FEB 13: TIBETAN INDEPENDENCE DAY

Every country has an independence or national day regardless of its current political status and Tibet is no exception. February 13, 2013  marks the 100 years since Tibetans proclaimed the restoration of their independence. On Wednesday, February 13 (the 3rd day of Tibetan New Year), Tibetans and supporters worldwide  celebrated the centennial of the Tibetan Independence Day – a symbolic day that we pledge to mark every year. In occupied countries, observing the independence day has become a powerful expression of a people’s desire for freedom.

At this time when nearly 100 Tibetans have self-immolated to protest Chinese rule, a global commemoration of this historic occasion will help to renew our spirits, reaffirm our vision, and strengthen our struggle.

Students for a Free Tibet, India Chapter have also celebrated the day with great enthusiasm by organizing a series of event from morning till night, aiming to make young, old and teens to know the importance of the day. Dharamsala the exile headquarters of Dharamshala, Tibetans and supporters took part in a day-long event marked with an exhibition displaying historical facts asserting Tibet’s independent status followed by a talk on His Holiness the 13th Dalai Lama and his efforts in securing Tibet’s independence, culminating with a concert in the evening.

In India, SFT chapters in Delhi, Jalhandhar, Kolkata, Chennai(TSAM), and Bangalore organized similar events.

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Public Speaking and Youth activism training with Tibetan students

This lhakar Students for a Free Tibet – India had the opportunity to organize a small training on Youth activism and Public speaking to Tibetan students who are on their winter vacation in Dharamshala. The session started with a brief introduction on Student For a Free Tibet by Dorjee Tsetan, National Director of SFT- India. There innocence mount up as soon as we started learning through game, their overwhelming response created joyous environment and their awareness about Tibetan cause and need to do something was there in everybody minds, we came to know about it as soon as we started talking about public speaking, they were confident and their proficiency in Tibetan language was overwhelming. Though it was only half day training but it helps to create a small space where students can build their self-confident and open their mind without any hesitation. In small group exercise, students spoke in front of their fellow students, share their thought on camera and later screen and learn through different games and fun. We felt lucky to have a great interaction with the future leader of Tibet. There is no doubt that these young minds will strengthen our movement at next level.

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10 Dec 2012, Human Rights Day: Delivery of Solidarity Video Messages to PM Manmohan Singh

Members of Students for a Free Tibet (SFT), India today delivered more than 50 video messages to the Prime Minister at his office in Raisina Hill, Delhi urging him to engage in a multilateral action for Tibet with other world leaders. Members of Parliament, Advocates, Doctors, Professors, Journalist, Artists, Writers, Students, Activists and people of various professions expressed their solidarity and concern on Tibet through those videos.

Commemoration of Worlds AIDS day In Dharamshala

Organised by CHOICE—HIV/AIDS Initiative SFT – India RTYC RTWA
World AIDS Day on 1 December brings together people from around the world to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS and demonstrate international solidarity in the face of the pandemic. The World Health Organization recognizes the day as an opportunity for public and private partners to spread awareness about the status of the pandemic and encourage progress in HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care in high prevalence countries and around the world. December 1, World AIDS Day has become one of the most recognized international health days to increase awareness, fight against the prejudices, and to mobilize community at grassroots level in the global fight against HIV/AIDS. Ever since the disease was first discovered in 1981, more than 25 million people have died so far. Approximately 34 million people are living with HIV/AIDS according to UNAIDS 2011 statistics. Although India has reported a 50% decline in new HIV infection in the last 10 years, the vast landmass and huge population of India makes it the world’s third largest country living with HIV/AIDS infection. The Tibetan refugee population living in India falls under high risk categories due to high mobility, poverty and lack of access to proper healthcare facilities. According to the Central Tibetan Administration’s (CTA) Demographic survey of Tibetans in Exile 2009, HIV/AIDS is one of the 15 leading causes of death in the Tibetan exile community. To mark World AIDS Day 2012, a day-long awareness program will be held in McLeod Ganj with the theme — Getting Zero: ZERO NEW INFECTION, ZERO DISCRIMINATION and ZERO AIDS RELATED DEATHS. CHOICE—HIV/AIDS Initiative, along with the Students For a Free Tibet –India, Regional Tibetan Youth Congress and Regional Tibetan Women’s Association Dharamshala will be organising the campaign. Programme I. 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. : HIV/AIDS Awareness Campaign at McLeod Ganj square II. 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. : Movie Screening and Discussion at TCV Day School, McLeod Ganj

