Big Photo: Long life prayer to His Holiness Page1 Human Rights Annual Report 2009 Page 2 Facing Extremely Dangerious Page 3 Refugee Story Page 4 Tibet Talks Commence Page 5 China-Tibet Talks Page 6
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T P I Forum Ninth Round
The 9th Round of ChinaTibet Talks Commence Dharamshala: The representatives of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Chinese government have commenced the 9th round of China-Tibet talks. On 26 January, Ma Zhaoxu, a spokesman of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated that "we hope that the Dalai Lama will cherish the opportunity and respond positively to the requests of the Chinese ...See page 5
Conference on Tibet
His Holliness the Dalai Lama speaking after offering him long life prayers on 23 January 2010 at the main Tibetan temple in Dharamshala, India. Photo: TPI/Sangay .....News on page
China Holds Meeting On Development In Tibet
Exiled Tibetan Rights Group Releases Human Rights Annual Report 2009
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A witness of 2008 Protest
Top Chinese officials, including President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao, gathered in Beijing from 18 to 20 January for the fifth conference on Tibetan Work. The meeting, a probable reaction to continuing unrest in the "TAR" and other Tibetan regions since the March 2008 protests, aimed to promote development and integrate the Tibetan Autonomous Region with neighboring provinces. .....See page 5
Internet Censorship
Rigzin Dolma
See detail on page 4
Tibetan Women 22 January, Mr. Urgen Tenzin, Executive Director of the Dharamsala-based Tibetan Center for Human Rights, and his Assistant Mr. Jampa Monlam. Photo: TPI/Yangsham
WFDA report highlights Google censorship case and unjust Chinese arrests
The World Forum for Democracy in Asia (WFDA) published a press release on the latest human rights abuses and positive developments in the region. The report highlighted events in China and Tibet, noted below. China: The high-profile dispute between Google and China has put the spotlight on issues of internet censorship. Some democracy and human rights groups are cautiously optimistic that this could be a breakthrough in the struggle for Internet freedom in China, which would ......See page 6
Dharamsala: Mr. Urgen Tenzin, Executive Director of the Dharamsala-based Tibetan Center for Human Rights, and Assistant Director Mr. Jampa Monlam have just released the organization's 2009 annual report on the human rights situation in Tibet. The report consists of two books in Tibetan and English, and reporters are invited to the release ceremony. The Executive Summary began by stating that 2009, "marked 50 years of exile for Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama and the Tibetan people. During these five decades, the Tibetan people have suffered enormous hardship and systematic human rights abuses by the government of TWA calls for women’s reproductive and People's Republic of China. Human rights violations continue with impunity and there is no sign sexual health rights at international platform of reform by the government." As a member of the Women's Global Network for Reproductive Rights (WGNRR), the Tibetan The report cited the Chinese government's aggressive implementation of death sentences as one Women's Association (TWA) represented WGNRR example of its abuses. Despite international and UN appeals, the Chinese carried out numerous at the 1st International Congress on Women's Health executions in Tibet, and East Turkestan, as well as that of a mentally ill Briton for whom the and Unsafe Abortion (ICWHUA) in Bangkok 20British government sought clemency. 23 January. The conference was organized by the Women's Health and Reproductive Rights According to the summary, 2009 saw 145 known cases of detentions or prison sentences. Out of Foundation of Thailand (WHRRF). continued on page 2
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31 January, 2010 Dharamsala
TPI THE EDITE PAGE
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Exiled Tibetan Rights Group Releases Human Rights Annual Report 2009 ........continued from frontpage
World Economics and China’s Political Dramatics
these, 62.06% (or 90 Tibetans) were from Sichuan, 18.62% (27 Tibetans) were from the "TAR", 4.13% (6 Tibetans) were from Qinghai and 1.37% (2 Tibetans) were from Yunan province. The report warned that control in areas outside the "TAR" which used to enjoy a relative freedom may be made tighter in the near future. The authorities have already taken stringent measures and heightened vigorous patrolling of the border areas. Around 2000 Tibetans escape to Nepal each year on average; however, this year only 691 Tibetans managed to get out, while 627 fled Tibet in 2008.
Dharamshala: -China’s economic growth is notably high. This is solidifying its political power on a global scale, and rousing foreign politicians, governments and societies to adopt a political stance on the Tibetan issue. In 2008, a significant number of columnists, analysts and activists voiced opinions regarding the amalgamation of sports and politics. Chinese leaders in particular stress the rift between the two, and assert that politics and sports should not be intertwined. But when the Olympic torch arrived in Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, the head of the Olympic committee strongly criticized Chinese leaders for using the torch as a political platform.
millennium, China has amplified its criticism of Tibet’s spiritual leader, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, regarding his visits to various foreign countries and his meetings with their leaders. The Chinese government has augmented its foreign policy to include the enactment of pressure upon activists and alleged “separatists,” despite the fact that His Holiness seeks only a great autonomy for Tibet within China. “We are not ‘separatists.’ The whole world knows we are not seeking independence,” he assured the EU Parliament last year. China canceled its high-level summit with the European Union following French president, Sarkozy’s meeting with His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
The Olympic Games strive to promote peace and freedom of expression. But the Chinese government committed genocide and imposed restrictions on movement on the Tibetan people during this time. This begs the question: what did the Beijing Olympics represent? The Beijing Games were a stain on human history and the worldwide human rights movement.
