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Beijing 2008: Protesters Defy Security FREE TIBET Issue 51 October 2008 issn 1360-4864 www.freetibet.org Beijing 2008: protesters defy security Tibet under lockdown Protests in Beijing Monasteries threatened with closure “ The Beijing Games have been used by the Chinese government as a propaganda tool to whitewash their human rights record in Tibet ” Iain Thom Tibet protester, 5 August Beijing Dear Friends, As the Olympic Games commenced in is a huge challenge. Having had the Beijing with Tibet sealed off from the privilege to work alongside Tibetan world, it was our turn to pick up the nomadic communities; hearing the baton and ensure the courage shown disappointment of Tibetan friends by Tibetans during March and April was whose children cannot read or write in kept alive. Defying arrest, detention and Tibetan as their schooling is now in in some cases deportation; in Beijing Chinese; speaking to women who were and across the globe Tibet protestors too frightened to go to hospital as scaled buildings, marched across cities, they feared forced sterilisation; seeing unfurled Tibetan flags and held peaceful machinery used to exploit the land of vigils. Our combined efforts ensured that its minerals abandoned, polluting the world leaders attending the Olympics local rivers and witnessing the rapid Stephanie Brigden and the millions watching did not destruction of a unique culture, it is Introducing Free Tibet’s new forget the tragedy inside Tibet. evident to me, that only by securing Director who joined us in July. Despite the promises that human the fundamental rights of the Tibetan rights would improve as a result of people can we help secure a just future China being awarded the Games, the for the people of Tibet. Olympics acted as a catalyst for a With the Olympics now over and worsening human rights situation. the world’s attention focussed on new Terrified that protests inside Tibet crises our efforts must ensure that the would mar the Olympic spectacle, world does not turn its back on Tibet. Chinese authorities have poured The crisis in Tibet is a David and Goliath thousands of troops into Tibet. Towns struggle but thanks to your continued like Ngaba, which witnessed some of support we are making a difference. the largest protests are under military curfew. Tibetans are living in a climate of fear, under surveillance, terrified of night visits from security forces taking them away to unknown locations. Joining as the new Director of Free Tibet when the situation is arguably the most desperate it has been for decades, Contents 3 Lockdown in Tibet 8 News China tightens security in Tibet Monasteries to be purged Nomad resettlement 4 Protests in Beijing Film makers imprisoned How Tibet activists broke through Dalai Lama calls emergency meeting China’s security 10 Supporter pages 4 6 Campaigns 8 Skydive for Tibet T for Tibet gathers support Trek the Himalayas Tibetans tortured to death Local groups action Tibet – China negotiations continue Raffle reminder Event diary 6 10 28 Charles Square, Free Tibet Campaign stands for the right of Views expressed in Free Tibet are not necessarily London N1 6HT Tibetans to determine their own future. It campaigns those of Free Tibet Campaign. T: 020 7324 4605 for an end to China’s occupation of Tibet and for F: 020 7324 4606 the fundamental human rights of Tibetans to be Editor: Janet Fereday E: [email protected] respected. Founded in 1987, Free Tibet Campaign Design & layout: Catherine Quine W: www.freetibet.org generates active support by education about the situation in Tibet. It is independent of all Cover: Protesters display Tibetan flags on the day governments and is funded by its members of the Opening Ceremony in Beijing. Free Tibet © Free Tibet Campaign 2008 and supporters. Photo: Students for a Free Tibet. Lockdown in Tibet DAVID GRAY/REUTERS There's a good hilst the world marvelled at for months, a Taiwanese American reason“ that foreigners China’s Olympic spectacular in woman travelling on a Taiwanese aren't allowed in these WBeijing, the people of Tibet have passport recently managed to visit places. It looks like a been living under total military lock-down. Kandze and reported her experiences war zone. Telecommunications into and out of on an influential American blog. Her ” the region have been severely restricted report read: and it has been virtually impossible for “There's a good reason that foreigners journalists or any foreigners to travel aren't allowed in these places. It looks to the region in recent months. Despite like a war zone. In Kandze the police are this, reports are now emerging that China in the middle of the sidewalks. They're has poured thousands of troops into the sitting in helmets holding their guns and areas of Tibet which witnessed significant riot shields in rows of 10 or 15. They are protests earlier this year. outside convenience stores under blue Free Tibet’s sources confirm the