Beijing Wide Open

These photos came in last night (warning: they are very graphic) just before we went to bed. They destroyed all of us here for a while. It’s one thing to talk about what is happening inside Tibet, but it’s another to see it. The monks of Kirti Monastery received another batch of photos today. People inside are doing everything in their power to get the story out.

As we struggled to confirm how many are dead, their names and their ages, we received news that one of the victims was related to our dear friend Lobsang. But our community is small and that’s how it turned out. I talked to Lobsang on Skype today. I asked him how he was doing. He said he was ok and gave me his beautiful smile. It was 4:30m in New York and the office was alive with activity. He’d spent all day trying to piece together the stories of Amdo Ngaba, where he is from. I told him I want to be an honourary Amdo; that his people are tough. He laughed. And went back to work.

As China’s so-called “surrender” deadline for Tibetan protesters approached, dozens of Tibetan students in Beijing held a candle light
vigil at the Central University for Nationalities. This simple yet courageous expression of solidarity with Tibetans inside Tibet took place as Tibetans protested at Chinese consulate and embassies around the world, many for the 5th or 6th day in a row.

Please read the statement below written by my colleague Tendor and know that your courage and conviction keeps us strong.

Tibetans living in foreign lands constantly carry a burden of loneliness. At times like these, when the Chinese government is killing hundreds of Tibetans in Lhasa and shooting at thousands of peaceful protesters in other parts of Tibet, it must truly be lonely and scary to be a Tibetan living in Beijing.

In a small but powerful show of courage and solidarity, dozens of Tibetan students in Beijing held a candle light vigil inside the Central University for Nationalities. We deeply admire the young Tibetans for this brave and risky act. We support your actions. We are with you.

Tibetans all over the world, including India, Nepal, Europe, Australia and North America are rising up and surrounding the Chinese embassies and consulates to show the Chinese government that until and unless they resolve the Tibet issue, we will never allow them a moment of rest.

A notice to the Chinese government, military and business people exploiting our lands:

Tibetans will never surrender.

Tibet belongs to Tibetans.

Bhoe Gyalo!

Victory to Tibet!

China’s puppet governor of the Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR), Jampa Phuntsok, wants the world to believe that Chinese forces “did not carry or use any lethal weapons.” And the authorities continue to threaten harsh punishment for any Tibetan protesters that do not “surrender” before midnight tonight.

The surrender order is copied below.

Tibet Autonomous Region High People’s Court, Tibet Autonomous Regions High People’s Procuratorate, Tibet Autonomous Region Public Security Department

Notice
No. 1
March 15, 2008, 07:23

Since March 10 2008, a small number of illegal monks in the Lhasa area have continued to cause trouble, doing their utmost to cause social chaos. This has been a meticulously planned attempt by the Dalai clique to separate Tibet from the Motherland, and a plot to destroy the peace and security, harmony and normal productive lives of all nationalities in Tibet.
Read more »

The Chinese government has blocked YouTube.

They are scared. They are so scared. They want nobody in China to see what is happening in Tibet for fear unrest will spread.

Seeing this video put out by the Guardian you can see why:

Protests erupted in Eastern Tibet today in Machu, Luchu and Aba in what China calls Sichuan province but is actually the Tibetan province of Kham. And yesterday demonstrations were reported in Lithang and Sershul in Kham and at Samye monastery, south of Lhasa. Monks from Kirti monastery in Amdo also took to the streets along with lay-people and at least 6 people are reported dead. Also in Amdo, as of 4pm China time today, more than 500+ students are reported to be holding a sit-down protest at North West University for Nationalities in Lanzhou.

There is a feeling of dread in the air everywhere as news comes out that Lhasa is being locked down. There are thousands of troops in the streets. People are not allowed to leave their homes and there are house-to-house raids with the police dragging away any men who don’t have proper identity papers to be in the city. All the political prisoners are apparently locked up. Read more »

Protests are spreading like wildfire inside Tibet. I am getting reports right now as I write this about gunshots in Karma Kunsang in Lhasa. Thousands are protesting in Labrang. People are desperate. Calls are coming from Tibet pleading for help. By phone today someone said:

“The Chinese shot at everybody in sight and blood and piles of corpses are lying around the main temple Tsuglakhang in Lhasa. Many people have been put into prison where they are being beaten. Tibetans are being forced to beat up their own countrymen. Many Tibetans are refusing to do so.” Read more »

This photo is from France24 News and shows cars overturned and burning in front of the Jokhang, Tibet’s most holy temple. This is where the first protest happened on Monday, March 10th According to the accompanying Reuters article, “Protesters in Tibet’s capital Lhasa burnt shops and vehicles and yelled for independence on Friday as the region was hit by its biggest protests for nearly two decades, testing China’s grip months before the Olympics. ”

Read more »

We’re hearing nonstop reports of an uprising in Lhasa and spreading across Tibet. People inside are reporting tanks moving on Drepung, monks and lay people clashing with police, cars and houses burning, gunfire in the streets…

This is the only photo we have seen so far from the TimesOnline article, “Riot in Tibet as Chinese police clash with protesters.”

All my thoughts and prayers with our brothers and sisters inside Tibet.

There is so much happening inside Tibet, India and around the world that I can barely keep on top of the story. There are now more than 5,000 articles found when you search “Tibet” on Google News and Tibet-related stories are holding at the #2 ranking in the World Section.

Unprecedented protests continue for a third day inside Tibet and are getting so much attention that even
the Chinese have to admit they are happening. The Times Online describes the authorities laying “siege to at least three monasteries in Tibet today, leaving monks trapped with dwindling food supplies, as the biggest anti-Chinese demonstrations in nearly two decades intensified.” The Guardian reports monks “on hunger strike as protests spread” and the Wall Street Journal ran an op-ed piece describing this week’s global protests as “a timely reminder that China’s rights violations aren’t likely to go away any time soon.” Even as I write this RFA is reporting a new story about “Tibetan monks in critical condition after attempted suicide.” Read more »