The aforementioned President of France held the EU presidency at the time, and endured open criticism from the Chinese government. China subsequently encouraged its individual citizens to boycott French goods; however, the vast majority of Chinese people cannot afford to purchase imports from France. China expressed further disapproval of South Africa, resulting in the country’s denial of a visa to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who had planned to attend a peace conference there. In addition, China inflicted economic pressure upon Denmark, Holland and Iceland to prevent their respective governments from interfering in China’s policy concerning Tibet – a practicable political strategy in the midst of a global economic crisis.
The current world economic crisis is one of the gravest in history, surpassing the magnitude of the 1980s crisis and comparable to that of the 1920s. It will take over twenty years to neutralize this crisis, according to many analysts. In the last forty years, The Chinese communist regime has attempted to silence the international community’s criticism using the deteriorating economic situation to influence world politics with particular regard to various nations’ stances on the issue of Tibetan sovereignty. Never theless, international support for the Tibetan cause has remained unchecked. The significant question here is: can we find a solution to the Tibetan issue by mixing China’s political drama with global economics? We cannot. From the beginning of the new
China’s economic growth is extensive, but it is dangerous and, ultimately, limited. Over sixty-five percent of the Chinese population is poverty-stricken. Plus, the level of unemployment is steadily increasing. If the quantity of goods imported by China’s economic partners in Asia, Europe and North America continues to wane, China will face a great economic deflation. If the Chinese government persists in using its economic influence to conduct political manipulation, it will lose the
In order to protect the party interest and legitimize the party leaders call for "people's war", laws of the country have been twisted to convict Tibetan demonstrators. According to TCHRD documentation, over 334 known Tibetans have received legal convictions since spring 2008 protest. Out of the total convictions, 11 are known to be life imprisonment sentences. The legal proceedings have been performed with political motivations and were not "free and fair" in any sense. One of the most high profile cases this year was the sentencing of Phurbu Tsering Rinpoche. Rinpoche's lawyer from Beijing was barred from representing him and in a closed door
trial the court sentenced him to eight and a half years in prison on charges of "possessing weapons". Tibetan intellectuals, artists and Internet blog gers were also prosecuted by the Chinese government in 2009. They were mostly charged for "leaking state secret" and for activities which are otherwise a standard practice of expression of opinion or belief. One of the most prominent cases was that of Kunga Tsang yang, who was sentenced to five years in prison for writing essays and photographing environmental degradation in Tibet. Monks and nuns were also targeted in 2009. Kalden, a monk from Drepung Monastery who was arrested on 10 March 2008 for participating in the demonstration, died in August 2009 after a prolonged period of confinement and torture. Another prominent case of death due to torture came to light when a 33-year-old nun, Yangkyi Dolma, died in December 2009 at the Chengdu government hospital. She had been arrested for staging a peaceful protest calling for " human rights for Tibetans in Tibet". Freedom of religion is severely curtailed in present day Tibet. The Chinese authorities' tactic of intimidation and restriction of the religious activities of monks and nuns in religious institutions ensures
the steady decline in the quality of religious education. The Chinese state is obsessed with projects involving resource extractions rather than the development of human capacity. This is evident in the UN Human Development Report, where Tibet's human development index is at the bottom of all of the PRC's provinces. In April 2009, China prevented the Tibetan Center for Human Rights and Democracy to participate in the UN Durban Review Conference. In August 2009, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination met to scrutinize China's compliance with the Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. In February 2009, while accepting some recommendations, China rejected most of the substantive recommendations made by the UN member states through the Universal Periodic Review system to advance human rights in China. While 2009 has been a year of arbitrary and unjust legal convictions in the wake of March 2008 Tibetan uprising, there is a certain amount of positive energy in the Chinese intellectual community which seems to be increasing, and raises hope for the prospect of change in the People's Republic of China.
Tibetans performing tradtional dance and songs after offering long life prayers to His Holiness in Dharamshala. Photo: TPI/Sangay
trust and confidence of the international community. I see no long-term benefits of this strategy. As a result of the policies inflicted during the Olympic Games, China invited only criticism, and its international reputation suffered. Recently, during a conference in the United States, Tibetan spiritual leader, His Holiness the Dalai Lama described the Chinese government's propagandized statements regarding the lives of Tibetans in the homeland as infantile. International support for the Tibetan cause is essential, but Tibetans themselves must act as the key players in the struggle. I recently attended a press conference with great hope of understanding the incredible
determination of the Tibetan people in the struggle for sovereignty and human rights. The conference was held by Tibetan heroes who openly protested in front of the international media in Tibet last year. They were heavily restricted by the thousands of armed military forces which China promptly deployed. One of the speakers present, Jamyang Gyaltsen, emphasized the importance of international support all the while stressing that the Tibetans’ pursuit of freedom must remain unshakable. He also shed light on the realities of life in Tibet, mentioning deforestation, nuclear waste, and Tibet’s increasing Chinese population which may one day render Tibetans a minority in their own land.
crackdown in all parts of Tibet last March he stated, “When we hear a statement made by a government leader which raises awareness of our cause, we feel encouraged and that we are not alone; that there is a place where people speak the truth.” I believe that the Tibetan issue will be fully recognized as a matter of human rights when the global community comprehends the fact that they are merely pawns in China’s political game. People can change a government and China will also change; it is only a matter of will and support.
