Tibet Brief a Report of the International Campaign for Tibet
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Tibet Brief A report of the International Campaign for Tibet June 2012 Self-immolations continue in Tibet and IN THIS ISSUE : spread to Tibet’s capital, Lhasa 1. ▶ Self-immolations continue in Tibet and spread to Tibet’s capital, Lhasa 2. ▶ Kalon Tripa Accepts Resignations of Special Envoy Lodi G. Gyari and Envoy Kelsang Gyaltsen 3. ▶ The European Parliament adopts resolution on Tibet 4. ▶ Dalai Lama meets British Prime Minister and Austrian Chancellor 5. ▶ 6th World Parliamentarians’ Convention on Tibet held in Ottawa, Canada 6. ▶ EU and China hold dialogue on human rights 7. ▶ FIDH-ICT publish joint report 8. ▶ Political prisoners focus 9. ▶ Reading suggestion 10. ▶ Upcoming Events An image reportedly of Sunday's self-immolation(s) in Lhasa that has been circulating on Weibo. On 27 May 2012, two young Tibetan telephone lines. On 24 May, the official basis from other Tibetan areas outside men set fire to themselves outside one newspaper Tibet Daily warned Tibetans the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR). of Tibet’s holiest shrines, the Jokhang that commemorating Saga Dawa that Tibetans who are from Ngaba (Chinese: Temple, in the first self-immolation week would be regarded as a “serious Aba) Prefecture are especially targeted, in Lhasa, Tibet’s historic capital. The violation” of “political discipline and apparently due to the fact that Dhargye Chinese state media reported that one stability work.” On 4 June, Tibet expert hails from Ngaba. of the Tibetans died, while another is Robbie Barnett stated in a Twitter still alive. The two men who immolated message (@RobbieBarnett) that “with On the afternoon of 30 May, a Tibetan together, Dorje Tseten from Labrang Sagadawa festival on 4th, tonight all nomadic woman set herself on fire and (Chinese: Xiahe) in Gansu and Dargye, tourists in hotels in Barkor near Jokhang died near Jonang monastery in Dzamthang from Ngaba (Chinese: Aba) in Sichuan, Temple were made to move elsewhere.” (Chinese: Rangtang) in Ngaba (Chinese: worked in a restaurant in Lhasa. According to the Tibetan Centre for Human Aba) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. Rights and Democracy (www.tchrd.org), Dzamthang is one of the sites where The self-immolations took place during an unspecified number of Tibetans protests took place earlier this year Saga Dawa, an important religious have been detained following the twin and where rights groups believe at period for Tibetan Buddhists that self-immolation protests in Lhasa. least six people were killed and 60 commemorates the Buddha’s birth, Sources told TCHRD that Tibetans injured. Rikyo was a mother of three enlightenment and death and amidst who fail to show their temporary stay children and died straight away. A large the heightened security presence in permit (Chinese: Zan Zhu Zheng) – that number of Tibetans gathered to pray Lhasa, which includes visible military confirm their legal stay in Lhasa – are for Rikyo and some Tibetan sources presence in the streets and additional being detained. The detainees include controls imposed on the Internet and Tibetans visiting Lhasa on a temporary > Continued on page 2 ICT Europe ICT Brussels ICT Germany ICT United States Vijzelstraat 77 15, rue de la linière Schonhauser Allee 163 1825 Jefferson Place, NW 1017HG Amsterdam 1060 Brussels 10435 Berlin Washington, DC 20036 The Netherlands Belgium Germany United States of America Phone: +31 (0)20 3308265 Phone: +32 (0)2 609 44 10 Telefon: +49 (0)30 27879086 Phone: +(1) 202-785-1515 Fax: +31 (0)20 3308266 Fax: +32 (0)2 609 44 32 Fax: +49 (0)30 27879087 Fax: (202) 785-434 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] www.savetibet.org 1 Tibet Brief A report of the International Campaign for Tibet June 2012 > Continued from page 1 said the total number was as high as body was returned to local people at several thousand, including monks around mid-day today, according to and laypeople. Likewise, on 15 June various sources (more information at Tamdin Thar, a Tibetan from a nomadic http://tinyurl.com/d3xmwhn). ■ family, set himself on fire in front of the People's Armed Police base in Chentsa, Malho (Chinese: Huangnan) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, according to See also: Tibetan sources in exile. Armed police ▶ ICT report: http://tinyurl.com/bp3yznt were seen extinguishing the flames ▶ Amnesty International Press Release: as Tamdin Thar lay on the ground, still http://tinyurl.com/ctqe6z5 moving slightly, and he was then taken Tamdin Thar's two sons and Sonam Dhargay's son ▶ Article by Edward Wong: http://tinyurl. away in a vehicle by security forces. com/blro26j According to Tibetan sources in exile in in the town calling for the return of his ▶ BBC Documentary on Self-Immolations: touch with Tibetans in the area, he died body, despite an increasing number http://tinyurl.com/cuyo6jz