Thubwang
Kyab, 23, sets himself ablaze on the main street of Sangkog town in
Sangchu, Tibet on October 26, 2012 protesting China's rule. He succumbed
to his injuries at the protest site.
Beijing based journalists
of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation have been able to gain rare
access to Tibet, reporting on Tibetan voices of dissent and resistance
in the face of heavy security crackdown in the region. “China is
not good to us,” a Tibetan woman, described as a herder, with her face
hidden for security reasons tells the camera. Another woman asserts, “We
would be so happy if the Dalai Lama comes back.” Their remarks
are reflective of the demands made by 95 Tibetans who have set
themselves on fire in Tibet since 2009 in the continuing wave of
self-immolations. Thousands of Tibetans including school students have
spilled out on the streets and carried out mass demonstrations
protesting China’s rule in recent months. Beijing has blamed exile Tibetans for inciting the protests, a charge which they have vehemently denied. In
the video report, CBC News Beijing correspondent Catherine Mercier
travells undercover to eastern Tibet, a region which has seen the bulk
of the self-immolation protests. Mercier in her report notes that
the Tibet story is not an easy one to tell as police presence in the
entire region is “heavy” and the crew had to hide for most of the time. She
says that people are reluctant to talk as "punishment for anyone caught
denouncing the Chinese can be severe." Upon visiting the historic
Labrang Monastery, where Dhondup,
an elderly Tibetan, passed away in his self-immolation protest in
October, Mercier says people are only willing to talk off camera. China
recently said that it will press murder charges against those found
aiding or inciting self-immolations and announced heavy cash prizes for
information on “crimes” related to the fiery protests, which includes
offering condolences to the deceased’s family. However, Mercier
reports that the “new threats” from the Chinese authorities are “not
likely to stop Tibetans,” as many of the people she spoke to said they
will keep protesting. “But the people of Tibet are resistant to
the changes, fighting to preserve their culture, and willing to
sacrifice their lives to do it,” she reports. China continues to
cut off Tibet from the rest of the world even as international clamour
over diplomatic access and visits by foreign media has grown in recent
weeks. The United Nations, European Union, US, UK, and Canada have all
called on China to address the grievances of the Tibetan people and
allow investigative visits to the region. A media crew from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation was turned back from
Tibet in October this year by Chinese government officials saying:
“Because you're a journalist. Because this is a Tibetan area.” In
earlier instances, journalists attempting to enter Tibet have been
chased, forced back, warned of visa cancellations, and also detained in
some cases.
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