On the subject of China’s deadly
The Tibet Post International
Translated and Edited by: Natalia Idz'kowski,
The Tibet Post
TPI DALAI LAMA
H.H the Dalai Lama and Harrison Ford Film Inspires Prison Inmates to Resolve Conflicts
The Dalai Lama Renaissance film, narrated by Harrison Ford (www.DalaiLamaFilm.com), and a Q&A with Director Khashyar Darvich, offer insights on inner peace to men behind bars, half of whom are incarcerated for murder. Houston, TX (PRWEB) January 20, 2010 -- In a rare opportunity to contemplate the nature of their own existence and explore the essence of inner peace, dozens of inmates at two Texas prisons gained insights during screenings of the awardwinning documentary film Dalai Lama Renaissance, narrated by Harrison Ford (www.DalaiLamaFilm.com). The film screened at the prisons as part of an ethics program organized by "Project Clear Light," a nonprofit Buddhist volunteer organization that works with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, and is scheduled to screen at other prisons across the United States in the coming months. "There is such joy in being able to show films like Dalai Lama Renaissance to inmates," said Terry Conrad, a certified volunteer Chaplain's assistant, and Director of Project Clear Light. "It is so rewarding to sit in meditation and have a conversation with them about what is really important, and to understand who we are and what we are capable of." Conrad asked the film's ProducerDirector, Khashyar Darvich, to show Dalai Lama Renaissance to inmates whom Conrad regularly meets with and teaches. With approval from prison administrators, two screenings were scheduled: one in the Stiles prison in Beaumont, Texas, and one in Ramsey prison, south of Houston. Darvich then volunteered to fly to Texas to speak with inmates after each screening. About half of the inmates in the prison audiences were convicted of murder. "The intention of making this film was to impact audiences in a positive way," said Director-Producer Khashyar Darvich of Wakan Films.
"I had never been to a prison before, but I had a deep sense that inmates may have something to say about the film's theme of overcoming the ego and opening one's heart." Both Dar vich's and Conrad's purpose in screening the film for inmates was to provide them with a message that urges them to focus on improving themselves from the inside out. "I heard the Dalai Lama talking about the importance of compassion for compassion's sake, because it's the right thing to do," said David, an inmate at the Ramsey Unit. "Because that's what makes you happy inside, it's what helps you develop inner peace.... When he started talking about it, I just started getting tingly all over.... It really touched me."
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Tibetan Culture Is Facing An Extremely Dangerous Situation: His Holiness The Dalai Lama Dharamshala: Tibetan culture, identity and religion are "facing an extremely dangerous situation," but the patience and strength of Tibetan people inside Tibet have genuinely united, Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama said on Saturday after offering him a special long life prayer on behalf of Tibetan Government in-exile and people of Tibet. The 74-year-old Tibetan spiritual leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate addressed the hundreds of people including Tibetans, foreigners and the exiled top Tibetan officials during a gathering for a special long life prayer in Dharamshala. His Holiness urged his exiled fellow Tibetans to represent the people inside Tibet as they are under a longlasting Chinese occupation and repression. "Never forget that you are the people of snow-land of Tibet, most importantly, there are
significant signs that the patience and strength of Tibetan people inside Tibet have genuinely united, therefore, we, the people who are in-exile have responsibility to represent them," he added. The Tibetan spiritual leader expressed concern over the impacts of Tibetan education for younger generations. "Think about wider perspective, and do not give-up your strength and patient as you are in a free country unlike Tibet, from our historical eras of Dharma kings, we have the rich culture and religion, in-additional, as I usually urge people, all Tibetans, whether men or women, it is very essential to learn modern education and also Buddhism which mean depth to great philosophical views," said His Holiness. His Holiness the Dalai Lama also said that Tibetan students have great
possibility to engage with better academic specialists. "I am pleased and appreciated that Tibetans inside Tibet recently have got a genuine interest in modern education, particularly in their culture and religious' educations, he added. Tibetan spiritual leader also emphasized the importance of preservation of Tibetan Buddhism and culture toward a nonviolent society for the sixty billion people of the world. "Tibetan Buddhism and culture should not use for merely offering objects and inner believe, it has power to contribute a good and happy life, not only your environments but for all sentient beings, therefore we must need understanding of Tibetan Buddhism and culture, it is a very essential to practice by your three practical doors; mind, speech and body,� said His Holiness.
"What I thought was so profound about the film was the child-like simplicity of the Dalai Lama and the profoundness of his understanding of how human nature and humanity works," said Deon, another inmate at Ramsey. The award-winning film, which is narrated by Harrison Ford and has screened in hundreds of cinemas around the world in several languages, follows a group of Westerners who travel to India with the task of solving world problems under the spiritual guidance of the Dalai Lama. The film contrasts the Westerners' intellectual approach to problemsolving against the enlightened approach of the Dalai Lama, and illustrates how the participants experience a profound personal transformation. Besides opportunities for introspection, the film also offered inmates some chances to laugh at the imperfection of humanity. "It was funny to see these supersmart people and realize that they were too smart for the task," said Jason, a prisoner at Ramsey, about the scientists and other world
His Holiness the Dalai Lama addressing after offering him a long life prayer in Dharamshala thought-leaders in the film. Inmate Kelly added, "I saw something in the Dalai Lama that I now see in my own personal life, which is joy and compassion and peace." At both prisons, the inmates were attentive to the film and looked for ways to apply its lessons to their personal lives. "I took a few notes, but I feel like I
missed about 20,000 more than I was able to put down," said John, an inmate at Stiles prison.
country, and would like to attend and speak with other inmate groups in person.
