasinghe/RFA 
Tsering, who has held the office of sikyong since May 27, 2021, is on the last leg of an official visit from Sept. 29-Oct. 24, that includes Latin America, where he aims to build support for the Tibetan cause, and North America, where he continues to undertake Tibet advocacy campaigns.
In Washington, Tsering met with Nancy Pelosi, former speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, who also attended the 16th anniversary of the conferment of the U.S. Congressional Gold Medal to His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama on Oct. 17. U.S. lawmakers, including Reps. Jim McGovern (D-MA), Chris Smith (R-NJ), Betty McCollum (D-MN) and Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), attended the event.
Pelosi called the bestowal of the highest civilian honor to His Holiness as “a source of pride” and stressed the bipartisan support of U.S. legislators towards the Dalai Lama.
Tsering also addressed the National Press Club on Oct. 18 about Tibet’s geopolitical relevance, its spiritual and cultural impact, and the effects of President Xi Jinping’s “One China” policy, which Tibetans view as a measure to erase their identity, culture, religion and language.
Before visiting Washington, Tsering visited Brazil, Costa Rica, Colombia and Mexico in a bid to strengthen the ties between the Tibetan government-in-exile, headquartered in Dharamsala, India, and Latin America.
Translated by Tenzin Dickyi for RFA Tibetan. Edited by Roseanne Gerin and Malcolm Foster.
This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by By RFA Tibetan.This post was originally published on Radio Free.
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Image: researched and secured by @tibettruth
The suppression and distortion of Tibet’s ancient religious traditions has long been a key objective for the Chinese regime, in its program of cultural genocide and elimination of Tibetan cultural identity. Through draconian restrictions, and relentless propaganda (with severe penalties for non-compliance) China is warping Tibetan Buddhism into a perverse chimera. Elevating the ‘glory’ of Dictator Xi Jinping, and so-called ‘achievements’ of China’s communist ideology and government, above the enlightened teachings of Buddha.
Last week in Shigatse region of U-Tsang region of occupied Tibet and exhibition went on display that had as a theme; “Promoting the Chineseization (sic) of Tibetan Buddhism”. The various items featured, including paintings, were demanded of local Tibetan monasteries from the charmingly named ‘Temple Management Committee’. Their content had, by dictate, to show: “…the unity, harmony and upward spirit of the religious community… fully expressing love for the Party, love for the motherland, and actively promoting the Chineseization (sic) of Tibetan Buddhism’s firm confidence and determination.”.
This post was originally published on Digital Activism In Support Of Tibetan Independence.
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Image: archivenet
In 2012 we posted an article that asked the question: Do exiled Tibetans and in particular their Administration, not have more in common with Palestine and its cause, than with Israel? At that time the Palestinian enclave of Gaza was being bombed by Israeli jets and 11 years later here we are again!
What has not been written about the Israel-Palestine conflict? After decades of killing, torture, arrests, discrimination, apartheid, and a militarized colonization, the dictionary must surely be exhausted? You would be right in thinking so, but recent events in that region have raised up once again immense questions on human rights, the struggle for freedom and cultural and national identity.
Of course the narrative is unfortunately somewhat distorted, what may appear as factual and objective news is adulterated with politics. Then there are various agenda being played out so that the information presented has to be decontaminated by a careful and critical examination. There are however events taking place which require little interpretation, these elicit deep and shocking reactions.
The bloody carnage, arbitrary killings of civilians, reports and images presented across media places a person into condition of emotional reaction and judgment. Under such circumstances it is a predictable outcome that blame is apportioned, especially when reports are framed into an overly simplistic and warped image of innocent victim and brutal terrorist.
Image: archivenet
This is where a cool and careful reading of history is required, what are the threads and background which contribute to such an interaction of struggle and mayhem? After all the reported killing spree waged by Palestinians against Israeli civilians did not occur in a vacuum, there are pre-existing factors which fuel such murderous outrage. This is not justification, but a matter of record.
As is the harrowing fact that, while the orchestrated narrative has people decrying the horrors of Israelis killed by Palestinians, the prison of Gaza (which is effectively what it is) home to some 2 million Palestinian women, men and children, is suffering wave-upon-wave of aerial bombing.