within hours, and local people gathered of armed police being deployed. The leadership of the Tibetan negotiating Kalon Tripa Accepts Resignations of Special team have been invaluable. The Kashag Envoy Lodi G. Gyari and Envoy Kelsang Gyaltsen will continue to rely on them for their wise counsel. They will remain as senior Press release by the Central Tibetan Administration, http://www.tibet.net members of the Task Force team,” said Kalon Tripa Dr. Lobsang Sangay. Kalon Tripa Dr. Lobsang Sangay, Head of the Central Tibetan Administration, regretfully accepted the resignations of the Special The Kashag urges Beijing to accept Envoy of His Holiness the Dalai Lama Lodi G. Gyari and Envoy the Middle-way Approach, which seeks genuine autonomy for Tibetans Kelsang Gyaltsen. The resignations became effective June 1, 2012. within the People’s Republic of China Special Envoy Lodi Gyari, assisted cases of self-immolations by Tibetans, (PRC) and within the framework of the by Envoy Kalsang Gyaltsen, led the we are compelled to submit our Chinese constitution. This is a win-win Tibetan team in nine rounds of talks resignations. Furthermore, the United proposition, which contributes to with the representatives of the Chinese Front did not respond positively to the PRC’s unity, stability, harmony, and its government starting in 2002. The last Memorandum on Genuine Autonomy peaceful rise in the world. meeting with the Chinese side took for the Tibetan people presented in The Tibetan Task Force on Negotiations place more than two years ago in 2008 and its Note in 2010. One of the key will be expanded and will meet again in January 2010. Despite Mr. Gyari’s Chinese interlocutors in the dialogue December 2012 to discuss the Chinese desire to step down in April 2011, the process even advocated abrogation of leadership transition with the hope of two envoys were asked to continue their the minority status as stipulated in the continuing to dialogue with the new efforts to reach out to their Chinese Chinese constitution thereby seeming Chinese leaders to resolve the issue of counterparts by Kalon Tripa-elect to remove the basis of autonomy. At Tibet peacefully. Dr. Lobsang Sangay. The envoys met this particular time, it is difficult to have and briefed the Kalon Tripa on twelve substantive dialogue,” stated the two The Tibetan leadership remains firmly separate occasions since May 2011. envoys in their resignation letter. committed to non-violence and the At the Task Force meeting on May 30- “I have known both the Special Envoy Lodi Middle-Way Approach, and strongly 31, 2012 in Dharamsala, the envoys G. Gyari and Envoy Kelsang Gyaltsen for believes that the only way to resolve expressed their utter frustration over many years. They have worked extremely the issue of Tibet is through dialogue. the lack of positive response from hard in challenging circumstances The Tibetan leadership considers the Chinese side and submitted their and made earnest efforts to move the substance to be the primary and resignations to the Kalon Tripa. “Given dialogue process forward and resolve process as secondary, and is ready to the deteriorating situation inside Tibet the issue of Tibet peacefully. Their engage in dialogue anywhere and at since 2008 leading to the increasing contributions during their decade-long anytime. ■ www.savetibet.org 2 Tibet Brief A report of the International Campaign for Tibet June 2012 The European Dalai Lama meets with British Prime Parliament adopts Minister and Austrian Chancellor resolution on Tibet On 14 June 2012 the European Parliament passed a resolution on Tibet (see: http://tinyurl.com/ cqemtpe) where it criticizes human rights abuses in Tibet demanding that China reveal the whereabouts of all the victims of self-immolation and calling for unrestricted access for media and human rights monitors. It also asks the EU Foreign Affairs Policy chief Lady Ashton to step up efforts to tackle the abuses and appoint a Special EU Coordinator for Tibet. On 12 June, HR/VP Catherine Ashton UK Prime Minister David Cameron and his Deputy Nick Clegg with His Holiness the Dalai Lama. made strong remarks on EU Tibet policy to the plenary session of the On 14 May 2012, the Dalai Lama met British Prime Minister David European Parliament in Strasbourg, Cameron and his deputy in the ruling coalition, Nick Clegg. In response France. During the debate, Mr. Thomas to the stormy reaction from Beijing to the meeting, the British Mann (EPP), Ms. Ana Gomes (S&D), government said that it was up to the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Ms. Kristiina Ojuland (ALDE) and Ms. Eva Lichtenberg (Greens) addressed Minister to choose with whom they meet. the Plenary presenting different Earlier in the day, the Dalai Lama received a major award, the Templeton Prize aspects of the current situation in Tibet (http://www.templetonprize.org), in a ceremony at St Paul’s Cathedral in and calling on the European Union to London.