Fellow Stiles inmate Antoine added, "I could watch something like this every day, especially in the environment I'm in. You know, it's like a snake pit. But if you've got inner peace, you will affect every person around."
"The fundamental intention of making this film was to impact and transform audiences in a positive way," Darvich said, "and I can think of no better place to screen the film than a prison."
Darvich plans to offer the film for screenings at other prisons around the
Details about Dalai Lama Renaissance and prison screenings are available at www.DalaiLamaFilm.com.
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31 January, 2010 Dharamsala
Four Tibetans Sentenced to 1 to 3 Years Imprisonment
The Tibet Post
The 2008 Protest in Tibet - A Refugee’s Story of the Beatings and Killings Dharamshala: A newly arrived Tibetan woman, Rigzin Dolma, from Karze County in eastern Tibet, talked about her participation in the peaceful protest on 18 March 2008 and Chinese crackdown. "They were beating people, killing them. I saw it," said Dolma.
So called Soldiers of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) carry out an anti-terrorism training at a military base in Suining, Sichuan province May 20, 2009. Photo: Reuters Four Tibetans from the Sok County in eastern Tibet, were each sentenced by the so-called Chinese "Nagchu Municipal Intermediate People's Court" for up to three years imprisonment, according to information provided by Ngawang Tharpa, from Sok County who is currently living in exile. The four were sentenced by the Court on 5 January, 2010. Tenzin Dhargye was sentenced to three years imprisonment for allegedly taking part in proindependence demonstrations which spread throughout Tibet in 2008 and allegedly fleeing to India
illegally. Yeshi Jinpa was sentenced two years imprisonment for allegedly fleeing to India illegally. Tharpa infor med Tibet Post International that both were taken from Sok County to Lhasa, the capital of Tibet. Jinpa went to Lhasa for medical treatment but since his arrival he has been hospitalized due to a further decline in his health. In addition, Choedon, a 48-year old Tibetan nun, and 17-year old Norbu Sangpo, each received a one year prison sentence. The two Tibetans remain in Nagchu prison to serve
their respective terms. The arrests came on 2 December, 2009 while Dhargye and Jinpa were performing their prostrations at Jokhang Temple, the most sacred shrine in Lhasa. Choedon and Zangpo were delivering food to them at the time. Tharpa concluded that, since the beginning of 2010, a work team consisting of 31 Chinese officials have been in Sok County to reinforce Chinese political policy in addition to surveying the number of people who have lived in foreign countries.
"During the protest Chinese armed military and police personnel killed, by shooting, and tortured, by beating, many Tibetans. It was unbelievable, but They were beating people, killing them. I saw it. I became unconscious after being continuously beaten police batons. When I came to I realized I was lying in the mud and water with police walking over me so I immediately hid behind a vehicle. A Tibetan man came and placed his shirt over me. I managed to escape after hiding from door-to-door and shop-toshop but it was not easy. Every roadway and intersection was blocked by the Chinese military personals. My friends helped me by allowing me to carry their baby, some food and clothing to give the appearance I was a mother on a journey. At Takchu Dhabchak bridge the
police also held a check-point but did not ask me for my identity card so I managed to escape from the bridge to Serchu and Wosang villages. When I arrived at Dzakhok Monastery I heard that one monk was shot at by the Chinese so I realized I could not safely stay there so I continued my journey. I remained hidden for one year in Rong pa Tsakha and Lingdhab villages. For safety reasons, I cannot name the families and villagers who I was hiding with. After that, the situation became calmer and I secretly planned to escape to Lhasa, the capital of Tibet where I arrived on 10 October 2009. After hiding for eight days in Lhasa I managed to escape to Nepal and safely arrived in Dharamsala on 14 January 2010". When the peaceful protest began, more and more people joined in and we shouted "His Holiness, the Dalai Lama return to Tibet!" and "We want minority rights and the release of the Panchen Lama" as we walked from Takchudhab to Kyabgon School. All Tibetans in the area joined in the protest but, as I said, after a half hour the Chinese military and police began their crackdown.
Signature Campaign For The Release Of Trulku Tenzin Delek Dharamsala: For the release of Trulku Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, a highly revered Tibetan Buddhist lama and community leader, from Chinese detention, Students for a Free Tibet (SFT India) today launched a signature campaign here in Dharamsala. “Today, Tibet groups and supporters are holding actions around the world for the release of Trulku Tenzin Delek, whose initial death sentence was commuted to a life in prison due to international pressure from human rights groups and the United Nations”, Tenzin Choeying, SFT India International Coordinator said. “To bring pressure on the Chinese government to bear is very important”, Mr. Tenzin further emphasized, “Thanks to international pressures from Tibet support groups and human right groups, many Tibetan political prisoners got released in the past”. The 60 year-old Trulku Tenzin Delek was charged with "inciting separatism", "causing explosions"
and "illegal possession of guns and ammunition", but no credible evidence for his crime has ever
name: A’an Zhaxi) was unjustly persecuted by the Chinese authorities in Sichuan Province during your term as Party Secretary there.
found by Chinese authorities.