Deaths and injuries are mounting, yet the same Governments which extol their citizens to ‘Stand With Israel’ are virtually silent as the Israeli Defence Minister, Yoav Gallant, described the Palestinians of Gaza as “human animals”. Who, in revenge, will be denied water, food, energy and fuel supplies! Source: https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israel-palestine-war-fighting-human-animals-defence-minister
Such dehumanizing language and a siege that will inflict untold misery and suffering; raising concerns of disease and further deaths, is a communication one would not be surprised to see issued by a totalitarian regime. Imagine the Western response if Russia employed the same descriptions of Ukrainians and besieged Kiev; to deny its population food and water. Would there be a silence? Yet Israel’s horrific excesses and violations are given a free-pass by the USA, Canada, European Union Australia and Britain.
Image: The Globe Post
This most recent outbreak of violence, murder, deadly retaliation is not, as you are being gaslighted to accept, a conflict between Israel and Hamas, it is a conflagration rooted in a nation colonized, occupied, denied, tortured and brutalized since 1948. Until Palestine and its just cause for national freedom is genuinely recognized and respected, with serious negotiation to reach accord set in motion the potential for further uprisings remains.
While Palestinians are violently denied their lands and homes, oppressed, and treated like criminals resentment and hatred will burn brightly. Until it is our lives under the suffocating oppression of a foreign military occupation we can never be entirely sure how we would respond to the sense of rage, injustice and hatred that no doubt springs from existing under such misery. Would we have the ethical fortitude to peacefully endure decades of such an existence?
This post was originally published on Digital Activism Im Support Of Tibetan Independence.
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ISHR and Freedom House hosted a group of young defenders from the diaspora for a training on UN human rights mechanisms and joint advocacy meetings in Geneva.
Eight activists working on Uyghur, Tibetan and Hong Kong rights across six countries, including Canada, Germany, India, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States, participated in the United Nations Advocacy Training (UNAT) program to learn and strategise together on ways to hold the Chinese government accountable for its human rights violations at the international level.
Why a training for youth diaspora activists?
Young activists play a critical role in diaspora movements to address and counter the Chinese government’s persecution of peoples from the Uyghur region, Tibet, and Hong Kong. When capacity building and support are available to them, they can meaningfully engage their host governments and international institutions, like the UN, to hold the Chinese government accountable for its ongoing abuses against their communities inside the People’s Republic of China, and acts of transnational repression outside Chinese borders. Unfortunately, youth diaspora activists don’t have many opportunities to convene and collaborate in those international spaces.
Working together as allies and partners, these groups can help increase the confidence in their efforts and improve impact and sustainability. Opportunities to network, train together, and work on joint advocacy efforts will help individual diaspora groups communicate and coordinate more effectively amongst themselves and with other relevant local and international groups to amplify and sustain pressure on the Chinese government for meaningful human rights change.
Aged between 19 and 28 years old, this was the first time that young activists from these communities came together in Geneva to work on cross-cutting community issues and build solidarity. Participants are engaged in rights advocacy through their work with established groups like the Hong Kong Democracy Council, Free Uyghur Now, and the Uyghur Human Rights Project or have founded impactful youth led organisations in their host countries, such as Students for a Free Tibet, Harvard College Students for Uyghur Solidarity, and Uyghur Youth Initiative. They are working toward better visibility and accountability towards violations outlined in the UN’s Xinjiang report published last August 2022, including the curtailment of free assembly and expression, mass surveillance, forced labour, and cultural and religious persecution.
During the interactive training programme, participants engaged with one another through peer check-in sessions, with human rights experts and advocates through live Q&As, discussions on the Human Rights Council, Special Procedures, Treaty Bodies and the Universal Periodic Review, and considered how to engage in advocacy activities at the UN in order to effect change for their communities.
The in-person training was designed to coincide with the 54th Session of the Human Rights Council so that the participants could attend the United Nations for the first time in their careers. As well as receiving additional advocacy training modules on all the UN human rights mechanisms from a range of experts, participants had the opportunity to build networks in Geneva and around the world, engage in meetings with UN member States and UN staff, and produce a powerful solidarity video statement which summarises their call to action to the UN States members.