tarps every half a block, on both sides military presence in the small town of of the road – watching. They're up on Ngaba in the Amdo region of Tibet rose raised metal posts with cut-out windows dramatically from around 2,000 to – watching. I couldn't walk anywhere 10,000 troops in early August, dwarfing without dozens of armed police staring the local population. Townspeople were at me. I've never seen so many police told that troops would stay until after and military personnel in one town in the Olympics. They have been enforcing my life. Nor have I experienced this kind a strict curfew as well as manning of heart pounding fear before.” checkpoints on every major road in Similar reports have been received the town. We also received reports from Lithang and Tso in Amdo where that two women were shot and wounded groups of 20-30 armed police are in the town on 9 August. According reported to be stationed on street to eyewitnesses, the shots came corners, barricaded behind cement- from a building that is known to be filled sandbags. accommodating the troops stationed Whilst these rises in troop levels in Ngaba. were undoubtedly designed to deter In March Ngaba was the scene of a Tibetans from staging protests during large Tibetan protest which ended when the Olympics, they are also thought to Chinese armed security forces fired into be indications of further restrictions the crowd, killing at least eight men and to come. Internationally respected women. This latest influx of troops is China analyst, Willy Lam has warned thought to be a direct result of events at of a “crackdown to come” on all forms that time and is mirrored in other Tibetan of dissent in China and Tibet now Above: Chinese authorities regions, particularly Kandze in Kham. the focus of the international media are cracking down on Although foreigners have been has moved onto other human rights monasteries since protests earlier this year prevented from travelling to the region catastrophes. www.freetibet.org 3 One of the climbers, Iain Thom Tibet from Edinburgh, told the BBC: “I'm here today because I've been a long-term Tibet activist and I feel like now is a really critical time for Tibet”. The action made headline news in Britain and the centre US, ensuring that China’s brutal occupation of Tibet was put under intense media scrutiny as world leaders gathered in Beijing for the Opening Ceremony. stage Just one day after the Opening Ceremony, on the first day of competition, five more Tibet protesters brought their message to one of the most iconic symbols of the Chinese state, during Tiananmen Square. Draped in Tibetan national flags four of the protesters lay on the ground in a mock die-in whilst another protester narrated to the gathered crowd the reasons for the Olympics protest. Free Tibet Campaign supporter Matt Guy, had planned to be part of this protest but was detained and turned back on arrival at Beijing airport (see side ibetans and Tibet activists box for story). bravely defied an overwhelming More protests quickly followed. Tsecurity presence during the On 13 August five protesters blockaded Beijing Olympics to stage a series of the front gate of Beijing’s “Chinese eight peaceful, but daring, protests Ethnic Culture Park”. They unfurled a outside Olympic venues and Chinese banner which read: “Tibetans are dying government offices. for Freedom”. Despite repeated promises The protests were designed to that journalists would be allowed free highlight that China’s dire human and unrestricted reporting during the rights record in Tibet had actually Games, John Ray of ITV News, who was worsened in the run up to the Games, covering the protest, was aggressively despite promises from both the Chinese bundled into a van and taken away, government and the International (see box right). At another protest on Olympic Committee (IOC) that staging 15 August two Tibet activists unfurled a the Games in China would lead to Free Tibet banner in front of the CCTV an improvement. (China’s state broadcaster) building. The The Chinese authorities drafted a activists had chosen the CCTV building huge security presence into Beijing, as the official mouthpiece for China’s designed to prevent any protests and Tibet propaganda. embarrassment during the Games. They In the final week of the Games four were determined to ensure that only the protesters, including former Free Tibet carefully-choreographed Tibet Campaign staff member Mandie propaganda – that Tibetans live happily McKeown, were arrested after a protest under Chinese rule – would feature outside the Olympic Stadium. They were during the Games. detained and, unlike previous protesters, Tibet protesters signalled their were not immediately deported. Instead determination to counter China’s cynical they were questioned at length, held at lie with a hugely daring banner hang just first in an informal place of detention days before the Opening Ceremony.
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