Like the people of Lithang, Kham (Ch: Litang, Sichuan Province), we do not recognise the verdict against Tenzin Delek Rinpoche. No credible evidence has ever been presented to support the charges against him. As a revered Buddhist leader, it is unfathomable that he would have been involved in "conspiring to cause explosions".
The petition calls for the case against Tenzin Delek to be re-opened and, if no credible evidence is presented, for his release. And along with the petition, a letter will be sent to Zhou Yongkang, who was Party Secretary in Sichuan Province, where Tenzin Delek Rinpoche was detained, and he is currently the Secretary of the Central Politics and Law Committee.
immediately grant Tenzin Delek Rinpoche independent legal assistance and a new trial on the basis of three points: that there is no proof against him, that he steadfastly asserts his innocence, and that there is a widespread belief in Tibet and worldwide that he was framed by Chinese officials who viewed his influence as a threat to their power.
The letter says: Dear Mr Zhou, Tenzin Delek Rinpoche (Chinese
Zoomed in view from Kardze Monastery, the military camp. Photo: TPI
China claims phenomenal economic growth in Tibet
Chinese government reportedly seeks "leap-frog" development of the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) by raising infrastructure quality and agricultural incomes to national levels by 2020, according Xinhua news agency report, claiming comments from senior Chinese leaders at a conference Tibet earlier in the We, the undersigned, call on you to week. The announcement came during a highlevel planning conference on Tibet from Jan. 18 to 20, attended by Chinese President Hu Jintao and Prime Minister Wen Jiabao. The report said such investments had been conducive to Tibet's opening wider to the outside world, the restructuring of its industries and expansion of the job market on account, no doubt, of rising number of Chinese immigrants.
If, in a new trial, no credible evidence is presented against Tenzin Whether Tibet is currently stable now, or Delek Rinpoche, we demand his will remain so, is of course a hotly contested topic. In 2008, mass demonstrations release. erupted in Lhasa, Tibet's capital which
spread throughout Tibet, after the arrest of thousands of Tibetans include monks and women seeking to commemorate a failed uprising against the communist regime's harshful rule and policy. Last year, China executed four Tibetan men for participating in that protests. But China is claiming phenomenal economic growth in the region. "Tibet has been able to maintain double-digit growth in terms of GDP for 17 straight years, outpacing the national average," reports official Chinese news agency Xinhua. Tibet's GDP was expected to top $5.85 billion in 2009, up 12.1 percent year-onyear and up 170 percent from 2000, according to Xinhua. Tibetans inside the country say Tibet is "hell on earth,but the communist regime of China claimed that $45.4 billion in aid to the TAR over the past nine years has helped "boost Tibet's leapfrog development" and achieve "lasting stability."
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31 January, 2010 Dharamsala
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The 9th Round of China-Tibet Talks Commence
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genuine autonomy for the Tibetan people". Mr Samphel went on to note that "the Tibetan people inside Tibet are not satisfied with Chinese policy, a position which many Chinese scholars and legislators also acknowledge. So, we hope that the Chinese government will review their policy towards Tibet".
The Tibetan Post interviewed a number of exiled Tibetan officials, members of non-government organizations and Tibetan freedom activists to gain their view points on the talks, and to understand why the exiled Tibetan government continues to send delegates to China to attend the talks in light of The Chinese government's strict maintenance on it's policy regarding the future autonomy of Tibet.
1st line: Gyari Dolma, deputy speaker of TPIE (L), Thupten Sampehl, secretary of DIIR (C) and Alak Jigme Rinpoche, former minister of CTA (R). 2nd Line: Ngawang Woebar, director for Guchusum (L), Lhazang Tsering, Tibetan freedom activist (C) and Dhondup Dorjee, vice president of TYC (R). Photo: TPI Central Government". However, the Mr Zhaoxu also pointed out that "China's policy towards the Dalai Lama is consistent and clear
cut", meaning that the Dalai Lama should publicly state Tibet is an inalienable part of China, in the same way that Taiwan is an
inalienable part of China, and issues related to Tibet are China's internal affairs which foreign countries should not interfere with.
China Holds Meeting On Development In Tibet ..............continued from frontpage
as a development issue to downplay the region's distinct culture. "They're persisting in this argument that it's all about money and that Tibetans have no other concerns," Michael C. Davis, a professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, told Wa s h i n g t o n Po s t r e p o r t e r s. "Including or connecting the Tibetan Autonomous Region with other autonomous areas may just be more of that. Maybe I'm too suspicious." The Washington Post pointed out that this was the first highlevel meeting on Tibet in nine years. China's leaders agreed at the conference to develop Tibetan regions in neighboring Sichuan, Gansu, Yunnan and Qinghai provinces as well, according to China's state-run Xinhua news agency. Most, if not all, of these regions saw protests shortly after the 2008 violence. President Hu warned those gathered that development
efforts would need to be protected from "penetration and sabotage" by "Tibetan separatists" in favor of independence, Xinhua reported on Friday. Many believe that there is a political motivation behind China's recent efforts to speed up economic progress in Tibet. According to the Washington Post, One expert on Tibet said China's leaders like to "homogenize" Tibet's problems
At the meeting, Hu asserted that the per capita income of Tibet's farmers and nomads should be close to the national level by 2020, Xinhua reported. As of last year, Chinese government statistics showed that these groups earned barely one quarter of the national average of around $2,000 a year. However, reports on the meeting gave no details on exactly how much money will be allotted to Tibet under this new policy.
