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Tibetan schoolboy self-immolates, calling for Tibet’s independence Vol. 04, Issue 151, Print Issue 75, March 15, 2016 Tortured outspoken Tibetan monk Jigme Guri hospitalised

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China arrests a Tibetan mother for peaceful protest in Tibet Bi-monthly

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China should use common sense: His Holiness

By Yeshe Choesang: March 14, 2016

Undated photo of Jigme Guri, also known as Lama Jigme Gyatso. Photo: TPI

By Yeshe Choesang: March 15, 2016

Dharamshala — A well-known Tibetan political prisoner and outspoken Buddhist monk currently serving five-year imprisonment, was recently admitted to a prison hospital in anzhou, the capital city of northwest China’s Gansu province, sparking fears he may have been severely tortured while in jail.

Jigme Gyatso Guri, 50, also known as Labrang Jigme, was admitted to a prison hospital in the provincial capital Lanzhou sometime early this month or at the end of February, sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

“In early March, a judge from a Chinese court informed his family about his admission in the prison medical facility through a phone call,” the sources said, adding that this has caused fear among locals he has been severely tortured or worse.

“He is scheduled to be released from the Chinese jail in about six months,” the source added. When asked about the reason for his admission, the Chinese authorities informed them that Jigme had no grave illness and asked them not to worry.

Following his release from detention in 2008, Jigme recorded a 20-minute video statement about his ill-treatment and the Chinese government’s crackdown in Tibet.

In the video, Jigme says, “I, as a witness to truth, am telling through the media the story of Tibetans killed, who have suffered torture in prisons, and about the countless people who have been forced to flee to the mountains and who are too afraid to return to their own homes, so that the media can truthfully report on these situations.”

Born in Lhutang Village, Juicha Township, Sangchu County County, Kanlho of Amdho Province, north-eastern Tibet, Jigme worked as former head of the Labrang Monastery’s vocational training centre and vice-chairman of the Democratic Management Committee of the monastery.

Geneva — Reiterating that people of Tibet are not seeking independence from China but “genuine autonomy” for Tibet, His Holiness the Dalai Lama said China’s new leadership should use “common sense” and seek truth from fact.

His Holiness took part in a panel of Nobel Peace Prize laureates in Geneva on Friday (March 12), addressing a full auditorium about Chinese repression in his native Tibet despite Beijing having urged people to shun the event.

“One part of the human brain usually develops common sense. Some of these (Chinese) hardliners, that part of brain is missing,” the spiritual leader of Tibetan people, told the audience of students and diplomats.

Earlier he told reporters: “Wherever my name is there they usually criticise and protest. That’s quite now routine, normal, nothing special.”

China’s Foreign Ministry said in statement it had lodged a protest with the United States, which along with Canada had sponsored the event, and that it had expressed its “strong dissatisfaction” with Washington.

China’s UN mission in Geneva circulated a letter to other missions asking them to avoid the Tibetan spiritual leader’s appearance at a conference built around Nobel peace prize winners and co-sponsored by the United States and Canada.

Hundreds of supporters of the Tibetan spiritual leader, some waving Tibetan flags, rallied at the giant three-legged chair landmark outside the UN complex as he attended the packedhouse conference nearby at Geneva’s Graduate Institute. The number of diplomats in the throng was unclear.

The Chinese mission’s letter dated Tuesday, the same day that press invitations for the conference were made, said the event

A view of the auditorium during the panel discussion on ‘Nobel Laureates on Human Rights - A view from civil society’ in Geneva, Switzerland on March 11, 2016. Photo/ Olivier Adam

was “of grave concern to China.”

It called the Dalai Lama “a political exile who has long been engaged in activities to split China under the pretext of religion,”

Monk burns himself to death, calls out for Tibet’s independence

Reporters Without Borders unblocks six more censored sites

By Yeshe Choesang: March 14, 2016

20th Anniversary of “Raise your Flag for Tibet” Campaign in Germany

Protesters raising the national flag of Tibet during a demonstration to mark Tibetan Uprising Day in Berlin, the capital of Germany, on March 10, 2016.

Photo: TPI

By Yeshe Choesang, March 10, 2016

Berlin, March 10, 2016 — Today protests in support of human rights in Tibet are taking place in more than 20 German cities. The demonstrations and vigils are part of the campaign “Raise your Flag for Tibet” organized by Tibet Initiative Deutschland (TID).

Moreover, hundreds of cities, municipalities and administrative districts throughout Germany are raising the Tibetan flag on public buildings in solidarity with the Tibetans in Tibet. In Berlin, TID and the Association of Tibetans in Germany (VTD) are organizing a demonstration in front of the Chinese Embassy. Worldwide thousands of Tibetans and Tibet supporters will show their solidarity with Tibet.

“The flag campaign started in 1996 with 21 participants and since then more than 1000 cities participated. This year the Tibetan flag will fly in more than 400 cities. They are sending a strong signal of solidarity to the Tibetan people, emphasizing the urgent need for political support to end the violence and oppression”, said Nadine Baumann, Executive Director of TID. “Especially in times of many violent conflicts all over the world and after more than 60 years of brutal suppression, Tibetans are still peaceful in their resistance and are thus giving an example to the world.”

The campaign is run under the patronage of the mayor of Bamberg, Mr. Andreas Starke (SPD/Social Democrats), and supported by topranking German politicians such as Ms. Claudia Roth (Alliance 90/ The Greens), Vice president of the German Bundestag.

In 1996, TID established the campaign “Raise your flag for Tibet„.

This campaign calls on German towns and cities on the occasion of March 10th, in commemoration of the Tibetan National uprising of 1959, to fly the Tibetan flag at their town halls and public buildings.

By doing so, the participating mayors strongly affirm the Tibetan people’s right to self-determination, and the need to protect human rights as well as the Tibetan culture, religion and identity in Tibet.

They do so on behalf of thousands of German citizens.

and said the mission “kindly requests the permanent missions of all member states, UN agencies and relevant international organizations not to attend the above-mentioned event.”

Referring to Tibet, His Holiness the Dalai Lama told the conference: “We are not seeking separation” from China. However, he referred to a “totalitarian system” and “hardliners” in China. He said he had heard from some in China that change “may happen” at the 19th Communist Party meeting next year, though he did not elaborate.

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Kalsang Wangdu, a 18-year old Tibetan monk called out for Tibet’s independence, burned himself on fire in Kham Province, eastern Tibet to protest Chinese repressive rule, on February 29, 2016. Photo: TPI

By Yeshe Choesang: March 02, 2016

Dharamshala — In sources coming out of Tibet, a Tibetan monk set himself on fire and died in a protest against Chinese occupation of Tibet, in eastern Tibet and reported called out for independence for Tibet.

Kalsang Wangdu, a 18-year old monk from the Retsokha Aryaling monastery, reportedly self-immolated at around 4:00 p.m. on February 29, near his monastery in Nyakrong County of Kham Province, eastern Tibet (Ch: Nyagrong in Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The self-immolation could not be immediately confirmed and China’s state-controlled media is silent on the latest self-immolation protest as they did in the past. Details such as his age also could not be confirmed.

Wangdu called out for Tibet’s independence, while protesting against China’s occupation of Tibet,” the source said, adding that locals witnesses tried to save him by extinguishing the flames but he died on the way to a hospital in Chengdu, Sichuan province.

“However, he died on the way before reaching Chengdu,” he said, adding, “His father’s name is Sotra, and his mother’s name is Ugyen Dolma.”

This latest incident brought the total verified number of self-

immolations in Tibet to 143 since February, 2009 and and of them 123 were reportedly passed-away while the status of the rest remains unknown or critically injured.

An anonymous source further said that while Wangdu was on fire he shouted slogans calling for “Tibet’s complete independence”. Locals tried to save him but he died on the way to hospital.

Wangdu’s protest will mark the first of its kind inside Tibet this year, where more than 140 Tibetans have carried out protests through self-immolation. The last confirmed case was in August 2015 when 55-year-old Tashi Kyi from Sangchu County selfimmolated in her house and died the following day.

Most of the Tibetan self-immolators have called for freedom of Tibetan people and the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Tibet.

Most parts of Tibet have suffered severe crackdowns and been under heightened restrictions and controls in the past six decades, that China calls it a “peaceful liberation”. But Tibetans describe a systematic repression, excluded from positions of power and imprisoned.

China’s invasion of Tibet and its continuous implementation of harsh policies to crackdown the freedom of Tibetans living inside Tibet have triggered Tibetans to resort to more extreme forms of resistance.

Paris — To mark World Day Against Cyber-Censorship, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is today launching Operation Collateral Freedom #2, in which it is unblocking access to websites that are censored in five countries and is unveiling the RSF Censorship Detector app.

The aim of this operation – the continuation of Operation Collateral Freedom #1, launched a year ago – is to make online information accessible in countries where it is banned and to dissuade “Enemies of the Internet” from targeting news websites, said a RSF statement issued on Friday.

After unblocking 11 news websites in 2015, RSF is now providing access to six other sites that are blocked in their respective countries – Radio Free Asia and Defend the Defenders (Vietnam), Sarawak Report (Malaysia), Boxun (China), Sendika.org (Turkey) and the European Saudi Organization for Human Rights (Saudi Arabia).

