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A Free Monthly Publication For Tibetan Issues & Community Information Rgd No. HPENG/2013/51798
Western Politicians Persuaded to Subscribe to China Propaganda By Rohini Kejriwal China has persuaded world leaders and politicians to sign the “Lhasa Consensus,” a document which undermines what the Dalai Lama stands for and the Central Tibetan Administration’s Middle-Way Approach, and paints a picture of Tibetan life in Tibet which is contrary to reports from international human rights organisations. The document was produced at the end of a two-day symposium in Lhasa, the Tibetan capital, at the Fourth Forum on the Development of Tibet. The Forum saw China’s muchcriticised development policy in Tibet
The forum in Lhasa Photo: Xinhua
being praised by over one hundred foreign delegates who attended from across 30 countries, including China, India, Britain and the United States. The document implies that the participants unanimously agree that what they have seen in Tibet differs radically from what the 14th Dalai Lama and the “Dalai clique” have Continued on page 6
Volume: XVI Issue: 7
31 AUGUST 2014
Peaceful Protesters Shot by Security Forces in Sershul By Annapurna Mellor Five Tibetans have now died after being shot by Chinese police during
Tibetans shouting slogans at the protest in Denma Shugpa village, Sershul, Kardze Photo: RFA
protests which took place in Kardze in eastern Tibet on August 12. Chinese police opened fire on the unarmed crowd and four people have since died in detention after being denied medical treatment for their gunshot injuries. The fifth man, a 22year-old Tibetan, committed suicide in the detention centre in protest against the denial of medical treatment for his fellow detainees. The dates of their deaths are unknown, however the bodies of three of the men: Tsewang Gonpo, 60, Yeshe, 42, and Jinpa Tharchin, 18 were returned to their families on August 18, six days after the protests. Distraught over her husband’s death, Jinpa Tharchin’s wife, who was seven months pregnant, hanged herself and died on the same day. The protests took place in the village of Denma Shugpa, a day after
the village leader Wangdak, 45, was taken from his home at midnight by Chinese police. Wangdak had complained to the local authorities about the harassment of local Tibetan women by senior Chinese officials at a cultural performance in the village. The community had been forced to host the performance during a visit by the officials to Sershul County, in Kardze, which is in the traditional Tibetan province of Kham. After Wangdak complained to the authorities, he was accused of holding an illegal traditional Tibetan horse festival at which incense was lit and prayer offerings were made. Wangdak, a highly respected village leader, has a reputation for standing up for the poor and for victims of harassment. Over a hundred protesters gathered outside the centre where Wangdak was detained, calling for his release, but the Chinese authorities sent in security forces who used tear gas and opened A victim’s gunshot wounds fire into Photo: RFA the crowd, resulting in the severe injury of 12 Tibetans. The injured included Wangdak’s son and brother. It is reported that after the protestors dispersed over a hundred people were detained, including 30 monks, and that 15 people were Continued on page 6