Tibetan artist sets himself on fire in latest self-immolation protest

BEIJING –  A Tibetan artist has died after setting himself on fire in the latest self-immolation protesting Chinese rule, and residents are afraid to leave their homes because large numbers of security forces are in the area, the Tibetan government-in-exile and an activist group said Sunday.

The man set fire to himself Sunday morning in Tongren, a monastery town in western China's Qinghai province, said the exile government based in Dharamsala, India, and London-based Free Tibet.

A photo on the exile government's website showed a burned body wrapped in traditional orange scarves and surrounded by monks.

Free Tibet identified the dead person as Dorje Lungdup, 25, a father of two children and an artist of traditional Thangka religious paintings. It said thousands of people reportedly gathered to say prayers for him, and that people decided to cremate his body soon after to prevent authorities from interfering.

A representative of Dorje Lungdup's family told the crowd that he set fire to himself to call for the return of exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama and begged them not to protest for the sake of their own safety, Free Tibet said.

Dozens of ethnic Tibetans have set themselves on fire in heavily Tibetan regions since March 2011 to protest what activists say is Beijing's heavy-handed rule in the region. Many have called for the return of the Dalai Lama.

Free Tibet said residents of Tongren were afraid to leave their homes because of large numbers of security forces on the streets and restrictions on movement. It said the Internet and mobile communications were being interrupted to prevent the spread of information.

 A man at the Tongren county government said he couldn't hear clearly and asked The Associated Press to call back. Calls then rang unanswered, as did calls to police.

Tibetan Leaders Meet with Deans of America’s Best Colleges and Universities

His Holiness the Dalai Lama speaking to a gathering of Deans from schools and universities in Boston, MA, USA.

BOSTON: The Central Tibetan Administration has placed a special emphasis on recruiting and supporting more Tibetan students to top universities and graduate schools, in hopes of increasing the number of experts of Tibetan origin across many academic and professional fields.

As part of this effort, on 14 October at MIT, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Sikyong Lobsang Sangay, and Education Secretary Ngodup Tsering met with the Deans and Admissions Officers from 30+ top American universities and schools.  The group included admissions representatives from top universities in the USA including from Ivy league (Harvard, Stanford, MIT, Caltech, Princeton, and Yale).  An additional 20 highly selective universities will review top Tibetan students for potential admission to university.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama spoke about his philosophy of education, as well as the vital importance of Tibetan students becoming professionals and experts in a wide range of fields.  The Deans also had a chance to ask His Holiness questions and engage in a dialogue on wide-ranging topics.  The meeting with His Holiness had a powerful impact on the Deans, many of whom later reached out personally to Secretary of Education Ngodup Tsering to make a connection with the Department of Education.

The visit with His Holiness was followed by an hour-long private visit with Sikyong Lobsang Sangay, where he recounted the impact that his education at Harvard has had on his role.  After that, he engaged in a dialogue with the group.  The special collection of American Admissions Deans was especially moved by Sikyong Lobsang Sangay’s story, which underscored the potential of a top-tier education for Tibetan students, and the difference that even a single student opportunity can make.

Thomas Parker, Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid at Amherst College, one of the top colleges in the world, called the event “one of the most important gatherings of Admissions Deans I have attended in my 32-year career in selective college admissions.”  He added, “qualified students from the Tibetan refugee community would probably receive from Amherst a financial aid package which would include not only full tuition, room, board and books, but also two round trip tickets a year to and from India. We are certainly not alone as top American college to offer this.”

NBC Interviews His Holiness the Dalai Lama on Self-immolation Tragedy in Tibet

His Holiness the Dalai Lama is interviewed by NBC’s Ann Curry during his October 2012 Visit to Syracuse, New York, USA.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama was interviewed by NBC’s Ann Curry during his October 2012 Visit to Syracuse, New York, USA. The interview was originally broadcast on 11 October. Excerpts:
 
Ann Curry: More than sixty Tibetans have set themselves on fire in the three years, expressing a desire for greater religious freedoms and a desire to be able to speak their own language? Their deaths have brought no change from the Chinese. Have they died for nothing?

His Holiness the Dalai Lama: It is difficult to judge whether these kind of methods are right or wrong. They are expressing in a non-violent way regarding the Chinese policies [in Tibet].

A C: One young Tibetan set himself on fire two days ago left an online statement that read: “If we reflect on the past we can see nothing but signs of defeat, anger, anguish and tears.” What should your people do to express these feelings? Do you support their decisions to set themselves on fire? Do you want them stop setting themselves on fire?