#Training #UN #Statement @ISHRglobal @freedomhouse
— Salome_ISHR (@salome_ishr) September 20, 2023
Young #Uyghur, #Tibetan, and #HongKonger activists demand accountability to China for their relatives who are facing terrible persecution and injustice for their beliefs, culture, desire for freedom. WE MUST STAND WITH THEM
pic.twitter.com/Hrxz1KvizsAll of the participants expressed they were satisfied with the training and increased their skills and networks to engage in advocacy at the UN. Freedom House and ISHR will continue to support these participants as they develop joint advocacy initiatives and build solidarity among their communities.
Participants in front of the flags of UN Member States, at UN Office, Geneva
This post was originally published on Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards.
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Tibetans Attend Propaganda Event 9/29/23 To ‘Sing Praise To The Motherland’ In Kongpo Region Of Occupied Tibet. Source: CTNN
Do you remember the issue of Tibet? The plight of Tibetans under an illegal and vicious Chinese occupation? If so that’s great to hear, but it won’t be a consequence of reports appearing across legacy media. The past few years has seen Tibet effectively removed and disappeared from news reports; journalists, politicians and bodies such as the United Nations have become ever more silent and unconcerned.
Meanwhile, the extermination of Tibet’s culture continues and intensifies. Through deliberate colonialist policies, which forcibly remove Tibetan children from their homes into ‘residential schools’, a 24/7 psychological indoctrination program eradicates any sense of Tibetan cultural identity. It is cultural genocide, an entire people are witnessing the calculated destruction of their traditions, language and history.
Tibet’s Children Are The Target Of Chinese Indoctrination Such As These Youngsters With Eyes Made Up To Look ‘Oriental’, Kongpo Region Occupied Tibet 9/29/23. Source: CTNN
Anyone daring to protest faces torture, forced-labor, and brutal incarceration. Such is the nature and extent of digital surveillance, and an imposed social monitoring of daily life across Tibet, that a disabling fear dominates. Every Tibetan knows the chilling cost of speaking-out. So, what prevails is a desperation and a loss of hope. There is no escape or refuge. Even Tibet’s ancient religious traditions of Bon and Buddhism have been invaded, corrupted and dominated by the totalitarian ideology of the Chinese regime.
This ‘Final Solution’ for Tibet, in the sense of a complete annihilation of Tibet’s national and cultural identity, is being implemented against the back-drop of indifference and silence from the world’s political establishments, and their media mouthpieces. Beyond the suffocating and censorial grip of the Chinese Regime, it is up to those valuing freedom, human-rights and justice to take whatever action possible. To ensure Tibet and its just cause does not become a faded page of history.
This post was originally published on Digital Activism Im Support Of Tibetan Independence.
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Exclusive: China appears to have expanded use of high-security prisons as tool of repression in Tibet, researchers say
There has been a pattern of increased activity in recent years at high-security detention facilities in Tibet, according to a new study measuring night-time lighting usage, suggesting a potential rise in harsher imprisonments by Chinese authorities.
The report, by the Rand Europe research institute, said the findings added rare new clues about the Chinese government’s “stability maintenance” policies of control in the highly securitised Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR), which it described as an “information black hole”.
Continue reading…This post was originally published on Human rights | The Guardian.
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This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by Radio Free Asia.This post was originally published on Radio Free.
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Tibet’s foremost spiritual leader the Dalai Lama has revealed that Chinese officials have sought contact with him, either “officially or unofficially” to discuss Tibet issues.
The Dalai Lama, who lives in exile in Dharamsala, India, addressed reporters there on Saturday as he was about to depart for the Indian capital, New Delhi, and then a month-long sojourn in Ladakh.
“I am always open to talk, and Chinese officials have now realized that Tibetan people’s spirits are very strong, so in order to deal with Tibetan problems they want to contact me. I am also ready,” he said.
The Dalai Lama, who celebrated his 88th birthday on June 6, did not specify when or how Chinese officials requested contact. He said that Tibetans are not seeking independence and have decided to remain part of the People’s Republic of China.
China annexed Tibet in 1951 and maintains a tight rein on the western autonomous region.
“Now China is changing and Chinese officials want to contact me officially and unofficially,” the Dalai Lama said.
