Engnews February 2014

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RFA BREAKING NEWS: Tibetan Father of Two Self-Immolates in Ngaba

by Rachel Vandenbrink

Tibetan Father of Two Self-Immolates in Ngaba December 4, 2013 — A Tibetan father of two self-immolated in protest against Chinese rule in a restive Tibetan prefecture in Sichuan province, triggering clashes and a security crackdown in the area, according to sources. Konchok Tseten, aged 30, torched himself late Tuesday at the Ngaba county's Meruma township center in the Ngaba (in Chinese, Aba) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, shouting slogans against Beijing's rule in Tibet and calling for the return of Tibet's spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, said the sources, speaking from inside Tibet. With his body engulfed in flames, Tseten managed to run for a distance along the main street before he collapsed, the sources said. Local residents clashed with police as they tried but failed to stop security forces from taking the severely injured Tseten away, they said. "While his body was on fire, he called for the long life of the Dalai Lama and appealed for the Dalai Lama's return to Tibet," a Tibetan with contacts in the area told RFA's Tibetan Service. "He also called for the reunion of Tibetans inside and outside Tibet." "Even after he collapsed on the ground, he was seen by local witnesses folding his hands together in prayer and uttering some words that were not audible," the Tibetan said. Eyewitnesses also said that local residents resisted police attempts to take away Tseten, who had suffered severe burns, resulting in a scuffle and the detention of several Tibetans. "The police arrived at the scene and tried to take him away as he was burning, but the local Tibetans who had gathered at the township resisted and tried to stop the police. This lasted for about one hour before the security forces took him away," another Tibetan said. Relatives detained Police detained Tseten's wife and several of his relatives, among others. "All the Tibetan stores and restaurants in Meruma town were ordered to be closed and many mobile phones were confiscated from the locals." Details of Tseten's condition were not immediately available amid a clampdown on information in Ngaba county following the self-immolation, the 124th since Tibetans launched burning protests in 2009 calling for Tibetan freedom and for the return to Tibet of the Dalai Lama, who fled into exile in 1959 following a failed national uprising against Chinese rule. Sporadic demonstrations challenging Beijing’s rule have continued in Tibetan-populated areas of China since widespread protests swept the region in 2008. Chinese authorities have tightened controls in a bid to check self-immolation protests, arresting and jailing Tibetans whom they accuse of being linked to the burnings. Some have been jailed for up to 15 years. The authorities have also attempted to pressure local Tibetans to sign an official order that forbids any kind of activities to support or sympathize with self-immolation protests, residents said. Reported by Lumbum Tashi and Lobe Socktsang for RFA's Tibetan Service. Translated by Karma Dorjee. Written in English by Parameswaran Ponnudurai. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/burn-03042012113258.html Radio Free Asia is a private, nonprofit corporation broadcasting and publishing online news, information, and commentary in nine East Asian languages to listeners who do not have access to full and free news media. RFA’s broadcasts seek to promote the rights of freedom of opinion and expression, including the freedom to “seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” RFA is funded by an annual grant from the Broadcasting Board of Governors. If you no longer wish to receive RFA news releases, send an e-mail to engnews-leave(a)rfanews.org . To add your name to our mailing list, send an e-mail to engnews-join(a)rfanews.org . ##### All media inquiries may be sent to Rohit Mahajan at mahajanr(a)rfa.org .

