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RFA BREAKING NEWS: Burmese Farmers Shot in Land Clash

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

cid:image001.png@01CCE405.460E1840 Burmese Farmers Shot in Land Clash FEB. 26, 2013— Police in southwest Burma on Tuesday shot and wounded at least nine farmers who were among hundreds trying to take back land they say was confiscated by a private company without compensation, according to police and activists. The violence erupted in a cluster of villages in Ayeyarwady division's Maubin township after about 300 to 500 farmers defied police warnings and moved to furrow some 500 acres (200 hectares) of land they say were seized over a decade ago. Police fired at the crowd after the farmers attacked them with sticks and knives, a police officer told RFA’s Burmese Service. The policemen took the action to prevent the farmers from taking over the land that had already been allocated to a private group. The police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the farmers had violated orders under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code—a provision allowing authorities emergency powers to control public order that has drawn criticism from rights groups. Twenty-six police personnel were wounded in the clashes and have been hospitalized, in addition to the nine farmers—five men and four women. A farmer named Maung Soe said that police used batons to beat men and women in the crowd, who hit back at them. “Although the police threatened us, we didn’t think they were going to shoot us. That’s why we didn’t move from the fields when they asked us to,” he told RFA. The farmers were from Kundinelay, Latpangone, Adate, Papin, and Palaung villages in the Malatto group of villages in Maubin, some 35 miles (50 kilometers) outside the former Burmese capital Rangoon. Reclaiming farmland Police had been deployed in the area since last week when the farmers started clearing the land for cultivation, according to activist Win Choe, from the Guiding Star Association, a non-governmental organization that is working with farmers in the area. “On February 21st, the farmers started clearing the land to get ready to farm and 150 police came to the area the next day. There were 200 police the next day and 300 in the area today,” she said on Tuesday. Some 1,000 acres (400 hectares) of land in the area that used to be rice paddies had been confiscated by a private company 10 years ago, with half of it bulldozed and turned into fishing ponds, she said. Earlier on Tuesday, farmers and activists had been barred from a meeting with authorities on the land dispute that they had been invited to, Win Choe said. The farmers say the land has belonged to them for generations and that it was taken illegally without any compensation. Concern over land disputes Land disputes have come to the fore in Burma as the country emerges from decades of military rule, with rights groups expressing concern about a potential “land-grabbing epidemic” in the country. Protests in northern Burma’s Sagaing division over land that farmers said was being confiscated for a Chinese-backed copper mine in the Letpadaung mountains drew nationwide concern after a brutal police crackdown in November. Analysts say many of the land disputes are not new, dating back a period when the former military junta attempted to open up to investors in the early 1990s, while others are linked to fresh conflicts emerging as the former pariah state opens up to global foreign investment. Reported by Moe Thu Aung and Win Naing for RFA’s Burmese Service. Translated by Khet Mar. Written in English by Rachel Vandenbrink. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/burma/maubin-02262013183320.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 <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.

12 years, 3 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS: Tibetan Burnings Reach 100

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Tibetan Burnings Reach 100 FEB. 13, 2013— A Tibetan man set himself on fire in Nepal’s capital Kathmandu on Wednesday in a protest calling for freedom for Tibet, while a separate burning was reported in China’s Sichuan province that brought to 100 the number of Tibetans who have self-immolated in China. Speaking to RFA’s Tibetan Service, sources in Kathmandu said the self-immolation took place in the morning next to Nepal’s famous Boudhanath Stupa, a favorite gathering place for Buddhist pilgrims, tourists, and Tibetan residents of the area. “Before the man set himself ablaze, he drenched himself in kerosene and was seen walking against the flow of traffic of devotees who were circumambulating the stupa in a clockwise direction,” the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity. “Witnesses heard him identify himself as Dawa and heard him call for the long life of [exiled spiritual leader] the Dalai Lama and for freedom for Tibet.” A second source said that Nepalese police put out the fire and took the protester to Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital in Kathmandu. Hospital sources identified the man as Dondrub Lotsey, a name they said was given by police. The burned protester’s condition was described by a doctor as “critical,” Human Rights in Nepal Organization president Sudip Phatak said, speaking to RFA. Self-immolations by Tibetans outside China challenging Beijing’s rule in Tibet have also taken place previously in India and as far away as France. The number of Tibetan self-immolations in China rose to 100 after it was learned Wednesday that a former monk from Kirti monastery in Sichuan province’s Ngaba (in Chinese, Aba) prefecture had self-immolated last week. Reports also recently emerged that a Tibetan woman, Pasang Lhamo, 62, had self-immolated in Beijing on Sept. 13 after officials in Sichuan's Yulshul (in Chinese, Yushu) prefecture had refused to allow her to keep her ancestral home. Her case was not previously included in lists of Tibetan self-immolators. 'A grim milestone' The former Kirti monk, Lobsang Namgyal, 37, self-immolated in Ngaba at a site close to a police station on Feb. 3, according to exiled Tibetan monks Kanyak Tsering and Lobsang Yeshi in India, citing sources in the region. “He ran toward the police station, calling out slogans with his body on fire, and died at the scene,” Tsering and Yeshi said. “Police then cremated his remains and handed them over to his family,” they said. Namgyal, one of a family of four brothers and four sisters, was detained and harassed last year by police, forcing him to seek shelter with relatives living in a nomadic area, Tsering and Yeshi said, adding that authorities had accused him of not being “a genuine monk.” “[But] he is reported to have been a well-behaved monk who took his studies very seriously without missing his classes at Kirti monastery,” they said. Namgyal is believed to be the 100th Tibetan living in areas governed by China to have self-immolated in protest against Beijing’s rule. “This grim milestone should be a source of shame to the Chinese authorities who are responsible and to the world leaders who have yet to show any leadership in response to the ongoing crisis in Tibet,” Stephanie Brigden, director of the London-based Free Tibet advocacy group, said in a statement. “China employs brutal repression, propaganda and bribery to no avail: protest and resistance will continue as long as the Tibetan people are denied their freedom,” Brigden said. Reported by RFA’s Tibetan Service. Translated by Karma Dorjee and Lumbum Tashi. Written in English by Richard Finney. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/burnings-02132013165012.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 <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.

12 years, 3 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS: Uyghur Scholar Faces Heart Problems After Grilling

by Joshua Lipes

Uyghur Scholar Faces Heart Problems After Grilling FEB. 26, 2013-Chinese police are intensively questioning a prominent Uyghur scholar and have refused to allow him to see a doctor despite his complaints of heart problems triggered by the continuous nature of the interrogations. Ilham Tohti, a professor at the Central Minorities University in Beijing, said he had been persistently interrogated in recent days by the police and held under a 24-hour watch at home since he was barred on Feb. 2 at the Beijing airport from leaving to the United States to take up a position at Indiana University. "Last Friday, officers of the Public Security Bureau questioned me for more than six hours, leaving me exhausted and sweating and having problems with my heart," Ilham Tohti told RFA's Uyghur Service by telephone on Monday. Tohti had been questioned from 3:00-9:00 p.m., leaving him tired and weak, he said in a microblog message sent out to friends and supporters at midnight on Feb. 22. Police questioned him again on Monday, but noticed he was having physical difficulties, Tohti said. "They said that I could take a break from questioning to see a doctor on Tuesday," he said. But police came to take him away for questioning again on Tuesday, one of Tohti's students told RFA, speaking on condition of anonymity. "Because they are questioning him again, he cannot see a doctor," the student said. Tohti, who has been detained several times before, is a vocal critic of the Chinese government's treatment of the minority Uyghurs, most of whom live in the northwestern Xinjiang region. Visiting scholar Tohti was questioned by police at the Beijing airport for eight hours before he was taken back to his home in Beijing on Feb. 2 as he was about to fly to the U.S. to take up a post on a U.S.-issued J-1 visa as a visiting scholar at Indiana University. His teenage daughter, who was to have accompanied him, was allowed to take the American Airlines flight to the U.S. and is now safe in Indiana. A group of global scholars and human rights organizations had criticized the Chinese authorities for imposing the travel ban on Ilham Tohti, saying the case epitomized intimidation of intellectuals generally in China and suppression of ethnic rights. Scholars at Risk (SAR), a New York-based international network of over 300 universities and colleges in 34 countries, sent a letter to President Hu Jintao asking him to investigate the case and urging the appropriate authorities to explain publicly the circumstances surrounding the travel restriction on the professor. In August last year, Chinese authorities interrogated the professor, warning him not to speak to foreign media or discuss religion online after he alleged that Chinese security forces had been sent to mosques in Xinjiang to monitor Muslims during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. A year earlier, the Central Minorities University canceled a class taught by Tohti on immigration, discrimination, and development in Xinjiang, where many Muslim Uyghurs say they suffer ethnic discrimination, oppressive religious controls, and continued poverty and joblessness under Chinese rule. Reported and translated by Mihray Abdilim for RFA's Uyghur Service. Written in English by Richard Finney. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/uyghur/scholar-02262013173932.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.

12 years, 3 months

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Radio Free Asia Wins Gracie Award

by Rohit Mahajan

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 26, 2013 Contact: Rohit Mahajan 202 530 4976 <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org Radio Free Asia Wins Gracie Award Cantonese Story on Trafficked Woman's Family Reunion Recognized WASHINGTON - Radio Free Asia (RFA) has won a prestigious Gracie Award for its Cantonese language entry "Kidnapped Woman Reunites with Family" in the international contest's category of outstanding investigative program or feature. The annual Gracie Awards recognize programming created by women and focused on issues relating to women. They are sponsored by the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation. "Radio Free Asia strives to tell the stories of the subjugated, oppressed, and those left without recourse," said Libby Liu, President of RFA. "Unfortunately, women and girls too often fall into this category, as they are trafficked, abused, and left vulnerable without any way to reclaim their lives. "We are thrilled to earn this award and appreciate the attention it helps bring to human trafficking and the struggle too many women face in Asia and throughout the world." For RFA's winning entry, Cantonese Service reporter Vivian Kwan produced a two-part feature about the reunion of a Chinese woman with her birth parents, from whom she was kidnapped as an 8-year-old before being forced to do housework for an adoptive family almost a thousand miles from her hometown. The woman, originally from China's Southwestern province of Guizhou, met her parents and siblings after tracking them down following 22 years of separation. RFA's story dramatizes the plight of young girls trafficked in China by focusing on the torturous life of one of its many victims. This report was broadcast by RFA's Cantonese Service in January 2012. RFA's accomplishment will be recognized at the 38th annual Gracie Awards Gala on May 21 in Los Angeles. Winners <http://www.thegracies.org/2013-grace-awards.php> in this year's competition included CNN, Al Jazeera English, ABC News, NPR, Bloomberg Radio, and Univision, 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. 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 Media Relations Manager Radio Free Asia Email: mahajanr(a)rfa.org Desk: (202) 530-4976 Cell: (202) 489-8021 www.rfa.org

12 years, 3 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS: Uyghur Scholar Put on 24-hour Watch

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Uyghur Scholar Put on 24-hour Watch FEB. 7, 2013— An ethnic Uyghur scholar who was blocked last week from leaving China to take up a post at a U.S. university said Thursday that he is being watched around the clock by police stationed outside his Beijing home and that his website has also been hacked. Ilham Tohti said one of his students at the Central Minorities University in Beijing where he teaches is also being harassed by the authorities, who have warned him against giving interviews to foreign news organizations. “Because I speak to foreign media, they question me and warn me, but I will never stop speaking out,” Ilham Tohti told RFA’s Uyghur Service by telephone from his Beijing residence. “In China, there is no freedom for anyone,” he said. On Saturday, Tohti was detained at an airport in Beijing while attempting to board a flight that would take him to the U.S., where he was set to take up a post on a U.S.-issued J-1 visa as a visiting scholar at Indiana University. Daughter safe His teenage daughter, who was to have accompanied him, was allowed to take the American Airlines flight to the U.S. and is now safe in Indiana, Tohti said. After being questioned by police at the airport for eight hours, Tohti was taken back to his home in Beijing, he said. “Now, a police car is parked outside my home 24 hours a day, and police question anyone who speaks to me in person or on the phone,” he said, adding that the Public Security Bureau in Beijing has warned him not to speak to foreign media. “But I speak for freedom and democracy, and I want the world to know about the situation of the Uyghurs,” Tohti said. A vocal critic Tohti, who has been detained several times before, is a vocal critic of the Chinese government’s treatment of the minority Uyghurs, most of whom live in the northwestern Xinjiang region and complain of discrimination by the county’s majority Han Chinese. Following his airport detention, unknown hackers attacked his website uyghur.net, which is hosted overseas and discusses Uyghur social issues and news from Xinjiang, Tohti said. The website, a successor to the Uyghur Online website which he founded but was shut down by Beijing in 2009, had reported details of his detention, he said. Chinese authorities have also harassed his student Atikem Rozi, Tohti said, with police taking her on Feb. 5 from her home in Toksu county in Xinjiang’s Aksu district and questioning her for four to five hours. “Things are very bad for her right now, and her parents are very worried,” he said. Canceled class Ilham Tohti told RFA in December that speaking out on Uyghur issues was negatively impacting his family’s life in Beijing as well as his own. In August 2012, Chinese authorities interrogated the professor, warning him not to speak to foreign media or discuss religion online after he alleged that Chinese security forces had been sent to mosques in Xinjiang to monitor Muslims during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. In September 2011, the Central Minorities University canceled a class taught by Tohti on immigration, discrimination, and development in Xinjiang, where many Muslim Uyghurs say they suffer ethnic discrimination, oppressive religious controls, and continued poverty and joblessness under Chinese rule. Reported and translated by Mihray Abdilim for RFA’s Uyghur Service. Written in English by Richard Finney. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/uyghur/watch-02072013144048.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 <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.

12 years, 4 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS: Jailed Vietnamese Blogger Blasts Government

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Jailed Vietnamese Blogger Blasts Government FEB. 6, 2013— In a petition that has been smuggled out of prison, Vietnam's most prominent jailed blogger has blasted the communist authorities for imposing a harsh sentence on him and questioned the relevance of the law under which he was punished. Nguyen Van Hai, a founding member of the banned ‘Free Journalists Club’ website, also said in the petition that he was hopeful that Article 88 of the Penal Code, which has been used by the one-party Communist government to muzzle dissent, will be abolished before he leaves prison. A copy of Hai's petition appealing his harsh 12-year prison sentence in September last year was provided to RFA's Vietnamese Service by Vietnamese-American pro-democracy activist Nguyen Quoc Quan, who was freed last week by Hanoi after being jailed for nine months on subversion charges. Hai, who is popularly known by his pen name Dieu Cay, gave the petition to Quan while they were in the same prison block for two weeks last year. Quan, worried that prison guards would seize the petition, gave it to another source to smuggle it out. It was handed to Quan on his release last week. The prison officials had refused to submit Hai's critical appeal petition to the authorities and he had to water it down, Quan said. "The wording of that petition is very strong and that was why the prison authorities did not want to accept it," Quan told RFA in an interview following his return home to California. "They told him to tone it down but he argued with them. They said that if he did not rewrite his petition, they would not take it [to the higher authorities]. That was why he rewrote his petition," Quan said. "I was moved when I read it." 'Failure to build democracy' Hai said in the petition that his trial "is an obvious evidence of the failure of building a democracy in Vietnam." "The setting up of the Free Journalists Club is an effort to exercise the freedom of the press, and the freedom of expression, association and gathering, and does not violate the law," according to the petition. Hai wrote the petition a day after he was sentenced on Sept. 24 for political blogging that included hundreds of articles posted online. His appeal was eventually turned down in December last year. Hai, who had been imprisoned on other charges since 2008, was among several detained journalists mentioned by U.S. President Barack Obama in a speech on World Press Freedom Day last May. Obama said the blogger’s first arrest in 2008 had “coincided with a mass crackdown on citizen journalism in Vietnam.” Hai said in the petition that Article 88, under which he was convicted for “conducting propaganda” against the state, "will see its demise before he is free." "I think that is the main message [in the petition], Quan said, adding that Hai had wanted his original petition to be publicized to the outside world so that the Vietnamese authorities could be pressured to embrace political reforms. Hai wanted Article 88 and several other laws used by the Vietnamese government to silence dissent to be "eliminated" from the Penal Code, Quan said. Hai's articles before his arrest had criticized human rights abuses, corruption and foreign policy in Vietnam. Vietnamese authorities have jailed dozens of political dissidents since launching a crackdown on freedom of expression at the end of 2009, many of them charged with “aiming to overthrow the government.” Reported by RFA's Vietnamese Service. Written in English by Parameswaran Ponnudurai. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/vietnam/blogger-02062013212755.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 <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.