The operation is based on the technique of mirroring. RSF creates a “mirror” copy of the blocked site on a cloud hosting service provided by a major Internet company such as Fastly, Amazon, Microsoft or Google.

To block access to the mirror, a government would at the same time deprive thousands of its country’s companies of the essential technological services provided by these Internet giants. This “collateral” economic and political damage would be hard to justify.

This year, RSF is breaking new ground by providing the public with an exclusive application developed specially for this operation. The developers, Brendan Abolivier and Clément Salaün, have created an extension to the Google Chrome browser that facilitates access to the mirror version of the targeted sites.

Whoever goes to one of these blocked sites will see the icon of the RSF Censorship Detector app turn red. By clicking on it, they will be automatically redirected to RSF’s unblocked mirror.

In the past year, the servers dedicated to Operation Collateral Freedom have handled more than 64 million requests and provided more than 587GB of data. During the first few days, the operation’s success forced RSF to expand the capacity of the servers in order to handle the massive volume of traffic.

The Tibet Post International, which is blocked in Tibet and China since its establishment, is one of the sites due to be restored by the media watchdog.

Since then, RSF has created other mirrors and is using additional hosting services. As a result, it is able to create an alternative mirror if a country decides to block all the services of one of the companies used. The list of mirrors and services employed is regularly updated on github.com.

Malaysia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam and China are ranked 147th, 149th, 164th, 175th and 176th respectively (out of a total of 180 countries) in RSF’s 2015 World Press Freedom Index.

RSF said it will keep Operation Collateral Freedom going for as long as the resources available allow. For more information : 12mars.rsf.org

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OPINION TPI NEWS His Holiness speaks on the oneness of humanity Editorial: The Tibet Post International

March 15, 2016

By Yeshe Choesang: March 18, 2016

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Propaganda machine in China fails its campaign on Tibet March 15, 2016 Dharamshala — China’s iron-fisted policy has bestowed to Tibet occupation, colonization, political repression, cultural assimilation, and environmental destruction among other factors for more than half a century making the conflict in Tibet one of the long-standing global issues. There is no visible difference, whether they call it China’s third era, the end of reform, growth, or stability. What the people of Tibet know is that China wants Tibet, but not the Tibetan people.

The situation in the homeland of Tibetan people has only become worse with time. In the last eight years, over 150 Tibetans have set themselves on fire in protest of repressive Chinese policies that stifle basic freedoms including expression, faith and language. The Chinese government has left no stone unturned in systematically attempting to eradicate Tibetans’ cultural way of life and belief.

The international community must first understand that Chinese government is still a regime of authoritarian founded by Mao Zedong, known as the greatest mass murderer in world history, violating not only the rights of people of Tibet but also its own citizens— strengthening its terrorism suppression against the dissidents, human rights lawyers, and all kinds of religious and faith groups. It also strengthened its extreme acts of greed against freedom of expression, including blockade and control of the Internet, broadcasting, and print media.

China is one of the top ten worst nations in the world for decades, with pervasive and increased regime control on the freedom of press whether in form of censorship or with new surveillance tactics, is limiting freedom of expression and amplifying self-censorship among the internet users in the country. Leading Chinese state-run media initially had very few news articles about the Tibetans who set themselves on fire, only reporting that it was due to family or personal issues. Later China used its leading propaganda machines and shifted the blame to Tibetans in exile, including His Holiness the Dalai Lama for Tibetan self-immolation protests, without a single piece of evidence, claiming they have incited the “extreme acts” against Chinese rule.

However, the Central Tibetan government immediately responded, saying the fundamental reasons for the increasing number of selfimmolations in Tibet, lies solely in China’s massive policy failure over the course of the more than 60 year rule, driving so many young Tibetans to selfimmolation. These immolations, which in reality have been caused by political repression, cultural assimilation, social discrimination, economic marginalization and environmental destruction, have been widely covered in the domestic and international media and in social media.

People care deeply about the values on which their nations were created: freedom, democracy and justice. Many nations in the world won their independence through a freedom struggle by different rebellions. However, India won based on the principles of nonviolence, non-cooperation and civil disobedience. This legacy of resistance has been a source of inspiration for independence struggles all over the world, and continues to motivate the people of Tibet in their freedom struggle. Tibet and India

have shared a peaceful border for many centuries, owing to close cultural and spiritual ties. Following the illegal occupation of Tibet by China, the new Indo-Tibet border became one of the most highly militarized in the world.

The United Nations Security Council Resolutions No 1368 (UNSC, 2001a) and No 1373 (UNSC, 2001b) were passed in the days following the attacks on World Trade Centre and Pentagon. Both opened up new approaches to stop and prevent political violence.

One direct result of the global efforts by states to fight “terrorism” is an expansion of the definition and use of the term “acts of terror”. Due to lack of consensus on what constitute “acts of terror” or who are “terrorist” these resolutions left it to each state to come up with their own definitions and use of such labels. In many cases, the definitions fail to draw up clear boundaries between “terrorists” and “freedom fighters”.

This ambiguity became an important opportunity for the Chinese regime’s efforts to delegitimize opponents by making ordinary political actions illegal and labeling them “terrorism.” Most of China’s recent new laws include tougher punishment, less rigorous civil rights, and that the burden of proof is less strict than otherwise. Party support is huge for a tough policy against anyone labeled ‘terrorist’ in China, particularly in Tibet and other occupied territories. No matter whether they are freedom fighters or dissidents, China went to the extreme to label oppositional voices as terrorists. However, China must know that many UN members have strongly expressed that human rights and the provision of fundamental freedoms must be ensured while speaking about fighting terrorism.

“The main principles of international law, especially international humanitarian and human rights law, should be respected.”

When the Tibetans in exile decided to have their first democratic elections for their political leader in 2011, cam just after the devolution of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s political responsibilities to the democratically elected Tibetan leaders, the Chinese propaganda got a lot of governmental support for their criminalization of Tibetan people exercising their right to participate in elections. Similarly, a so called People Daily editor Li Hongmei, unhappy with the success of exile Tibetan democratic election, wrote an article four years ago titled, “Terrorist poised to rule “Tibetan government inexile” labeling Dr Lobsang Sangay Tibetan Prime Minister-elect a terrorist for once serving as an executive member in the pro-independence Tibetan Youth Congress. It drew sharp reactions from international media, reminding the international community that Tibetan people continue to engage in peaceful and non-violent forms of resistance and have openly and defiantly expressed their reverence and faith in His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

China has completely failed in its efforts in labeling Tibetan people as terrorist. No one in the world calls the Tibetan people terrorists, or the Tibetan government a terrorist group. Instead, the world formally recognizes the people of Tibet as peace loving and non-violent people and their struggle for freedom and justice as a symbol of nonviolent and peaceful movement. As a result, there has been significant disagreement between the Chinese

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Former speaker of South Tyrol, Italy A software engineer, Austria A professional graphic designer, India A Tibetan writer, India

Editor in Chief Yeshe Choesang Chinese Editor Keary Huang Tibetan Editor Choneyi Sangpo Assistant Editor Dawa Phurbu Project Manager Molly Lortie Taipei Photographer Artemas Liu Layout & Design Choneyi Sangpo Circulation Tsering Samdhup

Contributors to this editon Jane Cook UK Yeshe Choesang India Choenyi Sangpo India Keary Huang Taiwan Dawa Phurbu India Tsetan Tashi India Victor Reyes US Steve Shaw UK Himalayan Literacy Trust Room #, Top Floor, New Varuni House Temple Road, McLeod Ganj: 176219 Dharamshala, Distt. Kangra H.P., India

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E-mail: editor@thetibetpost.com Skype: dhardhophonya1959 Mobile: +91-9882423566 www.thetibetpost.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/tpinews

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Geneva — Speaking during a panel discussion on Human Rights with fellow Nobel Peace laureates in Geneva, the spiritual leader of Tibet, His Holiness the Dalai Lama Friday said that we can overcome that “potential for violence,” if we remember the “oneness of humanity.”

Thousand of Tibetans in Switzerland greeted and welcome His Holiness the Dalai Lama in front of Hotel President Wilson in Geneva where he arrived to engaged in panel discussion with fellow Nobel Peace laureates, on the theme ‘Nobel Laureates on Human Rights – A view from civil society’ at the Graduate Institute of Geneva.

His Holiness has met with exclusive journalists Friday morning and explained his three main commitments. He recommended that education should emphasize more towards the inner values such as warm warmheartedness, tolerance and forgiveness. He observed that although religion has been a source of happiness for thousands of years, sadly, today, it is becoming a source of hatred in the world. His Holiness then left his hotel to attend working lunch with diplomats being exclusively arranged by the US Permanent Mission.

In the afternoon His Holiness the Dalai Lama and fellow Nobel Laureate Tawakkol Abdel-Salam Karman and Leila Alikarami, an Iranian lawyer and human rights activist representing Nobel Laureate Shirin Ebadi, engaged in discussions on the theme ‘Nobel Laureates on Human Rights – A view from civil society’ at the Graduate Institute of Geneva.