Mr Samphel also acknowledged that there is a direct connection between this round of talks and the 5th National Conference on Tibetan Work, held in Beijing recently.
The Deputy Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament, Dolma Gyari, noted that "since the start of the ChinaTibet talks in 2002, the Chinese government has maintained a harsh policy towards the Tibetan people and has continually denounced His Holiness, the Dalai Lama. The recent Chinese crackdown on the Tibetan people in 2008 was, and continues to be, very widespread so I don't believe that the Chinese government would readily change their position to benefit Tibet or the Tibetan people. However, whilst preparing for the worst, we Tibetans should not give up hope. It should be remembered that political dialogues between countries takes time to arrive at a satisfactory resolution. I don't believe that this round of talks will bring immediate results but it is important to keep our commitment clear and strong". Mrs Gyari did not make any comment on the Chinese statement.
The for mer Minister of the Security Department of the Tibetan Government in Exile, Alak Jigme Rinpoche, noted that "the talks between China and the Tibetan government in exile are not narrowed down to a single point. We have lowered our demands to gain an autonomous region for the three provinces of Tibet and it is unclear if it can be achieved or not, but we should continue to try our best". Tibetan freedom activist, Lhazang Tsering, does not believe that the talks will be fruitful in achieving a positive outcome. Mr Tsering pointed out that "the real intention of the Chinese government is to swallow Tibet whole and to do so they need time. These talks are delaying the issue and playing for such time". The Director of the Gu Chu Sum Movement of Tibet, Ngawang Woebar, and the Vice President of the Tibetan Youth Cong ress, Dhondup Dorjee, both suspect the validity of the Chinese intention to solve the Tibetan issue with dialogue because the situation in Tibet is becoming more intense and the Chinese government is not meeting the recommendations set out in the Memorandum.
The Secretary, and spokesperson, of the Department of Infor mation and International Relations, Thupten Samphel, pointed out that "in cherishing this opportunity, and with a greater hope for a fruitful result, our delegates have gone to China to attend the talks. We strongly recommend that the Chinese government base this talk on our Memorandum, which was submitted to the Chinese government in 2008, requesting
Edited by Tony Collier, staff writer for The Tibet Post International
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31 January, 2010 Dharamsala
TPICHINA-TIBET TALKS
Envoys of His Holiness The Dalai Lama Leave For China For Tibet Talks
The Tibet Post
U.S. Canada And Britain Welcome China-Tibet Talks: Hope For Positive Results The United States, Canada and Britain welcomed the ninth round of ChinaTibet talks, expressing hope that progress could be made towards meaningful autonomy for Tibet.
Special Envoy Lodi Gyaltsen Gyari and Envoy Kelsang Gyaltsen in Dharamshala on 17 November 2008. Photo: TPI
Dharamshala: A High level Tibetan delegation lead by Mr Lodi Gyaltsen Gyari, the special envoy of Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama will leave on Monday for Chinese Hunan Province for new talks on Tibet issues. The meeting will be the first face-to-face contact between the two sides after submitting a "Memorandum" to Chinese officials on genuine autonomy for the Tibetan People was submitted in 2008. "Mr Lodi Gyaltsen Gyari, special envoy of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Mr Kelsand Gyaltsen, also envoy of His Holiness leading a high level delegates comprising of two senior assistants, Bhuchung K.
Tsering, member of Tibetan Task Force and Tenzin Phuntsok, secretary of Tibetan information Department will leave on 25 January for new talks with Chinese officials in Chinese Hunan Province," a Tibetan official told The Tibet Post (TPI). China-Tibet Talks stuck at a standstill after the envoys of His Holiness the Dalai Lama presenting a "Memorandum" to Chinese leadership two years ago asking a genuine autonomy for the Tibetan People. "The Tibet issue needs to be resolved through dialogue and negotiation between the Tibetan and People's Republic of China leadership," Samdhong Rinpoche, prime minister
Denmark Welcomes Resumption Of China-Tibet Talks Welcoming the resumption of talks between China and exiled Buddhist leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama over the political status of a meaningful autonomy for people of Tibet, government pf Denmark yesterday has said that the two sides should ensure that the Tibetans attain genuine selfrule within the framework of the Chinese constitution. Envoys of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Lodi Gyaltsen Gyari and Kelsang Gyaltsen, reached Beijing Tuesday for a meeting with Chinese government officials, the first since a November 2008 round of talks ended in mutual recrimination. "I am very satisfied that the negotiations between representatives of the Dalai Lama and China have now been resumed after a 15-month break," says a post quoting Danish Foreign Minister Per Stig Moller on the website of the Tibetan governmentin-exile yesterday. "I, therefore, again call on both parties to engage themselves constructively in
the negotiations and hope that the dialogue will be carried through to a result which ensures that Tibetans attain genuine self-rule, with cultural and religious freedom and respect for human rights within the framework of the Chinese constitution," said Moller. He said that dialogue is the only way forward to a peaceful solution to the question of Tibet. Earlier, the US, Canada and Britain welcomed the talks and said it hopes this meeting will produce positive results and provide a foundation for future discussions to resolve outstanding issues. The two sides have held eight rounds of talks since 2002 to try and find a solution to the Tibetan issue. During the last meeting, called the eighth round of talks, differences cropped up over the memorandum on genuine autonomy for the Tibetan people submitted by the exiles. The Chinese rejected it, saying that it was aimed at dividing China.