While in New Delhi on Sunday, the Dalai Lama visited with a delegation from the U.S. organized by the Office of Tibet in Washington. Led by U.S. special coordinator of Tibetan issues, Uzra Zeya, the delegation also included the assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asian affairs, Donald Lu, and a senior USAID official.
Also attending the meeting was Penpa Tsering, leader of the Central Tibetan Administration, or CTA, the Dharamsala-based Tibetan government in exile, and Norzin Dolma, the CTA’s minister of information and international relations.
Diplomatic meetings with the Dalai Lama are controversial. In May last year, when Zeya visited the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala, Beijing protested saying that Washington was interfering in China’s affairs.
Regarding Sunday’s visit, China’s Embassy in India voiced Beijing’s objection on Twitter.
“The US should take concrete actions to honor its commitment of acknowledging Xizang [Tibet] as part of China, stop meddling in China’s internal affairs under the pretext of Xizang-related issues, and offer no support to the anti-China separatist activities of the Dalai clique,” the embassy’s spokesperson Wang Xiaojian said in the tweet.
Such a response is typical for China, Tenzin Lekshey, the spokesperson for the CTA, told RFA.
“The Chinese government has always been hostile whenever U.S. officials, or for that matter any dignitaries, meet with the Dalai Lama or Tibetan leaders from CTA, so this is not something new,” Tenzin Lekshey said.
The spokesperson denied China’s claim that the Dalai Lama and the CTA are separatist, citing the Middle-Way Approach, a CTA official policy he described as a way to “peacefully resolve the issue of Tibet and to bring about stability and co-existence between the Tibetan and Chinese peoples based on equality and mutual cooperation.”
The Chinese government must take the initiative to solve the Tibet problem,” he said.
Translated by Tenzin Dickyi. Edited by Eugene Whong.
This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by By Lobsang Gelek and Lobe Socktsang for RFA Tibetan.This post was originally published on Radio Free.
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Image: archivenet
With the blood of Chinese protesters still staining the streets of Beijing (following the June 4 1989 massacre at Tiananmen Square and surrounding districts), a covert US delegation; headed by Brent Scowcroft (President Bush’s National Security Adviser) and then Deputy Secretary of State, Laurence Eagleburger, arrived in the Chinese capital.
Their clandestine mission was about fence-mending. To reassure the Chinese Regime that, despite growing international calls for sanctions against China, it was to be ‘business as usual’. After all the economics were (and remain) key drivers of America’s policy on China. As Henry Kissinger wrote, just a few weeks after China’s murderous crackdown, it would be “too important for America’s national security to risk the relationship on the emotions of the moment“ (emphasis added) Source: Los Angeles Times July 30 1989
The response of the US Administration exposed its prioritization of commercial and corporate interests over issues of human rights and fundamental freedoms. Although at that time Levi’s pulled its Chinese operations, many corporations continued their profit-seeking presence in China as if nothing had happened. A position facilitated and protected by the President, the State Department and pro-China lobby groups; including those headed by Kissinger’s America-China Society. Which, as chance would have it, included as consultants both Eagleburger and Scowcroft!
Image: Epoch Times
Such is the realpolitik of US relations with China, even today it is economic interest which dominates. Which partly explains CIA Director Bill Burns’ undercover trip to China during May this year. We were told it was to ‘reset relations’ and call for ‘intelligence channels to be maintained’, but like the delegation of 1989, his brief would have a key objective, commercial relations with China.
Meanwhile, the tyranny has not just continued, but intensified to a condition of complete control over virtually every aspect of life, courtesy of mass-surveillance, facial-recognition systems, digitized big-data analysis, bio-metric ID controls and increasingly AI processing. The people of China, and militarily occupied lands of Tibet, East Turkistan and Southern Mongolia are suffocating under an extreme and dystopian totalitarianism. But don’t let that get in the way of business, right Mr Secretary-of-State?
This post was originally published on Digital Activism Im Support Of Tibetan Independence.
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Print-Screen Of RFA Report/ Amended For Accuracy by @tibettruth
We’ve long exposed an alarming deficiency of Radio Free Asia‘s coverage on Tibet. This flaw is not about editorial style or journalistic errors but a policy, one hard-wired into their reportage.
