By Tenzin Dharpo
DHARAMSHALA, Sept. 28: Beijing based Tibetan writer and activist Tsering Woeser’s Facebook account was deactivated earlier last week and later restored, in what is seen as yet another attempt by the social media platform to muzzle the outspoken Tibetan rights activist.
Tsering Woeser whose Facebook account was restored after days of being deactivated wrote on Sunday, “After being disabled for four days, my FB account and personal page are restored. Messenger has also been restored. My Instagram restrictions were lifted last night too. Thanks to everyone for your attention.” Her last post was a shared post of a music video by American punk-rock singer-songwriter Patti Smith.
She raised concerns over Facebook’s vague retort which mentioned that the deactivation of Woeser’s account was not due to a “violation” but due to a “third party reporting”. “According to the Facebook notification, it was a “third party report.” But the real reason, they did not explain,” she wrote.
Advocacy group International Tibet Network’s Campaign Consultant Tenzin Tselha told Phayul, “Woeser’s social media handles are a repository of curated pictures and posts that serve as a real time platform for the world to see and take notice when it comes to Chinese government’s repression in Tibet.
“Facebook’s antics are a clear violation of her freedom of speech and points to their dwindling commitment towards human rights and free speech,” she added.
This is not the first time that the Tibetan writer’s personal Facebook account or other social media handles has came under attack. On May 27, 2008, Woeser’s Gmail and Skype accounts were hijacked, and her blog was attacked again. A group called the Chinese Hongke Alliance, a well-known network of nationalistic Chinese hackers, has claimed responsibility for the attack. The group replaced content with a Chinese flag and a message advocating violence against her.
Her commentary on the Chinese government policies on Tibet and Tibetans are widely read and respected in China and in the free world. For her outspoken activism, all her books are banned in China, her blogs were shut down and her movements are occasionally restricted. In 2008, she was detained by Chinese police in Lhasa. In 2014, she and her husband Wang Lixiong, a writer and scholar, were placed under house arrest.
Woeser is a recipient of many awards, including the 2013 U.S. State Department’s International Women of Courage Award. Pen America has said that her outspoken activism has made her a target of the Chinese government and has since deemed that her status is “under threat”.
5 Responses
Everyone is jumping to the conclusion it was the Chinese government who is responsible for shutting Tsering Woeser’s Facebook. It had nothing to do with China. The selfish people who claim to be friends of Tibet are the real evil people, the maker of the documentary film The Great 14th lodged compliant against Woeser for using a photo of His Holiness from their film. These people wanted money for the use the photos. Do not trust Injis, they will take photos of Tibetans and steal our stories and claim copyright. Shameless and selfish people who tried to silence. Facebook said it was due to “violation” of copyright and “third party reporting”. “ The third-party who reported is the greedy Injis who made the film The Great 14th. Every Tibetan should write to filmmaker and protest against their claim copyright over images of His Holiness.
Check out patents. There’s a treasure trove with affiliated addresses that are quite meaningful. In the past, there was something called the East India Company that many in the subcontinent are quite familiar with.
China censors Woeser for political reasons, but her Facebook was deactivated for greed and claiming copy over our image and story. The third-party refers to the people who made the documentary the Great 14th, a film about His Holiness. All Tibetans should protest against those who claim copyright over images of His Holiness.
Facebook needs to realize that by kowtowing to the #ChineseGovt it renders itself irrelevant to any reasonable person.
Priscilla Zuckerberg’s parents are Chinese immigrants. But before her, there was another Chinese women who spectacularly scaled the ranks, Wendi Murdoch.