Mrs Kate Gilmore, UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights moderated the event hosted by the Permanent Missions of the United States and Canada to the United Nations in parallel to ongoing 31st session of the UN Human Rights Council.

His Holiness expressed his gratitude to the US and

Canadian Permanent Missions to the UN for hosting this event. He also acknowledged the moving words of the two speakers who preceded him.

Here we are talking about the future of humanity, His Holiness said. “No matter how small our voice may be but it is essential to speak up. Sometimes people say all is well with what is going on in the world, but it is wrong. In fact we are facing many problems.”

“During my lifetime I have experienced lots of conflict and bloodshed such as second world war, Korean, Vietnam and many civil wars in the course of which millions of people have been killed,” the Nobel Peace laureate said.

“We need to ask and think seriously where we went wrong – causes of such conflicts, what qualities we lack and why

violations of human rights are taking place. Answering these questions and creating peace will require wisdom and compassion,” the spiritual leader said.

“Therefore, if we have to create a more peaceful world for our future generation, we need to introduce warm-heartedness and secular ethics into our present general education system which focuses more on material oriented educational system”.

He stressed that “if we remember the oneness of humanity and think of each other as brothers and sisters we can overcome that potential for violence.”

Following the panel discussion, His Holiness drove to the Palais des Nations where he addressed about 3000 Tibetans. He assured them that he was in good health and thanked them for their prayers for his well-being.

government and international community. Today, China is still a communist country. It is therefore logical for observers to simply understand its true nature as a monolithic communist authoritarian state or a totalitarian regime.

Starting in 1949, Tibet was invaded by 35,000 Chinese troops who systematically raped, tortured and murdered an estimated 1.2 million Tibetans, one-fifth of the country’s population. Since then over 6000 monasteries have been destroyed, and thousands of Tibetans have been imprisoned. It is estimated that up to 260,000 people died in prisons and labor camps between 1950 and 1984. China has also lost its international reputation and any remaining right to moral leadership by defending their failed policies with an iron fist in the past six decades. Chinese people must know that historically Tibet and China were two different entities as enshrined in the Treaty of 821-822, which states that “Tibetans shall be happy in the land of Tibet and Chinese will be happy in the land of China.”

Leading communist propaganda, particularly “Xinhua,” is considered to be one of the biggest news agency in China, but in hurry to discredit a proper historical background, claims “the titles of Dalai Lama and Panchen Erdini were conferred by the Central Government of the Qing Dynasty”, which later proved to be false. It drew sharp reactions from international media for several days. The simple historical fact accounts that the title “Dalai Lama” was offered by the Mongol Price Altan Khan to Sonam Gyatso in 1578, who became known as the Third Dalai Lama, while his two previous recognized incarnations came to be referred to retrospectively as the first and second Dalai Lamas.

The other claim that the Qing Dynasty originally conferred the title “Panchen” is similarly untrue. The title “Panchen” came to be accorded to the abbots of Tashilhunpo Monastery in the following way. Gedun Drup, who was retrospectively recognized as the First Dalai Lama, founded Tashilhunpo Monastery in 1447.

When he met Panchen Choglay Namgyal, another erudite contemporary, Gedun Drup answered all the spiritual questions the great master put to him. Deeply impressed, Panchen Choglay Namgyal bestowed on him the title “All-knowing”.

Subsequently, Gedun Drup came to be known by the titles “All-knowing” and “Panchen”. The word Panchen is made up of the first syllables of two words, “Pandita”, a Sanskrit word meaning scholar, and “Chenpo”, a Tibetan word meaning great. In 1731 Manchu Emperor Kiang-shi offered the title Erdini to the Fifth Panchen Lama, Lobsang Yeshi. Erdini is a Mongol word meaning “Precious Jewel” and is merely a complimentary title shared with many Mongolian lamas. If respect for Tibetan Buddhist tradition and customary methods are the criteria for the legality and validity of the search and recognition of the reincarnation of the Tibetan Lamas, there are no grounds for opposing His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s decision.

The Chinese state-controlled propaganda of the longest-lasting repressive regime in Modern history continue to claim that Tibetans are happy in Tibet

and enjoying a “socialist paradise.” In the past six decades, they have depicted happy smiling Tibetans in posters and propaganda as living in a “Maoist socialist paradise” where all their needs have been taken care of by the benevolent communist party. They took away our freedom and our country in the name of “liberation” and “development.” Which has been unacceptable to people of Tibet – as it has legally, historically and politically been independent. When China invaded Tibet, started from 1949, it promised the Tibetan people a “socialist paradise.” First, roads were built and, along these roads, Tibet’s untapped and abundant mineral and other natural resources were carted to China.

Forests were logged. Countless and priceless statues and cultural artifacts housed in destroyed monasteries and temples made their way to China. In reality, the “socialist paradise” the Tibetans were promised turned into colonialism, with Tibet’s resources used to fuel China’s development. The Tibetan people resisted this development with determination but the resistance was crushed with military might. This is the Tibetan experience of China’s “Socialist paradise.”

In criteria of being unbiased, none of the state-run newspapers and channels fare well. During Barack Obama’s Presidential inauguration in 2009, the CCTV ran news censoring President Barack Obama’s inaugural speech, cutting references to “communism” and “dissent” from transcripts even as the speech was being broadcast. Some but not all, of the major news websites quickly followed suit, posting the full transcript of the speech but with offending words removed. Similarly on US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s speech calling for China to lift their restrictions on citizens’ use of the internet, most of Chinese media dismissed the call, but the critical Chinese reports were then cut from websites.

The media in China has no history, which have been part of a long-lasting campaign of propaganda elaborated by the state-run press. In China, authoritarianism has reached a completely new level. Political analysts have used terms like “brainwashing” and “propaganda” to describe the main reasons explaining the survival of this autocratic system. While observing this, can’t we then see the reasons behind violent acts? By that criteria, every violent act by non-Chinese will be a terrorism and every confrontation between minority and Chinese a racial act. More shameful is the fact that Chinese media labels the guilty even before police registration.

To the peace-loving international community and the people of Tibet, the Western media has performed their every possible corresponding duties to the best of their efforts. It is the Chinese propaganda machines who have made obvious errors, especially in their coverage of the widespread peaceful protests in Tibet. For Tibetans, Chinese state-run media is the most dangerous propaganda group in the world.

It is true that the Chinese media has received widespread international criticism in their biased coverage. So many western and Tibetan media have done excellent analyses of the true nature of Chinese media in recent years, which focuses attention on the misleading, advertisements portraying Tibetan families before 1940s with other recent well-dressed family photos including a nice house with a big

television, aiming to prove the improvements made in Tibet made by the Chinese government.

We the people of Tibet clearly know that Western media sympathize with the Tibetan side and not the Chinese government. This is no longer just an issue of Tibet, but an issue of free nations needing to uphold principles of democracy, peace, freedom and human rights. The Western media has made unavoidable errors in reporting news about Tibet. But, it is important to look at the reason for these errors. Had the Chinese government had not barred them from reporting, or even entering, areas in Tibet, they could have offered a completed information about the 2008 widespread peaceful protests against China’s rule, and could continue to report accurate news.

We all are now well aware of the harshest censorship in Tibet in history. Thanks to the information technology that has brought a new kind of revolution in journalism in most of parts of the world. However we understand that we are talking about a very dangerous and extremely effective propaganda machine which has existed for many decades, since dictator Mao era. Authorities in China have too long controlled the news that flows, however slightly, from within Tibet. In a hurry to change news angle in their own favor, they ignore the principles we value in democratic societies and the importance of independent media, making China the best example of the greatest enemy to press freedom.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama during the panel discussion on ‘Nobel Laureates on Human Rights - A view from civil society’ in Geneva, Switzerland on March 11, 2016

China should...use ... continued from front page

Afterward, about a dozen heavily-armed police stood watch as the Dalai Lama glad-handed the crowd outside the and addressing the supporters in Tibetan — primarily on religious and spiritual themes, according to attendees. Many were dressed in traditional costumes, and some danced.

The conference was billed as a side event to the ongoing UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, where the US and 11 other Western countries on Thursday expressed concerns about human rights in China, notably over the arrests of lawyers and activists in recent months, and “unexplained recent disappearances and apparent coerced returns” of Chinese citizens and foreigners to China.

At least 150 Tibetans have self-immolated in protest against the repressive Chinese occupation of Tibet.

Of these, 143 did so within Tibet, while the remaining eight were living in exile and of them125 have died, including 124 within Tibet and five abroad.

Tibetan self-immolators have called for freedom of Tibetan people and the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Tibet.

Over 1.2 million Tibetans have died as a direct result of the Chinese invasion and occupation of Tibet and The regime’s continuous implementation of harsh policies to crackdown the freedom of Tibetans living inside Tibet have triggered Tibetans to resort to more extreme forms of resistance.

Most parts of Tibet have suffered severe crackdowns and been under heightened restrictions and controls in the past six decades, that China calls it a “peaceful liberation”.

But Tibetans describe a systematic repression, excluded from positions of power and imprisoned.