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TIbet- Gangnam Style

Tibetan vs Xi Jinping Gangnam style’ censored in China and Tibet. It was uploaded in many chinese social networking site including ‘Youku.com’ Chinese version of Youtube but was banned in few hours. some take only few minutes to censored. This shows how much Chinese govt is threaten with a simple funny video! But we haven’t give up. Please make sure people in the free world view it as much as possible and enjoy to make fun of China’s Next Dictator!!!!!

4th Tibet Film Festival in Dharamshala

Students for a Free Tibet – India and  filming for Tibet is organizing a  Tibet Film Festival-2012. More than 1000 tickets sold out. The movies were screened at  TIPA hall. There were around 20 long and short films all made by Tibetan film makers in Exile and from Tibet. The Festival is dedicated to Dhondup Wangchen who was arrested for showing the truth about Tibet.  For Information visit: http://www.filmingfortibet.org/

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Ghandi Jayanti-India Stands for Tibet Pledge

 

On Gandhi Jayanti(Birthday) Students for a Free Tibet-India members have delivered around 3000 petitions signed by Indian students and youth from different cities to the office of Shri S.M Krishna, External Affair Minister, Govt of India to make a strong and clear statement verifying the crackdown in Tibet, and to highlight the Human rights violations being carried under the repressive rule of Chinese government in Tibet. Gandhi Jayanti – a day that symbolizes our nation’s ability to reject colonial rule, to recognize freedom as our birthright and to regain our independence. On this day, Indian Members of Students for a Free Tibet and Indian supporters from Delhi, Chennai, Jalandhar, Kolkata, Mumbai, Dharamsala and Pune pledge to stand in solidarity with the Non-violence Freedom struggle of Tibetan people in regaining their independence and continue to raise their voice against injustices. You can also show your support by downloading the Play card message and take a picture with it and make it your FB profile. Please make yourself heard along with the hundreds of Indian across the country standing for the Non-violence freedom struggle of Tibet.

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FORMER FINANCE & FOREIGN MINISTER OF INDIA SHRI YASHWANT SINHA JI PLEDGES TO STAND UP FOR TIBET

Tibetan NGOs urged him to raise Tibet’s issue with the Foreign Affairs Minister of India as Tibetan self-immolations crosses staggering 50

Dharamsala – Under the coordination of Tibetan Parliamentary and Policy Research Centre, Shri Yashwant Sinha Ji, Former Finance and Foreign Affairs Minister of India, a senior Parliamentary member and the Chairman of All Party Indian Parliamentarian Forum for Tibet, is currently on a 3 day visit to Dharamsala from September 15 – 17 where in light of the current crisis in Tibet he paid a visit to the ongoing 4th session of the 15th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile and interacted with officials of the various Departments of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile on the first day followed by a meeting with the representative of International Tibet Network and the five Tibetan NGOs – Tibetan Youth Congress, Tibetan Women’s Association, Gu-Chu-Sum Movement of Tibet, National Democratic Party of Tibet and Students for a Free Tibet, India.

TIBETAN ACTIVISTS MAR CHINESE DEFENCE MINISTER’S ARRIVAL; TIBET SELF-IMMOLATIONS PASS TRAGIC MILESTONE OF 50

TIBETAN ACTIVISTS MAR CHINESE DEFENCE MINISTER’S ARRIVAL;
TIBET SELF-IMMOLATIONS PASS TRAGIC MILESTONE OF 50

New Delhi – As a part of the pledge to intensify global actions on the on-going wave of self-immolations, Tibetan activists launched the first of its series of planned action by protesting in front of the Chinese Embassy to protest the arrival of China’s Defence Minister Liang Guanglie and Yang Jinshan, commander of the Tibet military district. Charts reading ‘51 Self-immolated: Tibetans are dying for Freedom’ and ‘तिब्बत की आजादी भारत की सुरक्षा’ (Tibet’s Independence, India’s Security) were unfurled followed by burning of China’s national flag.