12 years, 4 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS: Uyghur Scholar, Daughter Held in Beijing

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

cid:image001.png@01CCE405.460E1840 Uyghur Scholar, Daughter Held in Beijing FEB. 1, 2013 — An outspoken ethnic Uyghur scholar said he and his daughter have been detained by Chinese authorities as they were about to leave Beijing airport for the United States. “My daughter and I are kept in two separate rooms," Ilham Tohti, a professor at the Central Minorities University in Beijing, told RFA's Uyghur Service by mobile telephone at 10.17 a.m. Beijing time on Feb 2 (9.17 p.m. Washington time, Feb 1) before the device was believed to have been taken away by the authorities. When asked whether RFA could report his detention, he said, "Yes." The connection then dropped. RFA then tried calling his mobile phone repeatedly but kept getting a recording, "Unable to connect." Ilham Tohti had been detained several times before and he and his family faced a number of restrictions in Beijing since July 2009 when deadly ethnic violence between Uyghurs and Han Chinese rocked China's northwestern Xinjiang region's capital Urumqi, leaving about 200 people dead. The Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region is the homeland of China's Uyghur minority who complain of discrimination by the country's majority ethnic Han Chinese group. Text messages Ilham Tohti, who has constantly and fearlessly voiced the grievances of the Uyghurs, earlier on Saturday told his friend via text messages that he and his teenage daugter were detained "as they were going through security checks" at the airport. The friend, speaking on condition of anonymity to RFA, said that Ilham Tohti informed him that two policemen were watching him at the airport, providing the identification badge numbers of them. A few minutes later, RFA received a text mesasage from Ilham Tohti saying that "now there are four policemen watching me." He provided the identification badge numbers of the two additional policemen. When his friend asked him how he could help, the scholar said, "Report it to the outside world." Ilham Tohti was the founder of Uyghur Online, a moderate, intellectual website addressing social issues. It was shut down by authorities in 2009. A new version of the site, which reports Xinjiang news and discusses Uyghur social issues, reopened last year and is hosted overseas and blocked by censors in China. Party congress He was taken away from Beijing to Urumqi and Atush, his hometown in the Xinjiang region, in October last year ahead of the 18th National Congress of the ruling Chinese Communist Party in the Chinese capital. His six-year-old son had also been refused entry to primary school in Beijing last year. Ilham Tohti told RFA in December that he was afraid that speaking out about Uyghur social issues in Xinjiang has been negatively affecting his family’s life in Beijing in addition to his own. In August, Chinese authorities interrogated Ilham Tohti, warning him not to speak to the foreign media or discuss religion online, after he alleged on his website that the authorities had sent armed forces to mosques in Xinjiang to monitor Muslims during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. In September 2011, the Beijing Minorities University cancelled a class taught by him on immigration, discrimination, and development in Xinjiang, where many Muslim Uyghurs chafe under Beijing's rule. Ilham Tohti, who has called for implementation of regional autonomy laws in his home region, was also detained for two months following the July 2009 ethnic violence. Uyghurs say they have long suffered ethnic discrimination, oppressive religious controls, and continued poverty and joblessness despite China's ambitious plans to develop its vast northwestern frontier. Chinese authorities blame Uyghur separatists for a series of deadly attacks in recent years and accuse one group in particular of maintaining links to the al-Qaeda terrorist network. Reported by Mihray Abdilim for RFA’s Uyghur Service. Written in English by Parameswaran Ponnudurai and Jennifer Chou. View this story online at : http://www.rfa.org/english/news/uyghur/scholar-02012013225438.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 .

12 years, 4 months

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RELEASE: Radio Free Asia Responds to Reporters Without Borders' Press Freedom Index

by Rohit Mahajan

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 30, 2013 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 Findings show decline of free press in RFA countries, with fragile progress in Burma WASHINGTON - In response to the release of Reporters Without Borders' 2013 World Press Freedom Index <http://en.rsf.org/press-freedom-index-2013,1054.html> , Radio Free Asia's President Libby Liu said the survey's findings show little signs of improvement in Asia with the exception of Burma. "Once again, North Korea, China, Vietnam, and Laos are ranked among the world's worst offenders not only for censoring news but also severely punishing citizens and cyber dissidents for accessing and sending out information," Liu said. "It is also deeply worrying that the report describes the press freedoms situation being 'critical' in Cambodia, which is listed among the countries having lost the most ground. "From using its courts as a cynical means to jail journalists to threatening our reporters behind closed doors in an attempt to dictate how we cover sensitive issues, Cambodia is running away from transparency." "Only time will tell whether Burma's press freedom reforms will take root and form a lasting foundation for free speech. But we hope our presence in this new but fragile environment helps encourage and strengthen the country's emerging media trends," Liu added. The survey ranked North Korea second to last at 178th of 179 countries researched, with China at 174th, Vietnam at 172nd, and Laos at 168th. Burma jumped to 151st place from 169th in last year's index, with the release of imprisoned journalists, return of exile media organizations, and the beginnings of legislative reform to remove official censorship. Cambodia fell 26 places to 143rd (from 117th in 2012), with the report stating that "news organizations, in particular independent local and foreign radio stations" are being "subjected to a policy of censorship orchestrated by an increasingly ruthless information ministry," and that the country's decline in press freedoms "also involved deadly attacks and death threats aimed at journalists who exposed government corruption and illegal activities harmful to the environment." In October, Cambodian cabinet officials summoned reporters from Radio Free Asia and Voice of America to complain about coverage critical of the government and threatened legal action against both broadcasters. RFA described the meeting as a "blatant attempt to discourage objective reporting on the government." RFA provides accurate, fact-based news and information via short- and medium-wave radio, satellite transmissions and television, and online through the websites of its nine language services. These include RFA Mandarin, Cantonese, Tibetan, Uyghur, Burmese, 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 Media Relations Manager Radio Free Asia Email: mahajanr(a)rfa.org Desk: (202) 530-4976 Cell: (202) 489-8021 www.rfa.org

12 years, 4 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS: Ex-Burmese Minister Put Under House Arrest

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

cid:image001.png@01CCE405.460E1840 Ex-Burmese Minister Put Under House Arrest JAN. 23, 2013—The Burmese authorities have placed the recently-resigned Minister of Posts and Telecommunications under house arrest over possible links to high-level corruption in a proposed nationwide telecommunications network, a government official said Wednesday. Former minister Thein Tun and more than 50 officials from his ministry are under investigations over the graft issue as the government invites companies to submit investment proposals for nationwide telecommunications services, including telephone and Internet connectivity, officials said. Thein Tun, whose resignation was announced by state media last week, "is under house arrest and is being investigated at his home" in the capital Naypyidaw, an official from the Ministry of Home Affairs told RFA's Burmese Service. A group led by Auditor-General Thein Htike is leading the probe team that includes officers from the Criminal Investigations Department and the Bureau of Special Investigation, officials said. Details on the corruption allegations were not immediately available but sources said that the officers under investigation include the general manager of the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, Thein Oo; the ministry's managing director, Eitedila; and chief engineer of the ministry's mobile department, Htay Win. The probe also covers two Chinese telecom companies, Huawei and ZTE, which have a significant market share of the mobile phone market, and 11 other companies believed to be working with the ministry to expand access to mobile phones in Burma, where the lack of communications infrastructure is viewed as a major stumbling block to development. Burma, one of the world's poorest countries, is believed to have the lowest mobile phone penetration rate in Asia, with about 3 million people, or only 5 percent of the population, using mostly low-end handsets, reports say. Mobile SIM cards cost from around $250 while the Internet is mainly the preserve of the urban elite. Licenses A week ago, the government invited local and foreign companies to submit investment proposals for a nationwide telecommunications network and state media reported that two companies will be awarded telecommunications licenses after bids close later this month in the lucrative sector. The liberalization move is part of changes by reformist President Thein Sein, who came to power in March 2011 and introduced a series of political and economic reforms after almost five decades of repressive military rule. Thein Tun had joined Thein Sein’s original cabinet in April 2011. Thein Tun's resignation was believed to be due to his refusal to reduce the price of SIM cards for mobile phones to levels sought by the president, according to sources close to the ministry, the Irrawaddy online newspaper had reported last week. Thein Tun, who had overall responsibility for mobile licensing, reportedly disagreed with a plan to drastically cut the cost of buying a SIM card during a cabinet meeting, the newspaper said. The President’s Office had called for the price of a SIM card for GSM and CDMA 450 MHz handsets to be set at 50,000 kyat (around U.S. $55), but Thein Tun argued that the ministry would lose half of its investment if it sold the cards at that price. Thein Tun reportedly wanted to produce 4 million SIM cards—enough for roughly 10 percent of the country’s population—and sell them at 200,000 kyat ($U.S. 220) apiece. However, this price would put the cards beyond the reach of most Burmese consumers, the Irrawaddy only journal reported. The ministry, which has already produced 3 million SIM cards, has come under pressure from private companies to sell them at a cheaper price. Reported by RFA's Burmese Service. Translated by Khet Mar. Written in English by Parameswaran Ponnudurai. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/burma/phone-01232013152301.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 <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.

12 years, 4 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS: Tibetan Protester in New Burning

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

cid:image001.png@01CCE405.460E1840 Tibetan Protester in New Burning JAN. 18, 2013— A young Tibetan man set himself on fire and died outside a police station in China’s Sichuan province on Friday in a challenge to Beijing's rule in Tibetan areas, according to sources in the region. It was the second Tibetan self-immolation this year and the 97th since the wave of fiery protests began in February 2009 aimed at highlighting opposition to Chinese rule and seeking the return of Tibet's spiritual leader the Dalai Lama. Tsering Phuntsok, 28, set himself ablaze at about 3:15 p.m. local time outside a Chinese police station in Marthang (in Chinese, Hongyuan) county in Sichuan’s Ngaba (Aba) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Tibetan sources said. “A Tibetan martyr self-immolated [today],” one source told RFA's Tibetan Service, saying, “All relevant groups have been requested to say prayers in solidarity.” Phuntsok, who came from Marthang county’s Drachen Township, Unit 2, is survived by his wife and two children, sources said. His father’s name is Kyokpo and his mother’s name is Yangtso. “Shortly after the self-immolation, monks from Amchok Tsennyi monastery gathered at the deceased’s house and said prayers,” another source said. The area is now under a heavy security clampdown, according to local sources. Appeal to end 'drastic actions' Chinese authorities have already clamped down on the Internet and other communications in the areas where self-immolations have occurred. Satellite equipment used by Tibetans to tune in to foreign radio and TV programs has also been seized. Tibet’s India-based exile government, the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), confirmed Phuntsok’s protest and death in a statement Friday, adding that it “reiterates its appeal to Tibetans not to resort to drastic actions such as self-burnings.” Human rights in Tibetan areas governed by China have plunged to “a new low,” the Dharamsala, India-based Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy said this week. The exile group asked Chinese authorities to release Tibetan political prisoners and investigate the “real causes” behind self-immolation protests. In its report, the rights group documented a series of abuses against Tibetans, including arbitrary detentions and arrests, torture, and restrictions on Tibetan language and culture. Reported by Guru Choegi, Chakmo Tso, and 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/burning-01182013112106.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 <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.

12 years, 4 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS: Satellite Clampdown in Tibetan Area

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

cid:image001.png@01CCE405.460E1840 Satellite Clampdown in Tibetan Area JAN. 9, 2012—Chinese authorities in a Tibetan-populated prefecture have launched a crackdown on satellite equipment used by Tibetans to tune in to foreign radio and TV programs, according to residents and other sources Wednesday. The move is part of a government clampdown on communications to stifle information on self-immolations protesting Chinese rule. Hundreds of satellite dishes and receivers have been seized from homes in Malho (in Chinese, Huangnan) prefecture in Qinghai province and destroyed or burned as part of a "cleansing" operation launched on the orders of the ruling Chinese Communist Party following a surge in Tibetan self-immolation protests. The campaign was centered on Rebgong (in Chinese, Tongren) county where a record number of Tibetans burned themselves to demand an end to Chinese rule and call for the return of Tibet's spiritual leader the Dalai Lama. Those found with the satellite equipment, which Tibetans have also used to listen to Radio Free Asia and Voice of America programs, are given stiff fines, residents said. Chinese authorities are giving rewards to those who can pinpoint homes using the equipment. "If the satellite equipment is not surrendered, each family is fined 5,000 yuan (U.S. $800). If anyone reports others holding back satellite and radio equipment to listen to foreign programs, they will be awarded 10,000 yuan,” a Tibetan in Rebgong told RFA's Tibetan Service. Stifling information One RFA listener, who sent photos of the burning of the satellite equipment, said, "It is very clear they are doing this to [block] RFA, VOA, and other foreign programs." RFA has reported extensively on the 95 Tibetan self-immolations that had occurred mostly last year and highlighted crackdowns by authorities on Tibetan monasteries. "Now we are blind [to developments in the region] and we are very sad,” the listener said, citing the clampdown on Internet and telephone communications by the authorities following the self-immolations. A six-member committee at the prefecture level comprising Party and Government officials has been set up to marshal operations to "seize and destroy all the illegal equipment in Malho prefecture.” Replacement dishes Another Tibetan resident said the authorities are encouraging Tibetans to buy smaller satellite dishes and new receivers to replace the usually large dishes that had been confiscated. Some suspect the new equipment, which can be used to receive only state controlled programs, are doubling up as surveillance devices. "The smaller dishes and modems provided for the local programs are suspected to be equipped with hidden cameras and recording devices,” the resident from Rebgong said. The latest order to seize and destroy satellite equipment used to receive foreign broadcasting programs stemmed from a speech by Qinghai's Communist Party Secretary Qang Wei at the end of November 2012, according to reports from Tibet. “The Party and the Government of Qinghai province should seize all the ground equipment used to receive satellite and radio program and clean them out in Malho," one report said, citing excerpts of his speech. "The cleansing efforts should be widely publicized in Malho prefecture. All those illegal equipments should be seized and replaced by those equipments that bring rich programs of the masses. The illegal and damaging, instigative programs from outside radio stations and TV should be stopped," Qang Wei said. He had also ordered families owning or selling the illegal equipment to be "thoroughly investigated," especially those who advocated independence for Tibet. Reported by 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/satellite-dishes-01092013180134.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 <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.