Tibet 3 TPI NEWS Tibetan schoolboy self-immolates, China arrests a Tibetan mother for peaceful protest in Tibet calling for Tibet’s independence The Tibet Post International

March 15, 2016

By Yeshe Choesang: March 02, 2016

16-year-old Tibetan schoolboy Dorjee Tsering survived the protest but reportedly suffered burns to 95% of his body and is currently being treated at a hospital in Delhi. Photo: TPI

By Steve Shaw: March 02, 2016

Dharamshala — A 16-year-old Tibetan schoolboy set himself on fire in protest against the repressive Chinese occupation of Tibet, on Tuesday, February 29, in Dehradun, Uttarkhand State, India, calling for the restoration of complete independence for Tibet.

Dorjee Tsering from a Tibetan settlement in Manali District survived the protest but reportedly suffered burns to 95% of his body and is currently being treated at a hospital in Delhi.

After dousing himself in petrol and setting himself alight, Tsering reportedly called out for Tibet’s complete independence before being engulfed in flames. He carried out the protest outside an old people’s home after visiting his grandfather.

His father, Thupten, is currently with him in Delhi said that the incident is heart breaking but he is proud of his son for his sacrifice for the Tibetan nation.

“I did discuss my intentions with my parents earlier, who told me they would kill themselves if I did this,” Tsering said from his hospital bed, speaking with Tibetan community representatives.

“In 1959, China invaded Tibet, I have the will to do something for Tibet when I was young and thought that I could sacrifice this body for the Tibetan cause,” he said.

“I want His Holiness the Dalai Lama to live long and for Tibet to achieve its independence,” he added.

In a statement made by Free Tibet, director Eleanor

Byrne-Rosengren said: “Six months have passed since the last self-immolation inside Tibet. China’s use of collective punishments on the families and communities of self-immolation protesters has certainly had a deterrent effect but whether this form of protest is over in Tibet, no one can say.

“Dorjee Tsering’s protest was a sign of how deep and sustained Tibetan opposition to Chinese rule remains among Tibetans outside Tibet. It was also a reminder that whether inside or outside the country, young Tibetans feel the sense of injustice and are driven to act because of it.”

Since 1998, eight Tibetans in exile have self-immolated in expression of solidarity with the Tibetan people inside Tibet.

At least 150 Tibetans have self-immolated in protest against the repressive Chinese occupation of Tibet. Of these, 143 did so within Tibet, while the remaining eight were living in exile and of them125 have died, including 123 within Tibet and three abroad.

Tsering is a student in the 10th grade at Mussoorie Tibetan Homes School and his family believe he may have been planning the protest for some time. They said he had asked them how they would feel if he did something for the Tibetan struggle during an earlier school holiday.

The tragic news of the protests comes as Tibetans prepare to mark the anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising against Chinese rule in 1959. Chinese authorities recently sealed off the central Tibet to foreign tourists, as it has been every March since the protests in 2008.

Dharamshala — Sources coming out of Tibet say Tibetan woman was detained by Chinese authorities in Ngaba County, north-eastern Tibet for staging peaceful protest against China’s repressive policies in Tibet.

Mang-Ga, 33, took to the main street of Meruma Yultso in Ngaba County, carrying a portrait of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Chinese authorities arrived at the scene within minutes and arrested her.

“Mang-Ga was arrested after she staged a solo protest against China’s repressive policies in Tibet, around 12:00 am on March 1,” Ven Kanyag Tsering, a monk with close contacts in the Tibetan region, told the Tibet Post International (TPI).

The source also added that “Mang-Ga is the eighth of nine children. His father’s name is Tsepe and mother’s name is Pema Kyab. She has a 14-years old daughter called “Gang-Gi Lhamo, at the time of her arrest.”

The Chinese crackdown in Meruma township in 2008, where local Tibetans had resisted a campaign to enforce loyalty to the Communist Party by compelling the display of Chinese flag, has led to continued arrests and torture and imprisonment. Mang-Ga was among the protesters, who was detained, questioned and being tortured in police custody for eight months.

“Mang-Ga, a native of village no. 1 of Meruma town, Ngaba County in Amdo Region of northeastern Tibet Tibet (Ch: Aba County, Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture in the north-west of Sichuan Province),” Ven Tsering added, saying “His current conditions remain unknown.”

“Following the demonstration, a large number of security forces have been deployed in the area,” Ven

Mang-Ga and her 14-year old daughter Gang-Gi Lhamo. Photo: TPI

Tsering said, adding, “all communications in Ngaba County and surrounding areas were severely restricted and they also have blocked all Internet lines in these areas since September 10, 2015, except for Chinese government offices and institutions.”

The Ngaba area has been under military lock-down since major protests were held in the area following the spread of protests across the Tibetan plateau beginning in March, 2008. The Chinese authorities are clamping down on the contents of popular social media, and particularly on the posting of photos, videos, and text

that could be considered to be anti-China.

Most parts of Tibet have suffered severe crackdowns and been under heightened restrictions and controls in the past six decades, that China calls it a “peaceful liberation”. But Tibetans describe a systematic repression, excluded from positions of power and imprisoned.

China’s invasion of Tibet and its continuous implementation of harsh policies to crackdown the freedom of Tibetans living inside Tibet have triggered Tibetans to resort to more extreme forms of resistance.

independent Tibetan groups in exile in India said in a short statement.

“We offer our highest respect, honor and salute for his sacrifice for Tibet’s freedom and Independence,” TYC added.

“If possible, a grand funeral service will be held in Dharamshala, in the northern India, in accordance with the wishes of the family of Dorjee Tsering,” TYC Joint Secretary Ngawang told the Tibet Post International.

“I have had a strong determination to do something for Tibet since my childhood...I thought that there was nothing else I could do other than self-immolation, because if there is self-immolation, people get shocked, thinking that he set himself on fire for his country,” he said, speaking through an oxygen mask.

He added, “I want His Holiness the Dalai Lama to live long and for Tibet to achieve its independence.”

At least 150 Tibetans have self-immolated in

protest against the repressive Chinese occupation of Tibet. Of these, 143 did so within Tibet, while the remaining eight were living in exile and of them125 have died, including 124 within Tibet and five abroad.

Most of the Tibetan self-immolators have called for freedom of Tibetan people and the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Tibet.

Most parts of Tibet have suffered severe crackdowns and been under heightened restrictions and controls in the past six decades, that China calls it a “peaceful liberation”. But Tibetans describe a systematic repression, excluded from positions of power and imprisoned.

China’s invasion of Tibet and its continuous implementation of harsh policies to crackdown the freedom of Tibetans living inside Tibet have triggered Tibetans to resort to more extreme forms of resistance.

Tibet boy who set himself on fire to protest China’s occupation dies

By Yeshe Choesang: March 03, 2016

Dharamshala — A Tibetan teenager in exile who set himself on fire in India to protest China’s occupation of Tibet, died at 8.25 p.m on Thursday evening.

Dorje Tsering, 16, who self-immolated in Dehradun on February 29, had told his parents he hoped to do something “for the cause of Tibet.”

After dousing himself in petrol and setting himself alight, Tsering called out for Tibet’s complete independence before being engulfed in flames. He carried out the protest outside an old people’s home after visiting his grandfather.

He was admitted to the Safdarjung Hospital’s burns intensive care unit and doctors described his condition as “extremely critical” on Thursday.

“It is with heavy heart and great sadness to hear the news that Dorjee Tsering has passed away,” Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC), one of the largest

Tibet supporters march in Taiwan’s Parliamentarians of Baltic States call for meaningful dialogue on Tibet capital to mark uprising day

By Molly Lortie: March 11, 2016

Tallinn, Estonia, March 10, 2016 — As Tibetans across the world mark the anniversary of Tibetan National Uprising Day, over 20 Tibet supporters, include writer, members of parliament, activists and human rights defenders from Baltic States of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have strongly condemned the repressive policies of the Chinese government in Tibet.

“We, the undersigned Members of Parliament of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania – together with Tibetan supporters from the three Baltic States are deeply concerned and distraught over the long-lasting wave of self-immolation protests in- and outside Tibet,” said a joint statement by members of parliament and Tibetan supporters of the Baltic states.

“Since 2009, at least 143 Tibetans have resorted to self-immolation to express their grievances under the repressive policies of the Chinese government,” it said, adding: “Such desperate and frequent protests indicate clearly that there is an inhuman pressure on the Tibetan nation and that their human, cultural and religious rights are under unbearable assault.”

“We were shocked by the recent Tibetan selfimmolation protests which resulted in the deaths of Kalsang Wangdue and a 16-year-old student Dorjee Tsering on February 29, 2016 and the death of the Tibetan artist Dubey on February 27, 2016 after they had set themselves ablaze,” the statement said.

According to a number of independent reports over the past 57 years there has been no real improvement in the human rights situation in Tibet under the Chinese rule.

“Therefore, we are calling upon the Chinese government to begin an immediate and meaningful dialogue with His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Central Tibetan Administration, both of whom embrace meaningful autonomy for Tibet within the People’s Republic of China,” they further stated.

