Chinese authorities issue ultimatum, offer cash prize for “crimes” linked to Tibet self-immolations

Notice by Chinese authorities in Malho, eastern Tibet announcing cash rewards for information on self-immolations. December 17: Chinese authorities in Malho region of eastern Tibet have announced cash rewards for those “exposing crimes” related to the ongoing wave of self-immolations and issued an ultimatum warning those who have “committed fault” to turn themselves in. The notices were jointly issued by the Malho People’s Intermediate Court and the Public Security Bureau in the Tibetan areas of Rebkong, Tsekhog, and Chentsa which fall under its jurisdiction. The Malho region of eastern Tibet carried a major part of the casualties in the recent alarming escalation in self-immolation protests and mass demonstrations by thousands of Tibetans, including school students against the Chinese government. Since October, 44 Tibetans have set themselves on fire demanding freedom and the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, with the latest being a teenaged schoolgirl Bhenchen Kyi from Tsekhog. In copies of the notices sent to Phayul by a Swiss based Tibetan, Sonam, Chinese authorities have given an ultimatum to Tibetans who have “committed fault,” to turn themselves in before November 30 in lure of “lesser” punishment. The notices, issued in Tibetan and Chinese languages, encourage people to “accept their crimes” of inciting self-immolations, displaying portraits of His Holiness the Dalai Lama during mass funerals of the self-immolators, raising “separatist” slogans, offering condolences to the family members of self-immolators, “unlawfully” taking pictures and videos of self-immolations and sending them out and spreading rumours and indulging in provocative talks. The authorities have warned that those who are caught under these crimes after the given deadline will be dealt severely according to the law. In recent weeks, authorities have engineered a heavy security clampdown in the region, arresting several Tibetans from Rebkong and Tsekhog in connection with the self-immolation protests. Along with the ultimatum, Chinese authorities have employed its age-old policy of sowing distrust in the society by announcing heavy monetary rewards for information on self-immolators and those who “incite” such protests. Cash prizes ranging from 1,000 Chinese Yaun (US $ 160) of 200,000 Chinese Yuan (US $ 32,000) have been announced for information exposing self-immolators, those inciting self-immolations, and those who have visited families of self-immolators to offer condolences. Rewards have also been announced for those who avert self-immolations from occurring at the site of the protest. The authorities further promised to protect the identity of the informants and called the self-immolation protests a “bad influence” on social harmony and stability, not just of the region but also of the entire nation. Similar tactics of announcing cash rewards and offering bribes to families of self-immolators to state that the protests were not against the Chinese government, have been employed earlier in other parts of Tibet as well. A phone call to the Tsekhog Public Security Bureau Office by Phayul yielded little result as the official who answered the call in the supposedly Tibetan office refused to speak in Tibetan and spoke only Mandarin.

Burning Tibetan calls for the freedom of Tibet! Two self-immolations in a day

Tibetan self-immolator Pema Dorjee set himself on fire demanding the Dalai Lama's return and Tibet's independence outside the Shitsang Monastery in Luchu, eastern Tibet on December 8, 2012. December 8: In no respite to the wave of fiery protests inside Tibet, a second Tibetan today set himself on fire protesting China’s continued occupation of Tibet. Pema Dorjee, 23, set himself on fire in the Luchu region of eastern Tibet at around 4:30 pm (local time). A group of exiled Tibetans from the region told Phayul that he succumbed to his injuries at the protest site. “Martyr Pema Dorjee set himself on fire in front of the main assembly hall of the Shitsang Monastery in Luchu,” the group said. “A large number of Tibetans who were at the Monastery to offer prayers witnessed the self-immolation protest.” Today, the 25th day of the 10th month of the Tibetan Lunar calendar is observed as Gaden Ngamchoe, the day of Je Tsongkhapa's Parinirvana. Tibetans all over, observe this day by offering lamps in monasteries, temples, stupas, and at homes to venerate the mortal departure of Lama Tsongkhapa, a great 14th century Tibetan Buddhist master. According to Sonam, an exiled Tibetan, Pema Dorjee raised slogans calling for the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Tibet’s independence. “Pema Dorjee raised slogans calling for the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, independence of Tibet, unity of Tibetans and for the land of Tibet to be ruled by Tibetans,” Sonam said citing a contact in the region. “There are heavy restrictions placed around the monastery as of now,” the same source added. Pema Dorjee is a native of Chokhor village in Shitsang region of Luchu. His village is located at around a distance of 30kms from the Shitsang Monastery. With two self-immolations today, the ongoing wave of fiery protests in Tibet, which began in 2009, has witnessed 94 Tibetans set themselves on fire demanding freedom and the return of the Dalai Lama. The exile Tibetan administration maintains that the current situation in Tibet has stemmed from “several decades of Chinese misrule in Tibet” and discontent of the Tibetan people arsing from “political repression, cultural assimilation, economic marginalisation, and environmental destruction.” Urging people not to remain “idle bystanders,” the elected head of the Tibetan people Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay recently called for a Global Solidarity Day to be observed on December 10, Human Rights Day. Sikyong Dr Sangay urged Tibetans and supporters to “light a candle or lamp, observe a minute’s silence, and a say a prayer for all those who have died for the cause of Tibet, and locally organise vigils and rallies."