12 years, 4 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS: Lao Police Link to Missing Activist

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

cid:image001.png@01CCE405.460E1840 Lao Police Link to Missing Activist DECEMBER 19, 2012— A respected Lao social activist who went missing this weekend was last seen in police custody before being taken away by unidentified men in a truck, according to surveillance video provided to his family by police. Based on the closed-circuit television footage, Sombath Somphone, the former head of a development agency in Vientiane, was taken to a roadside police station in the capital city on Saturday night after the car he was driving was stopped by traffic police, a relative who wished to remain anonymous told RFA’s Lao Service. He was then seen leaving the police post and entering a pickup truck accompanied by a few men, she said. “We know that he was taken,” she said. “We are searching for him using the CCTV and looking for his car.” She said police had shown the family the footage on Monday, but did not provide any explanation of who took him away or why he had been allowed to leave the station. The footage, which relatives posted online on Wednesday, shows—according to the relative—a man arriving on a motorbike at the police station while Somphone is inside, then leaving and coming back with other men in a truck to pick him up. “He was driving and was stopped by traffic police. They talked and he came out of the car. They went to a police station,” she said. “They went in, and we don’t know what happened inside the police station. But later on there was a man who came on a motorbike, stopped it in front of Sombath’s car, and walked into the police station.” “Then [the man] came back, this time driving a pickup truck with a few men. They went into the police station, and came out with Sombath,” she said. “He was not handcuffed or coerced, he just walked on his own with those men and got into the car in a hurry, and the car took off even before the door was closed.” Concern The activist’s wife last saw Somphone, the former director of the Participatory Development Training Centre (PADETC) in Vientiane, when they both left group’s office around 5:00 pm on Saturday. The case has drawn concern from the U.S., where State Department Spokesman Victoria Nuland asked the Lao government to work to find him. "We have registered our concern with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Laos and encouraged them to make every effort to locate him and figure out what's happened here," she told reporters. A group of 61 Thai NGOs have also issued a statement expressing concern about Somphone, who was the 2005 recipient of the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership, a prestigious award for Asian civil society groups. Family members were not aware of Somphone being embroiled in any disagreements with other people, the relative said. "Family members including his wife discussed whether he had any problems with anybody, and we could not find any,” she said. She said that according to his wife, Shui Meng, there was “no way” Somphone had been involved in problems over money because he had not lent or borrowed money. She said the police told the relatives they will try their best to search and look for him, and that colleagues and relatives were following up with their own efforts. The chief of the police investigation department in Vientiane confirmed with RFA’s Lao Service Tuesday that they had begun investigating the case after family members reported the case to them on Monday. Somphone, 60, who had studied in the U.S. before returning to Laos to found PADETC’s precursor in 1980, recently retired as director of the organization after over a decade as its director. Since then Somphone had been involved with the Asia-Europe People’s Forum, representing local civil society groups as a member of Laos’s national committee at the October forum in Vientiane on the sidelines of an international summit. PADETC, which receives funding from the Dutch-based Novib/Oxfam and the EU, among other agencies, works on poverty prevention and sustainability projects such as fuel-efficient stoves, fish farming promotion, recycling, media, school volunteers, and teacher training. Reported by RFA’s Lao Service. Translated by Viengsay Luangkhot, Bounchanh Mouangkham, and Somnet Inthapannha. Written in English by Rachel Vandenbrink. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/laos/sombath-somphone-12192012200655.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 <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.

12 years, 5 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS: Two Young Tibetans Burn

by Rachel Vandenbrink

Two Young Tibetans Burn Dec. 8, 2012 — Two Tibetan men self-immolated Saturday in separate protests against Chinese rule in Tibet, one of whom was a monk who called for the return of exiled spiritual leaders to the region, Tibetan sources said. Kunchok Phelgyal, 24, a monk from Ngaba (in Chinese, Aba) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in China’s Sichuan province, and Pema Dorjee, a 23-year-old layman from Kanlho (Gannan) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Gansu province perished in the acts. The new burnings were the 93rd and 94th Tibetan self-immolations since February 2009, when the fiery protests began. “Today [Saturday], Kunchok Phelgyal, a monk of Sumdo Monastery in Dzoege (Ruo'ergai) county in Ngaba self-immolated around 5:20 p.m. against Chinese policy [in Tibet] and died,” two sources based in India's Dharamsala hill town told RFA’s Tibetan Service. They said the young monk had shouted out slogans while he sat with his hands folded in prayer after setting himself alight. “He called for the long life of the [Tibetan spiritual leader in exile] Dalai Lama, and his return to Tibet,” said Kanyak Tsering and Lobsang Yeshi of the Kirti Monastery in Dharamsala, citing a source inside Tibet. “He also called for the return of Kirti Kyabgon Rinpoche [the exiled Head Lama of the Kirti Monastery in Ngaba],” they said. The sources said Kunchok Phelgyal had also voiced hope for a “reunion of Tibetans both inside and outside of Tibet.” “As he was being burnt in protest, the monks of the [Sumdo] Monastery gathered around his burning body and prayed,” they said. “Thereafter, his body was moved to his room inside the monastery and several hundred monks conducted prayers for him.” The young Kunchok Phelgyal had been studying Buddhist dialectics at the Taktsang Lhamo Kirti Monastery since 2010 as a visiting monk from the Sumdo Monastery. “He is the son of Kunchok Kyab (father) and Dolma Tso (mother) of the Gonda Dewa nomadic village under Dringwa township, Dzoege county in Ngaba,” Kanyag Tsering and Lobsang Yeshi said. “He has nine family members including his parents.” Layman burning Also on Saturday, layman Pema Dorjee self-immolated in front of the Shitsang Monastery in Kanlho’s Luchu (Luqu) county, a source inside of Tibet told RFA’s Tibetan Service, speaking on condition of anonymity. “Pema Dorjee, who is just 23, set himself on fire and protested against the Chinese occupation of Tibet,” said the source. “This happened around 4:35 p.m. [Saturay], right in front of the door to Shitsang Monastery in Luchu county in Gansu. He was reported dead following his act of self-immolation.” The source said that Pema Dorjee had torched himself as several Tibetans were gathering at the monastery for Gaden Ngacho, a special lamp offering prayer session. The layman was from Chokor village, located around 30 kilometers (19 miles) from Shitsang Monastery. China policy The two new burnings drew immediate condemnation from the London-based Free Tibet, with director Stephanie Brigden saying she had “grave concerns” for the welfare of Tibetans living in the townships where Saturday’s protests occurred. “China has announced collective punishments it intends to mete out on communities where protests take place, and Free Tibet has documented, time and again, China’s flagrant violations of human rights, including the use of lethal force, during the uprising in Tibet,” she said in a statement. “Tibetans continue to call for freedom, despite the cost. It is beyond time for the world to take decisive action for Tibet.” The protests follow a statement earlier this week by Maria Otero, the U.S. State Department’s Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues, who said Washington was “deeply concerned and saddened” by the increasing frequency of Tibetan self-immolations. “Chinese authorities have responded to these tragic incidents with measures that tighten already strict controls on freedoms of religion, expression, assembly and association of Tibetans,” she said. “Official rhetoric that denigrates the Tibetan language, the Dalai Lama, and those who have self-immolated has further exacerbated tensions.” Otero said that Beijing must address policies causing discontent in Tibetan areas, including controls on Tibetan Buddhist religious practice, education practices that undermine the Tibetan language, and the surveillance, arbitrary detention and disappearances of Tibetans. Since late October, officials have responded to the burning protests by punishing the families and communities of protestors, characterizing immolations as criminal offenses, arresting those associated with the self-immolators, and deploying paramilitary forces and restricting communications and travel in areas where the protests have occurred. Reported by Lobsang Sherab, Guru Choegyi, and Lumbum Tashi for RFA’s Tibetan Service. Translated by Karma Dorjee. Written in English by Joshua Lipes. View this story online at : http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/burning-12082012115142.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 .

12 years, 6 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS: Tibetan Student Protests Spread

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Tibetan Student Protests Spread NOVEMBER 28, 2012—Tibetan student protests against Chinese rule spread Wednesday in Qinghai province as another Tibetan burned himself to death to signal opposition to Beijing's policy. Students from the Tsolho Technical School in Chabcha (in Chinese, Gonghe) county in the Tsolho (Hainan) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture stormed out of their campus and shouted for "freedom" and "Tibetan language rights" in front of the prefecture government center, sources inside Tibet told RFA's Tibetan service. Chinese police beat up the students and detained five of them as they used tear gas to keep the crowd at bay, the sources said, without saying how many were involved in the demonstrations, the second protests police cracked down on this week. "Again, a huge contingent of Chinese police arrived at the site and cracked down on the students," one source said, citing local residents. "They beat up the students, hurled tear gas at them and there was also some kind of explosives used on the student crowd." "Many students were hurt with cut on their heads and body. Five students were detained," the source said. Earlier protest Two days ago, about 1,000 students, led by those from the Tsolho Medical Institute, had protested also in Chabcha over the release of an official Chinese booklet which ridiculed the Tibetan language as irrelevant and condemned the series of self-immolation protests against Beijing's rule as acts of "stupidity." Chinese authorities arrested four of the students after firing warning gunshots and teargas to suppress the demonstration. Five of 20 wounded students in Monday's protest were in critical condition in hospital, the sources said. The students had burned the offending booklets during the protests and called for "equality among nationalities and freedom to study the Tibetan language." Aside from opposing Chinese rule, most Tibetan protesters, especially the self-immolators, have pressed for the return of Tibet's spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, who is living in exile in India. New self-immolation The latest fatal Tibetan self-immolation protest occurred late Tuesday in Sangchu (Xiahe) county in Gansu province, sources said Wednesday, raising the number of burnings signaling opposition to Chinese rule to 87 so far. Sangay Tashi 18, burned himself around 11 p.m. local time at the country's Sangkog subdivision and died on the spot, according to the sources. "While his body was consumed by the fire, he called for the return of Dalai Lama to Tibet and the release of Panchen Lama and other political prisoners," one exile source told RFA. The Panchen Lama, Tibet's second-highest religious figure, was detained by Chinese authorities as a child in 1995 after being named to his position by the Dalai Lama, and another child—widely regarded by Tibetans as a Chinese puppet—was installed in his place. Mixed response There has been a mixed response to the self-immolations. Community leaders and intellectuals in Tibet and Tibetan-populated areas in Chinese provinces have staged a hunger strike in sympathy with the burning protests, Kanyag Tsering, an exile monk in India's hill town Dharamsala, told RFA Wednesday. Sixty Tibetans in the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) and Sichuan and Qinghai provinces began a three-day hunger strike accompanied by prayers on Monday "to express their solidarity with the Tibetans who self immolated in protest against the Chinese policy and the Tibetans who are suffering in dark Chinese prisons," he said. "They started their fast at 10 p.m. local time on Monday and ended at 8 a.m. today," the source said. "The participants were members of local universities, government employees, writers, monks, and businessmen." In Qinghai's Rebgong (Tongren) county, where most of this month's self-immolations took place, a group of Tibetan lamas (Buddhist leaders) and geshes (teachers) from monasteries as well as government officials and elderly chiefs "collectively and sincerely" appealed in a statement this week for a halt in the self-immolations. "We, who have true affection for the society and the nationalities and who value human life, beg you with our knees fixed on the earth, our hands clasped to our hearts, and our minds with unblemished clarity, appeal to you to cease desperate acts of self-immolations," they said in the statement, a copy of which was made available to RFA on Wednesday. "The priceless human life you have found this time is the product of merits accumulated from the past. Do not waste this precious life as a challenge to face sadness, misery and agony, but rather turn it into a force of will and a means to do great deeds for the wellbeing and benefit of all human beings for many long years," it said. "In order to establish peace in the world and genuine security and real harmony in the country, we should look far and wide," it said. "If you want to orient your attention toward doing something for the good of the country and its nationalities and good for your town, a momentary shortsighted mindset will not do. To perform acts of great purpose, you need patience." In September, more than 400 Tibetan exiles from 26 countries met in India and also called for an end to the self-immolation protests. Similar expressions of concern from exile figures and from the Dalai Lama himself over the burnings have gone largely unheeded in the past. Reported by RFA's Tibetan service. Translated by Karma Dorjee and Benpa Topgyal. Written in English by Parameswaran Ponnudurai. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/protest-11282012200948.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 <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.

12 years, 6 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS: Tibetan Student Protesters Held as Another Tibetan Self-Immolates

by Joshua Lipes

cid:image001.png@01CCE405.460E1840 Tibetan Student Protesters Held as Another Tibetan Self-Immolates NOV. 27, 2012-Chinese authorities arrested four Tibetan students Tuesday after opening fire on and suppressing a mass student demonstration in Qinghai province a day earlier, sources said, as another Tibetan burned himself to death in neighboring Sichuan province in protest over Chinese rule. Five of 20 wounded Tibetan students following the Chinese crackdown on the student protests in Chabcha (in Chinese, Gonghe) county were in critical condition in hospital, the sources said. More than 1,000 students, led by those from the Tsolho Medical Institute, had protested Monday over the release of an official Chinese booklet which ridiculed the Tibetan language as irrelevant and condemned the series of self-immolation protests against Beijing's rule as acts of "stupidity," local residents had said. "The armed security forces fired in the air and then fired several tear gas shots on the protesting students," a Tibetan source in exile told RFA's Tibetan service, citing local students. "Many were beaten and several students were injured from the beating and smoke inhalation. About 20 of them were hospitalized for treatment and among them five students are reported to be in critical condition." Free Tibet, a London-based advocacy group, said armed security forces beat the peaceful protesters with rifle butts. Police detained four of the student protestors, sources said, identifying two of them as Wangdu Tsering and Mama. Book-burning The Chinese booklet that raised the ire of the students was entitled "10 Real Views of Tsolho Area" and reflected the local government of the Tsolho (Hainan) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture's perception of the Tibetan language and the burning protests, according to the sources. Chabcha county is in Tsolho prefecture. The students burned the books during the protests and called for "equality among nationalities and freedom to study the Tibetan language," one source said, citing local contacts. "They called for an investigation into this issue and respect for justice." The students were also agitated by statements by the Chinese authorities blaming the Dalai Lama, Tibet's spiritual leader, as "the main cause for the split between Tibetans and Chinese," the source said. Aside from opposing Chinese rule, most of the Tibetan protesters, especially the self-immolators, have pressed for the return of the Dalai Lama, who is living in exile in India. Self-immolation in Kyangtsa In the latest self-immolation protest in Sichuan's Ngaba (Aba) prefecture, a Tibetan man, Kalsang Kyab, burned himself to death on Tuesday in front of the local government office in Kyangtsa town in Dzoege (Ruo'ergai) county, shouting slogans against Chinese rule and hailing the Dalai Lama. It brought the total number of self-immolations to 86 since the wave of fiery protests began in February 2009. Kalsang Kyab, 24, self-immolated near the local Kyangtsa government office, shouting, among other slogans, "Long Live the Dalai Lama," according to Dharamsala-based exile monks Kanyag Tsering and Lobsang Yeshi. "Before approaching the doorsteps of the local government office, he first doused his body with kerosene and shouted slogans. As he arrived near the door of the government office, he lit the fire and even after that he continued to shout several slogans," they said. A few days earlier, Kalsang Kyab had told some people that he had planned to self-immolate but none of them took it seriously, they said. Security clampdown Other details, such as heightened security measures after the self-immolation protest, were not immediately available following a clampdown in communication by the Chinese authorities. "There is communication problem as phone lines are cut or not working and no response is coming from inside Tibet. It is difficult to confirm details," Lobsang Tsultrim, a former Ngaba resident now living in India's hill town Dharamsala, told RFA. But Free Tibet, a London-based advocacy group, said Tibetans in Ngaba were going into hiding as military personnel arrived in Kyangtsa township in response to the latest self-immolation. "Free Tibet has well-founded concerns for the safety of the people of [Kyangtsa] township. China is responding with disproportionate and sometimes lethal force to protests across Tibet," said Free Tibet Director Stephanie Brigden. "Only yesterday, more than 20 Tibetan students ended up in hospital, several requiring emergency treatment, after armed security forces beat peaceful protesters with rifle butts. It is no wonder that the people of Ngaba are going into hiding." Reported by RFA's Tibetan service. Translated by Karma Dorjee and Benpa Topgyal. Written in English by Parameswaran Ponnudurai. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/arrests-11272012145552.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 <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.

