Monthly round-up
"As Research Manager for Tibet Watch, it is interesting, but sometimes also difficult, to collate and put into context all the information and news that the field team in Dharamsala gathers on a day to day basis. Depending on the situation on the ground in Tibet, news can either come out at an agonisingly slow rate or there can be a lot of incidents seemingly all at once."
Our monthly round-ups provide a regular summary of the news from Tibet, together with insight and analysis from our Research Manager.
April in Tibet
At the beginning of April I visited the field office in Dharamsala for my annual trip and spent a productive time with the team. Despite unseasonable cold and rain (that brought along some lengthy power cuts), we were able to connect, brainstorm and plan for the remaining year ahead. With most of our contact usually being over the internet, it's very valuable to have time together and enjoy each other's company as well.
15 April saw the second self-immolation protest of 2017 take place, the second in two months. It took place on a Saturday and Tibet Watch was able to verify the news quite quickly and also acquire video footage of the scene in eastern Tibet immediately following the protest. According to an eye witness, the self-immolator was badly burned but it has yet to be confirmed whether he survived the protest or succumbed to his injuries. Our researchers continue to monitor the situation but as is common following a self-immolation protest, the internet in the surrounding area is heavily restricted and surveillance was also stepped up, making it hard for information to get out.
What we have been seeing over the last few weeks has been a series of political prisoner releases. It seems like an unusually high number of releases but this unfortunately does not signify a more lenient policy from the Chinese government's side. It is simply the confluence of various prison terms coming to an end, whether it's a nine year sentence for protesting in 2008 (Tsultrim Gyatso) or shorter sentences for a 2011 self-immolation protest survivor (Lobsang Konchok) who served over five years or a 2014 solo protester (Lobsang Gyatso) who served three years.
15 April saw the second self-immolation protest of 2017 take place, the second in two months. It took place on a Saturday and Tibet Watch was able to verify the news quite quickly and also acquire video footage of the scene in eastern Tibet immediately following the protest. According to an eye witness, the self-immolator was badly burned but it has yet to be confirmed whether he survived the protest or succumbed to his injuries. Our researchers continue to monitor the situation but as is common following a self-immolation protest, the internet in the surrounding area is heavily restricted and surveillance was also stepped up, making it hard for information to get out.
What we have been seeing over the last few weeks has been a series of political prisoner releases. It seems like an unusually high number of releases but this unfortunately does not signify a more lenient policy from the Chinese government's side. It is simply the confluence of various prison terms coming to an end, whether it's a nine year sentence for protesting in 2008 (Tsultrim Gyatso) or shorter sentences for a 2011 self-immolation protest survivor (Lobsang Konchok) who served over five years or a 2014 solo protester (Lobsang Gyatso) who served three years.
February in Tibet
Losar Tashi Delek! 27 February was the first day of Tibetan New Year and it is now 2144, the year of the fire bird, according to the Tibetan calendar. It was celebrated by Tibetans both inside Tibet and in exile.
In terms of news from Tibet in February, religious festivals associated with Tibetan New Year featured heavily. Due to the eastern part of Tibet known as Amdo province following a slightly different calendar than central Tibet, their new year fell at the end of January. In the first month of the new year, a religious festival called Choetrul Monlam, the Great Prayer Festival, is held and lasts several days. Reports came in from the field team of a high military presence at Choetrul Monlam at various important monasteries across Amdo. In addition to the military presence, new restrictions were imposed on the movement of pilgrims.
One video obtained by the field team show Tibetan pilgrims not being allowed to cross the border between two Chinese provinces. As some parts of Amdo fall into the administrative region of Sichuan Province and some are part of Gansu Province, pilgrims wanting to visit monasteries that are relatively close to one another, geographically, were prevented from doing so. In the video, a man can be heard saying, "Look, look, Chinese armed forces at the Gansu border are not allowing us to visit Kirti Monastery. Look, look, vehicles were stopped." It is saddening to see ordinary Tibetans unable to carry out everyday religious activities, especially at such an important time of the year.
A report of an arrest of a solo protester, 20 year old Sonam Tashi in Kardze, eastern Tibet, also came through in Febrary - despite his solo protest having taken place over a month before. News from Tibet can be delayed, sometimes by months and sometimes by years, due to restrictions on communications. The report noted that Sonam Tashi's family had been trying to locate his whereabouts for several weeks but without success. Tibet Watch will continue to monitor for any further news on Sonam Tashi.