As the Sikyong (elected political leader of the Tibetan people) has said in his Statement of March 10th this year: “We the Kashag of the Central Tibetan Administration firmly believe that the longstanding issue of Tibet can be resolved through

By Yeshe Choesang: March 08, 2016

A crowd carrying Tibetan national flags, raised slogans for a Free Tibet and Long Life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, in Dharamshala, India, on March 10, 2016. Photo: TPI/Dawa Phurbu

dialogue between the envoys of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and representatives of the Chinese government. We remain fully committed to the Middle Way Approach, which clearly seeks genuine autonomy for the Tibetan people within China. It is hoped the leaders in Beijing will see reason with the Middle Way Approach, instead of distorting it, and step forward to engage in dialogue with His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s envoys”.

“We, the undersigned Members of Parliament and Baltic Tibetan supporters, are available and willing to assist resumption of a meaningful dialogue between the Chinese government and Tibetan leadership in-exile to help find a peaceful and sustainable solution for the Chinese and Tibetan nations in Tibet,” they added.

“Estonians, Latvians and Lithuanians share a similar history and fate with Tibetans, regarding their cultural, social and political struggle,” they said, added: “We have the motivation and experience to facilitate the Chinese-Tibetan dialogue.”

“We are also calling upon the international community, in particular, the Governments and Parliaments of the Member States of the European Union as well as The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, to take all possible peaceful steps to encourage dialogue and seek for a feasible solution for Tibetan nation within China,” they continued.

In the statement, they said they “strongly condemn the repressive policies of the Chinese government in Tibet and urge the Chinese leadership to investigate the causes of Tibetan grievances.”

As far as the self-immolation protests against Chinese Rule in Tibet concerned, they concluded by saying: “At same time, we are calling on all Tibetans to stop self-immolations as a form of protest and to refrain from such drastic actions for the sake of their freedom, national interests and for promoting Tibetan cause. Tibetan brothers and sisters, we have seen your desperate sorrow and pain. You are visible enough in our hearts and eyes without any further flames.”

Taipei, March , 2016 — Hundreds of Tibetans and Taiwanese supporters from more 20 civic groups and lawmakers marched through downtown Taipei, on Sunday, in a call to free Tibet and uphold human rights in Tibet, to mark the 57th anniversary of Tibetan national Uprising Day, protest against the occupation of Tibet in 1959.

Members of the Welfare Society for Tibetans in Taiwan, Human Rights Network for Tibet and Taiwan, Taiwan Association for Human Rights and other groups gathered in front of Pacific Sogo’s Zhongxiao E Road department store for a rally before setting off on the march, with numerous speeches by legislators expressing solidarity with the Tibetan cause.

New Power Party (NPP) Legislator Freddy Lim called for President Ma Ying-jeou and presidentelect Tsai Ing-wen to allow the Dalai Lama to visit Taiwan. “President Ma has said many times that cross-strait relations have never been better, so I cannot think of a better time,” Lim said, adding that the president has cited a need to repair cross-strait ties in denying previous visits.

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Tsai Yi-yu said that Tibet should serve as a “warning” of what might happen to Taiwan, calling for the Executive Yuan’s Mongolian and Tibetan Affairs Commission to be frozen to express solidarity with the Tibetan cause, the Taipei Times reported.

“The function of the commission is not clear and it looks like a deformity even when run by the Republic of China, because Mongolia does not belong to China anymore. That we still use the ‘Republic of China’ framework to lay claim to Tibet is at odds with their struggle for human rights and freedom,” Tsai Yi-yu said, adding that he would propose a refugee act to allow Tibetan exiles to be granted asylum.

DPP Legislator Kolas Yotaka — a Amis Aborigine elected on the party’s at-large legislative slate — said that Aborigines and Tibetans face similar challenges.

Tibetans “are like China’s indigenous people, so we feel for them and should support them both in spirit and politically,” Kolas said, adding that Aborigines and Tibetans desire true autonomy to protect their cultures.

“We were both originally independent nations, but have been losing our political systems, social structures, religious beliefs and languages ever since colonizing

powers came,” she said.

The group sang the Tibetan national anthem, while Tibetan monks prayed for a long life for His Holiness the Dalai Lama before they marched away to chants of “Free Tibet” and “Long Live the Dalai Lama.”

A large portrait of the spiritual leader of Tibet led the procession, followed by more than a dozen Tibetans waving large national flags of Tibet.

The group marched to the Kelti Building, which is often used to symbolize the Chinese government in the absence of a formal representative office, as it houses the offices of the Cross-Strait Economic and Cultural Interchange Association, the Bank of China and other Chinese associations and firms.

The group held a “die-in,” sprawling on the road in front of the Kelti Building in solidarity with Tibetan monks who have self-immolated to protest Chinese rule of Tibet. The crowd marched to Taipei 101, saying they wanted to share their message with Chinese tourists.

March 10 is the anniversary of the Tibetan national uprising in Tibet’s capital Lhasa in 1959 carried out by people from all The Three Provinces of Tibet in protest against the the communist Chinese occupation of Tibet.

Tibet was invaded by 35,000 Chinese troops who systematically raped, tortured and murdered an estimated 1.2 million Tibetans, one-fifth of the country’s population. Since then over 6000 monasteries have been destroyed, and thousands of Tibetans have been imprisoned. According to various sources, it is estimated that up to 260,000 Tibetan people died in prisons and labor camps between 1950 and 1984.

Tibetans and Taiwanese supporters mark the Tibetan national uprising day, in Taipei, the capital of Taiwan on Sunday, March 7, 2016. Photo: Artemas Liu, Tibet Post International

4

TPI NEWS

March 15, 2016

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Tibetans hold vigil to pay homage to self-Immolators of Tibet

By Yeshe Choesang, March 03, 2016

Dharamshala — Tibetans in India’s northern hill town of Dharamshala, India held candle light vigil on Wednesday (March 02) to express solidarity with self-immolators and protested.

Two Tibetan teenagers set themselves on fire on the same day, in an apparent protest against China’s occupation of Tibet.

Kalsang Wangdu, a 18-year old Tibetan monk set himself on fire on February 29 (Monday) in Karze region of eastern Tibet protesting China’s occupation and hard line policies in Tibet. Sources confirmed that he succumbed to his injuries on the way to a hospital.

Another Tibetan, Dorjee Tserin, a 16-year-old Tibetan schoolboy, set himself on fire on the same day, in Dehradun, Uttarkhand State, India, protesting China’s occupation and hard line policies in Tibet. He survived the protest but reportedly suffered burns to 95% of his body and is currently being treated at a hospital in Delhi.

The vigil was jointly organised by the Dharamshala based three Tibetan NGOs, namely the Students for free Tibet India, Regional Tibetan Youth Congress,and Regional Tibetan Woman’ Association. Over two hundred Tibetans and supporters were attended the vigil in solidarity.

The organisers said that “the protests are an extreme repression of anger and frustration felt Tibetans living under the heavy handed Chinese rule.”

“They both called out for Tibet’s independence for the sake of our country and people, while protesting” against Chinese rule, Asia-Desk Director for Students for free Tibet Dorjee Tsetan said, adding: “We stand in solidarity with them and we honor all our freedom fighters inside and outside Tibet.”

“We pary our profound honour to every Tibetan

martyr who has sacrificed his/her life for Tibet’s cause,” said Wangden Kyab, President of Regional Youth Congress.

“I am reminding the Chinese government that as long as Tibetans exist on this earth, the issue of Tibet will never fade away,” he added, saying: “Our struggle for a free Tibet will continue grow.”

“This is reality heart breaking news. Very young Tibetans, even teenagers set themselves on fire for Tibet cause,” Tenzin Noryang, general secretary of the Regional Tibetan Women’s Association.

Noryang asked the crowd to kindly keep the Tibetan self-immolators in their thoughts and urged them to pray for Dorjee Tseten’s swift recovery.

At least 150 Tibetans have self-immolated in protest against the repressive Chinese occupation of Tibet.

Of these, 143 did so within Tibet, while the remaining eight were living in exile and of them125 have died, including 124 within Tibet and four abroad.

Most of the Tibetan self-immolators have called for freedom of Tibetan people and the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Tibet.

A candlelight vigil was held in Dharamshala, India, on March 2, 2016 to express solidarity with Two Tibetan teenagers set themselves on fire, on February 29, 2016, protesting against China’s occupation of Tibet. Photo: TPI/Tsetan Tashi

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Horoscopes for the Month of March, 2016 Sorces: Patrick Arundell Aries 21 March - 20 April Self-belief is going to be the key to achieving your goals, and yet you may not feel quite as confident as usual over the weeks ahead. Even Mars, your ruler, in the adventurous Sagittarius may not be enough to fully motivate you. However, changes are afoot and the Sun in your sign from March 19th, will enable you to embrace the benefits that goes with them.

Libra 24 September - 23 October If you’re to accomplish all that you intend then certain activities that no longer serve you need to be let go of.

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Scorpio 24 October - 22 November Have you held back from showcasing a talent or initiating a romance? If so, you could find you’re pushed into making your move. The only drawback can be leaving your comfort zone. However, the lure of what is to come can help you move beyond your fears. The Solar Eclipse encourages a more active period, but don’t ignore your emotional and psychological needs.