12 years, 6 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS: Chinese Troop Buildup After New Burning

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

cid:image001.png@01CCE405.460E1840 Chinese Troop Buildup After New Burning NOV. 8, 2012— Chinese paramilitary forces are pouring into a restive Tibetan county in Gansu province where thousands of Tibetan villagers have converged following a new fatal self-immolation protest against Chinese rule on Thursday, sources said. The burning was the third in the county in the last week and the sixth in Tibetan-populated areas over the last two days. Kalsang Jinpa, 18, set himself ablaze at around 4:00 p.m. at Dolma Square in front of the Rongwo monastery in Rebgong (in Chinese, Tongren) county, Tibetan sources said amid concerns over possible clashes between security forces and Tibetan villagers. “As he burned, he shouted slogans calling for the return to Tibet of [exiled spiritual leader] the Dalai Lama, and he died at the scene,” Shawo Dorje, a Tibetan living in exile in Switzerland said, citing contacts in the region. “Immediately afterward, around 5,000 Tibetans assembled at Dolma Square and shouted slogans such as ‘Long live the Dalai Lama!’ and then took Kalsang Jinpa’s body to the Dongya-la funeral ground for cremation,” said Dorje Wangchuk, a Tibetan living in India, also citing local sources. Plainclothes police officers mingled with the growing crowd, and local Tibetans, fearing a possible clash with security forces, kept the gathering under control, Wangchuk said. Party Congress Jinpa’s protest came after a young Tibetan mother, Tamdrin Tso, 23, burned herself to death on Thursday in Rebgong while calling for the Dalai Lama’s return. It also came four days after a Tibetan traditional artist, Dorje Lhundrub, 25, set himself ablaze in Rebgong while shouting slogans against Chinese rule. Also on Thursday, three teenage Tibetan monks set themselves on fire in protests in Sichuan province’s Ngaba (in Chinese, Aba) prefecture and a still unidentified Tibetan self-immolated in the Tibet Autonomous Region’s Driru county. The burnings on Wednesday and Thursday—which have raised the self-immolation total to 69 so far—come as the ruling Chinese Communist Party began holding its highly anticipated 18th Party Congress on Thursday. The meeting is expected to endorse a once-in-a-decade national leadership transition. 'Grave concerns' Chinese paramilitary trucks are now heading toward Kalsang Jinpa’s Dowa township in Rebgong, as more people from the town attempt to get to Rongwo, the site of Jinpa’s protest, said Stephanie Brigden, director of the London-based Free Tibet advocacy group. “We have grave concerns for the safety of the people of Rebgong county,” Brigden said. She noted that Chinese security forces have announced they will do “whatever it takes” to crush protests in the region while the Communist Party holds its meeting in Beijing. “Now those same forces are being deployed in Rebgong, where thousands of Tibetans are gathered in peaceful protest,” Brigden said. “As Congress opens, China must be held accountable for its actions in Tibet.” Reported by Chakmo Tso, Lobsang Sherab, and Palden Gyal 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/buildup-11082012112619.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 <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.

12 years, 6 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS: Two More Tibetans Dead in Rebgong Burning

by Joshua Lipes

cid:image001.png@01CCE405.460E1840 Two More Tibetans Dead in Rebgong Burning NOV. 15, 2012-Two young Tibetans set themselves ablaze in protests against Chinese rule and died on Thursday in a restive Tibetan county where authorities have cut communications to prevent news of self-immolations from marring announcements of the ruling Chinese Communist Party's leadership change, sources said. The burnings in Rebgong (in Chinese, Tongren) county in Qinghai province's Malho (Huangnan) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture bring to 74 the total number of self-immolations challenging Chinese rule in Tibetan areas since the wave of fiery protests began in February 2009. "Today, two persons self-immolated in Rebgong, including a woman in Tsenmo," a local resident told RFA's Tibetan service, speaking on condition of anonymity. Tibetan media sources identified the woman as Tenzin Dolma, aged 23 and a resident of Tsenmo Goge village in Rebgong, the county in which most of the recent self-immolations have taken place. She set herself on fire at about noon local time in the courtyard of a community temple, sources said. "She died at the scene, since local Tibetans didn't know immediately about her protest. She left behind her cell phone and rings, and then prepared herself inside the prayer hall by performing certain religious rituals," one source said. Tenzin Dolma is survived by her father Bhulo, 50, and her mother Tashi Dolma, 41. Her remains will be cremated at around 10:00 p.m. by local Tibetans led by monks from nearby Rongwo monastery, sources said. Man also dies Separately, a young man named Khambum Gyal set himself on fire and died near the Rongwo monastery in Rebgong's Dowa township, sources said. Gyal, a native of Gyalpo Luchu in Rebgong, was identified by Chinese state media as a 14-year-old boy, though Tibetan sources place his age at 18 or 19. "At around 11:00 a.m. today, 18-year-old Khambum Gyal self-immolated in the street at Rongwo and died," a Tibetan living in Switzerland named Sonam said, citing contacts in the region. "Hundreds of local people, including monks from Tsagya monastery, cremated his remains." Khambum Gyal is survived by his father, Tamdin Gyal, and his mother Dolkar Tso, and by six siblings, sources said. Some Tibetan groups believe that recent Tibetan self-immolation protests have been timed to coincide with the Chinese Communist Party's 18th Party Congress in Beijing, and to send a powerful message of Tibetan discontent with Chinese policies to the new leadership. China's political elite named former vice president Xi Jinping to the top Party post on Thursday, and surprisingly also put him in charge of China's military after the week-long Party meeting. Communications cut In a statement on Thursday, London-based Free Tibet director Stephanie Brigden said that Chinese authorities have blocked detailed news of protests in the Rebgong area. "It may seem particularly important for China to banish any hint of instability during announcements of the new generation of leaders, hence the stringent efforts to block communications to and from Rebgong," Brigden said. "World leaders must speak out for the Tibetans who are protesting for freedom in the face of all China's might." The Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), as the Tibetan exile government in India is called, has urged the United States to push the new Chinese leadership to restore various rights to the Tibetans. "The Obama administration also could take up the issue of Tibet more seriously with the new Chinese leadership appointed at the 18th Party Congress," said CTA head Lobsang Sangay in an opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday. "Tibetans in Tibet are crying out for justice, including the autonomy and freedom to worship they have been promised by Beijing over the years," Sangay said. "Helping resolve the issue of Tibet is not only in synch with American values, but it is also a strategic imperative. America and the rest of the world have a vital stake in China's rise from an economic giant to a potential superpower," he said. Reported by 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/rebgong-11152012130853.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 <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.

12 years, 6 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS: Tibetan Students Stage Mass Protest in Restive County

by Rachel Vandenbrink

Tibetan Students Stage Mass Protest in Restive County November 9, 2012 — Several thousand Tibetan students took to the streets in restive Rebgong (in Chinese, Tongren) county in Qinghai province Friday demanding greater rights following a record number of self-immolation protests against Chinese rule in Tibetan populated areas this week, sources said. The students shouted slogans calling for "equality of nationalities and freedom of languages" and demanding the return of Tibet's spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, who has been living in exile in India since he fled after a failed uprising against Chinese rule in 1959, according to the sources. Residents inside Tibet emailed photos of the demonstrations to various groups outside Tibet, with some showing students holding up Tibetan language text books. The demonstrators from local schools, joined by students from the Malho Teacher Training College and the Malho Vocational Institute, assembled at Dolma Square in front of the Rongwo Monastery in Rongwo township, the capital of Rebgong in the Malho (Huangnan) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. At the square, they recited prayers and shouted slogans as more local Tibetans joined the crowd. Candlelight vigil Meanwhile, almost a thousand Tibetan students from the Qinghai Nationalities University in Qinghai's provincial capital Xining gathered on Friday evening to pray for Tibetans who have died in protests challenging Chinese rule, sources said. The students lit candles for about an hour between 6:10 p.m. to 7:20 p.m. and then dispersed after university administrators pleaded with them to end their rally. Chinese security forces have been placed on round-the-clock duty at strategic areas in towns and villages in Rebgong but there were no reports of any clampdown of the protests, the sources said. "I called the region and learned that around 3,000 to 4,000 students were out in the streets early this morning. They shouted slogans for the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, equality of nationalities, and freedom of languages," said Drugyam, a Tibetan living in exile in the U.S. Speaking to RFA, protesters described area streets filled with Chinese security forces, plainclothes police, and military vehicles, but said that no move was made to crack down on the protests. "A few students were beaten up, though, and some were taken to the hospital with injuries," one source said. The India-based Tibetan government-in-exile and the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) said 5,000 students took part in the rally Friday, the second straight day of protests in Rebgong where students participated. Chinese flags pulled down A day earlier, as several thousand Tibetan villagers protested following the third self-immolation protest in the county this week, about 700 schoolchildren pulled down Chinese flags hoisted on top of their school building in Dowa township and in the township's government office. "Moments after the protest, seven military trucks came from Rebgong county but local Tibetans and schoolchildren stopped the trucks from moving to Dowa township," TCHRD said in a statement, citing local contacts. "Faced with a crowd of Tibetan protesters, the military trucks backed off, returning to Rebgong." Rebgong was the scene of constant student protests in October 2010 against a proposed change in the language of instruction in schools from Tibetan to Chinese. Tensions Tensions in Rebgong had flared on Sunday when traditional artist Dorje Lhundrub, 25, burned himself to death while protesting against Chinese rule. It was followed by the fatal self-immolation of a young Tibetan mother, Tamdrin Tso, 23, on Wednesday and that of a teenage boy, Kalsang Jinpa, on Thursday. Also on Wednesday, three teenage monks self-immolated in Sichuan province's Ngaba (in Chinese, Aba) prefecture—the first triple Tibetan burnings recorded—and another self-immolation occurred in the Tibet Autonomous Region. The burnings have raised the self-immolation total to 69 since the fiery protests began in February 2009. The latest protests are believed to have been timed to send a powerful signal to the ruling Chinese Communist Party which is holding its 18th Party Congress in Beijing to endorse a once-in-a-decade leadership change, Tibetan groups said. The Central Tibetan Administration, as the Tibetan government-in-exile is called, said the self-immolations underscore "political repression, economic marginalization, environmental destruction, and cultural assimilation." “Chinese leaders selected during the 18th Party Congress must recognize that China’s hardline policies in Tibet have utterly failed and only through dialogue can a peaceful and lasting solution be found," said Lobsang Sangay, the head of the exile government. "We firmly believe that an end to repression will effectively end the cycle of self-immolation,” he said. Restrictions in Lhasa Meanwhile, Chinese authorities have tightened restrictions on the movement of Tibetans in the regional capital, Lhasa, the London-based Free Tibet advocacy group said on Friday. "Tibetans were prevented from entering Potala Square, normally a public area." "Unconfirmed reports also suggest that Tibetans in Lhasa were arrested as the [Party] Congress began, as a preventative measure, and that restrictions of movement have been placed on the 'old residential area' of Lhasa—where the majority of Tibetans live," Free Tibet said. Speaking on Thursday at the Washington-based International Campaign for Tibet, Foreign Policy Initiative Director of Democracy and Human Rights Ellen Bork said that 60 years of China's "occupation and control" of Tibet have not changed what Tibetans want. "Chinese policy over decades has not crushed Tibetan identity," Bork said. Reported by RFA's Tibetan service. Translated by Dorjee Damdul and Rigdhen Dolma. Written in English by Parameswaran Ponnudurai and Richard Finney. View this story online at : http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/students-11092012080044.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 .

12 years, 7 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS: Five Tibetans Self-Immolate in Record Burnings

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

cid:image001.png@01CCE405.460E1840 Five Tibetans Self-Immolate in Record Burnings NOV. 7, 2012— Five Tibetans, including a young mother and three teenage boys, set fire to themselves on Wednesday in protest against Chinese rule in the largest number of self-immolations in a single day, triggering massive demonstrations in at least one area, according to exile and local sources. The burnings—which raised the self-immolation toll to 68 so far—came ahead of the ruling Chinese Communist Party's highly anticipated Congress beginning Thursday, which is expected to endorse Vice President Xi Jinping as successor to President Hu Jintao in a once-a-decade leadership transition. At least two of the self-immolators have died. Three of the self-immolations occurred in Sichuan province's Ngaba (in Chinese, Aba) prefecture and one each in Qinghai province’s Malho (Huangnan) prefecture and in the Tibet Autonomous Region, the sources said. The three boys—monks Dorje, 15, Samdrub, 16, and Dorje Kyab, 16—set themselves ablaze in front of a police station in Ngaba town, calling for a free Tibet and the return of Tibet's spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, according to monks Lobsang Yeshi and Kanyag Tsering, who live in exile in India's hill town of Dharamsala, where the Dalai Lama lives in exile. “The three self-immolated in front of the Ngatoe Gomang police station in the evening at around 3:00 p.m.," Lobsang Yeshi said, citing local sources. "Dorje, who died at the scene, Samdrub, and Dorje Kyab are monks from the Ngoshul monastery," Lobsang Yeshi said. "Samdrub and Dorje Kyab have been taken to the Ngaba county hospital. Now there is a severe security clampdown restricting any movement in the streets," he said. Mother dies In the Malho prefecture, a 23-year-old Tibetan mother of a young son set fire to herself and died in the Gemar market area of Rebgong (in Chinese, Tongren) county, drawing several thousand Tibetans to the streets in a protest against Chinese rule. Tamdrin Tso set herself ablaze at about 6:00 p.m. and died shouting slogans calling for the return of the Dalai Lama, local sources said. Tamdrin Tso came originally from the Dro Rongwo township of Rebgong county, sources said. She leaves behind a son, Nyingjam Tsering, aged 5 or 6, and her father, Tamdrin Kyab, and mother, Konchog Tso. “Over the last 15 days, Tamdrin Tso had performed prayers for other self-immolation protesters in Tibet, and today she set herself on fire,” Dorje Wangchuk, director of the Literary and Culture Research Centre of the Norbulingka Institute in Dharamsala, citing sources in the region. Following the burning, around 3,000 local Tibetans gathered in the Gemar market area, a central location with a school and many shops, and shouted slogans calling for freedom for Tibet, sources said. Tamdrin Tso’s self-immolation was the second to occur in the Rebgong area this week. On Nov. 4, Tibetan artist Dorjee Lhundrub, 25, set himself ablaze and shouted slogans against Chinese rule and calling for the Dalai Lama’s return as he burned to death. A large crowd of local monks and township residents then gathered at the site, with many placing traditional Tibetan scarves on Lhundrub’s charred remains as a mark of respect for the father of two, sources said. Protests intensify Wednesday's fifth self-immolation occurred in Bekhar township in Driru county, Nagchu prefecture, of the Tibet Autonomous Region. “I learned about the self-immolation at 8:00 p.m., as it happened, while I was speaking on the phone," said a Tibetan monk living in South India, citing contacts in the region. "There was a lot of commotion, and there were shouts at the scene by the Tibetans. The Chinese security forces arrived immediately, but details, such as the name of the self-immolator, remain unknown,” the monk said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Tibetan self-immolation protests have intensified in recent weeks and may have entered a new phase, some analysts have said. And the failure to contain the fiery protests, the analysts say, poses a major challenge to Beijing, which has offered cash rewards to Tibetans to inform on potential self-immolators and has tightened security restrictions on Tibetan monasteries and towns. The burnings continue despite calls to end them by a special meeting of Tibetan exile groups convened in Dharamsala on the advice of the Dalai Lama. 'No meaningful response' Sophie Richardson, China director for Human Rights Watch, described the self-immolation protests as "extraordinary acts of desperation." "And they continue because there is no meaningful response from the central government, which has the ability to change the situation for the better." "It has to be profoundly unnerving to [China's] leadership that not only has this continued for as long as it has, but that you see different age groups, you see religious figures, you see people from urban areas and rural areas, men and women, young and old," Richardson said. "The number and scope of cases suggest that this is a more thoroughgoing statement or expression of despair than the Chinese government would have you believe it is." Reported by Chakmo Tso for RFA’s Tibetan service. Translated by Dorjee Damdul and Rigdhen Dolma. Written in English by Richard Finney and Parameswaran Ponnudurai. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/five-11072012130412.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 <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.