of the Tibetan government in exile, told Asia Times Online last week. "I wish Tibetans' hopes will become a reality." Both sides have been officially declared that no real progress was made during seventh and eight round of talks held in 2008. China-Tibet talks have resumed after two-day meeting of the Tibetan Task Force for negotiations concluded last week at the headquarters of the Center Tibetan Government In-Exile and another meeting so called the fifth conference on Tibetan Work concluded last week in Beijing attended by top Chinese officials, including President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao.
The Obama Administration on Tuesday welcomed the ninth round of meetings between the Special Envoy of Tibetan leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Chinese authorities in Beijing, and stated hope that the negotiations will lead to positive results. "The Administration hopes this meeting will produce positive results and provide a foundation for future discussions to resolve outstanding issues," Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs P J Crowley stated. "The United States was pleased to learn that the Dalai Lama's Special Envoys arrived today in China for their ninth round of meetings with Chinese officials," he continued. "The United States strongly supports dialogue between China and the Dalai Lama's representatives to address longstanding differences," Crowley added.
China Confirms The Ninth Round Of Talks With Tibetan Envoys Chinese officials confirmed that envoys of Tibetan leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama met with representatives of Chinese government Tuesday for the first time in 15 months. "We hope that the Dalai Lama will cherish the opportunity and respond positively to the requests of the central government," China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Ma Zhaoxu told journalists in Beijing. Ma told a press briefing that at the request of the Dalai Lama side’s, the Chinese Central Government had recently made arrangements for private representatives of the Dalai Lama to visit China to renew dialogue. “At the request of the Dalai Lama, the Chinese Government has arranged for his representatives to come to China for consultation,” foreign ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu said. The central government’s policy towards the Dalai Lama is consistent and clear, Ma told reporters, without disclosing the venue or other details of the talks. In November 2008, negotiations between representatives of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Chinese government officials ended with China’s rejection of the Tibetans’ demand for “genuine autonomy for the Tibetan people”. The upcoming meeting marks the ninth round of talks between the two sides since 2002.
On Monday, Britain commented on the resumption of talks between China and the Dalai Lama, expressing hope that progress could be made towards "meaningful autonomy" for Tibet. Britain's Junior Foreign Office Minister Ivan Lewis, who made the first ever trip to Tibet by a British government member in September, welcomed the news. "I urge both sides to enter these talks in good faith and to make progress towards meaningful autonomy for Tibet," Lewis said. He continued, "Peaceful dialogue between the Chinese government and the Dalai Lamas representatives is the only way to bring about a lasting and peaceful solution to the problems in Tibet. "I made this clear during my own visit to Tibet and Beijing last year." The Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada, on Tuesday issued the following statement in approval of the first meeting in 15 months between representatives of the Chinese government and the Dalai Lama. “Canada has consistently advocated substantive dialogue between China and the Dalai Lama or his representatives. I urge the two sides to approach this new round of talks with a commitment to serious and meaningful dialogue aimed at resolving outstanding issues in a manner acceptable to both,” he stated. “The Government of Canada attaches a great deal of importance to the treatment of ethnic Tibetans in China, and to their ability to exercise their rights to freedom of expression, association, spiritual belief and peaceful protest,” the statement continued, A White House spokesperson also has confirmed on Saturday that President Obama "most certainly" will meet the Dalai Lama this year, and that this has been conveyed to Beijing. White House spokesman Mike Hammer told foreign journalists, "The President has made clear to the Chinese government that we intend to meet with the Dalai Lama, it has been his every intention."
The Tibet Post
TPI WOMEN
31 January, 2010 Dharamsala
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TWA calls for women’s reproductive and sexual health rights at international platform sexual minorities are common. According to Amy Kesterton, Policy Officer of WGNRR, "Though our governments have made numerous commitments to fulfill the sexual and reproductive rights of their people...[they are] failing to put these into practice. Neoliberal policies are hindering progress, widening the gap between rich and poor and between commitments and realities." Kathy Mulville, the coordinator of WGNRR said that, "There is a lack of infor mation, education and affordable services, persistence of discriminatory social norms and a rise in political and religious fundamentalism. She further reminded the conference that, "We, the citizens, are failing to hold our governments accountable, to stand up and demand our rights."