“Sino-India talk will never be complete without an immediate resolution to the Tibetan issue. China’s illegal occupation of Tibet continues to jeopardize India’s border security, as well as other national issues including water security,” said Thupten, President of the Regional Tibetan Youth Congress, Dharamsala. “Liang Guanglie’s visit to India comes at a time when Tibet is experiencing one of the most brutal crackdowns where till date we have seen 51 cases of self-immolation. We condemn this visit and ask India to stand up.”

With the on-going crisis in Tibet, the number of self-immolations has now reached 51. Lobsang Kelsang, 18, a monk from Kirti Monastery, and Damchoe, 17 self-immolated on the morning of August 27 in Ngaba, eastern Tibet (Ch: Aba, Sichuan Province). Both have succumbed to their injuries.

Self-immolation as a political act against Chinese rule has emerged as the most direct and drastic form of protest in Tibet. A staggering 49 self-immolations have taken place in the past 12 months; at least seven in August 2012 alone. At least 40 of these protestors have died. Chinese authorities have responded with violent force, sometimes even beating Tibetans while they are still on fire (1) and overseeing a massive security clampdown in areas where the self-immolations have occurred, including in Lhasa, Tibet’s capital.

“We call on India to join like-minded governments to immediately establish strong, public, multilateral mechanisms to hold Beijing accountable for its atrocities in Tibet (2),” said Dorjee Tseten, National Director of Students for a Free Tibet India. “The global community cannot stand by while China commits atrocities in Tibet. We’ve planned series of actions to unwelcome the visit of Liang Guanglie. “

Tibet support Groups in several continents will be joining a Global Day of Action on September 5th to urge Foreign Ministries to take joint action for Tibet during the upcoming United Nations Human Rights Council and General Assembly meetings in September. Calls for more public and visible multi-lateral action on the situation in Tibet received a significant boost in August with a letter from US Congressmen Frank Wolf and James McGovern to the Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, suggesting the US government host an international conference on Tibet, hold periodic public meetings such as a “contact group” on Tibet and discuss setting up a group of like-minded governments at the UN General Assembly (3).

Protest Action organized by: Students for a Free Tibet, India & Regional Tibetan Youth Congress, Dharamsala.

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Notes:

1. See http://www.savetibet.org/media-center/ict-news-reports/vivid-new-footage-shows-young-tibetan-being-beaten-police-while-fire
2. SFT’s demands targeting the People’s Republic of China:

i. Immediately remove security personnel from Tibetan regions and from individual monasteries and suspend the implementation of religious and security policies in Tibet.

ii. Release all those detained in connection to the self-immolations and account for the whereabouts and well-being of all those who have self-immolated since February 2009.

iii. Allow foreign diplomats and independent foreign media unfettered access to all Tibetan areas.

iv. Address the Tibetan peoples’ legitimate grievances and respond to their demands for freedom and the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Tibet.

World governments must:

1. In partnership with other concerned governments, insist that the People’s Republic of China accede to the above demands, including allowing diplomats and media access to Tibetan areas.
2. Urgently establish, with other concerned governments, an appropriate and effective multi-lateral mechanism through which future diplomatic measures concerning Tibet can be agreed upon and implemented.
3. Express their concern about the situation in Tibet both publicly and in robust terms directly to Chinese leaders at all opportunities.

3.Read the full letter at: https://www.studentsforafreetibet.org/news/us-congressmen-calls-for-more-action-on-tibet

4. For a comprehensive list of all confirmed self-immolations in Tibet, see www.StandupforTibet.org/learn-more. There have also been five instances of self-immolation among exiled Tibetans

TIBET SELF-IMMOLATIONS PASS TRAGIC MILESTONE OF 50; Groups Demand Global Diplomatic Intervention to End China’s Failed Policies

Photos by: Norbu Wangyal

Dharamsala – Students for a Free Tibet India and Tibetan Women’s Association have pledged to intensify their actions in response to Monday’s news that two more Tibetans have lit themselves on fire in Chinese-occupied Tibet, bringing the number of confirmed self-immolations since 2009 to 51 (1). Lobsang Kelsang, 18, a monk from Kirti Monastery, and Damchoe, 17, are reported to have self-immolated on the morning of August 27 in Ngaba, eastern Tibet (Ch: Aba, Sichuan Province). Both are reported to have died (2).

