The first annual International Tibet solidarity Day was marked on May 17, 2013, the 18th anniversary of the Chinese government’s abduction of the 11th Panchen Lama Gedhun Choekyi Nyima whose whereabouts have remained unknown ever since.
The head of the exile Tibetan administration at Dharamsala, Sikyong Lobsang Sangay, on May 16 met with foreign ministry officials of the Swedish government and also with members of the country’s parliament belonging to five parties in capital Stockholm.
Ahead of Chinese Premier Mr Li Keqiang’s arrival on May 19 for his first overseas tour, police in India’s capital New Delhi imposed a security clampdown on Tibetans.
Following requests from Nepal, China is studying the possibility for extending the ongoing Lhasa-Shigatse railway, slated for completion in 2015, to Khasa (Chinese: Zhangmu, Tibetan: Dram), Tibet’s border port town with Nepal.
China is taking up development initiatives across Nepalese villages adjoining Tibet, besides liaisoning with Nepalese border authorities and security officials to enhance border security and upgrade police stations at points used by Tibetans to cross into Nepal, reported timesofindia.com May 19, citing Indian intelligence agencies.
China Central Television (CCTV), China’s state television broadcast service, aired on May 16 evening a prime time news feature blaming what it calls the “Dalai clique” and foreign media for encouraging a spate of self-immolations in Tibet under its rule.
For writing a book which lamented China’s misrule and persecutions in Tibet, a popular Tibetan monk author has been jailed for five years in Tsekhog (Chinese: Zeku) County of Qinghai Province on May 14, reported Radio Free Asia (RFA, Washington) May 16, citing local Tibetan sources.
INSIDE TIBET: 8 get up to suspended death for self-immolations. Lhasa off limits for most Kham and Amdo Tibetans. Families of self-immolators lose welfare subsidies; villages, monasteries, cadres also warned. Show of force to intimidate potential self-immolators. Unauthorized TVs, satellite equipment confiscated. Voluntary Tibetan language coaching banned. Rewards, anonymity promised for self-immolation informers. Other arrests reported and unreported. No passport for Tibetans under onerous new procedure. Strategic Lhasa-Shigatse railway to complete this year. China says Tibetans happiest, self-immolations out of place. ‘Tibet’ able to raise only 7% of its annual budget, Repression, intimidation fails to stop self-immolations, Foreign criticisms of brutal Tibet policy condemned, 8 Tibetan students jailed for protest role, many others in detention. 15-year free, compulsory Chinese education for Tibetans announced,
OUTSIDE TIBET:Tibet tragedy highlighted at Delhi solidarity campaign. Many assurances of support for a parliamentary resolution on Tibet. Hefty Tibet self-immolation sentences condemned. UN rights chief frustrated with China’s tepid response to Tibet tragedy. Sikyong denies role in RFA Tibetan head’s ‘abrupt exit’ . Exile administration asks Tibetans to shun New Year festivities. Dalai Lama Nobel anniversary marked with UN appeals. Exile Tibetan conclave calls for united campaign for autonomy goal.
NEWS DIGEST: Dalai Lama holds dialogue with senior Thai monks, scholars. ‘Global support encourages the non-violence of Tibet’s struggle’. China vents ire on Japan visit by Dalai Lama who urges political reforms. Shinzo Abe urges end to China’s repression in Tibet. Dalai Lama: Tibet self-immolations not easy to judge . Dalai Lama visits six US states, Sikyong also visits US, Europe. Emissary from China in Dharamsala reported. China throws cold water on Dalai Lama’s Tibet optimism. Dalai Lama inaugurates int’l Buddhist conference at Patna. Tens of thousands attend Dalai Lama’s teachings. ‘Kalon Tripa’ becomes ‘Sikyong’. Dharamsala welcomes India’s school transfer decision. Exile Tibetan task force discusses leadership change in Beijing. Experts discuss new Chinese leaders at Dharamsala conference. Sikyong concludes two-week US visit. cation help. Scholars worldwide urge reversal of Chinese language policy in Tibet. Tibet campaign groups meet in D’sala to pressure China. 7 Tibetans held during Chinese defence minister’s India visit. Tibetan youth indefinite hunger strike terminated by Delhi police on day 20. Tibetan youth indefinite hunger strike terminated by Delhi police on day 20. China challenged to prove Tibet is really open. China launches propaganda offensive on Tibet self-immolations. US ambassador ‘implores’ China for talks to end Tibet self-immolations . Congress members urge US to lead joint effort for Tibet. China asks Britain to behave after Tibet comment. China asks Britain to behave after Tibet comment. EU and Canada join calls for Sino-Tibetan dialogue to end self-immolations. German MPs urge China to change course in self-immolations-hit Tibet. Tibet situation a matter of particular concern – EU to China . German MPs to take up Chinese persecution of Tibetan girl. US report asks China to break the cycle of repression in Tibet. US sees joint strategy with EU prospect on Tibet. Hillary Clinton raised Tibet self-immolations with Chinese counterpart. Swiss gov’t assures unwavering Tibetan rights vigil. Forum 2000: Tibet in focus as Czech gov’t asked to reclaim moral values. Fervent appeal on Tibet tragedy made in Indian parliament. Tibet situation repeatedly raised at UN rights council. Taiwan’s parliamentary body unanimous on inviting Dalai Lama. ibet a banned rights topic – China. op US rights official meets families of Tibet self-immolators. US awards $2 million for Tibetan refugee settlement education. South Africa’s apex court rules deliberate indecision on Dalai Lama visa was illegal. China lectured on US freedom of speech; told Tibet, Taiwan mural can’t be yanked. Nepal cites geopolitics to reject US plea to register Tibetan refugees. Rights group urges intergovernmental Tibet pressure on China. Survey shows Tibet rights situation ‘Worst of the Worst’ along with N Korea . Beijing artist to highlight Tibet self-immolations as humanitarian issue.