11 years

RFA Wins Gracie for Exposé on 'Birth Tourism' in Saipan

by Rohit Mahajan

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 18, 2014 Contact: Rohit Mahajan 202 530 4976 <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org RFA Wins Gracie for Exposé on Birth Tourism in Saipan WASHINGTON Radio Free Asia <http://www.rfa.org/english/> (RFA) has won a Gracie Award for its Cantonese Service <http://www.rfa.org/cantonese/> s exposé, Born in the USA: Instant Citizenship in Saipan <http://www.rfa.org/cantonese/features/hottopic/feature-China-birth-06262013 104200.html?encoding=simplified> , in the category of investigative program or feature. Sponsored by the Alliance for Women in Media <http://www.allwomeninmedia.org/> (AWM), the annual Gracies recognize exemplary media and entertainment programming created by women and focused on issues relating to women. We are thrilled to win a Gracie again this year among so many respected colleagues in journalism, said Libby Liu, President of RFA. Womens stories and stories that affect women are an important part of Radio Free Asias coverage every day. This award continues to inspire us at RFA to produce exceptional programming that makes an impact on womens lives throughout Asia. For RFAs winning entry, Cantonese Service journalist Vivian Kwan investigated the cottage industry of birth tourism in the U.S. territory of Saipan, an island in the western Pacific. Since the U.S. government waived the visa for Chinese tourists to visit the Northern Mariana Islands, which include Saipan, near-term Chinese women have been going there in great numbers. If they give birth during their stay, the mothers bypass Beijings one-child policy and can take advantage of instant U.S. citizenship status for their newborns. Kwan posed as an expectant mother and contacted two Chinese travel agencies to learn about the 11,000 USD packages that include accommodations, meals, documentation, hospital booking, an interpreter, and a driver. Excluded is the medical coverage, which can run up to 12,000 USD. Between 2010 and 2012, births attributed to Chinese tourists increased by 60 percent. The local government of the one-hospital island has requested that the federal government impose tighter border controls. RFA, along with this years winners, will be recognized at the 39th annual Gracies Gala on May 20 in Beverly Hills, Calif. Winners <http://www.thegracies.org/2013-grace-awards.php> include ABC News, CNN, NBC Nightly News, and Al Jazeera America, among others. # # # Radio Free Asia is a private, nonprofit corporation broadcasting and publishing online news, information, and commentary in nine East Asian languages to listeners who do not have access to full and free news media. RFAs broadcasts seek to promote the rights of freedom of opinion and expression, including the freedom to seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers. RFA is funded by an annual grant from the Broadcasting Board of Governors Rohit Mahajan | Radio Free Asia | Media Relations Manager <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org | O: 202.530.4976 | M: 202.489.8021

11 years

Radio Free Asia Responds to RSF 2014 Press Freedom Index

by Rohit Mahajan

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Feb. 11, 2014 Contact: Rohit Mahajan 202 530 4976 <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org Radio Free Asia President Responds to Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index Seven of RFA's nine language services in the bottom 10 percent WASHINGTON - In response to the release of Reporters Without Borders' 2014 World Press Freedom Index <http://rsf.org/index2014/en-index2014.php> , Radio Free Asia <http://www.rfa.org/english/> 's President Libby Liu noted that the survey shows little change in the poor media environments of China, Vietnam, North Korea and Laos, while Cambodia continued on its downward trajectory with heightened press threats in the past year. The survey also cited the slowdown of media reforms in Myanmar threatening the progress made in recent years. "This year's index paints a sobering portrait of RFA's countries as some of the world's worst for journalism," Liu said. "In China and Vietnam, an unrelenting crackdown continues on journalists, netizens, and cyberactivists who venture beyond state-controlled media headlines. "Myanmar, where RFA's on-the-ground presence has only strengthened over the past several years, continues to shows promise but is also at risk of losing ground. "Of particular concern is the worsening situation in Cambodia, where RFA's journalists have witnessed firsthand a pattern of intimidation, threats, and unsubstantiated accusations of bias waged by the government. Unfortunately, we anticipate that this pattern will continue." The survey ranked North Korea second to last at 179 of the 180 countries researched, with China at 175, Vietnam at 174, and Laos at 171. Cambodia was ranked at 144, with continued signs of deterioration. Myanmar showed slight improvement, ranking at 145 (up from 151 last year). RFA <http://www.rfa.org/about/> provides accurate, fact-based news and information via short- and medium-wave radio, satellite transmissions and television, online through the websites of its nine language services, and social media such as Facebook and YouTube, among other widely used platforms in its countries of operation. RFA's language services are Mandarin, Cantonese, Tibetan, and Uyghur, in China; Myanmar; Khmer (Cambodian); Vietnamese; Lao; and Korean. # # # Radio Free Asia is a private, nonprofit corporation broadcasting and publishing online news, information, and commentary in nine East Asian languages to listeners who do not have access to full and free news media. RFA's broadcasts seek to promote the rights of freedom of opinion and expression, including the freedom to "seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers." RFA is funded by an annual grant from the Broadcasting Board of Governors. Rohit Mahajan | Radio Free Asia | Media Relations Manager <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org | O: 202.530.4976 | M: 202.489.8021