“The Chinese government has driven more than 50 Tibetans to burn themselves in protest. Beijing has the power to change its policies, withdraw its troops, and end the self-immolations overnight, but instead it continues to exacerbate the Tibetan people’s suffering and grievances,” said Tenzin Dorjee, Executive Director of Students for a Free Tibet.

“The tragic cases of self immolations happening inside Tibet are a clear sign of failed Chinese policies. TWA requests global intervention to save Tibetan lives; we ask the world governments to apply multilateral pressure and take action against China to end the crackdown,” said Tashi Dolma, President, Tibetan Women’s Association. “We remain deeply saddened that India has not spoken on this issue. Thus we request for concrete tangible support from the Indian government”

Self-immolation as a political act against Chinese rule has emerged as the most direct and drastic form of protest in Tibet. A staggering 49 self-immolations have taken place in the past 12 months; at least seven in August 2012 alone. At least 40 of these protestors have died. Chinese authorities have responded with violent force, sometimes even beating Tibetans while they are still on fire (4) and overseeing a massive security clampdown in areas where the self-immolations have occurred, including in Lhasa, Tibet’s capital.

In spite of China’s military clampdown there have also been significant protests in recent weeks in Ngaba, eastern Tibet following the self-immolations of two Tibetans on August 13 (5). On August 14, a mass demonstration took place in Rebkong, Amdo (Ch: Tongren, Qinghai), with several hundred Tibetans gathering outside the police station to protest the unprovoked beating of four Tibetans by intoxicated police officers the previous day (6).

“We call on India to join like-minded governments to immediately establish strong, public, multilateral mechanisms to hold Beijing accountable for its atrocities in Tibet (3),” said Dorjee Tseten, National Director of Students for a Free Tibet India. “We have launched a petition urging Shri S. M. Krishna, the Minister of External Affairs, to support a strong multilateral action for Tibet and will deliver the petition to his office on October 2nd, Gandhi Jayanti The global community can not stand by while China commits atrocities in Tibet.”

Students for a Free Tibet members in several continents are carrying out urgent response protests today and will be joining a Global Day of Action on September 5th to urge Foreign Ministries to take joint action for Tibet during the upcoming United Nations Human Rights Council and General Assembly meetings in September. Calls for more public and visible multi-lateral action on the situation in Tibet received a significant boost in August with a letter from US Congressmen Frank Wolf and James McGovern to the Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, suggesting the US government host an international conference on Tibet, hold periodic public meetings such as a “contact group” on Tibet and discuss setting up a group of like-minded governments at the UN General Assembly (7).

Notes
1. For a comprehensive list of all confirmed self-immolations in Tibet, see www.StandupforTibet.org/learn-more. There have also been five instances of self-immolation among exiled Tibetans.

2. Details of the self-immolations on August 27, 2012 were provided by exiled Kirti monks.

3. SFT’s demands targeting the People’s Republic of China:
i. Immediately remove security personnel from Tibetan regions and from individual monasteries and suspend the implementation of religious and security policies in Tibet.

ii. Release all those detained in connection to the self-immolations and account for the whereabouts and well-being of all those who have self-immolated since February 2009.

iii. Allow foreign diplomats and independent foreign media unfettered access to all Tibetan areas.

iv. Address the Tibetan peoples’ legitimate grievances and respond to their demands for freedom and the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Tibet.

World governments must:
i.  In partnership with other concerned governments, insist that the People’s Republic of China accede to the above demands, including allowing diplomats and media access to Tibetan areas.

ii.  Urgently establish, with other concerned governments, an appropriate and effective multi-lateral mechanism through which future diplomatic measures concerning Tibet can be agreed upon and implemented.

iii.  Express their concern about the situation in Tibet both publicly and in robust terms directly to Chinese leaders at all opportunities.

4. See http://www.savetibet.org/media-center/ict-news-reports/vivid-new-footage-shows-young-tibetan-being-beaten-police-while-fire

5. See http://www.tchrd.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=265:indiscriminate-beatings-detentions-mark-two-more-self-immolations-in-ngaba&catid=70:2012-news&Itemid=162

6. See http://www.savetibet.org/media-center/tibetans-rebkong-gather-protest-police-brutality

7. Read the full letter at: https://www.studentsforafreetibet.org/news/us-congressmen-calls-for-more-action-on-tibet