In terms of news from Tibet in February, religious festivals associated with Tibetan New Year featured heavily. Due to the eastern part of Tibet known as Amdo province following a slightly different calendar than central Tibet, their new year fell at the end of January. In the first month of the new year, a religious festival called Choetrul Monlam, the Great Prayer Festival, is held and lasts several days. Reports came in from the field team of a high military presence at Choetrul Monlam at various important monasteries across Amdo. In addition to the military presence, new restrictions were imposed on the movement of pilgrims.
One video obtained by the field team show Tibetan pilgrims not being allowed to cross the border between two Chinese provinces. As some parts of Amdo fall into the administrative region of Sichuan Province and some are part of Gansu Province, pilgrims wanting to visit monasteries that are relatively close to one another, geographically, were prevented from doing so. In the video, a man can be heard saying, "Look, look, Chinese armed forces at the Gansu border are not allowing us to visit Kirti Monastery. Look, look, vehicles were stopped." It is saddening to see ordinary Tibetans unable to carry out everyday religious activities, especially at such an important time of the year.
A report of an arrest of a solo protester, 20 year old Sonam Tashi in Kardze, eastern Tibet, also came through in Febrary - despite his solo protest having taken place over a month before. News from Tibet can be delayed, sometimes by months and sometimes by years, due to restrictions on communications. The report noted that Sonam Tashi's family had been trying to locate his whereabouts for several weeks but without success. Tibet Watch will continue to monitor for any further news on Sonam Tashi.
January in Tibet
Tibet Watch at the Kalachakra
As mentioned by my colleagues in the Dharamsala field team, January has been a month dominated by the Dalai Lama giving the Kalachakra teachings in Bodh Gaya, India, to around 200,000 people. As Dharamsala emptied out to attend the teachings, two researchers from Tibet Watch spent time in Bodh Gaya carrying out research work and letting attendees know about the work of both Tibet Watch and Free Tibet. It was a tiring but productive few weeks for the researchers and we'll report more on their work in due course.
There weren't too many news stories from Tibet in January, things were quiet in general. Some small updates on the situation in Larung Gar came in, that demolition work has been suspended due to the cold winter months but will resume again, that restrictions are being imposed on pilgrimages visiting Larung Gar and that the number of people evicted stands at around 6700, over 2000 more than we'd previously reported.
Sometimes it's unnerving not to hear of any incidents taking place in Tibet. As reported by our Analyst who monitors Chinese state media, surveillance in Tibet in certain areas is on the increase along with military presence. With Chinese new year holidays, Losar (Tibetan new year) around the corner in a month and 10 March right behind that, authorities will try to ensure that "stability" is maintained and that even if incidents were to take place, that word would not easily get out.
There weren't too many news stories from Tibet in January, things were quiet in general. Some small updates on the situation in Larung Gar came in, that demolition work has been suspended due to the cold winter months but will resume again, that restrictions are being imposed on pilgrimages visiting Larung Gar and that the number of people evicted stands at around 6700, over 2000 more than we'd previously reported.
Sometimes it's unnerving not to hear of any incidents taking place in Tibet. As reported by our Analyst who monitors Chinese state media, surveillance in Tibet in certain areas is on the increase along with military presence. With Chinese new year holidays, Losar (Tibetan new year) around the corner in a month and 10 March right behind that, authorities will try to ensure that "stability" is maintained and that even if incidents were to take place, that word would not easily get out.
December in Tibet and 2016 in Review
December saw a self-immolation protest by a Tibetan man called Tashi Rabten in Amdo, the first to take place since March. The field team in Dharamsala were able to bring the news out within hours, along with graphic photos and video footage. Just a few days later, a letter emerged that had been left by Tashi Rabten explaining the reasons for his protest. Tibet Watch’s translation of the letter was disseminated by Free Tibet to supporters and to the media. There have been comparatively few self-immolation protests this year, three in Tibet and one in India, but they are no less difficult to research and report on.
Apart from self-immolation protests, the vast majority of news that Tibet Watch brought out in 2016 were related to protest incidents - although the reasons for protest varied. Solo protests for freedom in Tibet and for the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Tibet continued. Tibetan resistance to large infrastructure projects which both damage the environment and threaten livelihoods was also apparent, with large scale protests carried out against damming, mining and government land grabs, often resulting in police violence.
