Today, 10 December 2009, we celebrate the 61st anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It is a solemn occasion for all of us about the great importance of this day and virtue of this document to people across the globe. It is once again a solemn reminder for us to redeem our pledge and commitment to promote dignity and justice for all human beings.
Since the birth of this historic document, we have made many positive progresses on non-discrimination, freedom of movement and association, freedom of expression and opinion, freedom from torture and arbitrary detentions. Yet there are many justice yet to be delivered and more freedom to be redeemed and hence let it be our firm pledge that we shall work in this direction, led by courage and our belief in universal rights.
We, the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) in last more than one decade has championed the fundamental human rights of the Tibetan people, as they continue to suffer greatly under the deplorable conditions imposed by the communist regime in China.
10 December, is also an important occasion for Tibetans, not just as International Human Rights Day but also the day on which the Dalai Lama received his Nobel Peace Prize in 1989, who is regarded as a talisman of justice, freedom and human rights across the globe as well as the greatest influencer of our times.
TCHRD will continue to work for promotion of the fundamental rights of the Tibetan people as guided by our two “twin missions”, to monitor and report the violation of human rights of the Tibetan people inside Tibet and to educate our Tibetan community about human rights, democracy and rule of law.
TCHRD hopes that the global nations through their diplomatic and economic ties will press China on its poor and deplorable human rights track record. It is also our hope that nations never give up dialogue on human rights in the face of more assertive and bully China with its growing economic and military might.
China continues to lack behind in human rights field, she still does not honour her citizens basic and fundamental human rights. For Tibetans, the recent years have been the most difficult times as they continue to reel under tremendous tragedy and misery.
In the last eleven months of 2009, TCHRD has documented, among others, the following few events:
Strike Hard campaigns:
· This year the Chinese government launched the “strike hard” campaigns on two occasions. First, a stipulated 42-day winter "Strike Hard" Campaign was launched in Lhasa city on 18 January 2009. The campaign was to serve many political purposes inside Tibet to forewarn Tibetans from taking part in any of protest and demonstration during coming important political dates like 10 March Tibetan uprising anniversary as well as on the first anniversary of the last year’s 14 March protest riot in Lhasa city. State run media claimed, Lhasa City Public Security Bureau (PSB) office deployed 600 officers, around 160 police vehicles and conducted raids on 7 housing blocks, 2922 rented houses, 14 guest house and hotels, 18 bars and 3 internet cafés in Lhasa. It said PSB rounded up 5766 suspects in raids. Under the campaign, the State law enforcement bodies abuse the fundamental human rights of the Tibetan people through arbitrary arrest, detention, interrogation and torture, dismissal from jobs and expulsion from religious institutions. During this campaign, at least 81 suspects were detained.
· The second “strike hard” campaign of the year was launched on 9 September 2009. The main objective of the “Strike Hard" campaign was to ensure stability and security in the “TAR” ahead of the 60th National Day Celebration. Under such circumstances, overwhelming restriction on daily life of ordinary Tibetans was order of the day. Monasteries and religious institutions were particularly hit hard during both campaigns. The “strike hard” campaigns were launched inside China to fight off crimes and other social ills but inside Tibet they were launched to quell protests and rein in Tibetan nationalistic sentiments.
Executions and suspended death sentences:
· This year also saw the executions of four Tibetans Lobsang Gyaltsen and Loyak, Penkyi and unnamed Tibetan on Tuesday, 20 October 2009 for their alleged involvement in last year’s mass protest that broke out on 14 March 2008.
· Moreover 3 Tibetans were given suspended death sentences and 11 other Tibetans with life imprisonment.
· For entire one-year period, they were not given any access to legal representations, legal council, free, fair and open trail. They were tried behind a closed-door court and faced prosecution. No tangible evidences and explanations were given to outside world about their “crimes”. The standard legal stipulations enshrined in China Criminal Procedure Law (CPL) were not followed. Despite numerous appeals by human rights activists and international organizations, the Chinese government went ahead with the executions, as if showing a lesson of “killing chickens to scare the monkeys”.
Persecution of writers, environment activists, bloggers, musicians and photographers:
· The year is particularly so harsh for Tibetan writers, photographers and civil societies. This year TCHRD documents 23 known cases of arrests of writers and civil society activists.
· Kunga Tsayang, a Tibetan writer-photographer was arrested on 17 March 2009 and given five years in prison sentence on charges of so-called “disclosing state secrets”. He wrote under a pen name "sun of snowland" (Tib: Gang-Nyi) was an amateur photographer, a passionate writer, essayist, chronicler of the new Tibetan generation. Kunga’s case goes to show the length of difficulties Tibetans undergo for mere expression of opinions.
· Similarly Kunchok Tsephel, another Tibetan who run a Tibetan language and culture website - Chomei (eng. Lamp) was arrested at his home in Gansu Province. The website was dedicated to the propagation of Tibetan arts and literature and was self-funded.