Funded from the US State Department; and with longstanding concerns of a corrosive Chinese influence at work within its offices, its output on Tibet carefully and consistently uses Chinese terms to describe, what in fact, are Tibetan locations, place-names and regions.
This stems from the decades old policy of appeasement towards China’s regime by the State Department which (having in 1972 abandoned the courageous Tibetan resistance) was keen to recognize Chinese claims that Tibet was an inalienable part of China. It maintains that troubling stance.
In terms of politics and objective RFA is effectively an extension of the State Department, which explains why their editors are meticulously consistent in saturating reports on Tibet with descriptions that conform to and repeat official Chinese propaganda .
It would seem they recognize no issue of journalistic integrity, are either ignorant of, or indifferent to, the immense bravery of Tibetans from inside occupied Tibet, who risk everything to get information out. However, editorial loyalty is clearly towards the tainted policy of their State Department paymasters.
Take the example, shown in a screenshot above, published 5/30.202023. It was edited by Roseanne Gerin and Malcolm Foster, who paid particular attention to placing within the report the following distortions: ‘in China’s Qinghai province’, ‘Tibetans living in Rebgong county’, ‘in western China’, ‘a Tibetan-populated area of China’s Qinghai province’, and ‘Tibetan-populated regions of western China’.
This post was originally published on Digital Activism Im Support Of Tibetan Independence.
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Image: archivenet/@tibettruth
To those Chinese hackers seeking to infect out various platforms with malware, be notified your efforts are monitored and dealt with accordingly!
We are very aware of the methodology and covert tactics you are employing. The recent attack was identified early-on and blocked, any further attempts will be trashed.
This post was originally published on Digital Activism Im Support Of Tibetan Independence.
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Situated in Lhasa, the capital of occupied Tibet, this secure facility, though claimed by the Chinese Regime to be a ‘boarding school’ in truth is a massive prison-center. It’s purpose is to eradicate and distort any sense of Tibetan cultural and national identity, to engineer obedient and loyal ‘citizens’.
This is achieved through a program of daily indoctrination, military-style programing and a constant glorification of the Chinese communist party and the ideology of dictator Xi Jinping. Many of these Tibetan children come from Tibet’s traditional nomadic culture, an aspect of Tibetan life being systematically eroded and extinguished under the merciless tyranny of Chinese rule.
They are taken by force, or the ever present threat of it, from their families. Bused in on convoys to this detention center and subjected to a relentless process of brainwashing, all conducted of course in Chinese!
This post was originally published on Digital Activism Im Support Of Tibetan Independence.
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This post was originally published on TIBET, ACTIVISM AND INFORMATION.
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Over the years we have watched with concern; how Tibet, and the issues related to China’s illegal and brutal occupation of that country, are misrepresented and/or distorted by mainstream media.
It has jaundiced our view towards journalism. A profession which once was staffed by dedicated, professional individuals, writing with objectivity and integrity. Perhaps that’s still the case? But just not when the subject is about Tibet!
Sometimes this is explained by a laziness, an over-reliance on pre-published articles. Problem is such references often feature information served up by the Chinese Regime, handed to leading press agencies. Who consume and repeat such disinformation without question or consideration, especially in relation to it’s bogus claim that Tibet is part of China.
One of our friends in the UK emailed a story over to us. which appeared March 28 in The Independent newspaper.
Image: The Times – Mongolian boy recognized and confirmed as the 10th Khalkha Jetsun Dhampa Rinpoche by Tibet’s Exiled Dalai Lama
It reports the recognition and confirmation; by the exiled Dalai Lama, of a U.S born Mongolian boy as a reincarnation of a prominent and respected Tibetan Buddhist Lama. Much to the agitated constipation of China’s dictatorship.
The piece is fairly well composed, offering up key facts on the story and remaining pretty much objective, that is until the very last sentence. When the reporter (Joe Sommerlad) ends his piece with the following:
“Beijing, in turn, considers him a dangerous separatist and has banned his portrait from being displayed in public, although many Chinese Tibetans still revere him.” (Emphasis Added)
This is the last impression offered up to the reader, borrowed from China’s fact-free propaganda. Note the phrase “Chinese Tibetans” a crass distortion to mislead people into regarding Tibetans as not having their own distinct national identity.