HHDL: I always consider myself as the free spokesman of the Tibetan people, and not their boss. My boss is actually the six million Tibetans in Tibet. I am in free country and quite comfortable. But they are passing through a very desperate situation, so they take these decisions. I am quite certain that those who sacrificed their lives with sincere motivation, for Buddha dharma and for the wellbeing of the people, from the Buddhist or religious view points, is positive. But if these acts are carried out with full anger and hatred, then it is wrong. So it is difficult to judge. But it is really very sad, very very sad.

AC: Through out history, the least powerful are repressed by the powerful. And in some cases, the powerless fight.
HHDL: The struggle, which we are carrying out, is a struggle between power of truth and the power of gun. For short term, the power of gun is much stronger, but in the long run, the power of truth is more stronger than power of gun. That is my fundamental belief. I am not admiring the United States’ military power, including nuclear weapons. I really admire the United States’ moral principle, democracy, freedom and liberty. I admire these things, which are the source of the American power and not weapon.

A C: In the region of Tibet how long they might ask is this going take their setting themselves on fire out of desperation?
HHDL: Six million Tibetans and so long the Tibetan people remain, the Tibetan spirit will carry on. Now judging the past 60 years’ event much has changed in China. I think the next 6o years will see more changes.

 The world’s trend is towards democracy, openness and freedom. Now matter how powerful the People’s Republic of China, it cannot go backward, it has to go along with the world trend. The basic human desire from the birth is that every human being has the right to be free, and not force can stop this. Ultimately the People’s Republic of China become a more open society, more democratic institution, with freedom of press. 1.3 billion Chinese people have every right to know the reality. Once they know the reality, they also have the ability is judge what is right and wrong. Therefore censorship on their own people is immoral.

A C: You can speak to world leaders, you have influence. If there is one thing you can do for your people, what would it be?
HHDL: Just one word – freedom. Complete freedom, with meaningful autonomy, about matters of religion, culture, and education among others. The defence and foreign affairs are up to the Chinese central government.

A C: Next month there is going to be a change for China, it will have a new leader, Xi Jinping. How are hopeful?

HHDL: It is difficult to say. I do not create some kind of speculation. Better wait for six months, one year or two years, then we will see.

A Tibetan dies after setting self on fire in Tibet (Warning: Graphic Image)

    DHARAMSHALA: The Central Tibetan Administration is deeply saddened to learn of fresh reports coming out of Tibet that one more Tibetan has set self on fire, bringing the total known self-immolations to 63.

A Tibetan man set himself on fire in Rebgong (Ch: Tongren) in north-eastern Tibet around 10:00 am (local time) on Sunday. He died on the spot.

A photo shows a large number of monks and lay people gather around the man’s burned body wrapped in Tibetan traditional scarves in front of a photo of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

The Central Tibetan Administration will provide more information if details become available.

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay on Friday urged Chinese authorities to “promptly address the longstanding grievances that have led to an alarming escalation in desperate forms of protest, including self-immolations, in Tibetan areas.”

“We strongly call on the Chinese government to heed the urgent calls from the UN Human Rights Council to find a lasting solution to the Tibet problem,” said Kalon Dicki Chhoyang of the Department of Information & International Relations.

Earlier this year, Jamyang Palden, a 34-year old monk of Rongpo Monastery, and Sonam Dhargyal, 44, died after setting themselves on fire in Rebgong on 14 March and 17 March respectively.

All self-immolators called for the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Tibet and freedom for Tibetans.

Detained monk sentenced to a year in prison

A month after his detention, a monk from Nyatso Zilkar Monastery has been sentenced to a year in prison for unknown charges, according to information received by TCHRD today.

Tenzin Sherab

 Tenzin Sherab, 28, was detained on 1 October at Zatoe (Ch: Zaduo) town in Tridu (Ch: Chenduo) County of Jyekundo (Ch: Yushu) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province.

The Xining Intermediate People’s Court handed the sentence in the absence of the monk’s family members and relatives, according to the source.

The same source said the Tridu County Public Security Bureau (PSB) office informed the monk’s family members about the sentence by phone but the PSB officers refused to give information about the exact charges that led to the sentencing.

Furthermore, the County PSB office, citing court orders, told the family members that they were barred visiting the monk for three months from the date of sentencing.

