By Phurbu Thinley
Dharamsala, March 18: At least 12 Tibetans were killed and some 200 Tibetans have been severely injured when Chinese police opened fire after more than 2000 Tibetans, led by monks and Tibetan students, took protest march in Machu County in Tibet’s Amdo Province, a reliable source told Phayul.com.
The demonstration took place on Sunday, March 16, in Machu County, Gannan (Tib: Kanlho) Prefecture, Gansu Province, “TAP”).
The source also said more than 80 Tibetans were arrested during the demonstration.
Tibetans began staging demonstrations calling for “Tibetan Independence”, starting around 1800hrs Beijing Time, completely ignoring China’s deadline for protestors to give up by Monday midnight or face the consequences, the source said.
Another source said Chinese Government buildings were set on fire and, motorcycles and shops belonging to Chinese owners were set alight during the protests.
The protest was one of many that have spread to the far-flank parts of Tibet outside Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR) in the past week against Chinese rule in Tibet.
In neighbouring Nepal and India and, in other parts of the world, dozens of Tibetan protestors have been arrested by police following clashes during anti-China demonstrations. Their resentments and frustration against China’s brutal action in Tibet are on the rise.
Tibet’s government-in-exile has confirmed that at least 80 people have been killed during the weeklong protests in Tibet, with many more remaining to be confirmed.
Death tolls are already on the rise as more killings are being reported in fresh protests in several parts of Tibet.
The Tibetan Government-in-Exile yesterday made an “urgent appeal” to international community to persuade Chinese leadership “to immediately stop repression and to release all those who have been detained, and to provide immediate medical care to all those who have been injured”.
Tibetan PM Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche said, “Tibetans in Tibet are facing life and death situation”.
As Chinese government’s surrender deadline was due to expire last midnight, Tibetan Government’s appeal statement said “there is every possibility of a huge massacre of Tibetans taking place after the ultimatum”.