We wonder if journalists such as Mr Sommerlad are writing articles about Russian occupied territories of Ukraine and using the term ‘Russian Ukranians’?
This post was originally published on TIBET, ACTIVISM AND INFORMATION.
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As the International Criminal Court i(ICC) imposes a warrant, for the arrest of Russian President Putin, we should perhaps reflect on the nauseating double-standards of that agency. First though, the cited reason for charging him with war crimes – the forced relocation of a reported 1,400 children from their family home in Ukranian or Russian territory (depending on your point-of-view) to Russia. A number of United Nations articles were raised clearly defining such as a gross human rights violation.
Yet, where has the ICC been while the Chinese Regime has been forcibly removing countless thousands of Uyghur and Tibetan children (including infants) from their family and placing them into indoctrination centers, where they are effectively brainwashed 24/7 into becoming Chinese-speaking model citizens?
It’s strange how the ICC regards the abuse of some children as deserving of a charge of war-crimes, yet has offered not even a gesture of concern at the harrowing reports of Uyghur and Tibetan cultural and national identity being calculatedly eradicated through a program of cultural genocide which targets children.
Others may ask why no charges were brought upon former President Bush or the UK’s Tony Blair for the mass slaughter of Iraqis, many civilians; such as those of Fallujah, who were shelled with depleted uranium and white phosphorous weaponry.
The answer of course is one of hypocrisy, political agenda and the corrosive influence of countries, who while claiming to be defenders-of-freedom care only about furthering their preferred economic and geo-strategic interests.
This post was originally published on TIBET, ACTIVISM AND INFORMATION.
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Image: moderndiplomacyeu/@tibettruth
The theme of this International Women’s Day is ‘Embracing Equality’, which no doubt will be voiced with much enthusiasm by activists on Day 3 of the 67th CSW in New York. We wonder how objectives on advancing rights for women is serviced by their silence on China’s forced sterilizations of Uyghur and Tibetan women?
We also have a couple of questions (photo above) to the current Executive Director of @UN_Women, Ms Sima Bahous. These were presented to her predecessor; who not only found it difficult to answer, but blocked our Twitter account to avoid them!
We have not gone away, nor has the justification and importance of these inquiries.
This post was originally published on TIBET, ACTIVISM AND INFORMATION.
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Described by the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW) as “champions of gender equality” female activists will be in attendance today at the opening of the 67th Session of the UNCSW.
Quite how this gathering of Government and NGO participants can square-the-circle of affirming themselves as defenders of women’s rights, while cynically ignoring the atrocities of forced sterilizations, remains baffling!
If, like us, you hold the conviction that, any and all human rights violations against women demands to be exposed and challenged, then please consider adding your name to our petition on this issue:
https://www.change.org/p/calling-upon-uncsw-and-ngo-forum-to-oppose-china-s-forced-sterilizations
Thanks
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One key objective of China’s propaganda drive on Tibet is to disappear global concern and awareness about the plight of Tibetan people under Chinese occupation. It does not want questions being asked, especially critical scrutiny of its harrowing record of tyranny that seeks to eliminate any sense of Tibetan identity.
Nor is China comfortable about the issue of Tibetan independence, it would prefer that subject to be buried, and forgotten; a relic of interest only to academics. That’s why the Chinese Regime is delighted to observe silence from foreign politicians on matters related to Tibet.
Now there’s an understandable cynicism which dismisses seeking active support from your Senator or Congressman. They are traduced as being corrupt, indifferent or indolent; caring only about their career-path and bank balance. There’s truth in there, no doubt.
Yet, discouraging as such factors are, we must not allow Governments and politicians to remain unknowing of Tibet and the hopes of its people to be free from China’s brutal rule. Nor should the Chinese dictatorship go unexposed or challenged.
Which is why this March 10 you are invited to support the online action to lobby and inform your political representative about Tibet’s independence. Details and resources will be posted here and across our social media on Twitter and Facebook.
This post was originally published on TIBET, ACTIVISM AND INFORMATION.
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Image: courtesy of @Project_Tibet
Today is the commemoration of the 1913 declaration of Tibetan independence made by the Thirteenth Dalai Lama. A right to national sovereignty which is being brutally denied to the Tibetan people by a Chinese military occupation, since the invasion of Tibet in 1950.