Although exact charges against Sherab are unknown, some say the authorities suspected him of participating in a protest that was staged on 8 February by monks from Zilkar Monastery and local Tibetans in Zatoe.

 Earlier, the Xining Intermediate Court had sentenced three monks in connection with the protest. Lobsang Nyima and Lobsang Samten were sentenced to one year and nine months while Sonam Gewa was sentenced to two years. The sentences were passed at a secret trial without the presence of the monks’ family members.

Nyatso Zilkar Monastery is becoming a frequent target for official crackdown. On 1 September, armed police carried out a raid at the monastery, beating dozens of monks, and detaining five whose whereabouts remain unknown. For more on this, please visit Monks beaten and detained in Nyitso Zilkar monastry.
For more on Tenzin Sherab, please visit Zilkar monastry monk detained.

Report: Another Tibetan burns himself in protest

A Tibetan man screams as he runs engulfed in flames after self-immolating at a protest in New Delhi, India, ahead of Chinese President Hu Jintao’s visit to the country Monday, March 26, 2012. 

BEIJING: The Tibetan government-in-exile says a man has died after setting himself on fire in the latest self-immolation protesting Chinese rule.
    
The exile government based in Dharamsala, India, says the Tibetan self-immolated on Sunday morning in Tongren, a monastery town in western China’s Qinghai province. A photo on its website showed a burned body surrounded by monks.
 It had no other details.    Dozens of ethnic Tibetans have set themselves on fire in heavily Tibetan regions since March 2011 to protest what activists say is Beijing’s heavy-handed rule in the region.

Many have called for the return of their exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama.

A man at Tongren county government said he couldn’t hear clearly and asked the AP to call back. Calls then rang unanswered, as did calls to police.

‘Please don’t plan to stay on in exile,’ Tibetans in Tibet tell Special Meeting

  Delegates at the Second Special Meeting stand to sing the Tibetan national anthem below 51 Tibetan national flags raised in remembrance of Tibetan self-immolators.

DHARAMSHALA, “Please don’t plan to stay on in exile, make every effort to return to Tibet,” is the most prominent message sent by Tibetans in Tibet for the ongoing Special Meeting in the exile seat of Dharamshala.

Suggestions and remarks from over 360 Tibetans from around Tibet’s capital Lhasa region and areas of Kham, have reached the meeting, which began September 25 to discuss campaign ideas in response to the ongoing crisis in Tibet.

The messages from Tibet, broadly categorised into seven remarks, have been discreetly collected over the phone by Ven. Ngawang Woebar, a former political prisoner and Ven, Thubten Yangphel, a monk living in Dharamshala.

“We have tried to contact Tibetans from a wide range of background and ages,” Ven. Woebar, former president of the Gu-Chu-Sum Former Political Prisoners’ Movement told Phayul. “The remarks have been collected from monks, government officials, teachers, students, farmers, and nomads.”

In the collected remarks, Tibetans from inside Tibet have urged Tibetans in exile to organise “multiple campaigns internationally” in order to publicise the demands of the Tibetan self-immolators and various Tibetan writers of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s return from exile and freedom in Tibet.

“Please don’t plan to stay on in exile. Make every effort to fulfill our aspirations of reunion,” Tibetans in Tibet have said. “In order to end the ongoing crisis in Tibet, organise campaigns to win international support and solidarity.”

Concerns over the visible deterioration in the usage of Tibetan language by exile Tibetans have also been expressed.

“Although living under the yoke of repression, the majority of us here have tried our best in preserving the Tibetan language and cultural heritage,” one of the suggestions reads. “However, due to usage of other languages by those of you in exile, we are at times unable to fully understand you over the radio and videos that we occasionally get to see.”

“Please make greater effort in preserving our language and cultural heritage.”

Support for the elected leader of the Tibetan people, Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay has also appeared in the remarks.

“Kalon Tripa Lobsang Sangay enjoys the full trust and confidence of the Tibetans in Tibet and we urge all of you to be united and support each other in fulfilling our common aspirations,” one of the remarks reads.

With China’s phenomenal increase in investment in mining in Tibet, especially in nomadic areas, Tibetans have urged for campaigns to halt China’s practise of forcibly removing Tibetan nomads from their grasslands.

“These days, with the increase in China’s mining activities in Tibet, we are facing great difficulty in sustaining our livelihoods on our own lands,” one the remarks reads.

“Please organise campaigns internationally to immediately halt these practices.”