SINO-INDIA:China’s passport map raises outcries, India responds with a visa rebuttal.
CHINA WATCH: China expects to become the top global power by 2049. New call out for mild political reform in China. China to phase out re-education through labour system in 2013. US calls China’s bluff about an Uighur terrorist. 10 percent of Beijingers are propaganda workers
EDITORIAL: China’s Tibet policy a failure?
Tibet in History this Week
Nov 4, 1964:: The 10th Panchen Lama was labelled as anti-Party, anti-People and anti-socialist for his criticisms of the Chinese Communist policies in his "70,000 Character Petition".
Nov 4-5, 2008:: The 8th (9th, according to China) round of Sino-Tibetan talks was held, during which China rejecting a Tibetan proposal for genuine autonomy for Tibet under Chinese rule.
Nov 7, 1950:: The Tibetan government at Lhasa appealed to the Secretary General of the UN, seeking intervention after Chinese troops captured the strategic eastern capital of Chamdo. The letter reminded him, "The United Nations has decided to stop aggression wherever it takes place."
Nov 14, 1904:: The 13th Dalai Lama entered Urga in Mongolia to seek asylum in the face of imminent arrival of a British military expedition to Lhasa.
Nov 17-22, 2008:: A total of 560 exile Tibetan officials, representatives, activists and others held a Special Meeting in Dharamsala called by the Dalai Lama and resolved to "follow the guidance of His Holiness the Dalai Lama based on the prevailing situation from time to time".
Nov 24, 1950:: At El Salvador's request, the General Committee of the UN debated the inclusion of “the invasion of Tibet by foreign forces" as an additional item in the UN General Assembly.
Nov 26, 1997:: A Tibet TV commentary quoted TAR's executive deputy party secretary Ragdi as declaring total war on "Dalai and his separatist forces". It also emphasized the importance of encouraging movement of Chinese into Tibet for the purposes of developing Tibet's economy and "increasing the overall strength of our country".
Nov 28, 1984:: China's official Xinhua news agency released a five-point document formulated by the party general secretary Hu Yaobang three years earlier; it welcomed the Dalai Lama to Tibet but not to live or hold any "local post".
Nov 1947:: Independent Tibet's first international trade mission, headed by Tsipon Shakabpa, left Lhasa for India, the United States, the United Kingdom, and China.
News in Quotes
Many economic problems that we face are actually political problems in disguise, such as the nature of the economy, the nature of the ownership system in the country and groups of vested interests .
- Zhang Ming, a political scientist at Renmin University in Beijing, referring to the political uncertainty and the economic slowdown that China was grappling with recently, quoted by Edward Wong in China's Growth Slows, and Its Political Model Shows Limits, nytimes.com, May 11, 2012.
It's not worthwhile for Vietnam and India to damage the greater interests of the peace, stability and economic development between China and Vietnam, China and India, and in the whole region, for the sake of these small interests in the South China Sea .
- An article Sep 22 on the website of People's Daily, the mouthpiece of the Communist Party of China, demanding that India stop drilling for oil in Vietnamese waters in the South China sea, claiming the territory belongs to it, not Vietnam with which it had a contract to do so, quoted by Jeremy Page in India Faces Standoff With China on Sea Oil, online.wsj.com, Sep 23, 2011.