Self-immolator leaves message of ‘unity and solidarity’ among Tibetans

Tibetan self-immolator Lobsang Gendun in an undated photo. December 4: Minutes before setting himself on fire, Tibetan self-immolator Lobsang Gendun left a message of hope for the unity and solidarity of all Tibetans. According to Tsangyang Gyatso, an exiled Tibetan with contacts in the region, Lobsang Gendun called a friend of his, moments before burning himself to death, and left a message of unity to all Tibetans. “I am right now preparing to self-immolate,” Lobsang Gendun told his friend (name not revealed). “I have already doused my body with petrol. I am only left with the battery water to drink before I burn myself.” “Although I wanted to leave a note, but for my poor handwriting, I could not. So, I am calling you,” Lobsang Gendun told his friend. “My hope is for Tibetans from all the three provinces of Tibet to be united, have solidarity with each other, and not to indulge in internal quarrels. Our aspirations will be fulfilled if we all do this.” Lobsang Gendun, 29, a monk, at the Penag Monastery, self-immolated in Golog Pema region of eastern Tibet at around 7:45 pm (local time) Monday, December 3. He succumbed to his injuries at the site of his protest. According to eyewitnesses, Lobsang Gendun’s hands were clasped in prayers as he raised slogans urging Tibetan to be united and avoid in fighting, while engulfed in flames. His charred body was later carried to the Penag Monastery by local Tibetans following a minor scuffle with Chinese security personnel. Gyatso told Phayul that following the self-immolation protest, a respected Tibetan from the region, Washul Dodrub was detained by Chinese authorities in connection with the protest. Dodrub was earlier arrested in 2008, during the pan-Tibet uprising, on suspicion of leading protests in the region. His current wellbeing and whereabouts are not known. According to the same source, a large number of monks and local Tibetans visited Penag Monastery today to pay their last respects and prayers and offer their condolences and solidarity with the deceased’s family members. “Around one thousand of those visitors also pledged to fulfill Lobsang Gendun’s last wishes of harbouring unity and solidarity,” Gyatso said. Preparations have been made to carry out Lobsang Gendun’s final rites on December 5. Reportedly, many Tibetans from the nearby areas have been barred from travelling to Penag, by Chinese authorities, fearing further protests. “A large number of additional armed forces have been deployed in Pema region,” Gyatso added citing sources in the region. “Heavy restrictions have been placed in the entire region, especially around the Penag Monastery.” Lobsang Gendun is survived by his parents, Golog Lokho and Sago Dewang, and his 11 siblings. An alarming total of 92 Tibetans have self-immolated inside Tibet since the wave of fiery protests began in 2009, demanding freedom and the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama from exile.

Tibet continues to burn, Tibetan man self-immolates

December 2: The wave of fiery protests inside Tibet continues unabated with reports of another self-immolation protest today in Bora region of Sangchu region in eastern Tibet. According to exile sources, a young Tibetan man, identified as Sungdue Kyab, set himself ablaze in Bora town of Sangchu, Labrang Tashikhyil region of eastern Tibet. Sungdue Kyab reportedly carried out his self-immolation protest in the afternoon today on the main street in Bora town near the Bora Monastery. Soon after he set himself on fire, Chinese security personnel arrived at the site of his protest, doused the flames and bundled him away. He is believed to have survived his protest. According to eyewitnesses, Sungdue Kyab was alive when Chinese security personnel took him away, reportedly to a hospital in Tsoe. Following the self-immolation protest, monks from the Bora Monastery and local Tibetans reportedly began to make preparations to go to Tsoe but were denied permission by the Chinese authorities. The situation in Bora is being described as tense and communication lines have been heavily hampered. Further details are awaited at the time of filing this report. On October 20, Lhamo Kyab, a 27-year-old father of two, passed away in his self-immolation protest near the Bora Monastery. He raised slogans calling for the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Tibet. The recent escalation in self-immolation protests in Tibet has accounted for 28 self-immolations in the month of November alone. 91 Tibetans have self-immolated inside Tibet since the wave of fiery protests began in 2009, demanding freedom and the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama from exile. Last month, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay, in a strong statement, urged Chinese authorities to “promptly address the longstanding grievances that have led to an alarming escalation in desperate forms of protest, including self-immolations, in Tibetan areas.” Pillay said she was disturbed by "continuing allegations of violence against Tibetans seeking to exercise their fundamental human rights," and called on the Chinese authorities to release detainees, allow independent human rights monitors to visit Tibet, and to lift restrictions on media access to Tibet. Speaking to reporters, Pillay's spokesman, Rupert Colville, told a news briefing in Geneva on Friday that the self-immolations “are an illustration of how serious the situation is." "We don't see any progress in dealing with the underlying problems facing Tibetans both in Tibet and in other areas,” Colville said.