Tibetans in Tibet have also called for more campaigns to put international pressure on China to release Tibetan political prisoners, including the XIth Panchen Lama Gedhun Choekyi Nyima.

The Second Special General Meeting of the Tibetan People will conclude tomorrow with the adoption of the final report and recommendations of the meeting.

Breaking: Tibet continues to burn, Another Tibetan sets self on fire

DHARAMSHALA, November 4: In photos and confirmed reports coming out of Tibet, another Tibetan set himself on fire this morning in an apparent protest against China's continued occupation of Tibet.

This latest incident of self-immolation protest, the 63rd in Tibet since 2009, is being reported from the Rebkong region of Amdo, eastern Tibet.

In one of the photos received by Phayul, the charred body of the self-immolator can be seen draped in Tibetan scarves lying below a portrait of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Exile sources say the unidentified Tibetan has succumbed to his injuries.

Other photos show a large gathering of Tibetan monks and lay people surround the body in front of a monastery.

Earlier this year on March 17, Sonam Dhargey, a 44-year-old farmer passed away in his self-immolation protest in Rebkong. Marching in the street, engulfed in flames, eyewitnesses said Sonam Dhargey called for the return of the Dalai Lama from exile.

Sonam Dhargey had wound his torso with barbed wires, a tactic that has been earlier used by self-immolating Tibetans to restrict Chinese security personnel from getting hold of their bodies.

Local Tibetans had carried Sonam Dhargey’s body to Dolma Square, the main ground in front of the Rongwo monastery, where according to reports, more than 8000 Tibetans gathered to pay their last respects and mark their protest against the Chinese government.

Dolma Square was the site of Rongwo Monastery monk Lobsang Palden's self-immolation protest three days earlier on March 14. After a grueling ordeal of over six months, Lobsang Palden failed to recover from his burn injuries and passed away on September 29.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay on Firday urged China to “promptly address the longstanding grievances that have led to an alarming escalation in desperate forms of protest, including self-immolations, in Tibetan areas.”

Pillay said she was disturbed by "continuing allegations of violence against Tibetans seeking to exercise their fundamental human rights," and urged China to allow independent and impartial monitors to visit and assess the actual conditions on the ground, and to lift restrictions on media access to the region, as a confidence-building measure.

Address grievances leading to Tibet self-immolations, UN rights chief tells China

DHARAMSHALA, November 2: UN human rights chief has finally broken her silence on the ongoing wave of self-immolations in Tibet, calling on China to urgently address the deep-rooted frustrations with human rights in Tibetan areas.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay, in a release today urged Chinese authorities to “promptly address the longstanding grievances that have led to an alarming escalation in desperate forms of protest, including self-immolations, in Tibetan areas.”

The UN rights chief's strongest remarks yet on the critical situation inside Tibet comes just days ahead of China's once-a-decade transition of power.

62 known Tibetans have set themselves on fire since 2009, protesting China’s continued occupation of Tibet and demanding freedom and the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama from exile. The month of October alone witnessed ten self-immolation protests.

Pillay, who recently began her second term in office, said she was disturbed by "continuing allegations of violence against Tibetans seeking to exercise their fundamental human rights," and pointed to "reports of detentions and disappearances, of excessive use of force against peaceful demonstrators, and curbs on the cultural rights of Tibetans."

The release particularly highlighted the case of Jigme Dolma, a 17-year-old girl, who was severely beaten and sentenced to three years in prison for distributing flyers calling for Tibet’s freedom and the return of the Dalai Lama this August.

“I have had several exchanges with the Chinese Government on these issues. But more needs to be done to protect human rights and prevent violations,” Pillay said. “I call on the Government to respect the rights to peaceful assembly and expression, and to release all individuals detained for merely exercising these universal rights.”

In March this year, following the month-long hunger strike by three Tibetans in front of the UN Headquarters in New York, Pillay had sent a letter, assuring the hunger strikers that her office was working with China on finalising a date for her trip to Tibet.

In the letter, Pillay further added that she had "assigned special rapporteurs of the United Nations to look into the situation inside Tibet."

In the release today, the High Commissioner urged China to allow independent and impartial monitors to visit and assess the actual conditions on the ground, and to lift restrictions on media access to the region, as a confidence-building measure.

She noted that there are 12 outstanding requests for official visits to China by UN Special Rapporteurs on various human rights issues and called on Beijing to facilitate their access.

