Thread: China Watch

Chinese media reports Tibet riot
Thursday, 29 November 2007




Chinese state media has carried a rare report of disturbances in Tibet.

Almost 200 people were involved in a riot following an argument between Buddhist monks and a local shopkeeper, Xinhua news agency said.
Shops and government offices were reportedly destroyed in the riot, which took place more than a week ago.
The agency said two Buddhist monks had been among seven people arrested. Xinhua gave no reason for the delay in reporting the riot.


'Ethnic tensions'

The two monks were accused of robbing a Chinese-run motorcycle maintenance shop on 19 November in the town of Paingar, about 300km (190 miles) north-east of the Tibetan capital, Lhasa, Xinhua reported.
Five other people were arrested for "fanning the riot" the day after the monks' arrest.
About 190 people, including monks, gathered outside local government headquarters to demand the release of those arrested.
The crowd then "destroyed shops and government facilities", Xinhua said.
The agency reported that crowds had been "persuaded to return home later the same day by government workers".
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao told Reuters news agency that that the situation in Tibet was now stable. "Anyone who tries to disrupt Tibet's stability and development will not have the support of the people and will not succeed," he said. Analysts say a growing population of Chinese settlers in Tibet has resulted in increased ethnic tensions in the province.

news.bbc.co.uk


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Tibet train carries China troops
Saturday, 1 December 2007



The railway snakes for 1,140km across 'the roof of the world'


China's high-speed, high-altitude railway to Tibet has carried troops to the regional capital, Lhasa, for the first time, state media has reported.
The Xinhua news agency cited unnamed sources in the People's Liberation Army as saying the railway would become "a main option" for transporting soldiers.
Analysts say the move is likely to fuel concerns that China is using the rail link to tighten its hold on Tibet.
Chinese tourism and trade to Tibet has surged since its opening 17 months ago.


Journey times cut

The $4.2bn (£2.1bn) Qinghai-Tibet line boasts high-tech engineering to stabilise tracks over permafrost and sealed cabins to protect passengers from the high altitude.
China says the 1,140km (710-mile) line has cut travel time to Lhasa from Beijing and other cities to just two days.
Previously, Lhasa could be reached only by plane or after a long, arduous road journey.
Trains now carry about 75% of all goods between Tibet and other parts of China, according to Xinhua. Tourism also soared by 64% during the first 10 months of the year, to 3.72 million tourists, compared with 2006, a separate report said. Critics say the railway line threatens not only the delicate Himalayan environment, but also the ancient Tibetan culture.

news.bbc.co.uk


add in the ' Kitty Hawk ' thread and you got some rumblings ..............


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Tibetan Monks Warned To Return to Monastery
Saturday, March 08, 2008

KATHMANDU, March 6: Chinese authorities in Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) have given protesting monks until March 8 to return to Jesho Baikar monastery or face “serious consequences,” Tibetan sources say.

snip

phayul.com



didn't comply ............





China arrests protesting monks
TUESDAY, MARCH 11, 2008


Tibetan refugees in India have continued their march to Tibet despite a ban by Indian police [AFP]

China has said that it quashed a protest by Buddhist monks in the Tibetan capital of Lhasa, amid reports that dozens were arrested for marking the anniversary of an uprising against Chinese rule.

The protest has provoked Beijing to warn that it will strike hard "against all illegal, criminal activities" that threaten social stability.

Qin Gang, a foreign ministry spokesman, told reporters on Tuesday: "Yesterday afternoon some monks in Lhasa, abetted by a small handful of people, did some illegal things.

"As for how to deal with these detained Tibetans, they have been dealt with according to the law," he said.

However, Gang declined to comment on their fate.

On Monday, 300 monks set out from Drepung monastery on the outskirts of Lhasa to the city centre, according to a report by Radio Free Asia, a US-funded broadcaster.

The report said between 50 and 60 marchers were arrested when police and paramilitary forces prevented the protest from growing by blocking roads and monasteries around Lhasa.

The march coincided with the 49th anniversary of a failed uprising against Chinese rule in Tibet.

Marchers defy ban

Separately on Tuesday about 100 Tibetan refugees in India vowed to defy a police ban and march to Tibet.

On Monday they set off from the town of Dharamsala, home to the Dalai Lama, Tibet's exiled spiritual leader.

But on Monday evening Indian police said the marchers were banned from leaving the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh state, until further notice.

On Tuesday they continued to march as planned and said they expected to reach the borders of the district by Thursday evening.