The Prime Minister of Thailand Mr. Abhisit Vejjajiva gave the opening speech on 20 January, at the prominent conference which offers the latest infor mation about expanding the means of care for women's health and abortion safety. Prior to the ICWHUA conference, the TWA members, along with 52 women's organizations from the
Asia Pacific region, attended the AsiaPacific Regional Consultation Meeting (RCM) of the WGNRR, also held in Bangkok, from 17-19 January, 2010. 52 participants from 27 countries gathered to reassert their support for the realization of reproductive rights for all women and in particular for women under repressed regimes like Tibet. "A women's body is her right and she
has the right whether or not to reproduce, and a state cannot interfere in this regard," stated Samten Choedon, Vice President of TWA. The 52 members of the Asia-Pacific network of WGNRR jointly declared that women's rights are not protected, because conflict, sexual violence and discrimination against
WFDA report highlights Google censorship case and unjust Chinese arrests ..........continued from frontpage
have worldwide implications. On 13 January, the International Campaign for Tibet issued a statement calling it "a crack in the wall of censorship that sets a new standard." Students for Free Tibet released a statement praising Google for announcing it would end its censorship of search results in China, reminding the public of SFT's 2006 campaign to boycott Google in response to the launch of Google.cn, and pointing out that an SFT activist at Stanford University was one of the Gmail users whose accounts were hacked. Reporters Without Borders also welcomed Google's announcement; a few days later the press freedom organization condemned cyber-attacks on the Google email accounts of several Beijing-based foreign journalists, "call[ing] on [China's ]ministry of industry and information technology to provide an explanation." Yang Jianli, founder of Initiatives for China, also applauded Google's stance, while cautioning it "not to withdraw from China ¡V at least, not without a fight."
together with human rights lawyer David Matas, were awarded the 2009 Human Rights Awardby the Swiss Section of the International Society of Human Rights. They were recognized for their advocacy to end the trafficking of organs in China, and Kilgour's acceptance speech drew attention to the persecution of Falun Gong and the disappearance of Chinese human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng.
In a ceremony on 16 January, the Hon. David Kilgour, WFDA partner and former Canadian Secretary of State,
On 6 January, global democracy icon Vaclav Havel attempted to deliver a petition calling for the release of
As a member of WGNRR, the TWA is committed to advocating and campaigning for the advancement of sexual and reproductive health and rights for all. The organization works to include the presence of Tibetan women and their voices at international meetings like the WGNRR's ‘RCM' and the WHRRF's ‘ICWHUA'. "We attended the women's conferences in Bangkok to further our cause, to share experiences, build knowledge and capacity and to raise
In a 2007 report, the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change said the Himalayan glaciers are very likely to disappear within three decades if the present melting rate continues. But a statement from the panel now says there is not enough scientific evidence to back up those claim.
Tibet: The 29 December sentencing of filmmaker Dhondup Wangchen to six years imprisonment was condemned in a press release from the Tibetan Youth Congress and another statement from Reporters Without Borders.
* Build our capacity to analyze international and country policies, commitments and laws and reveal the discrepancies' between these and realities on the ground; * Gather and disseminate reliable, credible information on the rates and consequences of unsafe abortion; * Hold governments to account and press them to meet their commitments * Join together and campaign, uniting the voices of most disadvantaged including those of women and young people and strengthening the Reproductive and Sexual Health and Rights movement at the grassroots level; * Share our experiences and help build each other capacities to strengthen support and advance the cause of Reproductive and Sexual Health and Rights. Press contact: Samten Chodon; 9418936118 / 221527 T. Dhardon Sharling; 9418791189 / 221704 Last Updated ( Tuesday, 26 January 2010 12:13 )
UN Climate Panel: Himalayan Glaciers Warning Not Backed Up By Evidence Geneva - A U.N. warning that Himalayan glaciers were melting faster than any other place in the world and may be gone by 2035 was not backed up by science, U.N. climate experts said on 20 January — an admission that could energize climate change critics.
Charter '08 founder Liu Xiaobo, who was sentenced to 11 years in prison on 25 December, but the Chinese embassy in Prague refused to open the door to meet him. For more details, read the statement from Chinese Human Rights Defenders.
our voices at such momentous international platform," explained Dhardon Sharling, TWA's Research and Media Officer. TWA and the 51 other participants at the WGNRR Asia-Pacific Regional Consultation Meeting resolved to:
The warning in the report "refers to poorly substantiated estimates of rate of recession and date for the disappearance of Himalayan glaciers," the IPCC said. "In drafting the paragraph in question, the clear and well-established standards of evidence, required by the IPCC procedures, were not applied properly.". The Himalayan glacier claim, made in the group's voluminous, Nobel-winning report, was little noticed until The Sunday Times said the projection seemed to be based on a news report. The leaders of the U.N. panel are investigating how the forecast got into the report, Chris Field, director of the ecology department at the Washingtonbased Carneige Institution for Science, told The Associated Press. The U.N. panel did not give a new estimate of when Himalayan glaciers might melt away, but said "widespread
mass losses from glaciers and reductions in snow cover over recent decades are projected to accelerate throughout the 21st century." This will reduce the availability of water and change the seasonal water flows in major mountain rangers, including the Himalayas, it said. India's Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh on Tuesday repeated his previous criticism of the panel's initial assessment of the Himalayan glaciers. "The health of the glaciers is a cause of grave concern, but the IPCC's alarmist position that they would melt by 2035 was not based on an iota of scientific evidence," Ramesh was quoted as saying by The Times of India. The IPCC's Fourth Assessment Report of 2007 said the Himalayan glaciers were receding faster than any other place in the world. "The likelihood of them disappearing by the year 2035 and perhaps sooner is very high if the Earth keeps warming at the current rate," it said. But, in a confusing note, the report added the glacier's total area "will likely shrink from the present 500,000 to 100,000 square kilometers (193,000 to 36,000 sq. miles) by the year 2035." The U.N. climate change panel said "the chair, vice-chairs, and co-chairs of the IPCC regret the poor application of wellestablished IPCC procedures in this instance."
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