While appealing to Tibetans to refrain from resorting to extreme forms of protest, such as self-immolation, Pillay stressed that “social stability in Tibet will never be achieved through heavy security measures and suppression of human rights.”

The release also listed few recommendations made by international human rights bodies to the Government of China on Tibet, including the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food, Olivier De Schutter’s recommendation of suspension of non-voluntary resettlement of Tibetan nomadic herders and the UN Committee Against Torture’s recommendation that China conduct a thorough and independent inquiry into events surrounding the large-scale protests that began in March 2008.

In August this year, a global coalition of Tibet advocacy groups had written an open letter to Pillay, urging her to make Tibet an “urgent priority” and expressed deep concerns over her failure to speak out forcefully on the human rights situation in Tibet.

Four monks arrested for sharing information on self-immolations

 By Tsering Dhondup

DHARAMSHALA, November 2: Chinese authorities in eastern Tibet have arrested four Tibetan monks on alleged charges of sending information on the ongoing wave of self-immolation protests to outsiders.

According to exile sources, the monks of the Tsoe Gaden Choeling Monastery in Kanlho, were detained in separate incidents in connection with the self-immolations of Dolkr Tso and Tamdin Dorjee.

Lobsang Choephel was detained twice for allegedly sharing information on Dolkar Tso’s self-immolation protest with outsiders.

He was first arrested a day after Dolkar Tso’s self-immolation protest but was later released following a strong public outpour of support. Choephel was re-arrested on the same charges and his current wellbeing and whereabouts is unknown.

Dolkar Tso, mother of a 5-year-old daughter and a 2-year-old son, set herself on fire near the Tsoe Monastery on August 7, raising slogans for the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama from exile and shouted that there was no freedom in Tibet. She later succumbed to her injuries.

The monks at the Tsoe Monastery carried Dolkar Tso’s body inside the monastery premises and later carried her body back to her native village of Tasur, in Nawu Township, around 10 km from Tsoe.

In another incident, three monks of the Tsoe Monastery, Tenzin Tsundu, Losel, and Topden were arrested a day after Tamdin Dorjee set himself ablaze in protest against China’s occupation of Tibet.

Chinese security forces arrested the monks on alleged charges of sending information on the self-immolation protest to outsiders.

Tamdin Dorjee, 52, set himself on fire on October 13 near the Tsoe Monastery and passed away at the site of his protest.

Tamdin Dorjee was the grandfather of the 7th Gunthang Rinpoche, one of the most revered religious leaders in the region. His body was later taken to his home, following which a prayer service was conducted by monks at the Tsoe Monastery.

The current condition and whereabouts of the arrested monks remain unknown.

Chinese authorities have arrested and sentenced Tibetans on alleged charges of contacting Tibetans outside Tibet and relaying information of the spate of self-immolations.

On June 18, Lho Younten Gyatso, 37, a senior monk at the Khashi Geyphel Samtenling Monastery, situated near Ngaba town in eastern Tibet, was sentenced to seven years by a Chinese court for his involvement in sharing pictures and information on nun Tenzin Wangmo, who self-immolated on October 17, 2011.

He was also charged with sharing information since 2008 about political events in Tibet by attempting to make telephone calls to human rights mechanisms of the United Nations.

How meditation helps maintain healthy mind

Researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) have proposed a new model that shifts how we think about mindfulness.

Rather than describing mindfulness as a single dimension of cognition, the researchers demonstrate that mindfulness actually involves a broad framework of complex mechanisms in the brain.

In essence, they have laid out the science behind mindfulness.

Achieving mindfulness through meditation has helped people maintain a healthy mind by quelling negative emotions and thoughts, such as desire, anger and anxiety, and encouraging more positive dispositions such as compassion, empathy and forgiveness.

But how exactly does it works has remained unknown, until now.

The new model was recently presented to His Holiness The Dalai Lama in a private meeting, entitled "Mind and Life XXIV: Latest Findings in Contemplative Neuroscience."

The researchers identified several cognitive functions that are active in the brain during mindfulness practice. These cognitive functions help a person develop self-awareness, self-regulation, and self-transcendence (S-ART), which make up the transformative framework for the mindfulness process.

The S-ART framework explains the underlying neurobiological mechanisms by which mindfulness can facilitate self-awareness; reduce biases and negative thoughts; enhance the ability to regulate one's behavior; and increase positive, pro-social relationships with oneself and others—all-in-all creating a sustainable healthy mind.