Gemini 22 May - 21 June The Solar Eclipse at the top of your chart can cause you to feel unsettled around the area of work or even your direction in life. Therefore, you might want to postpone making firm decisions or promises to others until you have a better idea of your plans.

You may find that a long-held aspiritation seems more attractive than a strategy that no longer holds any appeal.

Cancer 22 June - 23 July The gulf between your handling your everyday responsibilities and desiring to move in a new direction may have caused quite a bit of frustration over recent weeks. This month this issue can come to a head pushing you to take that leap of faith. If you do, you may find it’s your passport to a new sense of purpose and into those activities that you truly relish, Cancer.

Sagittarius 23 November - 21 December It would be all too easy to blame others for any glitches this month. However, do take respsonsibity if you have let something fester in the background. Nevertheless, feistier influences can see you making waves regarding home issues, work and your social agenda. Indeed, it may be the only way to motivate certain people or gain their attention.

Capricorn 22 December - 20 January To really seize any new opportunities you may be required to adopt a different attitude or mental approach in order to succeed. However, it may be a case of one step at a time until you begin to feel really confident of handling what is required of you.

Even so, Saturn’s retrograde could prompt you to let go of any deeper emotional baggage that you have been holding onto.

Leo 24 July - 23 August Mars in your leisure sector from the 6th will enhance creative pursuits and can see you more amorous too. However, if there’s something that needs to be sorted out, such as a financial matter or an on-going relationship that needs to be resolved, then attend to such matters first. You may find it hard to truly make progress until you’ve fully cleared the decks.

Aquarius 21 January - 19 February This month sees two very potent Eclipses which combine together to provide a backdrop for the next six months. This asks you to marshal your resources wisely and work on your self-esteem.

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Virgo 24 August - 23 September You may reach some important decisions this month of the kind that can have some powerful repercussions. Initially it may seem as though you are being pushed into making them, but deep down you might welcome these turning points.

And although the weeks ahead could prove to be somewhat unsettled, the prospect of a new beginning can ignite your imagination.

Pisces 20 February - 20 March The assertive energies of Mars power to the top of your solar horoscope on the 6th, giving you a powerful shot of motivational energy regarding your career and life goals. The Solar Eclipse in your sign on the 9th also pushes you to be more dynamic and go getting with regard to your individual talents. Just don’t overlook details or practicalities, Pisces.

The Tibet Post International

TPI NEWS

E XILE

March 15, 2016

5

57 years of protest in Tibet; statement Tibetan political leader says the situation inside Tibet remains grim

by Tibetan Parliament Speaker

By Yeshe Choesang: March 10, 2016

Mr Penpa Tsering delivering speech of the Tibetan Parliament in-Exile to mark the 57th anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising Day in Dharamshala, India, on March 10, 2016. Photo: TPI/Choneyi Sangpo

By Molly Lortie: March 10, 2016

Dharamshala — In accordance with the 57th Tibetan Uprising Day celebrated Thursday, March 10th, the Tibetan Parliament in Exile led by speaker Penpa Tsering released a statement commemorating the occasion, calling on Tibetans everywhere to remember those lost in the freedom struggle.

“On this momentous occasion, therefore, I, speaking on behalf of the Tibetan Parliament in Exile, offer my commemoration and shared sense of well being and destiny through the vicissitudes of good and bad times as well as solidarity with the heroic men and women of Tibet who, driven by patriotism, have sacrificed their lives and conditions of livelihood for the sake of Tibet’s religious, national, and public causes. Also, to all those Tibetans left behind in Tibet who still continue to endure hardship under the brutal persecution of the government of China, I offer our shared sense of well being and destiny through the vicissitudes of good and bad times and solidarity.”

The statement went on to recall the annexation and occupation of Tibet, calling the superpower “nothing but a perpetrator of violent and imperial dominion over many of its neighboring countries and territories, including Tibet.”

Noting the significance of the date March 10th, the Speaker explained that after the Chinese directly threatened the life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, “there was a spontaneous, united uprising against communist China by people from all The Three Provinces in Tibet’s capital Lhasa on 10th March 1959. The memory and effects of this great uprising can never go into eclipse from the vast firmament of this globe. This campaign movement against the government of China also remains a historic event of such importance that it will never be forgotten by our future generations for as long as this eon endures.”

“Generations of the people of the Snowland of Tibet have been relentless in protesting against the policies being implemented by the government of China also because of the ways and means by which China has acted against them with coercion and force. During the entire period of its occupation rule, China has continued to trample on the human rights of the Tibetan people, denied them their religious freedom, disregarded the need to protect their linguistic heritage, set out to destroy their natural environment, and implemented a vicious policy of colonial domination... China threatens to transform the historically Tibetan territory into one controlled and dominated by Chinese people.

And this has now reached a stage whereby China is poised to decimate the integrity of the Tibetan nation and people out of existence.”

Including how those in exile have continued the struggle for freedom in Tibet, the Speaker included the most recent incident of 16 year old Dorjee Tsering, who on February 29th self-immolated for the fundamental cause of Tibet. “Incidents like these show that Tibetans in Tibet and in exile are of one mind in their aspiration. Besides, they show on a persistent basis that Tibetans will never give up their struggle so long as there is no final settlement of their just cause.”

The statement commemorated the young people in Tibet who continue, despite violent backlash from police, to protest the occupation of Tibet by carrying portraits of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and calling for his return to Tibet, and reminded Tibetans at large to avoid getting caught in differences between political party or sect, but rather remember the larger cause, stating, “it is of fundamental importance that Tibetans in Tibet and in exile steer a common cause and be clear about knowing who our enemies are and who our fraternal compatriots are... for it is a duty fallen on our shoulders to take up and further

the hopes and demands raised by our fellowTibetans.”

The Speaker closed by imploring Tibetans and foreign supporters alike to act in solidarity with those in Tibet, and call on foreign governments and organizations to peacefully resolve the critical situation inside Tibet. “On our part the Central Tibetan Administration remains committed to striving to reach a peaceful settlement with China on the basis of the mutually beneficial middle way approach... In this connection we would like to point out to the government of China that it should know that this is the timely, appropriate thing to do and will only be in keeping with the requirements of the time.”

Dharamshala — To mark the 57th anniversary of the Tibetan people’s national uprising day in Dharamshala, India on Thursday, March 10, Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay said “the situation inside Tibet is grim”, stressed that “the self-immolation is further evidence of the lack of freedom in Tibet.”

Thousands of Tibetans and supporters today gathered at the Tibetan temple courtyard in McLeod Ganj, India, to participate in the official commemoration of the 57th Tibetan National Uprising day. Tibetan Uprising Day is observed on March 10 to commemorate the 1959 Tibetan Uprising against the presence of the People’s Republic of China in Tibet.

Speaking about the situation in Tibet, Sikyong said that “the situation inside Tibet is grim. Anyone speaking up for religious freedom and environmental rights are often charged on political grounds and are given harsh punishments.”

“Mere possession of the image of His Holiness the Dalai Lama leads to arrest and imprisonment.

Repositories of Buddhist culture are tightly monitored, monks and nuns face expulsion for not denouncing their spiritual leader,” said Sikyong.

“The Freedom House Report 2016 has listed Tibet as the second least free place in the world after Syria.

Similarly, the European Parliament in its Report on EU-China Relations, December 2015 has clearly expressed concern for lack of religious freedom and travel restrictions in Tibet,” he said, adding: “Thus the Tibetan people live in fear and insecurity.”

The Chinese authorities continued treatment of national minorities, including Tibetan people, have sparked disaffection and alienation. The action of a Chinese owned and operated hotel in Rebkong (Ch: Tongren), Qinghai province drew strong opposition and protest when it banned employees from speaking Tibetan language.

“On 22nd Dec 2015, a senior communist party

Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay delivering Kashag speech to mark the 57th anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising Day in Dharamshala, India, on March 10, 2016. Photo: TPI/Choneyi Sangpo

leader of Tibetan origin expressed concern at the prevalence of discrimination at a meeting during which he referred to the recurring instances where people with ethnic backgrounds were discriminated against or denied access to certain services. He said this problem has generated unwanted social impact and caused strong public reactions from ethnic regions,” Dr Sangay said.

“Similarly, the Chinese government’s policy in general and the remarks of few leaders in particular have dubbed a whole ethnic group as “splittist”.

Such remarks have drawn sharp reactions within China from many scholars and intellectuals who have written hard-hitting responses,” Sikyong added.

Dr Lobsang Sangay, has reiterated his administration’s commitment to the ‘Middle Way’ approach and

Thousands march worldwide against Chinese invasion of Tibet

Top Tibetan officials observing a one minute silence to mourn the Tibetans who have sacrificed their lives for Tibet, on March 10, 2016, Dharamshala, India. Photo: TPI/Choneyi Sangpo

By Yeshe Choesang: March 10, 2016

Dharamshala — Tibetans and supporters across the world on March 10 organised rallies and gatherings to commemorate the 57th anniversary of Tibetan people’s national Uprising Day, protest against the Chinese invasion and occupation of Tibet in 1959.