Tibet self-immolation toll reaches 90, Fears over major protests in Barkham

November 30: In reports just in, a Tibetan man today set himself on fire in Shagdom region on Ngaba, eastern Tibet in an apparent protest against China’s occupation of Tibet. The Tibetan man has been identified as Kunchok Kyab, 29, from Akyi region of Zoegey in Ngaba. According to the exile base of Kirti Monastery in Dharamshala, the situation in the region, at the time of filing this report, is being described as 'very tense' with fears over eruption of major protests in the region. “At around 9 am (local time) Kunchok Kyab set himself on fire near a gas station in the Shagdom region of Ngaba,” Kirti Monastery said in a release. “Shortly afterwards, Chinese security personnel arrived at the site and bundled him away after dousing the fire.” “He was taken straight to regional headquarters of Barkham and it is not yet known whether he is dead or alive.” According to the release, a group of young Tibetans, after seeing Kunchok Kyab being taken away, immediately followed the Chinese police vehicles. The wellbeing and whereabouts of those young Tibetans are also not yet known. “According to latest reports coming in at 7 pm IST, a large number of local Tibetans have gathered to demand for the return of Kunchok Kyab and the young Tibetans,” Kirti Monastery said. “The crowd is planning to carry out a major protest and the situation has become very tense.” Kunchok Kyab has two children, a nine-year-old and a six-year-old.  The deepening crisis inside Tibet has witnessed large scale anti-China protests and a series of self-immolations that has now seen 90 Tibetans set themselves on fire, since 2009, demanding freedom and the return of the Dalai Lama from exile. November alone has reported 28 self-immolations and protests by thousands of Tibetans, including by school students in Chabcha and Rebkong

France calls for EU ‘policy coordination’ on Tibet

France calls for EU ‘policy coordination’ on Tibet

The French Senate November 30: France senate has called for the promotion of policy coordination in the European Union for “coherent actions” to support the Tibetan cause and advancing human rights and freedoms of Tibetans. The upper house of the French Parliament, Sénat, on Tuesday, November 27, adopted a resolution in view of the deteriorating human rights situation inside Tibet and called on the EU to give priority to Tibet issue within the mandate of its recently appointed EU Special Representative for Human Rights. The Sénat resolution requested the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy to entrust the Special Representative of the Union for Human Rights Tibet issue as a priority, with a mandate to promote policy coordination on Tibet in the EU. The resolution called for “coherent actions to advance human rights and freedoms of Tibetans, including their right to preserve their own identity, in its religious, cultural and linguistic.” It further urged for EU policy coordination in promoting “consistent support for dialogue between the Government of the People’s Republic of China and envoys of the Dalai Lama,” and for “coherent actions supporting Tibetan exile community in its efforts, under the direction of the Central Tibetan Administration, in development of education services and health, guarantee a sustainable livelihood to its members, as well as for the preservation of Tibetan culture in exile, in all its aspects. The resolution was proposed by the Group for Question on Tibet, an all-party parliamentary support group for Tibet in the French Sénat. It was cleared by the Sénat Foreign Affairs Committee on Thursday, November 22. The latest calls for policy coordination falls in line with earlier demands made by parliamentarians, Tibet activists, and human rights organisations for the need of a contact group on Tibet.  In September, the global rights group, Human Rights Watch had urged governmentsconcerned about the worsening human rights situation in Tibet to meet on the sidelines of the then UN General Assembly to discuss the formation of a Tibet contact group. HRW noted that a Tibet contact group could “press the Chinese government to consider resuming meaningful negotiations with Tibetan representatives, and visibly demonstrate heightened international concern about deteriorating conditions.” The deepening crisis inside Tibet has witnessed large scale anti-China protests and a series of self-immolations that has now seen 89 Tibetans set themselves on fire, since 2009, demanding freedom and the return of the Dalai Lama from exile. November alone has reported 27 self-immolations and protests by thousands of Tibetans, including by school students in Chabcha and Rebkong