Undoubtedly, the news story that dominated this year overall was the demolition of Larung Gar Buddhist Institute in eastern Tibet and the expulsion of monks and nuns. News of China’s intentions started to come out in June and by July demolitions had already started. By October, numerous photos and videos had reached us showing the extent of the damage done. Sad videos also circulated on social media of groups of nuns saying good bye to their friends who were being forced to leave and crying. In addition to the pain of eviction, videos then circulated of nuns undergoing patriotic education and being made to sing and dance to propaganda songs. Tibet Watch will continue to monitor the situation at Larung Gar next year.
Tibet Watch continued to bring out reports in 2016 with a comprehensive and in-depth look at the role of Buddhist monasteries in Tibetan resistance. We also published an interview with Nyima Lhamo, niece of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, detailing the circumstances around his death in 2015. Nyima Lhamo’s daring escape from Tibet to tell her family’s story was one of the brighter notes of the year. It is heartening to see Nyima Lhamo doing well in exile and being able to travel to countries such as Switzerland and Belgium to continue her advocacy work.
Some high-profile political prisoners were released this year, including Phurbu Tsering Rinpoche in April, Khenpo Kartse in July and Jigme Guri in October. While it is always reassuring to be able to report on political prisoners being released, it is often difficult to monitor their progress after release as they are under heavy surveillance and cannot communicate or move around freely.
2016 marked the 10th anniversary of Tibet Watch and the milestone was marked by two events, one in Dharamsala in October and one in London in November. Many thanks to all of the colleagues, partners and friends who joined us in marking the occasion and for all your support over the years.
In London we are preparing to close the office for the holidays but in India hundreds of thousands of pilgrims are heading to Bodh Gaya to attend the Dalai Lama’s Kalachakra Buddhist teachings. Staff members from Tibet Watch’s field team are also making their way there and will be carrying out research work.
For the first time this year, Tibet Watch decided to start offering some more personal content from our field team, as well as analysis and background information from our London team. The new content is all available on our website in the form of this monthly review, regular China Bulletins from the analyst and a monthly report from the field team. We hope that these updates bring insight into the work that we do as well as the issues affecting Tibetans both inside Tibet and in exile.
Apart from self-immolation protests, the vast majority of news that Tibet Watch brought out in 2016 were related to protest incidents - although the reasons for protest varied. Solo protests for freedom in Tibet and for the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Tibet continued. Tibetan resistance to large infrastructure projects which both damage the environment and threaten livelihoods was also apparent, with large scale protests carried out against damming, mining and government land grabs, often resulting in police violence.
Undoubtedly, the news story that dominated this year overall was the demolition of Larung Gar Buddhist Institute in eastern Tibet and the expulsion of monks and nuns. News of China’s intentions started to come out in June and by July demolitions had already started. By October, numerous photos and videos had reached us showing the extent of the damage done. Sad videos also circulated on social media of groups of nuns saying good bye to their friends who were being forced to leave and crying. In addition to the pain of eviction, videos then circulated of nuns undergoing patriotic education and being made to sing and dance to propaganda songs. Tibet Watch will continue to monitor the situation at Larung Gar next year.
Tibet Watch continued to bring out reports in 2016 with a comprehensive and in-depth look at the role of Buddhist monasteries in Tibetan resistance. We also published an interview with Nyima Lhamo, niece of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, detailing the circumstances around his death in 2015. Nyima Lhamo’s daring escape from Tibet to tell her family’s story was one of the brighter notes of the year. It is heartening to see Nyima Lhamo doing well in exile and being able to travel to countries such as Switzerland and Belgium to continue her advocacy work.
Some high-profile political prisoners were released this year, including Phurbu Tsering Rinpoche in April, Khenpo Kartse in July and Jigme Guri in October. While it is always reassuring to be able to report on political prisoners being released, it is often difficult to monitor their progress after release as they are under heavy surveillance and cannot communicate or move around freely.
2016 marked the 10th anniversary of Tibet Watch and the milestone was marked by two events, one in Dharamsala in October and one in London in November. Many thanks to all of the colleagues, partners and friends who joined us in marking the occasion and for all your support over the years.
In London we are preparing to close the office for the holidays but in India hundreds of thousands of pilgrims are heading to Bodh Gaya to attend the Dalai Lama’s Kalachakra Buddhist teachings. Staff members from Tibet Watch’s field team are also making their way there and will be carrying out research work.