Addressing a massive gathering in Dharamsala, India, Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay has reiterated his administration’s commitment to the ‘Middle Way’ approach and expressed that his administration firmly believe that the longstanding issue of Tibet can be resolved through dialogue.

Sikyong said “the Envoys of His Holiness the Dalai Lama are ready to engage in dialogue with their Chinese counterpart any time and any place.”

He clarified that the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) remained fully committed to the “middle way approach” that clearly seeks genuine autonomy for the Tibetan people within China.

“It is hoped the leaders in Beijing will see reason with the middle way approach, instead of distorting it, and step forward to engage in dialogue with the Dalai Lama’s envoys.”

To mark the historical anniversary, Penpa Tsering, Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament in-Exile said “It has, to this day, China never changed its policy of brutal and violent persecution of the Tibetan people, showing absolutely no care and concern for their wishes and aspirations.”

“Generations of the people of the Snowland of Tibet have been relentless in protesting against the policies being implemented by the government of China also because of the ways and means by which China has acted against them with coercion and force,” Mr Tsering said.

“During the entire period of its occupation rule, China has continued to trample on the human rights of the Tibetan people, denied them their religious freedom, disregarded the need to protect their linguistic heritage, set out to destroy their natural

environment, and implemented a vicious policy of colonial domination,” he said, “With policies such as these, China threatens to transform the historically Tibetan territory into one controlled and dominated by Chinese people,” he stressed, adding that “this has now reached a stage whereby China is poised to decimate the integrity of the Tibetan nation and people out of existence.”

Following the official function in Dharamshala, thousands of Tibetans and supporters carried out a protest march led by the five Tibetan organisations, including the Tibetan Youth Congress(TYC), Tibetan Women’s Association, Gu Chu Sum Movement of Tibet, National Democratic Party of Tibet, and Students for a Free Tibet.

As we mark today’s anniversary of the 1959 uprising in Tibet, the deteriorating human rights situation throughout China is deeply troubling. However, our trip has led us to believe there is a narrow but real opportunity to encourage the Chinese government to re-evaluate its policy toward Tibet.

The crowd starts to march downhill, carrying large portrait of His Holiness the Dalai Lama along with Tibetan national flags, raised slogans for a Free Tibet and Long Life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

The day was observed in Russian Federation by supporters & friends of Tibet, Buddhists and Tibetans.

Over 220 members of Tibetan Youth Congress on Thursday staged protests in front of the Chinese embassy in New Delhi, to marked the 57th Tibetan National Uprising day. All protesters, including 135 male and 85 female students were arrested and are currently in police custody at Chanakyapuri Police station.

“Since it occupied the entire territory of Tibet in 1959, the communist government of China has carried out a series of cruel and barbaric policies directed at destroying the Tibetan people’s religious traditions, language, and culture,” said the TYC statement issued on Tibetan Uprising Day.

“With shameless audacity, the government of China keeps propagating all sorts of falsehood about the existence of progress, freedom, and happiness in Tibet under its rule,” TYC said.

TYC said “the situation in Tibet has been continuing to deteriorate rapidly from bad to worse, that Tibetans left behind in Tibet have now reached the stage of adopting the highest level of non-violent action in their struggle for the cause of the Tibetan people and for the realization of their national sovereignty, unmindful of all dangers to their lives.”

According to the Czech media “Radio Pahra”, hundreds of municipalities across the Czech Republic are partaking in the “Flag for Tibet” event, prominently displaying the Tibetan flag in order to mark the anniversary of the 1959 Chinese invasion of that country.

This year more than 700 municipalities across the Czech Republic are partaking in the “Flag for Tibet” event. Examples include a Tibetan flag prominently displayed in the main square in the Czech town of Jihlava, one displayed on the central building of the Liberec Regional Authority, and one displayed on the town hall buildings of both the Prague 10 and Prague 4 districts.

The report said that Flags will also be displayed from the windows of private individuals, by various public officials, celebrities, schools, cinemas and so on. Former president Václav Havel was a vocal supporter of Tibet and counted the Dalai Lama as a personal friend.

It said that 2016 represents the largest number of municipalities taking part in this annual event, begun in 1996. Many Czechs view the Tibetan cause – with the country having fallen under Chinese communist dominance during the 1950s – as something of a parallel to the plights of eastern European countries, who once fell victim to Soviet domination.

On the eve of the 57th anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising, Tibet Society has appealed the UK and international governments to stand by the principles of freedom and democracy and urge China to seek a peaceful resolution to the Tibet crisis.

“Prime Minister David Cameron should also set an example and meet with the Dalai Lama and representatives of the Tibetan government in exile to help find a path forward,” UK Tibet Society said.

On Sunday, March 7, over 200 people from more than 20 civic rights groups and lawmakers took to the streets of downtown Taipei, calling for ‘Free Tibet’.

March 10 is the anniversary of the Tibetan national uprising in Tibet’s capital Lhasa in 1959 carried out by people from all The Three Provinces of Tibet in protest against the the communist Chinese occupation of Tibet.

Tibet was invaded by 35,000 Chinese troops who systematically raped, tortured and murdered an estimated 1.2 million Tibetans, one-fifth of the country’s population. Since then over 6000 monasteries have been destroyed, and thousands of Tibetans have been imprisoned. According to various sources, it is estimated that up to 260,000 Tibetan people died in prisons and labor camps between 1950 and 1984.

expressed that his administration firmly believe that the longstanding issue of Tibet can be resolved through dialogue. He stated that “the Envoys of His Holiness the Dalai Lama are ready to engage in dialogue with their Chinese counterpart any time and any place.”

“We the Kashag of the Central Tibetan Administration firmly believe that the longstanding issue of Tibet can be resolved through dialogue between the envoys of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and representatives of the Chinese government,” said Sikyong.

“We remain fully committed to the Middle Way Approach, which clearly seeks genuine autonomy for the Tibetan people within China,” Sikyong said, “It is hoped the leaders in Beijing will see reason with the Middle Way Approach, instead of distorting it, and step forward to engage in dialogue with His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s envoys.”

“We remain fully committed to the Middle Way Approach of not seeking separation from China but genuine autonomy for the Tibetan people. The Tibetan leadership strongly believes that the only way to resolve the issue of Tibet is through dialogue between the Envoys of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the representatives of the Chinese leadership,” Sikyong added.

Responding to China’s claims of the right to identify reincarnation of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan political leader said that this is a blatant lie as the claim is based on doctored history. “The power and authority to decide the reincarnation of the Buddha of Compassion, Tibet’s protector and savior, manifested in the human form, rests solely with His Holiness the Dalai Lama,” Sikyong said, adding: “Nobody else has the right to do so.”

Sikyong continued his speech by quoting His Holiness the Dalai Lama, “If it is decided that the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama should continue and there is a need for the Fifteenth Dalai Lama to be recognized, responsibility for doing so will primarily rest on the concerned officers of the Dalai Lama’s Gaden Phodrang Trust. They should consult the various heads of the Tibetan Buddhist traditions and the reliable oath-bound Dharma Protectors who are linked inseparably to the lineage of the Dalai Lamas. They should seek advice and direction from these concerned beings and carry out the procedures of search and recognition in accordance with past tradition. I shall leave clear instructions about this.

Bear in mind that, apart from the reincarnation recognized through such legitimate methods, no recognition or acceptance should be given to a candidate chosen for political ends by anyone, including those in the PRC.” Sikyong also praised exile Tibetans’ active participation in the election processes, saying “Tibetan people in exile are following the great path of democracy.” He said “Very soon the final round for election of Sikyong and Members of Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile will be held. Therefore, the Tibetan electorate is encouraged to participate on the election day in order to exercise the democratic rights as specified in the Charter for Tibetans in Exile.”

Sikyong also touched on other aspects of the Tibet issue in the statement, including the spate of selfimmolations in Tibet, the protection of Tibet’s culture, democracy and environment, and the continued support from governments around the world.

“The Kashag would like to take this opportunity to remember the kindness of the leaders of various nations that cherish justice, parliamentarians, intellectuals, scholars, human rights organizations and Tibet Support Groups, who have been steadfast in their support for the Tibetan people,” said Sikyong.

Sikyong particularly offered his heartfelt gratitude to the people and government of India. “We always remember the kindness and consistent support of the people and government of India and state governments for generously helping us preserve and promote our religion and culture and ensuring the welfare of the Tibetan people in exile.”

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March 15, 2016

TPI NEWS

Back Page Focus

His Holiness says compassion is caring for others

His Holiness the Dalai Lama during his talk at the chapel of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, USA on February 29, 2016. Photo/Jeremy Russell/OHHDL

By Jane Cook, March 02, 2016

Rochester MN, USA — Explaining that all 7 billion human beings belong to one human family in today’s world, the spiritual leader of Tibet, His Holiness the Dalai Lama said “compassion is about showing care and concern for others.”

Many of the 500 people who had won a lottery for seats at the occasion turned to watch as he walked smiling up the aisle, his hands folded in greeting, at Mayo Clinic - Rochester, MN, United States, on 29 February 2016.