12 years, 7 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS: Two Tibetan Burning Deaths in Gansu

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Two Tibetan Burning Deaths in Gansu OCT. 26, 2012—Two young Tibetans set themselves on fire and died in Gansu province on Friday in one of the deadliest weeks of self-immolation protests against Chinese rule, according to Tibetan sources. In the first incident, Lhamo Tseten, 24, set himself ablaze at 2:30 p.m. near a People’s Armed Police post in Amchok township, Sangchu county, in the Kanlho (in Chinese, Gannan) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. The other self-immolation occurred almost six hours later when Tsepak Kyab, 21, burned to death on the main street of Sangkhok township, also in Sangchu, a Tibetan living in India told RFA's Tibetan service. The past week saw five protest burnings in Gansu and brings to 60 the total number of self-immolations challenging Beijing’s rule since February 2009. Lhamo Tseten torched himself after lunch with his friends in Amchok township. “He was dining at a restaurant with friends. Then he slowly walked out, and, amid shouts from the crowd, ran into the street engulfed in flames,” one witness said, according to Tibetan websites. “He called out for freedom for Tibet and the return of [exiled spiritual leader] the Dalai Lama before he fell to the ground. Still, he clasped his hands together and continued to shout slogans,” the witness said. Kept away by a crowd of angry Tibetans, Chinese security personnel watched from a distance and did not intervene, sources said. “When the fire died out, Lhamo Tseten’s body was covered in yellow cloth and taken to his hometown,” one source said, adding, “Meanwhile, area residents are converging on Amchok township in cars and on motorbikes.” Slogans raised Tsepak Kyab, 21, also shouted anti-Beijing slogans as he self-immolated. "As he burned, he shouted slogans calling for the Dalai Lama to return to Tibet and for the release of political prisoners, including the Panchen Lama," Sangkhok Thubten said, citing sources in the region. The Panchen Lama, Tibet's second-highest religious figure, was detained by Chinese authorities as a child in 1995 after being named to his position by the Dalai Lama, and another child--widely regarded by Tibetans as a Chinese puppet--was installed in his place. "Since it was late in the evening, no Chinese police were present at the site" of Tsepak Kyab's protest, Thubten said. "When Chinese officials finally arrived, local Tibetans guarded Tsepak Kyab's remains and wouldn't let the officials touch them." "His body was then taken to his house, and prayers are being said for him," Thubten said. Tsepak Kyab, who came from Rumang Camp No. 2 in Sangkhok and was also called Tsepa, is survived by his wife, Dorje Drolma, his mother Lumo Jam, and a brother, Tashi Dhondup. Lhamo Tseten is survived by his father Namchuk Tsering, 49, his mother Zongdue Kyi, 50, his wife Tsering, and their two-year-old daughter Nyimo Kyi, sources said. A Tibetan monk in the area confirmed the two self-immolations in a call to RFA's Tibetan service, and said before hanging up the phone that he had been asked to join in prayers for the two men. Protests 'intensifying' The London-based advocacy group Free Tibet reported on Friday that Internet service to the areas was cut following the protests and that “large numbers” of Chinese security personnel are pouring into the area from nearby Bora township, also the scene of recent unrest. “Tibetans continue to demonstrate their outright rejection of Chinese rule by setting themselves on fire in front of Chinese government buildings,” Free Tibet director Stephanie Brigden said in a statement. The self-immolations are expected to continue until Tibetans are "granted the freedom they demand,” Brigden said. Reported by Guru Choegyi and Lumbum for RFA’s Tibetan service. Translated by Dorjee Damdul and Rigdhen Dolma. Written in English by Richard Finney. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/burning-10262012120226.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 <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.

12 years, 7 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS: Tibetan Man Burns Near Police Station

by Joshua Lipes

cid:image001.png@01CCE405.460E1840 Tibetan Man Burns Near Police Station OCT. 23, 2012- A Tibetan man set himself on fire and died Tuesday in front of a police station near the famous Labrang monastery in Gansu province-the seventh self-immolation in protest of Chinese rule in nearly a month, according to Tibetan sources. Local Tibetans jostled with Chinese police and managed to retrieve the remains of Dorje Rinchen, 58, after the self-immolation at 3:30 p.m. along the main road of Labrang town in the Kanlho (in Chinese, Gannan) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. Tensions flared when Chinese security forces prevented Tibetan monks from the Labrang monastery from going to Dorje Rinchen's residence in Upper Zayu Village in Kanlho prefecture's Sangchu (in Chinese, Xiahe) county to pay their last respects. In a sign of protest, the monks recited prayers for him on the roadside. Local Tibetans also headed to Dorje Rinchen's residence amid reports of a Chinese security buildup in the area. Brief scuffle The latest burning is the third to take place in Gansu since Saturday and the seventh in Tibetan regions in less than a month, and brings to 58 the total number of self-immolations challenging Chinese rule and demanding the return of Tibet's spiritual leader the Dalai Lama since February 2009. "Chinese security personnel stationed in the area tried to remove Dorje Rinchen's charred body, but local Tibetans also tried to take possession of the remains," a Labrang resident told RFA's Tibetan service, speaking on condition of anonymity. "After a brief scuffle, the Tibetans got hold of his body and took it to his house," he said. "On hearing the news, monks from Labrang Monastery rushed to the deceased's house to say prayers, but were stopped on the way by Chinese police," the source said. "So they sat down on the road and prayed there." Area closed off Dorje Rinchen's self-immolation was confirmed in a brief report in official Chinese media on Tuesday. "Dorje Rinchen got up very early this morning and went to pray at Labrang monastery. He walked around the monastery several times, and walked three times between the monastery and his home," a source said. "After that, he cleaned his house inside and out and then went to the Chinese police station, where he self-immolated and died." Many Tibetans "are now heading to Zayu, where a large number of security personnel have already been deployed," the online Tibet Times said in a separate report. "Communication channels in the area have been cut following the protest, making it difficult to get more details," Tibet Times said. Dorje Rinchen leaves behind a wife, Luthar Tso, and a son, Tabo. 'Drastic actions' Tuesday's burning came a day after a protester named Dhondup set fire to himself at Labrang, and two days after a Tibetan father of two named Lhamo Kyap set himself ablaze and charged at Chinese security personnel at Bora monastery in the same county. Lhamo Kyap succumbed to his burns after shouting slogans against Chinese rule and calling for the return to Tibet of the Dalai Lama. The self-immolation protests have intensified despite recent calls to Tibetans by Tibetan exile groups to stop the "drastic actions." Similar expressions of concern from the Dalai Lama himself over the burnings have gone largely unheeded in the past. In the latest statement at the weekend, the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), Tibet's India-based government in exile, called on China's government to "address [Tibetans'] genuine and long-standing grievances, and find a lasting solution to the problem of Tibet through dialogue." "We again strongly reiterate our long-standing appeal to the international community to press the Chinese government to end the deepening crisis in Tibet," CTA spokesperson Dicki Choyang said. Chinese authorities have labeled the self-immolators as terrorists, outcasts, criminals, and mentally ill people, and have accused the Dalai Lama of encouraging the burnings. Reported by Guru Choegyi and Lumbum for RFA's Tibetan service. Translated by Dorjee Damdul and Rigdhen Dolma. Written in English by Richard Finney. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/burns-10232012134008.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 <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.

12 years, 7 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS: Fresh Violence in Rakhine; Three Dead

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Fresh Violence in Rakhine; Three Dead OCT. 22, 2012— Three people have been killed and hundreds of houses torched in renewed violence between Muslim Rohingyas and Buddhist Rakhines in western Burma, where authorities have declared a state of emergency in two restive townships, officials said Monday. The riots erupted late Sunday in Rakhine state capital Sittwe’s Minbya and Mrauk U townships, in the first major violence between the two communities since deadly clashes rocked the state in June. Rakhine state authorities said three people were confirmed dead and 300 homes razed by fires in the rioting, which broke out around 10:00 p.m. in Mrauk U’s Paik village and continued overnight. "The bodies of two Muslim women and one Rakhine man have been found,” the state’s Chief Justice Hla Thein told RFA’s Burmese service. “Around 300 houses—which were small thatched roof houses—were destroyed,” he said. The townships have been placed under a state of emergency in an apparent bid to contain the violence and officials have been ordered to call in the military if the unrest escalates. “All local administrative officials are ordered to request assistance from the military if the situation in their areas gets out of hand,” Hla Thein said. “Two ministers from Rakhine state have been sent to the affected areas to meet with security officials and the local public to control the situation,” he said. The townships were among those spared curfews during the Rakhine-wide state of emergency that was declared in June amid the worst fighting in years between Rohingyas and Rakhines. International rights groups have said Rohingyas bore the brunt of the June violence, which left more than 80 dead and tens of thousands displaced. OIC The fresh clashes in Rakhine on Sunday followed weeks of demonstrations against Muslim states’ wanting to provide humanitarian assistance to the Rohingya in the wake of the summer violence. The demonstrations were sparked by plans by the 57-member Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to open an office in Rakhine state in a bid to provide aid to Rohingyas reeling from the violence. Thousands of monks and laypeople have demonstrated against the OIC in cities across the country, where the Rohingya are considered outsiders even though they have lived in the country for generations. But at a press conference on Sunday, Burmese President Thein Sein that the country has no choice but to welcome aid for the Rohingya, or else it will face an international backlash. "We need humanitarian assistance. If we reject the humanitarian assistance, the international community will not accept us," he told reporters at a press conference. "Regarding the OIC, I do not differentiate between religions or ethnicities. They want to give humanitarian assistance and also they have given some," he said, according to the Associated Press news agency. Rakhines form the majority in Rakhine state, which is also home to some 800,000 Rohingyas. The U.N. has called the Rohingya a stateless people and one of the most persecuted groups in the world. Reported by RFA’s Burmese service. Translated by Win Naing. Written in English by Rachel Vandenbrink. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/burma/rakhine-10222012133243.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 <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.

12 years, 7 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS: Tibetan Man Self-Immolates Near Lhasa

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Tibetan Man Self-Immolates Near Lhasa JULY 9, 2012— A Tibetan man from a village outside of Lhasa set himself on fire at the weekend in protest against Chinese rule, sources told RFA, in a rare self-immolation in the Tibet Autonomous Region. The man, in his 20’s, shouted slogans in support of Tibet’s spiritual leader the Dalai Lama as he staged the fiery protest in the seat of Damshung county (in Chinese, Dangxiong) in Lhasa prefecture on Saturday. “He did it around 1 p.m. on July 7 in front of an old community hall in Damshung. He was able to walk about 100 meters (110 yards) with his body on fire before falling down,” a source in Lhasa city told RFA, speaking on condition of anonymity. “He called for the long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama,” the source said. Police took him away from the scene to get him medical treatment, the source said. Condition unknown His identity and condition could not be confirmed, though he is believed to be 22 or 23 years old and a resident of Damshung’s Chode village. “The police arrived and took him to a local hospital in Damshung but they could not treat him there, so he was rushed to a hospital in Lhasa city,” one source said. “Ninety percent of his body was reported to be burnt.” A Tibetan in exile with contacts in Damshung said police had prevented others from seeing the protestor and telling others about his condition. “No one was allowed to see him after he was rushed to the [Damshung] hospital and at the same time some were warned not to give information to outside sources,” the source said. “At this point, we don't know where he is and dead or alive.” An officer at the Damshung police station contacted by RFA denied the incident. Authorities have tightened security in Damshung since the incident, the exile source said, citing contacts in the region. “Right now the security is extremely tight in Damshung. All phone lines are cut off and those in Lhasa city cannot reach their contacts in Damshung,” he said on Sunday. 43 self-immolations The Damshung incident brings to 43 the total number of self-immolations reported since February 2009 as Tibetans challenge Chinese policies which they say have robbed them of their rights. Of the 43, the Damshung man is the fourth to self-immolate in the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR). All of the other self-immolations have occurred in Tibetan-populated areas of the Chinese provinces of Sichuan, Qinghai, and Gansu. The burnings have intensified over the past year and resulted in a Chinese security clampdown across the region. The authorities have detained hundreds of monks from monasteries and jailed scores of Tibetan writers, artists, singers, and educators for asserting Tibetan national identity and civil rights, exile sources say. Previous self-immolator Meanwhile, the condition one of the two men who self-immolated in central Lhasa in May—in the only incident reported in Tibet’s capital city—remains unclear. RFA previously reported that Thargyal, who self-immolated along with another young man sources identified as Tseten Dorjee in front of the Jokhang Temple on May 27, had died Saturday evening after succumbing to his injuries. But subsequent information indicated that he remains under intensive care. “On July 7, Thargyal … had all the indications that he died. However the medical team at the police hospital in Lhasa conducted three hours of emergency recovery treatment and he recovered,” a source in Lhasa told RFA Sunday, speaking on condition of anonymity. Since the two men self-immolated in Lhasa, authorities have tightened security in the city, closing down a hotel where the two men had stayed and a restaurant where they had worked, another source there said. "Security restrictions in Lhasa were increased after the incident and now the level of surveillance and restriction is still intense,” he said. He added that the restrictions had been tightened ahead of the Dalai Lama’s 77th birthday on July 6 and targeted those from the Tibetan-populated areas neighboring the TAR. “Tibetans who are not residents of Lhasa need five different permits to stay there and the restrictions are more intense on those Tibetans who come from the Kham and Amdo regions,” the source said. Reported by RFA’s Tibetan Service. Translated by Karma Dorjee. Written in English by Rachel Vandenbrink. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/self-immolation-07092012190739.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 <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.

