News and Views on Tibet

Tibetan Parliament condemns China’s use of lethal force on unarmed Tibetans

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DHARAMSHALA, July 11: The exile Tibetan parliament has condemned the recent Chinese police firing on unarmed Tibetans offering prayers for Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama in Tawu region of eastern Tibet, in which at least eight Tibetans received serious gun shot wounds.

On the morning of July 6, hundreds of local Tibetans including monks and nuns from Nyatso Monastery and Geden Choeling Nunnery had gathered near the sacred Machen Pomra mountain in Tawu to offer prayers to mark the 78th birthday of the Dalai Lama.

Soon, vehicle loads of Chinese armed police arrived at the scene, surrounded the area, and attempted to cut short the prayer offerings.

When the gathered crowd refused to oblige, the armed police opened fire on the crowd, leaving several Tibetans severely injured.

The Dharamshala based Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile in a statement on Wednesday said that celebrating the birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, a Nobel peace laureate and the spiritual leader of Tibetans, has “nothing to do with politics.”

“Moreover, celebrating birthday is a quintessential part of the culture followed by people across the world. The indiscriminate firing by Chinese police on Tibetans holding prayer services to mark His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s birthday is an extremely brutal and inhuman act,” the Tibetan lawmaking body said.

“We strongly urge the peace and truth loving governments to condemn such human rights violations committed by the Chinese government in Tibet.”

Among those critically injured, Tashi Sonam, a monk and teacher at Nyatso Monastery was shot in his head and is undergoing treatment at a hospital in Dartsedo.

Ugyen Tashi, a layman, who received at least eight bullet wounds, is in serious condition as hopes of his survival is reportedly receding fast.

In a report, the official website of the exile Tibetan administration noted that despite severe restrictions imposed by the Chinese government, Tibetans in various parts of Tibet including in Karze, Drango, Golok, Tawo, Labrang, Chabcha, and Kumbum marked the 78th birthday of the Dalai Lama.

“Defying threats from the local authorities, the general public offered prayers in front of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s portrait at Lithang monastery and displayed a huge banner emblazoned with ‘Celebration of the 78th birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the Nobel Peace Laureate,’” the report said.

“Meanwhile, over 2,000 Tibetans took part in a grand incense offering ceremony and prayer service for the long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama at the main monastery in Karze.”

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