Press Release: Condemning Crackdown and Appealing for International Intervention

For Immediate Release
March 17, 2008

EXILED TIBETANS CONDEMN CHINA’S VIOLENT CRACKDOWN IN TIBET
Appeal for international intervention, release of detained Tibetan marchers in India

Dharamshala - As China’s so-called “surrender” deadline for Tibetan protesters draws nearer, five Tibetan non-governmental organizations held a press briefing today to condemn the violent crackdown inside Tibet and appeal for international intervention. As the Organizing Committee for the March to Tibet, they also appealed to the Indian government to release the 101 marchers held in detention since last Thursday.

Thousands of Tibetans rallied at the Tsuglakhang main temple in Dharamshala yesterday to show their solidarity with Tibetans across Tibet. “We fear the worst for our Tibetan brothers and sisters as the Chinese authorities lockdown Lhasa and deploy armed police and troops across the country,” said Ngawang Woebar, President of GuChuSum Ex-Political Prisoners’ Movement of Tibet. “There are reports of potentially hundreds killed, house to house raids, arbitrary arrests and beatings in the streets and we expect only increased violence on the part of the Chinese security forces as foreign tourists and others are forced to leave. We strongly condemn this crackdown and appeal to the international community to immediately intervene and help protect the Tibetan people.”

The recent protests in Tibet are the largest and most widespread since 1959 and the result of nearly five decades of Tibetans’ frustration with China’s repressive policies, recent increases in anti-Dalai Lama rhetoric and religious restrictions, and China’s policy of encouraging Chinese migration to Tibet.

Chinese authorities exacerbated deep-seated resentments and simmering tensions over the past week with heavy-handed crackdowns on peaceful demonstrations. Meanwhile, the news blackout imposed by China has severely curtailed the flow of information about the ongoing protests inside Tibet and China’s handling of the situation. Given that the Chinese authorities control the information being released to the world, it is no coincidence that the images that have emerged predominantly show Tibetans as violent agitators, while Chinese civilians, shop owners, police, and soldiers are portrayed as victims.

On Saturday morning, a second wave of Tibetan exiles defied Indian government orders by resuming their March to Tibet. While 101 Tibetan marchers remain under judicial detention, a second group of 44 Tibetans set out just before 10:00am from Dehra, the same location where the first group was forcibly blocked and arrested under orders from the Indian government on Thursday. Many Tibetans in Dharamshala also spontaneously marched to Jawala Mukhi on Saturday where the 101 marchers are being detained to show their solidarity. In other cities around the world, Tibetans staged demonstrations and vigils in support of the uprising inside Tibet. Tibetans have been arrested in Kathmandu, Delhi, Sydney, Melbourne, New York, Chicago, Paris, Zurich, and Brussels as emotional opposition to China’s rule in Tibet boils over.

“As we can see from the protests here and all over the world, the Tibetan people remain committed to achieving independence and human rights. We hope that the international community will support us in our struggle to end nearly 50 years of Chinese occupation,” said Tsewang Rigzin, President of the Tibetan Youth Congress. “At this critical time, here in India, we call on the government to release the 101 Tibetan marchers currently being held at Yatri Niwas in Jiwalji. They did nothing more than peacefully march in support of our Tibetan brothers and sisters suffering inside of Tibet and should not be treated as common criminals.”

On March 10th, the 49th anniversary of the 1959 national uprising, monks from Drepung, Sera and Ganden monasteries on the outskirts of Lhasa began peacefully protesting. The protests have spread like wildfire inside Tibet; especially in the Tibetan provinces of Amdo and Kham now annexed into China’s Qinghai, Sichuan, and Gansu provinces showing the widespread opposition to China’s occupation of Tibet.

For more information please visit: www.tibetanuprising.org

Contact:

Campaign Coordinators:
Tsering Chodup: +91 9418 221 605
Sherab Woeser: +91 9418 394 426 Dhasa /+91 9868 332 883 Delhi

Tsewang Rigzin: +91 9805 247 259 (President, Tibetan Youth Congress)
B. Tsering: +91 9418 792 810 (President, Tibetan Women’s Association)
Ngawang Woebar: +91 9418 102 483 (President, GuChuSum Ex-Political Prisoners’ Mvmt)
Chime Youngdrung: +91 9418 069 179 (President, National Democratic Party of Tibet)
**Tenzin Choeying, President of Students for a Free Tibet India, is currently being held in detention along with other marchers.

Via : TibetanUprising.org