12 years, 7 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS: Another Tibetan Burning Protest Hits County

by Rachel Vandenbrink

cid:image001.png@01CCE405.460E1840 Another Tibetan Burning Protest Hits County OCT. 13, 2012 — A Tibetan man set himself on fire in protest against Chinese rule and died Saturday in a Tibetan populated area in Gansu province, in the same county where another man self-immolated last week, according to local residents. Tamdin Dorjee, 54, the grandfather of a revered Tibetan Buddhist figure, self-immolated on the grounds of the Tsoe monastery in Tsoe (in Chinese, Hezuo) county, the administrative center of the Kanlho (Gannan) prefecture in southern Gansu. “He did it a little after 1:00 p.m. local time on October 13, and died,” a Tsoe resident told RFA’s Tibetan service. Security forces moved into the area as monks took his body to his home village, another resident said. “The monks of Tsoe monastery and Tibetans who reached the site of the self-immolation took the body of Tamdin Dorjee to his home village.” “At the same time, large numbers of police both in uniform and in plainclothes flooded the area,” the source said. “The Chinese police also arrived at the home village of Tamdin Dorjee. They had already put restrictions on phones and other lines of communication.” Photos of the scene obtained by RFA showed security forces on the grounds of the monastery and dozens of monks and bystanders gathering around the Tamdin Dorjee’s burned body to say prayers. Tamdin Dorjee, who left behind a wife and three grown children, is the grandfather of a revered religious figure, the 7th Gungthang Jampal Yang, who is believed by Tibetan Buddhists to be the reincarnation of an important lama. Tsoe county His burning protest is the second self-immolation death in Tsoe county in a week, following Sangay Gyatso who set himself on fire on Oct. 6 at the Dolkar monastery 10 kilometers (6 miles) outside the Tsoe town center. After Sangay Gyatso’s self-immolation, authorities severed communications and interrogated monks at the Dolkar monastery, sources said this week. Tamdin Dorjee brings to 55 the total number of self-immolations challenging Chinese rule since the wave of fiery protests began in February 2009. Most of the burning protests have occurred in Tibetan-populated areas of the Chinese provinces of Sichuan, Qinghai, and Gansu. The location of his protest on the monastery grounds was the same site as where a 26-year-old mother of two, Dolkar Tso, died after setting herself on fire in August. “Tamdin Dorjee self immolated at the same site of the last incident of self-immolation near a stupa in the compound of Tsoe monastery,” the source said. The Tsoe monastery is an important one for Tibetan Buddhists and monks from the monastery were among participants in large-scale protests in the area against Chinese rule in 2008. Appeal The 55th self-immolation came despite an appeal by more than 400 Tibetan exiles from 26 countries to end the burning protests. The exiles had met in the Indian hill-town of Dharamsala, where Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama lives in exile, and expressed “grave concern” over the burnings and urged Tibetans living under Chinese rule not to take “drastic actions.” “Tibet is a thinly populated country, and in the present situation losing even one life is a great loss for the Tibetan people,” said one of 31 recommendations and resolutions adopted by the delegates to the four-day gathering, the largest meeting of its kind in four years. “Please preserve your lives in the future,” it said. Similar expressions of concern from exile figures and from the Dalai Lama himself over the burnings have gone largely unheeded in the past. Reported by Kunsang Tenzin, Kalden Lodoe, Lobsang Sherab, and Guru Choekyi for RFA’s Tibetan service. Translated by Karma Dorjee. Written in English by Rachel Vandenbrink. View this story online at : http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/self-immolation-10132012120716.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 .

12 years, 7 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS: Third Tibetan Burning Protest in a Week

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

cid:image001.png@01CCE405.460E1840 Third Tibetan Burning Protest in a Week OCT. 6, 2012 — A Tibetan man set himself on fire in protest against Chinese rule and died Saturday in a Tibetan populated area in Gansu province, the third self-immolation in a week, according to sources inside Tibet. Sangay Gyatso, 27, self-immolated in a monastery compound near Tsoe (in Chinese, Hezuo) county, the administrative center of the Kanlho (Gannan) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in southern Gansu. "He set himself on fire a little after noon near a stupa in the premises of the Dokar monastery," a source inside Tibet told RFA's Tibetan service. The monastery is situated about 10 km (6.2 miles) from the Tsoe town center. The sources provided grisly photographs of Sangay Gyatso's charred body but little information of his personal background, only saying his father was identified as Gonpo Dhondup and his mother as Gonpo Tso. Sangay Gyatso's death is the third from Tibetan self-immolation protests challenging Chinese rule over the past week, bringing to 54 the total number of burnings since the wave of fiery protests began in February 2009. Most of the burnings have occurred in Tibetan-populated areas of the Chinese provinces of Sichuan, Qinghai, and Gansu. Death note On Thursday, a man identified as Gudrub, 41, shouted slogans calling for Tibetan freedom and for the return to Tibet of exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama as he self-immolated in Driru [in Chinese, Biru] county in the Nagchu prefecture of the Tibet Autonomous Region, a source said. He left a written statement calling on the Tibetan people to “foster unity and solidarity” and not “lose courage” in the struggle for Tibetan freedom, according to a former classmate now living in Australia. On Sept. 29, another protester named Yungdrung, 27, set himself ablaze on a shop-lined street in Dzatoe (in Chinese, Zaduo) county in the restive Yulshul (Yushu) prefecture in Qinghai province. Appeal defied The three self-immolations came despite an appeal by more than 400 Tibetan exiles from 26 countries to end the burning protests. The exiles had met in the Indian hill-town of Dharamsala, where the Dalai Lama lives in exile, and expressed “grave concern” over the burnings and urged Tibetans living under Chinese rule not to take “drastic actions.” “Tibet is a thinly populated country, and in the present situation losing even one life is a great loss for the Tibetan people,” said one of 31 recommendations and resolutions adopted by the delegates to the four-day gathering, the largest meeting of its kind in four years. “Please preserve your lives in the future,” it said. Similar expressions of concern from exile figures and from the Dalai Lama himself over the burnings have gone largely unheeded in the past. Reported by 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-10062012100251.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 .

12 years, 8 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS: Tibetan Dies in 53rd Burning Protest

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

cid:image001.png@01CCE405.460E1840 Tibetan Dies in 53rd Burning Protest OCT. 4, 2012— A Tibetan man set himself ablaze and died Thursday in a central Tibetan county in the second self-immolation protest challenging Chinese rule in the past week, according to Tibetan sources. Gudrub, 41, shouted slogans calling for Tibetan freedom and for the return to Tibet of exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama as he self-immolated in Driru [in Chinese, Biru] county in the Nagchu prefecture of the Tibet Autonomous Region, a source told RFA’s Tibetan service, speaking on condition of anonymity. He left a written statement calling on the Tibetan people to “foster unity and solidarity” and not “lose courage” in the struggle for Tibetan freedom, according to a former classmate now living in Australia. So far, 53 Tibetans have torched themselves to protest Chinese rule since the wave of fiery protests began in February 2009, with most occurring in Tibetan-populated areas of the Chinese provinces of Sichuan, Qinghai, and Gansu. Thursday's burning is the fifth to be reported in the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), with other self-immolations in the TAR taking place in the regional capital Lhasa, in Chamdo county's Karma township, and in Damshung village just outside Lhasa. The latest burning comes after another protester set himself on fire in Sichuan’s Dzatoe county on Saturday, defying calls by a mass gathering of Tibetan exiles in India that had urged an end to the fiery protests, calling the death of even one Tibetan “a great loss” for the Tibetan people. Gudrub’s self-immolation was confirmed by separate phone calls from Tibet. Sources said he died shortly after he was taken away by Chinese police. “[The protest] occurred at a marketplace in Kham Driru at around 10:30 a.m.,” one caller said, also speaking on condition of anonymity. “He was shouting slogans while he burned, and he collapsed in less than a minute. The Chinese police took him away, but he may already have died,” the caller said. 'Unity and courage' Gudrub left a final statement, titled “Brotherly Love,” on China’s online network qq.com calling on Tibetans to uphold their unity and courage in the face of China’s rule in Tibetan regions. “If we reflect on the past, we can see nothing but signs of defeat, anger, anguish, and tears,” he wrote. “I pray that you all have good health and success in the coming new year of the Water Dragon. At the same time, I appeal to you to foster unity and solidarity, and to not lose courage in spite of the defeat and loss that we face.” Gudrub, who returned to Tibet in 2005 after studying at the exile Sogar School in Dharamsala, India, was a resident of Kali village in the Shagchu subdistrict of Driru county, and was an enthusiastic reader of Tibetan history, sources said. His protest came just seven days after more than 400 Tibetan exiles from 26 countries meeting in India called for an end to self-immolations by Tibetans challenging Chinese rule. The meeting held in the hill-town of Dharamsala expressed “grave concern” over the burnings and urged Tibetans living under Chinese rule not to take “drastic actions.” “Tibet is a thinly populated country, and in the present situation losing even one life is a great loss for the Tibetan people,” said one of 31 recommendations and resolutions adopted by the delegates to the four-day gathering, the largest of its kind in four years. “Please preserve your lives in the future,” it said. Similar expressions of concern from exile figures and from the Dalai Lama himself over the burnings have gone largely unheeded in the past. Reported by Lobsang Sherab and Dawa Dolma for RFA’s Tibetan service and Dan Zhen of the Mandarin service. Translated by Karma Dorjee and Dorjee Damdul. Written in English by Richard Finney. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/burning-10042012144221.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 <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.

12 years, 8 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS: Burma Moves to Share Revenue With Ethnic States

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

cid:image001.png@01CCE405.460E1840 Burma Moves to Share Revenue With Ethnic States OCT. 2, 2012— The Burmese parliament should amend the country’s constitution to enable the central government to share revenue with ethnic states on exploiting their natural resources, a government minister said. Senior minister Soe Thein said President Thein Sein’s government was all for providing greater autonomy to ethnic states, where armed conflicts had raged for years, particularly under the previous military junta rule. “It is our dream, the president’s and ours, to transfer the power to [the ethnic nationalities] to govern their regions,” he told RFA’s Burmese service on Monday. “Parliament needs to amend some of the revenue sharing [laws], for instance, to increase [the ethnic states’] portion in revenue sharing, as stated in the appendix to the constitution, for their development,” said Soe Thein, who is on a U.S. visit. Ethnic groups have long been excluded from Burma’s politics during decades of brutal military rule which came to an end in March 2011 when Thein Sein’s nominally civilian government took over. Parliament is at present considering a proposal to change rules in the appendix to the country’s 2008 military-written constitution to allocate a percentage of revenue from natural resources to each of the country’s states and divisions. The proposal was made by a head of the ethnic Rakhine Nationalities Development Party. Soe Thein, who is a minister in Thein Sein's office, said that ethnic-based parties should not be ignored in the national agenda. “There are not only two main parties, the USDP and the NLD; we have multiple parties, including ethnic parties and others,” he noted, referring to the ruling, military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy. Investment Most of Burma’s natural resources, which include mineral and gas deposits, are concentrated in the country’s predominantly ethnic states, particularly Kachin, Shan, and Karen. Under Burma’s previous military junta, much of the income generated from exploitation of natural resources was used to fund wars with ethnic rebels, some of them in those states. But since Thein Sein’s government came to power and enacted a series of reforms, Burma is poised for fresh investment, officials say. The U.S. announced plans to lift an import ban on Burmese goods last week, during Thein Sein’s visit to New York to attend the U.N. General Assembly—the first U.S.trip by a Burmese government leader in nearly half a century. Soe Thein said Thein Sein had discussed with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton details of how to proceed with removing the ban. The minister said he would also meet with officials at the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank this week to speed up the process of easing financial restrictions. The import ban and other restrictions were imposed by countries aimed at punishing the previous military junta for rampant human rights abuses. Negative impacts Soe Thein denied there would not be any relaxation of environmental protection measures as the once-pariah state moves to attract foreign investment. “The president's investment policy has four points of emphasis and one of them is ‘not to affect the environment,’” he said. “We will strictly apply these rules to protect our citizens. If these issues are affected, I will be responsible. We will make sure this doesn't happen,” he said. There are also plans to compensate states and divisions for potential environmental damages from development projects, Soe Thein said. “We also have a plan to provide payment for ecological system for the projects that are in their regions.” The countries interested in investing in Burma had similar concerns about managing the environmental and social impact of investment, he said, citing Japan, South Korea, Singapore, U.S. and EU member countries as among them. The Burmese parliament has passed a new investment law but Thein Sein is sending it back to parliament for amendments amid foreign investor concerns regarding protectionist provisions. Soe Thein said that the new measures would “definitely” draw more investments within the next year. He also spoke about the vision for the country one decade from now, saying he expected Burma to achieve a development standard of that enjoyed by neighboring Vietnam. “In 10 years, I expect that we overtake Cambodia and Laos and at least become like Vietnam. I want to aim like Thailand, but practically that is not possible, as we have much more to do.“ Reported by Khin Maung Soe for RFA’s Burmese service. Translated by May Zaw Khin. Written in English by Rachel Vandenbrink. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/burma/soe-thein-10022012192353.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 <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.

12 years, 8 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS: Thein Sein Predicts Tough Fight in 2015 Elections

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

cid:image001.png@01CCE405.460E1840 Thein Sein Predicts Tough Fight in 2015 Elections SEPT. 28, 2012— Burmese President Thein Sein predicted Friday that his ruling military-backed party will face a "neck-and-neck" fight from opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) in crucial 2015 elections. He said unlike the 2010 polls, when his Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) swept nearly 80 percent or 883 seats out of the 1,154 electoral seats that were up for grabs, the elections in three years time will be very different. "Back in 2010, USDP hardly had a rival as it was the strongest one," Thein Sein told RFA's Burmese service on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York which he is attending. "It [USDP] has been organizing for many years, and had a good foundation then. But later, the NLD came in and it also has certain amount of supporters. So in 2015, both have to compete neck-and-neck and have to try hard, that's what I see," the former military general said. The NLD had boycotted the 2010 elections called by the then ruling military junta and the party was legally banned as a result. Reform process Although the polls were seen as unfair by human rights groups, they ushered in a nominally civilian government led by Thein Sein who launched a reform process that encouraged Western governments to lift long running sanctions on the once pariah state. Thein Sein also allowed the NLD to re-register itself, paving the way for the party to contest in April 2012 elections for the first time since 1990, when the NLD's poll victory was not recognized by the military rulers then. The NLD swept 43 of the 44 seats up for grabs in April by-elections, becoming the biggest opposition party in the military-dominated parliament. Four of the seats captured by the NLD were in Naypyidaw, the country's capital and bastion of the military and government. Political pundits say the next election in 2015 will be crucial as it will determine whether the powerful military will accept a win by the NLD. At present, 25 percent of parliamentary seats are reserved for active duty military officers and together, the military and the USDP control more than 80 percent of the seats. Another term On Thursday, Thein Sein said in reply to a question at a forum that he may consider serving another term in office if the country and people want him to do so. "If I have my way, I will only serve one term,” said the 67-year-old leader, who assumed office for a five-year term beginning March 2011. “But of course the future of the position depends on the needs of country and the wishes of the people,” he said in response to a question from the floor at a forum hosted by the New York-based Asia Society. It was believed to be his first direct response to a question on his future since he came to power under a nominally civilian government replacing decades of brutal military rule. Reported by Thin Thiri of RFA's Burmese service. Translation by Khin May Zaw. Written in English by Parameswaran Ponnudurai. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/burma/election-09282012195833.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 <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.

