Firings Over School Protests (RFA)

Teachers lose their jobs following Tibetan student demonstrations against Chinese rule.

KATHMANDU—The Tibetan headmaster of a middle school in China’s Gansu province has been fired, together with his assistants and the head of the county Public Security Bureau, following student protests at the school, according to Tibetan sources.

Students at the school remain confined to school grounds, sources said.

“The school is surrounded by armed security forces, and all the students are locked inside the campus,” a Tibetan resident of the area said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

“They are not allowed to move in and out.  Tension is extremely high in the Machu county area,” the man said.

The man’s account could not be independently confirmed, and a Machu [in Chinese, Maqu] county government official, reached for comment, denied knowledge of the events before hanging up.

Dozens of students at the Tibetan Middle School in Machu staged a protest March 14 on the second anniversary of a region-wide uprising against Chinese rule in Tibetan-populated areas of western China.

“[They] were joined by 500 to 600 other Tibetans,” a local resident said.

“They were shouting against their lack of freedom, and were calling for Tibetan independence,” the source said.

(more…)

Protests by Tibetan Students Spread -Updated

On March 16th, Radio Free Asia reported a large demonstration by Tibetan middle-school tudents in Machu County (Ch: Maqu), Amdo, Tibet which took place on March 14th. It was reported that 30 Tibetan middle school students called for the return of the Dalai Lama and Tibet’s independence. Following their detention over 500 Tibetans protested for their release at the local government office.

The Tibetan headmaster, along with his assistants and the head of the county Public Security Bureau, have since been fired following student protests in Machu. Read more here.

Reuters and the South China Morning Post also reported a similar protest by 20 Tibetan students in Tsoe (Ch: Hezuo), Amdo, Tibet. While it is known that the group was detained, no further details have been received.

It was later reported that protests by Tibetan students have occurred in Sangchu County, Labrang (Ch: Xiahe) in Amdo. At one school People’s Armed Police surrounded the students and forced them back into their school compound.  About 20 students were detained and were later released after being interrogated.

A fresh report from Phayul.com states that more than 20 elementary school students in Driru County (Ch: Biru) in Kham held a protest on March 22nd. The students  raised slogans like “Long live His Holiness the Dalai Lama’’, “Free Tibet”, “China out of Tibet” and “Let His Holiness the Dalai Lama come back to Tibet” during the protest. The protesters were later surrounded by Chinese security forces and their parents were held for interrogation.

An unconfirmed report of a small group of Tibetan students protesting at a predominantly Tibetan nationalities university in Neijiang, Sichuan Province on March 15th has also surfaced.

Take Action: Tell China to release all those detained

Timeline of students’ protests:

• March 22 | Primary school students stage protest in Kham Driru (Phayul)
• March 16 | Tibetan students in Sangchu County, Labrang protest (RFA)
• March 15 | Unconfirmed report of student protest in Neijiang
• March 14 | Tibetan students in Tsoe stage Protest (Reuters)
• March 14 | Tibetan students in Machu County stage Protest (RFA)

San Francisco: I am Tibetan because

Tibetans in San Francisco Bay area declare “I am Tibetan” on March 10, 2010.

SFTers in Hong Kong Mark Tibetan National Uprising Anniversary

SFT Hong Kong’s Christina Chan reports from in front of the Liaison Office of Chinese People’s Government (Chinese Embassy). Police responded harshly to the peaceful protesters who were demonstrating their solidarity with Tibetans inside Tibet.

Tibet in the media on March 10th

A Snapshot of March 10th media coverage from around the world:

Nepal – Tibetan activists protest in Kathmandu (Demotix)
View powerful photos of Tibetans protesting in Kathmandu on March 10th despite severe police crackdown:

London – Reuters footage of March 6th March for Tibet

Watch the video on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTM3-E60HHg

San Francisco – KTVU including quote SFT’s Yangchen Lhamo:

24-year-old Yangchen Lhamo said Tibetans have been using the internet, text messages and blogs to organize quickly and efficiently to call attention to their cause.

“We’re seeing the younger generation of Tibetans is carrying the Tibetan movement forward and taking it to new levels with creative nonviolent tactics,” said Lhamo.

Watch the video: http://www.ktvu.com/bartshooting/22805457/detail.html

New Mexico – Albuquerque Journal

Kalsang Lungtok carries a photo of the Dalai Lama as he and around 50 others march to the State Capitol on Wednesday March 10, 2010, to commemorate the 51st anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising against Chinese occupation.

(Eddie Moore/Albuquerque Journal)

New York – Free Tibet Takes on Union Square (NYU News)

Tibetan nun Ngawang Sangdrol said she was imprisoned for 11 years for shouting “Free Tibet” during a protest and secretly recording Tibetan music.

“I know from personal experience, it is very helpful when free people lead a free nation to put pressure on the Chinese government,” she said. “It makes a very big difference.”

Read the full article here with quotes from Lhadon Tethong, Director of Tibet Action Institute and Tenzin Yangsel, SFT Bard College: http://www.studentsforafreetibet.org/article.php?id=2164

Taipei, Taiwan – Tibetans Rally in Taipei for Uprising Anniversary
Read full article here: http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/ns_asia/2010-03-15/125517626081.html

Tibetans in NY Mark 2008 Uprising Anniversary

March 14^th, 2010- Despite heavy rain around 100 Tibetans and supporters held a demonstration in front of the Chinese Consulate in New York to mark the anniversary of the 2008 uprising in Tibet. The protesters called for the release of Tibetan political prisoners and for an end to China’s occupation of Tibet. Activists also collected signatures for the release of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche. The protest was organized by the 5 New York Tibetan organizations.

Click here for video of the protest by RTYCNYNJ

Click here for more photos

More photos from March 10th Protest in Dharamsala

All photos © Wasfia Nazreen

SFT Taiwan Represents at Tibetan Uprising Day march

SFT Taiwan members join Tibetans and their supporters in Taipei on March 14th to commemorate the 51st Anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising.

Become a friend of SFT Taiwan’s on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SFTTW.Fans
Visit SFT Taiwan’s blog: http://sft-taiwan.blogspot.com/