Tag: Tibet

62nd Tibetan Uprising Day to be commemorated on March 10
1Mar By Grace TsoiNo Comments
Asia, China, World

62nd Tibetan Uprising Day to be commemorated on March 10

Tibetans and their supporters across the world will observe the 62nd anniversary of the Tibetan Uprising Day on March 10 this year.The Tibetan Uprising Day is observed every year on March 10 to commemorate the 1959 Tibetan peaceful uprising against Communist China’s repression in the Tibetan capital of Lhasa.Tibet was a sovereign state before China’s invasion in 1950 when the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) entered northern Tibet. In 1951, a 17 Point Agreement was forced upon the Tibetans by the Chinese Government. By 1958, it was clear that they had no intention of securing the preservation of Tibetan autonomy and institutions.Many Tibetans attempted escaping the communist persecution by going to India, but only a small percentage actually survived the difficult conditions of the journey.T
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Tibetans in-exile celebrate 108th anniversary of Tibetan Independence Day
13Feb By Grace TsoiNo Comments
China, World

Tibetans in-exile celebrate 108th anniversary of Tibetan Independence Day

On the 108th anniversary of Tibetan Independence Day, Tibetans in-exile in Dharamshala city in India celebrated the day with a ‘Raise Tibetan Nation Flag’ event.“On the 13th of February, 1913 the 13th Dalai Lama declared Tibetan independence in the declaration of the “Proclamation of Independence” and since then Tibetans mark February 13th as an important day in Tibet’s history to educate people on the significance of Tibet’s independent past,” said Rinzin Choedon, National-Director Students for Free Tibet (SFT).“In history, this is a symbolic day for Tibetans all over the world. Celebrating Independence Day for any nation, particularly those who are under illegal occupation, like Tibet, right now under Chinese occupation is a form of protest. That is why we are here to celebrate,” said Ri
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Tibetans accuse China of sabotaging elections
15Jan By Nectar GanNo Comments
China, Politics

Tibetans accuse China of sabotaging elections

China has been accused of trying to sabotage elections to the Tibetan government in exile and Tibetan Parliament held earlier in January with the Tibetan community saying that the biggest disruption to the process was witnessed in Nepal where the Chinese Communist Party has made inroads over the years.The Tibetan community has claimed that while the elections went on smoothly in India, Russia and other countries, there is evidence that Chinese officials tried to watch the voting process and note the names of those who voted in certain countries.“The biggest disruption to the elections happened in Nepal, after a Chinese high-level delegation visited the Himalayan country on December 27, to resolve the schism between the different factions of the Nepal Communist Party, said people aware of t
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‘Chairman Xi’ seeks only to purge and subjugate. That is his weakness
1Oct By Stuart WhiteNo Comments
Conflict, Opinion

‘Chairman Xi’ seeks only to purge and subjugate. That is his weakness

It’s often said that power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely – but does it also induce leaders to act in foolhardy, headstrong and ultimately self-destructive ways? Chinese history, is full of examples of omnipotent rulers whose unchecked behaviour led to disaster. Xi Jinping, China’s comrade-emperor, is a modern-day case in point. Xi seems to think he can do no wrong. As a result, not much is going right.Xi’s authoritarian, expansionist policies, pursued with increasing vehemence since he became communist party chief and president in 2012-13, have enveloped China in a ring of fire. Its borderlands are ablaze with conflict and confrontation from Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, Tibet and the Himalayas in the north and west to Hong Kong, the South China Sea and Taiwan to the east.Ho
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Tibet’s exile government slams call by Xi Jinping to ‘sinicize’ Tibetan Buddhism
29Sep By Joanne SerriehNo Comments
China

Tibet’s exile government slams call by Xi Jinping to ‘sinicize’ Tibetan Buddhism

Calling Chinese President Xi Jinping’s proposed policy directions on Tibet “misguided” and “unrealistic”, Tibet’s India-based exile government slammed the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader’s call to Sinicize the Tibetan people's Buddhist religion.Xi Jinping has laid out four key policy directions on Tibet which include combating ‘separatism’ and Sinicizing Tibetan Buddhism, at the 7th Central Symposium on Tibet in Beijing on 29 August.“Tibetan Buddhism should be guided in adapting to [China’s] socialist society and should be developed in the Chinese context,” President Xi had said.In response, Lobsang Sangay, political leader of Tibet’s exile Central Tibetan Administration said that China’s efforts to make Tibet’s centuries-old faith comply with China’s culture and political goals are m
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Is China losing faith in its own troops?
18Sep By Stuart WhiteNo Comments
Conflict, Opinion, Politics

Is China losing faith in its own troops?