Tsewang Rigzin, president of the Tibetan Youth Congress, said: "Tibetan refugees have the right to return to Tibet.

"This is the first major obstacle we are facing, but we remain committed to marching."

Atul Fulzele, a Kangra police superintendent, told Reuters news agency he had received orders from the central government to restrain the marchers.

As the Olympics approach, Tibetans are trying to reinvigorate their freedom movement and protest against what they see as China's illegal occupation of their homeland.

The protests marked the anniversary of a 1959 uprising in Tibet against Chinese rule, which was crushed by the People's Liberation Army.

The Dalai Lama last week rejected a Chinese accusation that he was trying to sabotage the Olympics, saying he supports Beijing's right to host the games.

aljazeera.net

It's funny the way the "international community" will support an absolute theocracy as long as it is Buhddist or Christian. Tibet was historically always part of China. The period of Tibetan independece in the 20th century was caused by war and foreign intervention.

Second day of protests in Lhasa: monks dispersed by tear-gas
International Campaign for Tibet
March 11th, 2008



stivi.be
The tourists who witnessed the activity in the Jokhang Square on March 10 posted this image with the following caption: 'This bunch of harmless looking policemen were just a distraction. The undercovers were the hard men, who were also watching us closely, so taking pictures of them was no option.'


A crowd of several hundred monks were dispersed today in Lhasa by tear-gas after they protested the detention of Sera monks yesterday on the 49th anniversary of the major uprising against Chinese rule in Tibet, according to a report just released by Radio Free Asia. An eyewitness told RFA's Tibetan service that a couple of thousand armed police and People's Security Bureau personnel fired tear-gas at the crowd on a second day of protest in Lhasa.



stivi.be
Public Security Bureau officers seen at the Jokhang Square in Lhasa on March 10, photographed by tourists.

savetibet.org


from the blog of the photographer ............

Lhasa, march 10

Today we see how the real situation is in Tibet.
The day seems to be silent and peacefull, even boring. Until 6 o´clock. then 100s of Tibetans gather together on the Bakhor Square. They form a strong, silent, peacefull circle around the police who keep the middle of the square open. Soon they call for backup. Undercoveragents, not so difficult to recognize film the whole happening. Especially the faces. This is one method to create fear. Suddenly there is panic. 6 or 7 monks are arrested and driven away. Tibetans are very scared because of the stories about the prisons and tortures. In the mean while big numbers of policemen arrive. They drive everybody apart. But until sunset small groups of people stay around. There are tourists, Tibetans and Tibetan resembling spies. Apparently we stick around to long because some Tibetans start to warn us to be careful about the undercoverpolice who are watching us closely. We even get a note that says we are being followed and have to be carefull about what we say. The whole evening misty figures keep following us, even to the restaurant and the bar.

snip

Please do support the Tibetans who are struggeling for some freedom

Greetings!

Steve and Ulrike
11/03/2008 - 10:55

steve.ulrike.stivi.be

More Pic's and a Vid Here : Stivi - Steve en Ulrike´s travels

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China admits Tibet monk protests
Thursday, 13 March 2008


Campaigners say protesters are "emboldened" by wide support

Chinese officials have acknowledged that Buddhist monks were protesting in the Tibetan city of Lhasa this week.

Foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang said the authorities had "stabilised" the situation.

Unconfirmed reports earlier this week said as many as 600 monks had taken part in rallies, and that police used tear gas to disperse them.

Rights groups said the demonstrations were the biggest display of opposition to Chinese rule in Tibet since 1989.

US-based Radio Free Asia reported on Tuesday that dozens of monks had been detained as the authorities sought to crack down on dissent.

However, little information emerged from Tibet and the authorities remained tight-lipped until Thursday, when Mr Qin confirmed that a series of rallies had taken place.

"In the past couple of days, a few monks in Lhasa have made some disturbances in an effort to cause unrest," news agency AFP quoted him as saying.

"Thanks to the efforts of the local government and the democratic administration of the temples, the situation in Lhasa has been stabilised."


Everest closure

Radio Free Asia reported that a number of monks were arrested on Monday after a march marking the 49th anniversary of a Tibetan uprising against Chinese rule.

The radio station, which is funded by the US government, said hundreds of monks took to the streets the following day to demand the release of their fellow monks - and were dispersed by tear gas.




India halts Tibetan march

Campaigners based outside China say protesters in Lhasa are being spurred on by rallies in other Chinese provinces and in India.

"Tibetans inside Tibet are aware that Tibetans in India are marching towards the Tibet border," said Matt Whitticase from the UK-based Free Tibet Campaign.

