Tibetan Headlines
Jun 20: Self-Immolation in Tibet
An unidentified monk has self-immolated in front of a portrait of HH the Dalai Lama reports the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy, who say that he was in retreat at the time, at his residence in Khaygya in Amdo and that his family have been detained under the pretext of a possible Covid infection. TCHRD’s local source reports that he was protesting against the Chinese crackdown on religion.
Jun 17: Celebration
Dokham Chusi Gangdrug, the Tibetan voluntary resistance force set up to resist China’s occupation of Tibet, and which saw HH the Dalai Lama safely into India when he fled Tibet in 1959, has celebrated its 64th anniversary with a prayer service and message that China “should respect and uphold its constitution and stop the arbitrary detention of Tibetan Lamas and Tulkus as well as writers, intellectuals, teachers and common Tibetans inside Tibet”.
Jun 16: China Retaliates
China is claiming that 69 countries support their call to the United Nations to stop discussions of China’s human rights atrocities. China is responding to a joint statement made to the United Nations Human Rights Council by 47 countries in which they raise serious concern at China’s treatment of ethnic minorities in China, mentioning Tibetans alongside the Uyghurs in East Turkestan [Ch: Xinjiang] Hong Kongers.
Jun 16: New CTA Initiative
A new Capacity Building and Sustainability Initiative has been launched by the Central Tibetan Administration’s (CTA) Department of Finance, funded by the Social and Resource Development Fund (SARD) and supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The initiative aims to strengthen and improve the capacity of the CTA and Tibetan settlements, improve policy making and enhance transparency through strategic planning.
Jun 16: Yarki Festival
The Yarki Festival was celebrated at the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts (TIPA) in McLeod Ganj; this year’s festival marked TIPA’s 63rd anniversary. The festival celebrates traditional Tibetan opera and dance and is held every year to promote Tibetan culture and highlight the rich vibrance of the Tibetan musical heritage.
Jun 15: Information Blockade
Local people are reporting a slow response by the Chinese authorities to last Friday’s earthquake in Kham [Ch: Sichuan], saying that it took three days for rescue services to reach Barkam. China has now imposed an information lockdown, reports Radio Free Asia, saying that the authorities have told citizens to report injuries and deaths to the government only, and not to post any reports, pictures or other information online.
Jun 15: Tibetan Innovator
Dolma Tsundu, a Tibetan-Canadian, has won the title of Innovator in the 2022 BCBusiness magazine Women of the Year awards, reports Phayul. She is CEO of Flutter Care, whose mission is to “To help all pregnant individuals feel respected, safe, and informed”, their App is “A place for you to easily count your foetal movements and access evidence-based education”. Phayul quotes Dolma as saying, “Our goal is to reduce stillbirths within Canada by 30 percent by 2030”.
Jun 15: Football!
This year’s Gyalyum Chenmo Memorial Gold Cup (GCMGC/GCM) football tournament is underway in Paonta Cholsum Tibetan Settlement. This is the 27th GCMG - the annual tournament is the Tibetan exile community’s biggest sporting event. 16 teams from India and Nepal are participating, divided into four groups. The final match will be played on June 24.
Jun 15: Canadian Peace March
Sangyal Kyab from Toronto and Rabjee from Minnesota in the United States are walking from Toronto to Ottawa and then back to Toronto. They have five demands: the return of HH the Dalai Lama to Tibet, renew the Sino-Tibetan dialogue, release the 11th Panchen Lama and other political prisoners in Tibet, support human rights in Tibet and for China to cease devastating Tibet’s environment.
Jun 13: Two Soldiers Missing
Two Indian army soldiers have been missing for two weeks, the Times of India has reported that they were on duty on the border between Tibet and Arunachal Pradesh in the north east of India. One is Prakash Singh Rana, 34, of the Garhwal Rifles. A search is being conducted and so far no suggestion of an abduction across the border.
Jun 13: Earthquake in Tibet
Chinese media has reported a series of more than 10 earthquakes the city of Barkham in Ngaba Prefecture in Kham, measuring up to 6-magnitude. They have reported that over 25,000 people have been evacuated, with four injured and that a level-IV national emergency response had been activated.
Jun 13: Arrested at Potala
Tsewang Norbu, 40, was arrested while on a pilgrimage to Lhasa reports Tibet Watch, the UK based research and advocacy group. He had demanded that pilgrims like himself be given priority to visit the sacred Potala Palace as he had been waiting for over a week to visit; Chinese tourists are given priority in the queues. Following his arrest, surveillance of Tibetans waiting to visit the palace was increased.
Jun 10: Swiss Support
The Tibet Bureau, Geneva hosted a reception for the Swiss-Parliamentary Group for Tibet to show gratitude for their support of Tibet. The Hon Nicolas Walder, Co-president of the Swiss parliamentary group, expressed thanks to the Tibet Bureau, and confirmed the parliamentary group’s ongoing concern for the Tibetan situation of Tibetans and their “need to do more” in the face of the ever growing Chinese persecution of the Tibetan people.
Jun 10: SEE Learning
A three-day workshop about education of the heart and mind for Tibetan elementary teachers, organised by the Central Tibetan Administration’s Department of Education, has concluded. The SEE learning (social, emotional and ethical learning) workshop was attended by 46 participants representing 17 Tibetan schools and took place at Sarah College, Dharamshala.
Jun 9: Tibetan Writer Detained
Rongwo Gangkar, 48, a prominent Tibetan scholar and writer who disappeared last year, is confirmed as having been arrested by the Chinese authorities in early 2021. His whereabouts are unknown, reports Radio Free Asia. He is the latest confirmed victim of a crackdown by China on Tibetan intellectuals and cultural leaders. Gangkar is from Rebkong county in Malho Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture and is a monk from Rongwo Monastery.