President and CEO of Mayo Clinic, John Noseworthy, was on hand to introduce him and invite him to speak about Compassion in Medicine. When he had done so, His Holiness insisted that he sit next to him. The talk was broadcast over the Clinic’s internet and webcast around the world.

His Holiness began his ‘talk’ and said “it’s a great honour to have this opportunity to speak to all of you who make such a positive contribution to the clinic’s work. You treat hundreds of thousands of people who come with hope and you fulfil their hopes. Looking after those who are in physical and mental pain is a challenge. I’m an old patient and this time I’ve spent more than a month here, during which time the doctors, nurses and technicians have all been very kind.

Besides exercising your professional skills, you have been caring, concerned and friendly. It’s an honour for me to talk to you today.”

He remarked that religious faith has long been a source of solace and support for people facing difficulties. Faith brings hope and optimism even to the dying. He added that he doesn’t have much time for formality and that since we are all the same as human beings, we need to think of one another as brothers and sisters.

“The differences between us of race, nationality, faith, or whether we are rich or poor, educated or uneducated, are secondary to our basic sameness as human beings. When we stress such differences it just causes problems between us. At a fundamental level we are the same. If we were to emphasise this basic sameness among all 7 billion human beings alive today, it would reduce many of the problems between us. This is why I greet people I talk to as ‘brothers and sisters’.

“If I think about how I am different from you, that I’m from Asia, I’m a Buddhist monk, a Tibetan, or even that I am His Holiness the Dalai Lama, it creates a barrier between us behind which I find myself alone. When I think of myself as a human being like all of you in the audience, there’s no barrier between us.

Remembering that all 7 billion of us belong to one human family is very important in today’s world. It’s how we can ensure harmony among humanity. But we need to make an effort to educate people about this reality.

“Faced with a patient in need of help, those

of you who provide care in this hospital don’t first ask where they come from or what they believe, you examine what their problem is and how you can help and treat them. If we could apply such an open attitude in all our relations, everyone would benefit. Compassion is about showing care and concern for others. When you do that you benefit the family and friends of the patient too.

“Now I’d like to have some more interaction with you and answer some of your questions.

I welcome your comments or even criticism because I believe that it’s by answering such challenges that we learn.”

Cathy Wurzer, a local Twin Cities’ TV host, took the chair next to His Holiness to put the audiences’ questions to him. She began by asking how to increase respect for others. His Holiness replied that we are all formed the same way, in the womb. A new-born child and mother are naturally drawn to each other. This is the same for all of us. We are also all the same in wanting to live a happy life. It’s on such a basis that we can treat each other with respect.

He said there are times when you may be angry with someone and you only feel hostile towards them. But there are likely to be many causes of your anger and you may have contributed to some of them. He mentioned the advice of cognitive therapist Aaron Beck that when you are angry and the person you are angry with seems completely negative to you, you need to recall that 90% of that feeling is your own projection. Anger is not fixed or absolute. It changes. He said that many of our destructive emotions are mixed with exaggeration. As human beings we have a marvellous brain that allows us to consider things from different angles and that can be a way of dealing with emotions like anger.

Asked how to respond to people who have difficulty accepting their illness, His Holiness advised letting them calm down, expressing concern for them and, showing a smiling face, letting them feel confident that you will do what you can to care for them. He recommended letting them know the reality of their condition, how seriously ill they are.

Ms Wurzer commented that some people seem able to regard their cancer or terminal illness as a blessing. His Holiness responded by telling her of a Tibetan he knew who asked his doctor to tell him the truth of his condition, to warn him so that, if need be, he could prepare for death. Anything else he said would be a kind of self-deception.

To a question about how care-givers cope with the helplessness of not being able to do more for their patients, His Holiness responded by saying, “Be as kind as you can. Showing loving kindness is an important way to keep the dying person in good spirits. Many of us believe that having a positive frame of mind, feeling optimistic at the time of death is important for

our next life. Christians should remember God and feel confident of going to heaven. Falling into despair and depression is of no help at all.”

He went on to say that our disturbing emotions are generally linked to ignorance and not understanding reality. To address this it is helpful to learn how our minds and emotions work, and then tackling difficult situations will be easier.

Asked whether to be compassionate it’s necessary to believe in a personal God, His Holiness replied that he understood that for believers each life is created by God, that God is infinite compassion and that as children of God each of us has a spark of compassion within us. Non-believers may disregard love and compassion as simply religious qualities when in fact they are basic human values.

“Without love between us how can families and communities be happy? We are social animals and what brings us together is love. No one can survive entirely alone, we depend on one another.

Whether you believe in religion or not, as a human being, happiness is related to your state of mind not just to your various sensory experiences, what you see, hear, taste and touch.”

Noting that even amidst all the comfortable facilities you could wish for it’s possible to be unhappy, while many among the poor are happy and content nevertheless, His Holiness told the story of a monk he met in Barcelona.

He’d spent five years as a hermit in the mountains, living on little more than bread and tea. When they met His Holiness asked about his practice and the monk told him that he had meditated on love. And when he did so, there was a sparkle in his eyes of true happiness and satisfaction. His Holiness concluded that what we really need to do is use our intelligence to develop inner peace.

Asked about the relationship between this and technology, he declared that technology is wonderful, but it depends on how we use it. He alluded to what can also be learnt from the science and philosophy found in ancient Indian thought.

Questioned about how to keep your spirits up when faced with anguish and suffering, His Holiness remarked that emotions that contribute to inner peace are constructive. He said there are two kinds of compassion. One is a biased concern for those we know, but another has the vaster scope of recognising that each of us is a human being and has the goal that all human beings should be happy. It’s on the basis of such warm-heartedness that we can contribute to others’ welfare. To create a more compassionate world, we need such a change of heart.

He cited scientific evidence that infants, even before they can talk, show a preference for examples of helpful behaviour and turn away from illustrations of harm. The conclusion is that basic human nature is positive and kind.

Therefore cultivating warm-heartedness and compassion is something we can all do.

The Tibet Post International

Governments urged to work multilaterally to solve Tibet crisis

By Yangchen Dolma: March 10, 2016

London, UK — On the eve of the 57th anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising, Tibet Society has appealed the UK and international governments to stand by the principles of freedom and democracy and urge China to seek a peaceful resolution to the Tibet crisis.

“Prime Minister David Cameron should also set an example and meet with the Dalai Lama and representatives of the Tibetan government in exile to help find a path forward,” UK Tibet Society said.

Norman Baker, President of Tibet Society, said, “How long must six million people suffer under one of the world’s most brutal regimes before the international community stands up and says enough is enough? Bilateral dialogues with China have failed to produce any benefit for the Tibetan people.

Tibet is currently only second to Syria in terms of being the most repressed society in the world [2]. It is time for international governments to come together and demand China peacefully resolves the Tibet issue.”

Riki Hyde-Chambers, Chairman of Tibet S o c i e t y, s a i d , “ T h e U K g o v e r n m e n t regularly calls on China to negotiate with the Dalai Lama, yet the Prime Minister and government officials refuse to meet him so as not to upset China. This is pure hypocrisy.

How can you call on China to meet the Dalai Lama if you yourself won’t meet him? The UK government needs to have the strength of its convictions.”

Tibet flag bannedHuman rights abuses in Tibet are widespread with the Chinese government cracking down on any form o f d i s s e n t o r e x p r e s s i o n o f Ti b e t a n nationalism, including Tibetan language and cultural activities.

Despite mass surveillance, a large security presence and harsh penalties for dissent, Tibetans continue to protest against China’s occupation. There are currently over 600 known Tibetan political prisoners in Chinese jails.

Since 2009, over 140 Tibetans have selfimmolated in protest against China’s

The national flag of Tibet is one of the most recognizable symbols of Tibet’s independent past and Tibetan national identity. However, the flag is banned in Tibet under Chinese rule. Photo: UK Tibet Society

occupation of Tibet. In recent months, there has been an increase in the number of solo peaceful protests in Tibet, where individuals express themselves by walking down a main street shouting slogans and often holding a portrait of the Dalai Lama. Such protestors face harsh prison sentences and are risk of torture whilst in detention.

Recent cases include: On 4 March 2016, Manga, a woman in her 30s, undertook a solo protest in Ngaba, eastern Tibet by walking down the main street holding aloft a photo of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. She was immediately detained by Chinese police. Her current condition and whereabouts are unknown.

On 29 February 2016, Kalsang Wangdu, an 18 year-old monk died after self-immolating in eastern Tibet. During his protest, Kalsang called for “Tibet’s complete independence” and the long life of the Dalai Lama.

On 17 February 2016, Tibetan blogger Druklo (pen-name Shokjang) was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment after writing articles criticising Chinese government policies.

In late 2015, two teenage monks were jailed for up to four years for undertaking solo protests in Ngaba. Both carried photos of the Dalai Lama and shouted slogans calling for Tibetan freedom.

On 12 July 2015, revered Tibetan leader Tenzin Delek Rinpoche died in prison, having been sentenced on false charges, subjected to torture and denied medical treatment.