For the first time this year, Tibet Watch decided to start offering some more personal content from our field team, as well as analysis and background information from our London team. The new content is all available on our website in the form of this monthly review, regular China Bulletins from the analyst and a monthly report from the field team. We hope that these updates bring insight into the work that we do as well as the issues affecting Tibetans both inside Tibet and in exile.
November in Tibet
News from Larung Gar Buddhist Institute in eastern Tibet continued to reach us this past month. The Tibet Watch field team were able to confirm that 4,600 residents have been forced to leave since demolitions and expulsions began earlier this year. The number far exceeds the 1,200 expulsions (required by the end of October 2016) which were stipulated in the original order issued by Serthar County. While the change to colder weather has slowed down the demolition work, authorities cancelled an eight-day annual religious ceremony, Dechen Shingdrub, which had been scheduled to take place on 17 November, to prevent any large public gatherings at the site.
In June this year we reported on an all-female protest against a land grab that had involved around 100 Tibetan women and taken place in Lhundrub County. Last week, video footage emerged from Ngaba of two brave women carrying portraits of the Dalai Lama and shouting slogans for his long life. Unfortunately it wasn’t possible to verify the exact date of the protest or the current status of the women but their courage struck a chord with many Tibet supporters.
Aside from providing Free Tibet with regular protest news from Tibet, by monitoring Chinese news we were also able to provide Free Tibet with an overview about leadership changes in the Tibet Autonomous Region’s local government. These leadership change processes are usually shrouded in secrecy but from the new list of members of the TAR Standing Committee we can see quite a few Tibetan names. Wu Yingjie was confirmed as Party Secretary having previously been selected in August. He was a former deputy Party Secretary and spent over 42 years in the TAR in various CCP positions. His predecessor, Chen Quanguo, has become the Communist Party Secretary of the Xinjiang Autonomous Region and it appears he has carried over his hardline policies with him.
In June this year we reported on an all-female protest against a land grab that had involved around 100 Tibetan women and taken place in Lhundrub County. Last week, video footage emerged from Ngaba of two brave women carrying portraits of the Dalai Lama and shouting slogans for his long life. Unfortunately it wasn’t possible to verify the exact date of the protest or the current status of the women but their courage struck a chord with many Tibet supporters.
Aside from providing Free Tibet with regular protest news from Tibet, by monitoring Chinese news we were also able to provide Free Tibet with an overview about leadership changes in the Tibet Autonomous Region’s local government. These leadership change processes are usually shrouded in secrecy but from the new list of members of the TAR Standing Committee we can see quite a few Tibetan names. Wu Yingjie was confirmed as Party Secretary having previously been selected in August. He was a former deputy Party Secretary and spent over 42 years in the TAR in various CCP positions. His predecessor, Chen Quanguo, has become the Communist Party Secretary of the Xinjiang Autonomous Region and it appears he has carried over his hardline policies with him.
October in Tibet
The demolitions at Larung Gar Buddhist Institute in eastern Tibet and the expulsion of monks and nuns dominated the news from Tibet in October. Images and video footage from Larung Gar that were obtained and verified by Tibet Watch at the beginning of October showed the extent of demolitions and personal anguish felt by those affected.
According to the Serthar County order that was made public by Human Rights Watch in June this year, 1200 expulsions must have been completed by the end of October 2016 and 1500 residences (including those that were being used as old age homes and nuns’ hostels) must have been demolished. Tibet Watch will continue to monitor the situation in Larung Gar and update Free Tibet on any developments on both this stage and the next stages. The timeline that the County authorities have set is to have the population of the Institute down to 5,000 people by 30 September 2017.
Just a few months after her risky escape from Tibet to India, Tibet Watch was this month able to publish an in-depth interview Nyima Lhamo, niece of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche. For the first time, Nyima Lhamo’s story is told in her own words and details, in particular, the week of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche’s death in July 2015 and the turbulence that ensued, including the detention of Nyima Lhamo and her mother.
The full report is available to read on the Tibet Watch website. Thank you to the Tibet Watch field team for their hard work interviewing and transcribing the interview. Due to Nyima Lhamo’s dialect, it was necessary to go back and clarify certain points, sometimes several times. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Nyima Lhamo for her patience in answering our questions and for entrusting us with her important story.
According to the Serthar County order that was made public by Human Rights Watch in June this year, 1200 expulsions must have been completed by the end of October 2016 and 1500 residences (including those that were being used as old age homes and nuns’ hostels) must have been demolished. Tibet Watch will continue to monitor the situation in Larung Gar and update Free Tibet on any developments on both this stage and the next stages. The timeline that the County authorities have set is to have the population of the Institute down to 5,000 people by 30 September 2017.
