Thursday, March 19, 2009

Dalai Lama says Chinese-ruled Tibet 'hell on earth'



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Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Well it's been 50 years and the leader of Tibet is still in exile one wonders when the rest of the world will wake up.

US lawmakers vowed support for Tibet and exiles prayed outside of the White House, launching worldwide rallies 50 years to the day Tuesday of an uprising that forced the Dalai Lama to flee.

As China poured troops into the Himalayan region, Tibetans overseas called demonstrations from Washington to the small Indian town of Dharamshala where the Dalai Lama -- now 73 and boasting a global following -- lives in exile.

A US lawmaker on Monday introduced a resolution to Congress that would urge China to end its "repression" of the Himalayan region.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a longtime supporter of Tibet, vowed that Congress would "overwhelmingly" approve the bill on the anniversary on Tuesday.

"The situation in Tibet challenges the conscience of the world," Pelosi told Tibetans and their supporters inside the US Capitol.

"If freedom-loving people do not speak out for human rights in China and Tibet, then we lose the moral authority to talk about it in any other place in the world," she said to loud applause.

China on Tuesday called for the measure to be withdrawn.

"We express serious concern over this ... we believe the US Congress resolution proposed by a few anti-China representatives disregards the history and reality of Tibet," foreign ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu told reporters in Beijing.

"We request relevant US representatives to ... stop pushing the Tibet bill," the official said.

US actor and activist Richard Gere lobbied members of Congress to speak out about Tibet. China's Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi is visiting Washington this week amid tension over a naval incident between the countries.

Gere said he hoped Secretary of State Hillary Clinton misspoke last month when she said that human rights would take a back seat to Washington and Beijing working together on fighting the economic crisis and other issues.

"For the good of America -- for Americans as well as the rest of the world -- you have to say what you stand for," Gere told AFP. "And words have to be spoken over and over again in every situation."

At noon (1600 GMT) in Washington -- midnight in Lhasa -- hundreds of exiles holding Tibetan and US flags bowed their heads in prayer in Lafayette Park facing the White House.

"We are here to tell the world that 50 years of occupation, 50 years of persecution, 50 years of genocide is too long," said Tsering Palden, president of the Tibetan Youth Congress activist group's New York chapter.

"This struggle for Tibetan freedom will gain momentum until Tibet is free," he said to chants of "Free Tibet!".

The protesters marched to the Chinese embassy joined by one of China's most famous dissidents, Wei Jingsheng, who has questioned historical claims to Tibet put forward by his country's leaders.

"The Tibetans have been deprived of their right to protest but we can see that they are very strong," Wei told AFP.

The Dalai Lama sneaked out of Lhasa on horseback on March 17, 1959 after the Chinese launched a crackdown. Tibet's government-in-exile says that more than 87,000 people died between March and October of 1959 alone.

Tibet's exiled government says at least 200 more people died when Chinese security forces clamped down following last year's protests that marked the 49th anniversary.

The International Campaign for Tibet issued a report Monday listing names and details of 600 Tibetans it said were still unaccounted for -- and estimated the real figure was more like 1,200.

The protesters outside the White House included Ngawang Sandrol, who was a young nun when she was arrested in 1992 for chanting "Long live the Dalai Lama."

She said that prison guards beat her and came to her with "a strange object that looks like a telephone.

"They asked me, 'Do you want to call your home?' And I said my home doesn't have a telephone," she told the rally in a hushed voice.

"Then he put the strange object into my shirt and turned it on. My entire body shook in a way I couldn't control. That was my first time with electric shock and I was 13 years old."

Under international pressure, China in 2002 freed Ngawang and later allowed her to move to the United States.

"I know from my own experience that it is helpful when free people in free nations put pressure on the Chinese government," she said.


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Friday, June 20, 2008

Olympic Torch In Lhasa On Saturday June 21




This might get interesting, though by the sounds of it everything is going to be locked down and carefully orhestrated, it really makes you wonder why some of the so called Democratic nations we live in will not take a harder stance on what is going on? Oh but then again I forgot we are in love with our cheap labour and inexpesive products produced in China. A short discription follows below about the Video.

The Olympic torch is set to travel to the heavily guarded Tibetan capital Lhasa this weekend. China's Olympic flame will pass through Lhasa on Saturday (June 21), three months after violent demonstrations sparked a stream of international protests along the torch relay route.

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Monday, June 16, 2008

Balancing Act Of Olympic Sponsorship



I thought people might find this interesting as it show that companys are aware and you can have an effect.



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Saturday, April 12, 2008

Progress Of The Torch Make A Difference For Tibet

Jinjirrie said...
The more information exchanged throughout the net about human rights abuses in ALL countries practising same, the more likely people within those countries who are working towards change will feel empowered and supported.

If you are interested in following the progress of the torch, check out http://twitter.com/teamtibet

Thank You for the Info I will be checking that out for sure.

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Friday, April 11, 2008

Some Thoughts On Why I Started "You Can Make A Difference For Tibet"

This type of issue is new to me. I just got tired at least in Canada of seeing our political leadership unwilling to take a stand when traditionally Canada has been viewed to have taken a strong stance on the universality of human rights.

The problem I'm faced with is how does one try and make a difference, and how to get other people interested and involved, so they can exert the most impact.

My thinking around boycotting company's came about because I think the Olympics have become very commercial in nature and a lot of money is spent to get people to buy products either Olympic branded ones or from other company's advertising their products.

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Dalai Lama Does Not support a Boycott of The Beijing Olympic Games

The Dalai Lama, Tibet's exiled spiritual leader, said on Friday he did not support a boycott of the Beijing Olympic Games.

Asked on NBC "Nightly News" whether he wanted the world to boycott the Olympics this summer, the Dalai Lama replied, "No."

Asked if he wanted the United States and other world leaders to boycott the opening ceremony in support of Tibet, he replied, "That's up to them."

"It is very important to make clear, not only just the Tibet case. But in China proper, the report of human right is poor. And their freedom, also very poor," the Dalai Lama said.

Asked what his message to China was, he said: "My main point is: We are not against you. And I'm not seeking separation."'

China blames the Dalai Lama for orchestrating monk-led protests in Tibet last month that later turned violent as part of a campaign for independence.

The Dalai Lama, who fled to India in 1959 after an abortive uprising against Chinese rule, denies involvement.

The European Parliament has urged European Union leaders to boycott the opening ceremony at the Beijing Olympic Games unless China starts talks with the Dalai Lama over the situation in Tibet.

In Washington, the U.S. House of Representatives has passed a resolution urging China to open dialogue with the Dalai Lama, end a crackdown on nonviolent Tibetan protesters and halt repression in the region.

Demonstrations against China's suppression of Tibetan protests have followed the progress of the Olympic flame in Europe, the United States and Latin America, prompting a nationalist backlash from China's authorities and media.

The Dalai Lama is in Seattle for a five-day Seeds of Compassion conference.

(Reporting by Daisuke Wakabayashi; Editing by Sandra Maler)

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