The researchers highlight six neuropsychological processes that are active mechanisms in the brain during mindfulness and which support S-ART. These processes include 1) intention and motivation, 2) attention regulation, 3) emotion regulation, 4) extinction and reconsolidation, 5) pro-social behavior, and 6) non-attachment and de-centering.

In other words, these processes begin with an intention and motivation to want to attain mindfulness, followed by an awareness of one's bad habits. Once these are set, a person can begin taming him or herself to be less emotionally reactive and to recover faster from upsetting emotions.

"Through continued practice, the person can develop a psychological distance from any negative thoughts and can inhibit natural impulses that constantly fuel bad habits," said David Vago, PhD, BWH Functional Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, and lead study author.

Vago also states that continued practice could also increase empathy and eliminate our attachments to things we like and aversions to things we don't like.

"The result of practice is a new You with a new multidimensional skill set for reducing biases in one's internal and external experience and sustaining a healthy mind," said Vago.

The S-ART framework and neurobiological model proposed by the researchers differs from current popular descriptions of mindfulness as a way of paying attention, in the present moment, non-judgmentally. With the help of functional MRI, Vago and his team are currently testing the model in humans.

This new model of mindfulness has recently been published in the Frontiers in Human Neuroscience.

Tibetan sets himself on fire calling for Dalai Lama's return

BEIJING: Another Tibetan has set himself on fire while shouting slogans calling for the Dalai Lama's return to Tibet, a London-based rights group said.

Free Tibet said Lhamo Kyeb, 27, died Saturday near a monastery in northwestern China's Gansu province. Citing a witness, it said he set himself on fire and ran toward Bhora Monastery in Xiahe county and that state security forces standing nearby ran after him and tried to put out the flames.

The witness said Lhamo Kyeb attempted to stop them from extinguishing the fire, forcing them to back away, and then he walked toward the monastery and fell to the ground.

The group said nearly 60 Tibetans have set themselves on fire since March 2011 to protest Chinese rule over the Himalayan region.

Calls to the county government and police rang unanswered Sunday. A man on duty at the prefectural government said he had no information.

"Protests against China's brutal suppression of Tibetan culture and identity have now reached a point where the international community must speak out,'' Free Tibet director Stephanie Brigden said in a statement. "This Tibet Spring is not going to go away just because international governments choose to ignore it.''

Chinese authorities routinely deny Tibetan claims of repression, although they have confirmed some self-immolations and accused supporters of the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama of encouraging such acts. The Dalai Lama and representatives of the self-declared Tibetan government-in-exile in India say they oppose all violence.

Bike Rally In support Of Tibet Organized By Indian Support Groups

Dharamshala: National Campaign for Tibetan Supports, an Indian Support Group for Tibet in Wardha organized a bike rally to show their support for the Tibet cause On 24th October, 2012.

 

More than 50 bikes with around 100 supporters and Tibetans from Norgyeling Tibetan settlement started their bike rally from Wardha to Nagpur, which was flagged off by Shri Shekhar Shende, Former Municipal Council Chairman, Wardha and Shri Vijay Athale, Former Zilla Parishad council.

 

This bike rally was initiated under the banner "Free Tibet, Save India". It was launched during Dushehra festival, coinciding with 56th Anniversary of Dr. Baba Sahib Ambedkar's Dharmachakra day at Dishabhumi, Nagpur. More than 15 lakh of Dr.B.R. Ambedkar follower from all over India gathers and meet at Dishabhumi on Dashehra. It was celebrated for three days from 23-25 October, 2012.

On reaching Dhammabhumi, an important site where a statue of Lord Buddha was found. The bikers had a flower ceremony to seek the blessing and move for the destination.

The rally bikers on reaching Nagpur were received by Norgyeling Tibetan Settlement Officers and staffs, President of Local Tibetan Assembly, the President of Regional Tibetan Youth Congress and Regional Tibetan Women's Association. The bikers were received with Tibetan traditional scarf (Khatak) to conclude the rally. After the rally the Indian supporter and Tibetans organized a Protest March till the Dishabhumi Tibet stall.

At the stall Tibetan Settlement Office and Tibetan women association collected signature for "Flame of Truth" campaign which concluded in Nagpur few weeks back. India Tibet Coordination Office distributed Tibet the Fact leaflets in Hindi, Marathi and English to the people who had gathered.

This is the fifth consecutive year of bike rally which, National Campaign for Tibetan Supports in collaboration with India Tibet Coordination Office organized over the years.