Just a few months after her risky escape from Tibet to India, Tibet Watch was this month able to publish an in-depth interview Nyima Lhamo, niece of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche. For the first time, Nyima Lhamo’s story is told in her own words and details, in particular, the week of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche’s death in July 2015 and the turbulence that ensued, including the detention of Nyima Lhamo and her mother.
The full report is available to read on the Tibet Watch website. Thank you to the Tibet Watch field team for their hard work interviewing and transcribing the interview. Due to Nyima Lhamo’s dialect, it was necessary to go back and clarify certain points, sometimes several times. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Nyima Lhamo for her patience in answering our questions and for entrusting us with her important story.
August in Tibet
Photo of Tsering Tso courtesy of Golog Jigme
In October 2016, the apparent murder of 27-year -old nomad Tsering Tso shocked an entire community in eastern Tibet. She was found hanging but the residents suspected that a local lama and two policemen had been involved. The community’s quest for justice and the subsequent brutal response of the local government, who insisted that Tsering Tso had committed suicide, was the focus of the feature article published on 26 August.
As Free Tibet mentioned on their website, Tsering Tso’s story came first to us at Tibet Watch in June this year via Golog Jigme, a prominent former political prisoner now living in Switzerland. We then passed the details to our partner organisation Free Tibet who contacted and then worked closely with the Washington Post journalist Simon Denyer who planned a trip to visit Kardze and the local community to investigate the story and to learn the truth.
Tsering Tso’s grandmother and mother. Photo credit: Xu Yangjingjing/The Washington Post
The journalist was able to not only visit the area and the local community in Kardze (Ch: Ganzi) County, he met Tsering Tso’s mother, grandmother and siblings in person and talked to them. Her 49 -year -old mother, Adhey, told the Washington Post: “My daughter was healthy and happy. She wouldn’t commit suicide […] My beloved daughter was murdered without any justice being given by the government. Instead, they simply arrested more innocent people and sent them to jail.”
On 20 May, five relatives and family friends were sentenced to 2½ years in prison for trying to seek justice for Tsering Tso. According to acquaintances, they were jailed for refusing to sign a statement absolving the police of blame for Tsering Tso’s death. The family of Tsering Tso are simply asking for a proper investigation and for the five men in prison to be released.
The article exemplifies the brutality of life under Chinese rule for ordinary Tibetans. Through our collective efforts, we were able to bring this story to the attention of the wider world. The article was read by 485,000 people on their Washington Post website, making it the most read world news story of that week.
We at Tibet Watch, alongside Free Tibet, are proud to have been able to amplify the voices of the local Tibetans in Kardze who have braved so much for many months now. They acted in the face of huge risk. It is our hope that they will receive justice for Tsering Tso’s untimely death.
On 20 May, five relatives and family friends were sentenced to 2½ years in prison for trying to seek justice for Tsering Tso. According to acquaintances, they were jailed for refusing to sign a statement absolving the police of blame for Tsering Tso’s death. The family of Tsering Tso are simply asking for a proper investigation and for the five men in prison to be released.
The article exemplifies the brutality of life under Chinese rule for ordinary Tibetans. Through our collective efforts, we were able to bring this story to the attention of the wider world. The article was read by 485,000 people on their Washington Post website, making it the most read world news story of that week.
We at Tibet Watch, alongside Free Tibet, are proud to have been able to amplify the voices of the local Tibetans in Kardze who have braved so much for many months now. They acted in the face of huge risk. It is our hope that they will receive justice for Tsering Tso’s untimely death.
July in Tibet
As is so often the case when it comes to from news from Tibet, July’s news stories were a combination of heart-breaking and also inspiring stories.
The demolition work which started at the visually stunning and important centre of learning, Larung Gar Buddhist Academy, in Serthar, eastern Tibet, on 20 July was the beginning of another tragic chapter in the Academy’s turbulent recent history. In 2002, most of Larung Gar Buddhist Academy had been reduced to rubble, the destruction was captured on video and the tapes smuggled out of Tibet physically by two monks. The photos and video acquired by Tibet Watch last week sadly called to mind the scenes of 14 years ago. This visual documentation was quickly disseminated to media by Free Tibet and could be seen on the BBC homepage by 22 July, 2016 as well as on numerous other media outlets.