12 years, 8 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS: Burma ‘One Step’ Away From Peace in Kachin

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

cid:image001.png@01CCE405.460E1840 Burma ‘One Step’ Away From Peace in Kachin SEPT. 20, 2012— Authorities in Burma are just “one step” away from striking a peace deal with ethnic Kachin rebels, removing one of the last key obstacles to the process of national reconciliation in the country, the government’s top peace negotiator said Thursday. “For now, only the Kachin are left in the [peace] process. But I think even the Kachin issue—this problem will be solved in only one step further,” Aung Min, a minister in President Thein Sein's office, told RFA’s Burmese service in Washington. Burma recently signed peace agreements with 10 other armed ethnic groups, but the three rounds of peace talks since November held with the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) in northern Burma’s Kachin state have yielded little outcome. As recently as the end of last month, Burmese government troops were pounding KIA positions in clashes that have raged since a 17-year peace agreement between the two sides was shattered in June last year. The war started when Burma won independence from Britain in 1948. Kachin organizations say that 90,000 people have been displaced—many across the border to China—in the fighting since the ceasefire ended. Minister Aung Min was a surprise attendee at a grand ceremony at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday when opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi received the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest U.S. civilian award, from American lawmakers for her decades-long "struggle promoting human rights and democracy" in Burma. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who attended and spoke at the ceremony, acknowledged Aung Min as well as Than Swe, the new Burmese ambassador in Washington, for putting aside their differences with the opposition and honoring Aung San Suu Kyi’s achievement. Aung Min said he was pleased to have been praised during the event by both Clinton and Aung San Suu Kyi for his role in helping with Burma’s national transition. “I am very glad both Hillary Clinton and Aung San Suu Kyi recognized us,” he said. “I am glad I had the chance to attend this kind of ceremony and to perform my duties as a politician. I am very proud and satisfied.” Clinton acknowledged the difficulties in reconciling between factions that have been at odds for so long, but said that Washington would lend its support throughout the process whenever necessary. Aung Min said his decision to attend the ceremony was a sign of how far the nation had come in mending ties between factions. "We are mainly focusing now on ethnic issues and reconciliation, which we all need. In national reconciliation we aim to be all-inclusive,” he said. “As you can see, we work together both inside and outside the Parliament,” where Aung San Suu Kyi is leading the opposition onslaught. Democratic model On Wednesday, the United States removed sanctions that blocked any U.S. assets of the Burmese president and the speaker of its lower house of parliament and that generally barred American companies from dealing with them. Thein Sein and lower house speaker Shwe Mann, once members of the former military junta who have received kudos for driving reforms in the 18 months since the military ceded power, were both removed from the U.S. Treasury's list of "specially designated nationals." The move came ahead of Thein Sein's visit to New York for the annual U.N. General Assembly next week, when he is expected to meet senior U.S. officials. Since Aung San Suu Kyi won a parliamentary seat in April, Washington has normalized diplomatic relations with Burma and allowed U.S. companies to start investing there again. Aung Min said Burma is appreciative of the model the U.S. provides and welcomed the assistance in transitioning the government towards a democracy. “The U.S. has been on this track for 200 years, and we have done so for only a little over a year. I would say the process is going smoothly.... We are on the right track,” he said. “The U.S. is a major democratic country. We will have to learn a lot from them and will also need their support. That's why I thank the U.S. for understanding and supporting us.” Aung Min also said he wanted the Burmese people to know that the new government has their interests in mind and said they should be assured that it was working towards a compromise among all ethnic groups in the country. “To the Burmese people, I would like to say that national reconciliation is, indeed, happening,” he said. “My trip to the U.S. is also for the good of national reconciliation. And on this, we have the support and recognition of the U.S. and the rest of the international community.” Reported by Khin Maung Soe. Translated by Khin May Zaw. Written in English by Joshua Lipes. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/burma/kachin-09202012184127.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 <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.

12 years, 8 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS: Aung San Suu Kyi Calls for Removal of “Roots of Hatred'

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Suu Kyi Calls for Removal of “Roots of Hatred' SEPT 18, 2012— Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi called Tuesday for the removal of the "roots of hatred" that have fueled the conflict between ethnic Rakhines and Muslim Rohingyas in western Burma, saying the issue has to be resolved through respect for human rights and rule of law, and negotiations. "Basically, whenever there is hate, there is fear. So, hate and fear are very closely related. You have to remove the roots of hatred—that is to say you have to address these issues that make people insecure and that make people threatened," she told RFA's Burmese service in an interview. "Whenever people talk about conflict resolution, whatever kind of advice they give, there is one that is unavoidable—you have to talk to one another, you have to negotiate, you have to sort out your problems through speech rather than violence," she said. Aung San Suu Kyi has been criticized by rights groups for not speaking out more forcefully on the Rohingya issue following bloody violence between the Rohingya and Rakhine communities in Rakhine state in June, which killed 80 people and left tens of thousands displaced. The clashes had sparked international allegations that human rights violations were being committed against the Rohingya, who the United Nations says are the world's most oppressed group. The Burmese authorities do not regard them as an ethnic group even though they have lived for generations in the country. Last week, exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama told students in India that he had written to Aung San Suu Kyi about the Rohingya issue but did not receive a response. "We wrote a letter to Suu Kyi regarding the violence but we got no reply. My representative in [New] Delhi even met the Burmese Ambassador here but it has been four weeks and we have not heard from them. There is no channel for us to approach," the Dalai Lama said, according to the Press Trust of India. Silence In an indirect reference to her relative silence on the Rohingya issue, Aung San Suu Kyi said earlier that many did not realize that her National League for Democracy (NLD), the main opposition party in parliament, was not in the government. She said that the NLD is not in a "position to decide what we do and how we operate because we are not a government." "This needs to be understood by those who wish the NLD to do more." Aung San Suu Kyi, who arrived on Monday for a nearly three-week U.S. visit, also explained that her NLD gave top priority to human rights and the rule of the law in any resolution of the conflict, noting that such differences were a universal problem and not confined to Burma only. "I have always said—this is the policy of my party—that human rights and rule of law are necessary in order to bring down tensions in such a situation." "But in the long run, you have to build up harmony between the communities through understanding, through exchange." She also stressed that human rights should be applied to "everybody and equally" to all groups. "To ignore either human rights or rule of law or to insist on human rights and pretend rule of law is another matter will not work. These two have to go together." Aung San Suu Kyi also said that her NLD party wants to help the government to end the crisis in Rakhine state. "We [the NLD] do not want to make political capital out of the situation in Rakhine state. We want to give the government all the opportunities it needs to defuse the situation there," she said earlier when speaking at a Washington forum organized by the Asia Society. "We want to help the government in any way possible to bring about peace in Rakhine state." 'Great concern' Two weeks ago, the United States expressed “great concern” over the humanitarian situation in Rakhine state, following a visit by the American ambassador to the area. "Broad swathes of both communities have been affected, and the humanitarian situation remains of great concern,” the U.S. Embassy in Rangoon said in a statement after the visit by a group led by newly appointed Ambassador Derek Mitchell and senior State Department official Joseph Yun. “Going forward, it will be important to address the urgent needs, while also laying the groundwork for a long-term, sustainable and just solution” to the conflict," the embassy said. Burmese President Thein Sein had recently suggested that the Rohingyas should be deported, raising an outcry from rights groups. Thousands of Buddhist monks took to the streets to back his call and protest against the Rohingyas. Reported by Nyein Shwe for RFA's Burmese service. Written in English by Parameswaran Ponnudurai, Joshua Lipes and Rachel Vandenbrink. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/burma/rohingya-09182012133807.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 <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.

12 years, 8 months

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Release: Aung San Suu Kyi Visits Radio Free Asia

by Rohit Mahajan

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Sept. 18, 2012 Contact: Rohit Mahajan 202 530 4976 <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org Radio Free Asia Hosts Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi Opposition leader commends RFA for keeping Burmese people informed WASHINGTON, DC - Radio Free Asia (RFA) today hosted Aung San Suu Kyi at its Washington headquarters as part of her tour of the United States. The Nobel Peace Prize winner praised RFA for serving as a critical information lifeline for her and the Burmese people during the military junta's authoritarian rule and the country's current era of transition and reform. "This is, in many ways, as I have been saying, the last mile," Aung San Suu Kyi said. "This is the time we need all the help possible to make sure that our country keeps on the right path. This is another way of saying RFA is needed more than ever for us in Burma and for other people in other places, which are not yet free." Aung San Suu Kyi addressed her remarks to all RFA staff including its nine language services. Recently elected to serve as a member of Burma's parliament, the leader of the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) also shared her thoughts about the country's future, underscoring the need establish rule of law to achieve lasting democratic reform and an end to ethnic divisions that have plagued Burma. During her visit, Aung San Suu Kyi was interviewed by RFA's Burmese Director; met with RFA President Libby Liu and Vice President John Estrella; and spoke over tea with RFA Board members Michael Meehan, Victor Ashe, and Susan McCue, and with RFA leadership. RFA's Burmese language service will broadcast its interview with the Nobel laureate by radio, satellite television, and digitally online as part of its daily webcast. Aung San Suu Kyi's visit to the United States marks her first since she was placed under house arrest in 1990. Aung San Suu Kyi will address the United Nations in New York and receive the Congressional Gold Medal from U.S. lawmakers on Capitol Hill over the next week. # # # 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 Media Relations Manager Radio Free Asia Email: mahajanr(a)rfa.org Desk: (202) 530-4976 Cell: (202) 489-8021 www.rfa.org

12 years, 8 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS: Massive Raid on Tibetan Monastery

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Massive Raid on Tibetan Monastery SEPT. 4, 2012— Hundreds of heavily armed Chinese security forces raided a Tibetan monastery in the northwestern province of Qinghai at the weekend, taking away four monks previously targeted for detention and holding another monk for taking photographs of the raid, Tibetan sources said. Local Tibetans believe at least three of the monks were picked up during the Saturday raid for providing foreign media outlets with details about two nearby self-immolation protests in June, an India-based Tibetan told RFA, citing sources in the region. Monks who intervened to stop the detentions were beaten, the sources said. “On Sept. 1, Chinese police and Public Security Bureau officers in about 60 vehicles suddenly arrived at Zilkar monastery in the Dzatoe township of Tridu county in Qinghai’s Yulshul [in Chinese, Yushu] prefecture,” the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity. The monastery, the scene of unauthorized funeral ceremonies following the self-immolations, had been told in a phone call earlier in the day to expect an official “visit,” believed by the monks to be routine, the source said. “Shortly afterward, the monastery’s electricity and all means of communication were cut off,” he said. The fully armed security forces in riot gear surrounded the monastery, the source said, adding, that “they came to detain four monks whose names and other information about them were already known.” Police 'filled the monastery' Chinese police conducting the raid were so numerous that they “filled the monastery” and appeared to outnumber the monastery’s own 500 monks, the source said. Detained in the raid were Lobsang Jinpa, 30; Tsultrim Kalsang, 25; Ngawang Monlam, 30; and Sonam Yignyen, 44. A fifth monk, Sonam Sherab, 45, was taken into custody when he was observed filming the police operation, the source said. Computers and DVDs were seized from the monks’ rooms by the police, who also beat and pointed guns at other monks who pleaded with them not to take the men away, he said. “Locals suspect that three of the monks were taken away because they had contacted outside media about the recent self-immolations of two Tibetans in Yulshul,” he said. “Another is believed to have been detained for possessing photos of [exiled spiritual leader] the Dalai Lama.” Monk seized in town Separately, police in China’s northwestern Gansu province last week took into custody a Tibetan monk believed to have been involved in a March 20 protest against Chinese authorities, according to a local source. “On Aug. 28, Kalsang Gyatso, 28, a monk at the Bora monastery, was detained and taken away from a bathhouse in Tsoe town,” the source said, also speaking on condition of anonymity. Gyatso, with permission from senior monks who were supervising a retreat, had gone to the nearby town and was bathing with friends when he was detained, the source said. “The police, who were not in uniform, asked which of the men was Kalsang Gyatso, but his friends refused to identify him,” he said. “The police then pointed directly at him, overpowered his friends, and took him away in a police vehicle,” he said, adding that no explanation was given for the detention. When family members later sought word from county and prefecture offices on Kalsang Gyatso’s condition and place of detention, “no information was given to them,” he said. Kalsang Gyatso comes originally from Yagpa Yarne village in Labrang (in Chinese, Xiahe) county in Gansu’s Kanlho (in Chinese, Gannan) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, the source said. “His father is Kalsang Tsering, and Dronpu Thar is his mother,” he said. The day after Kalsang Gyatso was detained, a group of 30 county, prefecture, and provincial-level officials, together with a press team, arrived at Bora monastery to conduct a “legal education” session for the monks, the source said. Growing concern Human rights groups have expressed concern over the increasing number of Tibetan detentions amid the 51 self-immolations in protest against Chinese rule since February 2009. Last week, police also detained a monk from the restive Kirti monastery in Sichuan province, which has been the epicenter of the burning protests, along with another Tibetan, possibly in connection with the deadly self-immolation protests in the area. The London-based Free Tibet said it "has grave concerns for the well being of the hundreds of Tibetans who we know are in detention following protests, often in locations unknown to their families, without any legal rights and at very serious risk of being tortured." “Tibetans’ fundamental human rights are being ignored by international leaders who are afraid of risking their relationships with China. The time has come for each one of us to speak up and demand Tibetan freedom,” Free Tibet Director Stephanie Brigden said last week. Separately, the U.S.-based advocacy group International Campaign for Tibet has asked Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who began a two-day visit to Beijing on Tuesday, to “continue to insist on demonstrable improvements in the human rights situation [in Tibet].” Reported by RFA’s Tibetan service. Translated by Karma Dorjee and Dorjee Damdul. Written in English by Richard Finney. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/raid-09042012155726.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 <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.