11 years

RFA BREAKING NEWS: Tibetan Man Sets Himself Ablaze in First Burning Protest This Year

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Tibetan Man Sets Himself Ablaze in First Burning Protest This Year FEB. 6, 2014 — A Tibetan living in northwestern China’s Qinghai province has set himself on fire in protest against Beijing’s rule in the first self-immolation protest by Tibetans this year, triggering a security crackdown, local sources said Thursday. Phagmo Samdrub, 29, set himself ablaze “for the cause of Tibet” at around 9:30 p.m. on Wednesday near the Panchen Day School in Dokarmo township in Tsekhog (in Chinese, Zeku) county in the Malho (Huangnan) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, a local resident told RFA’s Tibetan Service. “On Feb. 5, a Tibetan called Phagmo Samdrub self-immolated for the cause of Tibet,” the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity and adding that Samdrub had been taken away by Chinese authorities. By the early hours of Thursday, Chinese forces had tightened security “very conspicuously” in Tsekhog and nearby Rebgong (Tongren) county, the scene of several earlier self-immolation protests, the source said. “Communication channels have been restricted in areas around Tsekhog, and it is said that [Samdrub] has been taken to government headquarters in Tsekhog county.” “No further details are available,” he added. Calling the Tsekhog county police department for comment, an RFA reporter was told that he had reached “the hospital” by mistake before the phone was hung up. Repeated calls to the same number were not answered Thursday. Burnings continue Samdrub’s protest brings to 126 the number of Tibetan self-immolations challenging Chinese rule in Tibetan areas and follows the Dec. 19 burning of a respected Tibetan monk in China’s Gansu province. Tsultrim Gyatso, 43, self-immolated at a road junction in Sangchu (Xiahe) county in the Kanlho (Gannan) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture after penning a one-page suicide note in which he called for the return of exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, sources said. Sporadic demonstrations challenging Beijing’s rule have continued in Tibetan-populated areas of China since widespread protests swept the region in 2008. Chinese authorities have tightened controls in a bid to check self-immolation protests, arresting and jailing Tibetans whom they accuse of being linked to the burnings. Some have been jailed for up to 15 years. Last month, three Tibetan men were ordered jailed for up to two years on charges of involvement in self-immolation protests against Chinese rule in Gansu province, sources in the region said. The three —Dorje Rabten, Kalsang Jinpa, and Dorje Tashi—were sentenced on Jan. 2 by the Tsoe (in Chinese, Hezuo) city court in Kanlho (Gannan) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, according to a source in Tibet. Reported by Lumbum Tashi for RFA’s Tibetan Service. Translated by Dorjee Damdul. Written in English by Richard Finney. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/ablaze-02062014133904.html Radio Free Asia is a private, nonprofit corporation broadcasting and publishing online news, information, and commentary in nine East Asian languages to listeners who do not have access to full and free news media. RFA’s broadcasts seek to promote the rights of freedom of opinion and expression, including the freedom to “seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” RFA is funded by an annual grant from the Broadcasting Board of Governors. If you no longer wish to receive RFA news releases, send an e-mail to <mailto:engnews-leave@rfanews.org> engnews-leave(a)rfanews.org. To add your name to our mailing list, send an e-mail to <mailto:engnews-join@rfanews.org> engnews-join(a)rfanews.org . ##### All media inquiries may be sent to Rohit Mahajan at <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.

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Engnews February 2014