A quote from an anonymous Larung Gar student was directly re-published by the BBC: "Where is the equality, rule by law, public welfare, religious freedom and equal rights of all nationalities (as they say) if you crush down the houses of innocent religious practitioners who are living simple lives?"
The demolition work which started at the visually stunning and important centre of learning, Larung Gar Buddhist Academy, in Serthar, eastern Tibet, on 20 July was the beginning of another tragic chapter in the Academy’s turbulent recent history. In 2002, most of Larung Gar Buddhist Academy had been reduced to rubble, the destruction was captured on video and the tapes smuggled out of Tibet physically by two monks. The photos and video acquired by Tibet Watch last week sadly called to mind the scenes of 14 years ago. This visual documentation was quickly disseminated to media by Free Tibet and could be seen on the BBC homepage by 22 July, 2016 as well as on numerous other media outlets.
A quote from an anonymous Larung Gar student was directly re-published by the BBC: "Where is the equality, rule by law, public welfare, religious freedom and equal rights of all nationalities (as they say) if you crush down the houses of innocent religious practitioners who are living simple lives?"
Just this past week saw an inspiring figure escape from Tibet safely into exile. Nyima Lhamo, 26, the niece of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, arrived in Dharamsala via Nepal on 24 July, 18 days after setting off from her home in eastern Tibet. Last year, Nyima Lhamo, along with her mother, was one of the key family members who travelled to see Tenzin Delek Rinpoche in prison. They were informed of his death when they arrived at the prison and were only allowed to see his dead body after much wrangling with the authorities. She even tried to commit suicide at the prison gates. Nyima Lhamo never gave up the fight for justice for her uncle’s death and lead efforts on the ground to have his body returned for the appropriate Tibetan traditional funeral rites. She also bravely spoke out to publicise the circumstances under which Tenzin Delek Rinpoche had died at the time, despite knowing the consequences.
Tibet Watch had the honour to host Tenzin Delek Rinpoche’s nephew Lobsang Tsering in London in March this year. The news of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche’s death was crushing but his students, followers, friends and family have been remarkable advocates of his work and values.
Tibet Watch had the honour to host Tenzin Delek Rinpoche’s nephew Lobsang Tsering in London in March this year. The news of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche’s death was crushing but his students, followers, friends and family have been remarkable advocates of his work and values.
June in Tibet
Following on from last month’s acts of resistance inside Tibet - such as the solo protest by a monk from Kirti Monastery and mass protests against mining - this past month we have seen both persistence and also innovation.
An example of the persistence and determination in grassroots activism in Tibet was shown by nomads from Trenak Township in Amdo. They were challenging a local official and the local authorities over the demolition of their homes and businesses the previous year on the shores of Qinghai Lake – an incident that Tibet Watch reported at the time. Both their shelter and their livelihood had been destroyed on official orders.
The nomads protested in their hundreds carrying a hand-written banner with a very clear message to authorities in Chinese saying, “We need to survive, We need to eat” – referring to the destruction of their livelihoods. This impressive level of organisation from Tibetans shows an increasing awareness of what is necessary for a successful non-violent protest. Despite appealing to the government for permission to reconstruct their houses through legal channels, the nomadic community were rejected so the protest was an escalation and it was met with a show of force by police and military.
Tibet Watch were able to learn of the protest on the same day that it happened - brave Tibetans on the ground were documenting the protest with many images and videos and sending them out on social media.
An example of the persistence and determination in grassroots activism in Tibet was shown by nomads from Trenak Township in Amdo. They were challenging a local official and the local authorities over the demolition of their homes and businesses the previous year on the shores of Qinghai Lake – an incident that Tibet Watch reported at the time. Both their shelter and their livelihood had been destroyed on official orders.
The nomads protested in their hundreds carrying a hand-written banner with a very clear message to authorities in Chinese saying, “We need to survive, We need to eat” – referring to the destruction of their livelihoods. This impressive level of organisation from Tibetans shows an increasing awareness of what is necessary for a successful non-violent protest. Despite appealing to the government for permission to reconstruct their houses through legal channels, the nomadic community were rejected so the protest was an escalation and it was met with a show of force by police and military.
Tibet Watch were able to learn of the protest on the same day that it happened - brave Tibetans on the ground were documenting the protest with many images and videos and sending them out on social media.