Exile Tibetan administration appeals UNHRC to hold Special Session on Tibet

DHARAMSHALA, November 3: The exile Tibetan administration has made an open appeal to the United Nations Human Rights Council to convene a Special Session on Tibet in light of the deteriorating human rights situation inside Tibet, heralded by the ongoing wave of self-immolations.

The Dharamshala based Central Tibetan Administration in a release today appealed to the 47-member states of the UNHRC to convene a special session on Tibet in view of the “desperate and unprecedented spate of self-immolations by Tibetans due to China’s repressive policies and the continued intransigence of the Chinese leadership to the relentless efforts of UNHRC.”

Thubwang Kyab, 23, sets himself ablaze on the main street of Sangkog town in Sangchu on October 26, 2012 protesting China's continued occupation of Tibet. Thubwang Kyab succumbed to his injuries at the protest site.

The appeal comes a day after the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay urged China to “promptly address the longstanding grievances that have led to an alarming escalation in desperate forms of protest, including self-immolations, in Tibetan areas.”

Pillay said she was disturbed by "continuing allegations of violence against Tibetans seeking to exercise their fundamental human rights," and urged China to allow independent and impartial monitors to visit and assess the actual conditions on the ground, and to lift restrictions on media access to the region, as a confidence-building measure.

The elected head of the Tibetan people Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay today said the CTA is “encouraged” by Pillay’s powerful statement and considered the statement as “true recognition of the urgent and tragic situation in Tibet.”

The critical situation inside Tibet had received attention during the 21st session of the United Nations Human Rights Council held this September in Geneva at the behest of numerous countries, the European Union, and NGOs.

While the EU said it remains “seriously concerned” about ongoing reports of human rights violations in China, the US accused Beijing of silencing dissent through arrests, convictions, forced disappearances, and extralegal detentions.

The Human Rights Council last held a Special Session on June 1 on the deteriorating human rights situation in Syria, making it the Council’s nineteenth Special Session and its fourth Special Session on Syria.
In order for a Special Session to be convened, the support of one-third of the membership of the Council (16 members or more) is required.

62 known Tibetans have set themselves on fire since 2009 in Tibet, protesting China’s continued occupation and demanding freedom and the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama from exile. The month of October alone witnessed ten self-immolation protests.

UN rights boss chides China over Tibet protests

by Tsering Dhondup

The United Nations' most senior human rights official urged China on Friday to address deep-rooted frustrations that have led to desperate forms of protest by Tibetans, including some 60 self-immolations since March 2011.

Navi Pillay called on the Chinese authorities to release detainees, allow independent human rights monitors to visit Tibet, and to lift restrictions on media access to the restive Himalayan region.

"Social stability in Tibet will never be achieved through heavy security measures and suppression of human rights," Pillay said, in a rare statement critical of China.

Her spokesman said the appeal was not issued to coincide with a Communist Party congress opening next week, but that the "time had come to talk publicly" about allegations of violence against Tibetans seeking to exercise their fundamental freedoms.

China's foreign ministry was not immediately available for comment. Beijing has branded the self-immolators "terrorists" and criminals and accused the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning Dalai Lama, of inciting them.

In the statement, Pillay "urged Chinese authorities to promptly address the longstanding grievances that have led to an alarming escalation in desperate forms of protest, including self-immolations in Tibetan areas."

As United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, she said she recognized Tibetans' intense sense of frustration but urged community and religious leaders to use their influence to help prevent people from setting themselves on fire. The victims include seven Tibetans who set fire to themselves in the past two weeks in protest against what they said was repressive Chinese rule in the Himalayan region.

"Those are an illustration of how serious the situation is," Pillay's spokesman, Rupert Colville, told a news briefing in Geneva.

"We don't see any progress in dealing with the underlying problems facing Tibetans both in Tibet and in other areas, because quite a few of the self-immolations have been in Tibetan areas outside Tibet itself," he said, referring to Sichuan and Gansu provinces, next to what China calls the Tibet Autonomous Region.

Pillay urged Beijing to respect Tibetans' rights to peaceful assembly and expression and to release anyone detained for exercising those rights.

Arrests, disappearances and curbs on the cultural rights of Tibetans persist, she said.

Cases have included a 17-year-old girl said to have been severely beaten and sentenced to three years in prison for distributing flyers calling for Tibet's freedom and the return of the Dalai Lama, she said.