· Other civil society activists arrested by the Chinese authorities were: Dhondup Wangchen (documentary film maker), Drokru Tsultrim, Kang Kunchok, Tashi Dhondup (musician and singer), Nyima Wangchuk (blogger), Yeshi Namkha, Gonpo Tsering and Passang Norbu.
Losar and farming Boycott:
· This year Tibetans in Kardze region in Sichuan Province organized boycott of Losar (Tibetan New Year) and farming boycott to protest against China’s massive crackdown of peaceful Tibetan protesters in all parts of Tibet in Spring 2008. The Chinese government arrested many Tibetans who boycott farming and forego Tibetan New Year celebration. The local Tibetans filled their streets with posters declaring their vow to boycott farming activities and the Chinese authorities calling for a public meeting and issuing warning that "anyone who defies farming will face arrest and their land will be officially confiscated." There had been scores of arbitrary arrests; detentions, interrogations, tortures and many even disappeared for a year. Kardze is still one of the most volatile regions of Tibet and where human rights violations were mostly reported.
Suicide cases:
In recent times, TCHRD has been documenting a rising number of suicides in Tibet, particularly in its religious institutions. For several decades the monks and nuns inside Tibet have been persecuted in the name of “reform” and “patriotic education”.
They were forced to denounce their own spiritual guru and to abuse their highly respected lamas highly objected under monastic vows and code of conduct. In doing so, they were subjected to extreme psychological traumas and impositions of irreconcilable demands, which eventually force them to commit suicide. The monks and nuns are left with no option but to embrace death since the requisites laid down by the Chinese authority are beyond sanity. The suicide has been on the rise in Tibet’s monastic community since the Spring 2008 protests in Tibet. TCHRD documents 14 suicides and 2 attempted suicides since Spring 2008 protests.
The people who committed suicides were:
(1) Lobsang Jinpa committed suicide on 27 March 2008, (2) Legtsok, 75 years old, committed suicide on 30 March 2008, (3) Thoesam, 29 years old, committed suicide on 16 April 2008, (4) Trangma committed suicide on 18 June 2008, (5) Thokmey a.k.a Tsangpa Thokmey committed suicide on 22 March 2008, (6) Namdrok Khakyab committed suicide on 19 March 2008, (7) Tashi Sangpo committed suicide on 21 March 2009, (8) Tusong committed suicide on 16 April 2008, (9) An unnamed nun in her thirties from Cholung nunnery committed suicide on 12 April 2008, (10) Three unnamed monks from Dugu Monsatery, (11) Lobsang Tsultrim committed suicide on 3 July 2008, (12) Shedup committed suicide on 2 April 2009, (13) An unnamed nun, 21 years old, from Choekhor Nunnery committed suicide 12 April 2008, (14) Lobsang Tsomo, a nun at Chokhor Nunnery, committed suicide on 12 April 2008, (15) Attempt to Sucide- Two Drepung Monastery monks, Kelsang and Damchoe, both originally from Kirti Monastery in Sichuan Province, (16) Attempt to Sucide- Tapey, a monk at Kirti Jepa Monastery, Ngaba County, Sichuan Province, attempted suicide by self-immolation on 27 February 2009.
Persecution of Religious leaders:
This year also saw horrifying level of restriction and persecution of Tibet’s religious institutions in the name of “patriotic education” and “national security”. The trends were of persecutions were often surprise raids at monks’ residences at nights, conducts “patriotic education” campaigns for months, breaking down monastic order and discipline by conducting political education on “socialism” and forcing monks and nuns to study the constitution of China. The Chinese authorities also enforced the monks to denounce the Dalai Lama, to stamp on the pictures of their revered spiritual teachers. Those who failed or refused to comply the authorities’ orders were arrested, detained, interrogated, tortured, disrobe and then expelled from the monastery as a kind of ex-communication. Often charismatic head lamas were persecuted by fabricating false charges.
The classic case was that of Tulku Phurbu Tsering Rinpoche, a popular and charismatic spiritual figure in Kardze region of Tibet, who was arrested on alleged weapon charges related to last year’s peaceful protests in Kardze, Sichuan Province. According to many sources, he was reportedly tortured for four days and nights upon detention and forced into making a confession after a police interrogation. Police even threatened his wife and son of detention if Tulku did not comply, according to his lawyer.
Following his arrest, his monk and nun followers and disciples staged protests, many of them were arrested, detained and tortured. Several of them were still being involuntarily disappeared.
On this anniversary, TCHRD urges the Government of the People's Republic of China (PRC) to put an immediate end to the practice of torture, enforced disappearances, "patriotic education" campaigns, arbitrary detention and information blackouts and also calls upon the PRC government to respect and comply with international standards of human rights practices and its own constitutional guarantees.