An example of innovative resistance came from an all-female protest against a government land grab in Lhundrub County inside the Tibet Autonomous Region. Around 100 Tibetan women took to the streets peacefully on 13 and 14 June to protest. The thinking behind having an all-female protest was that police and authorities would respond in a less heavy-handed manner towards women than they would do at a protest involving men. The strategy seems to have worked and thankfully Tibet Watch did not receive any reports of arrests or violence.
Women have played an important part in Tibetan resistance ever since thousands of Tibetan women in Lhasa gathered in front of the Potala Palace on 12 March 1959 to protest against Chinese rule. 26 of the self-immolation protests that have taken place to date in Tibet have been carried out by women, including lay women, mothers and nuns.
Women have played an important part in Tibetan resistance ever since thousands of Tibetan women in Lhasa gathered in front of the Potala Palace on 12 March 1959 to protest against Chinese rule. 26 of the self-immolation protests that have taken place to date in Tibet have been carried out by women, including lay women, mothers and nuns.
May in Tibet
This past month has seen a continuation in acts of resistance from Tibetans inside Tibet. From another brave solo protest taking place in Ngaba in Amdo, a monk detained for hanging a Tibetan national flag on a wall in his room in Kham , to learning of one more self-immolation protest against Chinese rule that took place earlier in the year, Tibetans are sending clear messages to the outside world, often at great personal risk.
Although there was an apparent slowdown in Tibetan self-immolation protests last year, there have been three so far this year - two in Tibet and one in India.
Although there was an apparent slowdown in Tibetan self-immolation protests last year, there have been three so far this year - two in Tibet and one in India.
Losang Thubten
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Jampa Gelek
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Sonam Tso
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Dorjee Tsering
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Kalsang Wangdu
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As an illustration of how hard it can be for people to get news out of Tibet, reports of the self-immolation protest that took place on 23 March 2016 only reached exile around 7 May. Mother of five, Sonam Tso, set herself alight near a local monastery and later died of her injuries in Dzoege County, Ngaba Prefecture.
News of Sonam Tso’s protest was delayed for two reasons. The first was a total clampdown on communications in the area. Known for being a hub of resistance, many areas in Ngaba Prefecture are no stranger to blocks on communications following incidents and as pre-emptive measures. For example, Ngaba had no internet at all throughout the whole of March - as a security measure.
News of Sonam Tso’s protest was delayed for two reasons. The first was a total clampdown on communications in the area. Known for being a hub of resistance, many areas in Ngaba Prefecture are no stranger to blocks on communications following incidents and as pre-emptive measures. For example, Ngaba had no internet at all throughout the whole of March - as a security measure.
The second reason is that Tibetans who witness, document or offer help to self-immolators are threatened, intimidated – or worse – by security forces. A monk called Tsultrim, who was also Sonam Tso's uncle, helped to bring her body inside the monastery and was subsequently arrested. Tsultrim spent eight days in detention and was accused of sharing information about Sonam Tso's self-immolation - an accusation that can carry heavy punishment in Tibet. Tsultrim was also forced to delete the photograph he had taken of the protest. Similarly, Sonam Tso’s husband Kalsang Gyaltsen, who had been present at the scene of the protest, was also called in for questioning three times.
Until February this year, there hadn’t been any known self-immolations in Tibet since August 2015. The self-immolation protest of 18-year-old monk Kalsang Wangdu took place in Nyarong County, Kardze Prefecture in eastern Tibet on 29 February 2016. On the same day, a 16-year-old boy called Dorjee Tsering also self-immolated in exile, in India. Both succumbed to their injuries.
An insightful observation that has been made by scholars over the recent years is that “North Korea is more accessible to foreign journalists than Tibet”. The scale of the information clampdown and the shutting down of the vast region to outside observers makes the work that Tibet Watch does a huge challenge but at the same time of great importance.
Until February this year, there hadn’t been any known self-immolations in Tibet since August 2015. The self-immolation protest of 18-year-old monk Kalsang Wangdu took place in Nyarong County, Kardze Prefecture in eastern Tibet on 29 February 2016. On the same day, a 16-year-old boy called Dorjee Tsering also self-immolated in exile, in India. Both succumbed to their injuries.
An insightful observation that has been made by scholars over the recent years is that “North Korea is more accessible to foreign journalists than Tibet”. The scale of the information clampdown and the shutting down of the vast region to outside observers makes the work that Tibet Watch does a huge challenge but at the same time of great importance.