He said protesters in Lhasa had been "emboldened" by the support they were receiving from across the world.

A surge in Tibetan activism could become a security headache for China in the run-up to the Beijing Olympics, correspondents say.

This week the Chinese leadership closed the north face of Mount Everest until after the Olympic Flame ascends in May, for fear that activists might use it to stage photogenic Tibet-related protests.

Beijing claims sovereignty over Tibet, but many Tibetans remain loyal to their spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, who fled in 1959 and currently lives in exile in India.

news.bbc.co.uk

If there's no oil, lets not hold our breath for the west to pressure for Tibetan (or Burmese) freedom and self-determination

This is not good PR for the Beijing Olympics. Not only that, Tibet has lots of support abroad by high profile movie stars and things. Expect to see the Beijing Olympics be a contentious platform for protests. Things could get ugly in Beijing, and it would be a terrible embarrassment for China. I expect to see China refuse various Tibet-sympathizers visas to visit the Olympics.

Information blackout on Tibet protests
14/03/2008



Submitted by Julien on Fri, 03/14/2008 - 12:01.

france24.com

The Nazi Germany and WW2 Japan of our century- the Mussies and the Chinese with the Ruskies right along with them.

Mark my word and remember this post - World War 3 will be with these three and it will make the wars of the past look like monopoly.

At least seven people died, state media reported.

Cite

Originally Posted by Mid

Tibet train carries China troops
Saturday, 1 December 2007


The railway snakes for 1,140km across 'the roof of the world'

China's high-speed, high-altitude railway to Tibet has carried troops to the regional capital, Lhasa, for the first time, state media has reported.

The Xinhua news agency cited unnamed sources in the People's Liberation Army as saying the railway would become "a main option" for transporting soldiers.

Analysts say the move is likely to fuel concerns that China is using the rail link to tighten its hold on Tibet.

Chinese tourism and trade to Tibet has surged since its opening 17 months ago.

Journey times cut

The $4.2bn (£2.1bn) Qinghai-Tibet line boasts high-tech engineering to stabilise tracks over permafrost and sealed cabins to protect passengers from the high altitude.

China says the 1,140km (710-mile) line has cut travel time to Lhasa from Beijing and other cities to just two days.

Previously, Lhasa could be reached only by plane or after a long, arduous road journey.

Trains now carry about 75% of all goods between Tibet and other parts of China, according to Xinhua. Tourism also soared by 64% during the first 10 months of the year, to 3.72 million tourists, compared with 2006, a separate report said. Critics say the railway line threatens not only the delicate Himalayan environment, but also the ancient Tibetan culture.

news.bbc.co.uk

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China begins Tibet railway extension
27/09/2010

China has begun building a 13.3-billion-yuan (two-billion-dollar) extension to the world's highest railway line, which links Tibet to the rest of the nation, state media reported Monday.


A train passes through the mountains outside of Golmud on the first part of the Qinghai-Tibet railway in China's northwest Qinghai province, in 2006. China has begun building a 13.3-billion-yuan (two-billion-dollar) extension to the world's highest railway line, which links Tibet to the rest of the nation, state media has reported.

The extension linking the Tibetan capital Lhasa to Xigaze -- the Himalayan region's second-biggest city -- should be completed in four years, the official China Daily said.

The building of the 253-kilometre (155-mile) line, which began on Sunday, is the first extension of the Qinghai-Tibet railway, which opened in July 2006, the report said.

Nearly half of the line will be laid in tunnels or on bridges, it added.

Chinese authorities see the railway as an important tool in modernising and developing the vast region.

However, critics say that the line is allowing the Han Chinese, the nation's majority ethnic group, to flood into Tibet, harming local culture and accelerating environmental degradation of the pristine region.

"The railway will detour around nature reserves and drinking water sources," Zhang Qingli, Tibet's Communist Party chief, was quoted as saying by the state-run Xinhua news agency.

"More measures will be taken during construction to better protect the fragile plateau environment."

Railways minister Liu Zhijun said the extension would play a "vital role in boosting tourism in the southwestern part of Tibet and promoting the rational use of resources along the line," according to the China Daily.

Authorities are also planning another extension from Lhasa to Nyingchi in the southeast of Tibet, the report said.

The railway climbs over a pass at 5,072 metres (16,737 feet) above sea level, making it the highest railway in the world.

bangkokpost.com

see also : https://teakdoor.com/issues/28071-chi...via-tibet.html