In August, a rather strange visit took place in the shadow of the Himalayas. Wang Yi, China’s foreign minister visited Tibet Military District and surrounding areas on August 14, and met with the top Communist Party official in Tibet, Wu Yingjie, as well as the chairman of the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) government, Qizhala.Before commenting on the nature and implications of the visit, it is important to understand briefly the major reasons why politicians visit any province. Even in China which abhors conventional democratic politics, the mechanics of politics that equate to grabbing, and holding on to power, are the same.There are three major reasons why a politician may visit an area: if it is a campaign season, a home province or to motivate the local population during times of disas
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India must balance soft-power, hard-power to deal with China: GKPD
28Aug By Yusara AskariNo Comments
Asia

India must balance soft-power, hard-power to deal with China: GKPD

To deal with China’s expansionist policies, the Global Kashmiri Pandit Diaspora (GKPD) has suggested that India should use a balanced combination of soft power and hard power.The virtual panel discussion titled — ‘Kashmir Today: Geopolitical, International and National Aspects’ — discussed the state of the exiled Kashmiri Hindu, Sikh and Tibetan Buddhist communities and the geopolitical dimensions of the human problem in Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh.Rajiv Malhotra, one of the panelists of the discussion and a renowned Indian-born American, urged India to balance the use of soft power by exercising hard-power, especially in the case of China.“India’s attempts to use soft-power must be balanced by the exercise of hard-power. This needs to be done especially in the case of China, whose record ov
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China collecting DNA samples of millions, experts suspect developing tool for genetic surveillance
11Aug By Joanne SerriehNo Comments
China, Opinion

China collecting DNA samples of millions, experts suspect developing tool for genetic surveillance

In an alleged bid to create a new tool for their emerging high-tech surveillance, Chinese authorities have been collecting DNA samples from across the country to develop a massive genetic database.In an opinion piece, Emile Dirks, a PhD student in Political Science at the University of Toronto, and James Leibold, an expert on ethnic issues in modern China, say dissent is a crime in China and police operations are a key part of the state’s apparatus of repression.They estimated that the authorities’ goal is to gather the DNA samples of 35 million to 70 million Chinese males.“Matched against official family records, surveillance footage or witness statements in police reports, these samples will become a powerful tool for the Chinese authorities to track down a man or boy -- or, failing that
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SFT India organizes protest to mark CCP’s founding anniversary
2Aug By Yusara AskariNo Comments
Asia

SFT India organizes protest to mark CCP’s founding anniversary

Students for Free Tibet (SFT) India organized a protest in Dharamshala, a city in India’s Himachal Pradesh state, on the occasion of the 99th founding anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), saying that although this is a day of celebration for China, it is a sad day for Tibet.“Today we are here to protest against the Chinese Communist Party, specially the government itself, because 23rd of July marks the 99th anniversary of CPC Communist Party of China,” SFT Director, Rinzin said."Usually this is a day of celebration for the Chinese but as a Tibetan this is a sad moment for us because the very foundation of CPC is based on bloodshed and dictatorship that's why we are here to protest. We did a banner action, we unfurled 30/50 feet banner which reads "Down with China, Tibet Indepe
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Tokyo demonstrators protest repression of minorities in China
28Jul By Grace TsoiNo Comments
World

Tokyo demonstrators protest repression of minorities in China

 Hundreds of Uyghur, Tibetan and Hong Kong demonstrators took to the streets of Tokyo on July 12, denouncing China and its policies in their respective regions.Shouting slogans and carrying banners, Uyghurs and Tibetan minorities called for independence from what they term “Chinese repression.”The Uyghurs, a Muslim ethnic group in the region of Xinjiang, said they wanted their territory to be named Eastern Turkmenistan. Protestors said minorities have been subjected to repression and forced labor in camps, making them pledge allegiance to the Chinese government.Hong Kong exiles also expressed concern about the new national security law passed on June 30, threatening the “one country, two systems” policy. The new law allows the extradition of Hong Kong nationals to China and threatens those
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