Tibetan Headlines
Nov 11: Gonpo Tsering
The Central Tibetan Administration in Dharamsala organised a grand prayer service on Sunday, following a report that a Tibetan artist had burned himself to death in north-eastern Tibet. Gonpo Tsering, 19, set fire to himself around 2 pm in Lushoe village in Tsoe county (China’s Hezou in Gansu province) on Saturday. Local Tibetans tried to extinguish the flames, but Gonpo succumbed to his injuries two hours later. His body was taken to his native Kay village, where local Tibetans organised a special prayer service.
Nov 9: Protest in Rebgong
Thousands of students took to the streets in Rebgong (Chinese Tongren) in north-eastern Tibet, on Thursday. The students held a peaceful demonstration around 5 am on Friday, raising slogans demanding equality of nationality, freedom for Tibetans and the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Tibet. They later gathered at Dolma square in front of Rongwo monastery, where a large number of local Tibetans from neighbouring areas had assembled to express their solidarity with Kalsang Jinpa, an 18-year-old Tibetan, who died of self-immolation there yesterday.
Nov 8: 6 Self-Immolations
There has been a heartbreaking 6 self-immolations in the past two days bringing the total number to 69 with 54 deaths. Three monks of Ngoshul monastery – Dorjee, 15, Samdub, 16 and Dorjee Kyab, 16 – set fire to themselves at the entrance of a local police in Gomang township in Ngaba county in Amdo. 15-year-old Dorjee died on the spot, while the other two monks were taken to Ngaba county hospital. Tamdin Tso, a 23-year-old nomadic herder, died after setting herself on fire in Rebgong in north-eastern Tibet. In yet another incident, a Tibetan man has set himself on fire in Driru county in Nagchu. Jinpa Gyatso, 18, set himself on fire at Rongwo monastery in Rebgong.
Nov 7: Parliamentary Appeal
On the eve of China’s once-a-decade leadership change, the exile Tibetan Parliament today made an appeal to the 18th Congress of the Chinese Communist Party. “We urge the PRC government to usher in conducive atmosphere for our people to freely practice and promote our religion, culture and language,” the release stated. Further, the Tibetan lawmakers appealed the 18th Congress to “provide amnesty and release all Tibetan political prisoners to foster positive policy transformation in Tibet.”
Nov 5: H.H. the Dalai Lama in Japan
His Holiness the Dalai Lama began his visit to Japan on Sunday by giving a teaching on Geshe Langri Thangpa’s Eight Verses of Training the Mind in Yokohama. His Holiness said, “Basically, we are all same human beings, biologically, mentally and emotionally. With oneness of humanity in mind, we should all try to develop compassion and kind heartedness towards each other.”
Nov 5: Dalai Lama in Japan
On the third day of His Holiness’ trip to Japan he engaged in serious discussions with scientists. “The last three or four thousand years,” His Holiness pointed out, “people, when they faced a problem, were always praying to God, or to some mysterious force. But in the last 200 years, they’ve been looking to science and technology. And technology immediately gives us what we want. But now we are facing really deep problems, and they can’t be solved through technology alone. The time has come: we must make more effort to make advances in human compassion—and to pursue a secular ethics based on scientific findings.”
Nov 4: Dorjee Lhundup Dies
Dorjee Lhundup, a 24-year old Thangka painter, set himself on fire in Rebgong in north-eastern Tibet around 10:00 am (local time) on Sunday. He shouted slogans calling for freedom for Tibetans and His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s return to Tibet. He is survived by his wife Yakmo Tso, and two children, son Kunsang Dorjee, 4, daughter Tengzin Dolma, 2.
Nov 3: Prayers for those lost
Thousands of Tibetans, including all of the officials of the Central Tibetan Administration, attended a prayer service at Tsuglagkhang, to condole the loss of four Tibetans – Tsepo, 20, Tenzin, 25, Lhamo Tseten, 24, and Thubwang Kyab, 23 – who set themselves on fire in separate incidents last week.
Nov 2: UN Commissioner Speaks
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay has urged Chinese authorities to promptly address the longstanding grievances and alarming escalation of desperate forms of protest, such as self-immolations, in Tibetan areas. She said she was disturbed by “continuing allegations of violence against Tibetans seeking to exercise their fundamental human rights of freedom of expression, association and religion,” and pointed to “reports of detentions and disappearances, of excessive use of force against peaceful demonstrators, and curbs on the cultural rights of Tibetans.”
Nov 2: Torch Relay in Zurich
The Flame of Truth Torch Relay arrived in Zurich last night. Ven. Thubten Wangchen, a Tibetan Parliamentarian from Europe, carried the torch and was given a rousing welcome on his arrival from about 700 Tibetans. Switzerland is the last leg of the Flame of Truth’s European Relay which has passed through 23 countries on its journey which began on 2 September in Spain.
Sep 14: Global Solidarity Day
Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay today called for a Global Solidarity Day to be observed. “On December 10, Noble Peace Prize Day, which also coincides with the World Human Rights Day, we appeal to all Tibetans to observe a ‘Global Solidarity Day for Tibet’ and urge all Tibetan organisations to carry out campaigns.”