12 years, 9 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS: Two Tibetans Self-Immolate

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Two Tibetans Self-Immolate AUGUST 27, 2012— Two young Tibetan men set themselves on fire near a restive monastery in China’s Sichuan province and died Monday in protest against Chinese rule in Tibetan areas, Tibetan sources in exile said. Their self-immolation came two days after a nun in a neighboring prefecture braved tight security restriction and staged a solitary protest, also challenging Beijing’s rule, before she was detained and taken away. Lobsang Kalsang, 18 and a monk at Kirti monastery, and Damchoe, 17 and an ex-monk, self-immolated at a site near the eastern gate of Kirti monastery and close to Heroes’ Street in Ngaba, the sources said, referring to a main road in Ngaba town which has become the epicenter of burning protests challenging Chinese rule. As they burned, both shouted slogans condemning Chinese policies in Tibet, India-based monks Kanyag Tsering and Lobsang Yeshe said, citing contacts in the region. “Witnesses saw them run about 20 steps with their bodies on fire, and then they fell to the ground,” they said, adding that sounds of “Ki! Ki!,” a Tibetan battle cry, could later be heard coming from the flames. Police took both men to Ngaba hospital, and then to a hospital in nearby Barkham county, “but later in the evening, both men died, and their bodies are still in the possession of the authorities,” Tsering and Yeshe said. “No information is available as to whether the authorities have handed the bodies over to their relatives,” they said. Total now at 51 Speaking separately to RFA on condition of anonymity, two Ngaba residents confirmed the self-immolations on Monday, saying the two protesters set themselves ablaze at about 11:00 a.m. local time. “They held their protest … close to Heroes’ Street in Ngaba,” one source said. Their burnings bring to 51 the total number of self-immolations since the wave of fiery protests began in February 2009, with nearly all of the protests taking place in Tibetan-populated provinces in western China. Most were protests against Chinese rule and calling for the return of the Dalai Lama, Tibet's spiritual leader who now lives in exile in Dharamsala, India. The last reported self-immolation before Monday’s protest was on Aug. 13 when two young Tibetan men, one a Kirti monk and the other a former monk, set themselves on fire and walked, burning and shouting slogans, along the main street of Ngaba town before being overwhelmed and taken away by police. The burnings triggered protests by residents, leading to a Chinese security crackdown in which one Tibetan was beaten to death. Damchoe, one of the men who died on Monday, was a nephew of the other self-immolator, Lobsang Kalsang, and was the younger brother of a nun named Tenzin Chodron who died in an earlier protest, Tsering and Yeshe said. “He was a monk of Kirti monastery, but later he disrobed and lived with his mother in a nomadic community.” After Monday’s protest, Chinese police detained Lobsang Kalsang’s roommate Lobsang Palden at Kirti monastery, Tsering and Yeshe said. Nun protests, is detained Meanwhile, a 39-year-old Tibetan nun staged a lone protest on Saturday in Sichuan’s Kardze (in Chinese, Ganzi) prefecture, calling for freedom for Tibet, a Tibetan source in exile said, citing sources in the region. “A nun by the name of Shedrub Lhamo protested at around 8:30 a.m. on Aug. 25 in Kardze town,” India-based monk Pema Tsewang said, citing sources in Kardze. “She shouted slogans calling for the long life of the Dalai Lama and for his return to Tibet and for freedom for Tibet. She also threw several leaflets in the air before she was detained by police,” he said. What was written on the leaflets is not known, but a foreign tourist who was present took a photo of a leaflet and was also immediately detained, Pema Tsewang said. “The police seized his camera and took him away in a vehicle. It is not clear whether or not he was later released.” “Relatives of the nun protester went to the detention center to bring her some clothes,” he said. “The police took them and said they would hand them over.” Shedrub Lhamo’s father was identified as Tsewang Gyurme and her mother as Tsering Palmo. A native of Shang Khag village in the Khadrag subdivision of Sichuan’s Kardze county, she is a nun belonging to Ganden Choeling monastery in Kardze, Pema Tsewang said. Reported by RFA’s Tibetan service. Translated by Karma Dorjee. Written in English by Richard Finney. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/immolate-08272012150023.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 <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.

12 years, 9 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS: Tibet's Capital Lhasa 'Like a Vast Prison'

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Tibet's Capital Lhasa 'Like a Vast Prison' AUGUST 23, 2012—Chinese authorities have implemented a massive security clampdown in Lhasa, pouring police into the Tibetan capital and setting up checkpoints with airport-style body scanners in busy downtown areas, residents said on Thursday. "Lhasa city has been turned into a large prison," one Tibetan resident of Lhasa told RFA's Tibetan service. "There are police everywhere in groups of 10 or more with rifles, batons, and fire extinguishers on each of them." She said police had set up security checkpoints for pedestrians near the popular tourist area of the Barkhor Market and the pilgrimage route around the city's central Jokhang Temple. "Body scanning checkpoints have been installed at different points, and Tibetans are being regularly scanned and checked," she said, adding that body scanning gates had been set up around the Potala Palace, the former residence of Tibet's exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama. A second Tibetan resident said that Tibetans arriving from out of town were being denied entry to the city. However, this same treatment wasn't being extended to Han Chinese, who have poured into the Himalayan region since the completion of the Golmud-Lhasa railroad in 2006. "They are stopping the Tibetans at the gates, while the Chinese are free to go anywhere and enter from everywhere in Lhasa," he said. "Tibetan villagers from the Lhasa area cannot enter from Yukhu or Kuru Bridge, so the real victims are the Tibetans." Simmering tensions He said that Tibetans from other Tibetan regions in southwestern China had been expelled from Lhasa and sent home, unless they were able to show a residence permit for the city. "All those without permits have been sent back to their hometowns," the man said. "Lhasa is overflowing with Chinese, and the Tibetans cannot get involved in arguments with them." He said that ethnic tensions are simmering below the surface of the order imposed by armed security forces. "If any Tibetan is involved in a dispute, the Tibetans will be the losers," he said. "If we speak and argue with the Chinese, they call this the 'politics of separation.'" "We cannot engage the services of lawyers, and in fact the Chinese lawyers are scared to take Tibetan cases." A third Tibetan resident agreed. "Now Lhasa and the surrounding areas in Tibet really look like a vast prison," he said. "We cannot do anything." He said that authorities were monitoring all phone traffic coming into Lhasa from overseas, although it was unclear if this was a temporary measure. "If relatives living in foreign countries call their family members in the Lhasa area, this sets off a red warning light at police monitoring stations in Lhasa, and the conversation is recorded," the man said. Han also checked Some Han residents of Lhasa said they, too, were being subjected to tight security, however. "They have set up those security scanners, and you have to walk through the scanner," said a Lhasa-based migrant worker surnamed Yao. "They are also checking identity papers and so on, especially if you go to the Jokhang Temple and the Barkhor." "Basically, we have stayed in a restaurant for the past two days. We haven't been out." While this month sees the celebration of the annual Shoton yogurt festival, some residents said the city's tight security no longer seems linked to any specific event. "It's not just the past couple of days," said a second Tibetan woman. "It's been like this the whole time." "It's very strict, but it is usually like this over here now; we have got used to it," she said. "They won't let people gather on the streets, let alone allow any Tibetan-Han [conflict] to take place." "It's checks, checks, checks ... Everyone has to undergo checks. They search you near the Barkhor Market with machines." Other areas targeted Recent reports indicate that the stringent security measures aren't limited to Lhasa. Chinese authorities have detained more than 1,000 residents of a restive Tibetan county since March, targeting mainly educated youth involved in promoting the revival of Tibetan language and culture, local sources said this week. The crackdown followed the deployment of large numbers of security forces to Driru county in the Nagchu prefecture of the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) in March following demonstrations in the area, residents said. In a growing wave of opposition to Beijing's rule in Tibetan areas, 49 Tibetans have self-immolated since February 2009, with nearly all of the fiery protests taking place in Tibetan-populated provinces in western China. The first self-immolation protest in Lhasa was reported in May, when two young Tibetan men set themselves on fire in a central square of the heavily guarded city. The ruling Chinese Communist Party has launched a nationwide "stability" drive in recent months, targeting activists, dissidents, and potential political flashpoints like Tibet and the troubled northwestern region of Xinjiang ahead of a key leadership transition at the 18th Party Congress later this year. Reported by Yangdon Demo for RFA's Tibetan service and by Qiao Long for the Mandarin service. Translated by Karma Dorjee and Luisetta Mudie. Written in English by Luisetta Mudie. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/prison-08232012122203.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 <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.

12 years, 9 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS: Ex-Military Officers Detained Over Protest in China

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Ex-Military Officers Detained Over Protest in China AUGUST 20, 2012—Police across China rounded up or held thousands of retired army officers who had planned to converge on Beijing on Monday to complain about corruption and unpaid pensions, organizers of the mass petition attempt said. Around 1,000 petitioners from around the country did succeed in arriving outside national army headquarters in Beijing on Monday, but were rapidly rounded up into buses, participants said. "We were all brought back [home]," a would-be petitioner and retired People's Liberation Army (PLA) officer surnamed Zhao said in an interview from his home. He said the move had been coordinated among thousands of PLA veterans around the country who wished to petition the ruling Chinese Communist Party over their treatment in retirement. "People came from all around the country," Zhao said. "This time I guess there must have been several thousand people, but most of them are being held under house arrest." "The police heard that we were planning to travel to Beijing on Aug. 20, and arrive outside the Central Military Commission between 1:00 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to demand an explanation," he said. "There was already a huge number of police who had been waiting for us from early that morning outside the gates of the Commission and the Military Museum," Zhao said. "A lot of them made it to Beijing," he added. "They say there were six buses, which I think took them to the Jiujingzhuang [unofficial detention center]." Repeated calls to the mobile phones of veterans' representatives Yu Guobao and Liu Kezhi, who had managed to arrive in Beijing, went unanswered on Monday, with a message saying the phones were switched off. Complaint letter The Hubei-based rights group Minsheng Guancha said in an e-mailed statement that a large number of people had been detained at the gates of the Commission on Monday. Their complaint letter said that, far from being welcomed into local government jobs or quasi-government bodies on retirement from military service, they were ignored or snubbed by local officials. Large numbers of PLA veterans say they are now suffering extreme economic hardship in spite of their service to the nation, giving rise to their slogan, "No money for the doctor, nowhere to turn for help," the group said. "Since 2008, the government has stripped away the status of PLA veterans and former military cadres, which means we have not a penny in income," Zhao said. "We are getting on [in age] a bit and we can't find jobs, so our existence is very hard," he said. Retired military personnel have been cited by officials and activists as a highly sensitive sector of the population, who might swing a tide of public opinion in their favor and against the Communist Party, because of their proven loyalty to Party and country. The sensitivity around military retirees suggests that many are afraid of politicizing their cause through contact with foreign media. In February, disgruntled PLA veterans launched a nationwide campaign ahead of annual parliamentary meetings in Beijing, calling publicly for the military to intervene to fight graft, which they blame for their lack of pension income. The retired army and navy officers, who have spent many years petitioning for better benefits and conditions in retirement, staged a protest outside the joint headquarters of the PLA, carrying placards and shouting slogans, rights activists said. Reported by Qiao Long for RFA's Mandarin service. Translated and written in English by Luisetta Mudie. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/veterans-08202012162528.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 <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.

12 years, 9 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS: Tibetans Protest Against Police Brutality

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Tibetans Protest Against Police Brutality AUGUST 14, 2012— Nearly 500 Tibetans in China’s Qinghai province took to the streets Tuesday to protest what they called police brutality, as tensions gripped neighboring Sichuan province, where one of two Tibetans who self-immolated in protest against Chinese rule a day earlier died, sources said. Residents of Rebgong (Tongren, in Chinese) county in Qinghai province’s Malho prefecture marched on the local Public Security Bureau office to highlight an attack by police on Monday night on a group of Tibetans traveling by car. Witnesses to the Monday assault described the Chinese police who attacked the Tibetans as “drunk,” local sources told RFA, speaking on condition of anonymity. “On Aug. 13, local police, who appeared to be drunk, stopped four Tibetans traveling in their vehicle and harshly questioned them,” sources said. “The harassment reached a point where the police and the Tibetans clashed, and the Tibetans were severely beaten.” The Tibetans injured in the beating were identified as Kelsang, Konchog Nyima, Shawo Tsering, and Konchog Norbu, with Shawo Tsering described as the most badly hurt in the group. It is not known if the men were also detained. Early on Tuesday, area residents gathered in a village called Senge Shong to protest the beating, sources said. The crowd then marched to Rebgong town with some carrying banners reading “The government police beat people” written in both Tibetan and Chinese. “The police have secured themselves inside their building and don’t dare come out,” one source said. Monk dies of burns The protests came a day after two Tibetans set themselves on fire Monday in protest against Chinese rule in Ngaba county in Sichuan, triggering clashes between local Tibetans and police that resulted in a Tibetan being beaten to death, sources said. One of them, a Tibetan monk identified as Lungtok, 20, has died, exile sources said. Lungtok, a monk from the restive Kirti monastery in Ngaba, and Tashi, 21, an ex-monk from the same monastery, set themselves ablaze on Aug. 13 at about 6:50 p.m. local time to highlight their opposition to Beijing’s rule, sources said. “On Aug. 14, it was learned that Lungtok died in Barkham [county] hospital,” said India-based Tibetan monks Lobsang Yeshi and Kanyag Tsering, citing sources in the region. “It is not known whether his remains were handed over to family members,” they added. It was also unclear whether Lungtok had died on Tuesday or the day before. In their Monday protest, both men set themselves alight and walked, burning and shouting slogans, along the main street of Ngaba town before being overwhelmed and taken away by Chinese police, Yeshi and Tsering said. Witnesses said there was little hope for their survival because of their severe burns, Yeshi and Tsering said. Tashi, who taken with Lungtok to the Ngaba county hospital before both were moved to Barkham, was beaten as he burned, witnesses said. There is no word yet on his condition. Forty-nine Tibetans in total have self-immolated since the current wave of fiery protests began in February 2009, with nearly all of the protests taking place in Tibetan-populated provinces in western China. Most of them protested against Chinese rule and called for the return of the Dalai Lama, Tibet's spiritual leader who is living in exile in Dharamsala. Last week, three Tibetans died in self-immolation protests — two in Ngaba and one in the southern part of Kanlho (Gannan, in Chinese) prefecture in Gansu province. Tibetan groups say the wave of self-immolation protests will continue until the underlying human rights and other problems in the Tibetan-populated areas are addressed by the Chinese authorities. Chinese authorities however have labeled the self-immolators as terrorists, outcasts, criminals, and mentally ill people and have blamed the Dalai Lama for encouraging the burnings. Reported by RFA’s Tibetan service. Translated by Karma Dorjee. Written in English by Richard Finney. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/brutality-08142012152819.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 <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.

12 years, 9 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS: Two Tibetans Self-Immolate in Ngaba

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Two Tibetans Self-Immolate in Ngaba AUGUST 13, 2012— Two Tibetans set themselves on fire Monday in protest against Chinese rule in Ngaba county in Sichuan province, triggering clashes between local Tibetans and police that resulted in a Tibetan beaten to death, sources said. Amid the rising tensions, some sources said there was a third self-immolation in the county, located in the Ngaba (Aba, in Chinese) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, but the incident could not be immediately confirmed. The two confirmed self-immolations on Monday evening set the stage for bigger protests by Tibetans and a heavy police presence. Lungtok, a monk from the restive Kirti monastery in Ngaba, and another Tibetan, believed to be a layperson and identified as Tashi, torched themselves at around 6:00 p.m. local time to highlight their opposition to Chinese rule in Tibetan-populated areas, a Tibetan source in the area told RFA. "A large contingent of police and armed PSB [Public Security Bureau] personnel arrived at the site of the self-immolation and imposed stern restrictions in the area," the source said. "The local Tibetans gathered in the area clashed with police and the situation became very tense. One Tibetan died from being beaten by the police." Details unknown There were no immediate details of the condition of the two self-immolators who, according to witnesses, were whisked away by Chinese security forces to a nearby hospital, sources inside Tibet said. "I heard about the two Tibetans who self-immolated today around 6:00 p.m. and one was a monk," a second source said, speaking to RFA from the Tibet Autonomous Region. The source added, "Another monk also self-immolated around 8:00 p.m. today but details on him are not known." Information about the possible third self-immolation could not be confirmed with residents in the area amid the heightened security. "A large number of Tibetans are protesting against the Chinese authorities and the situation is grim and serious," the second source said. Exiled monk Lobsang Yeshi of the sister Kirti monastery in India's hill town of Dharamsala, while confirming the two self-immolations, said he had also heard unconfirmed reports of a third burning protest. "It is true that two [Tibetans] did self-immolate in Ngaba and we are seeking more details. We also heard that a third Tibetan self-immolated and protested but the details are not available," he told RFA. Including the two confirmed incidents on Monday, 49 Tibetans in total have self-immolated since the current wave of fiery protests began in February 2009, with nearly all of the protests taking place in Tibetan-populated provinces in western China. Nearly all of them protested against Chinese rule and called for the return of the Dalai Lama, Tibet's spiritual leader who is living in exile in Dharamsala. Last week, three Tibetans died in self-immolation protests — two in Ngaba and one in the southern part of Kanlho (Gannan, in Chinese) prefecture in Gansu province. Tibetan groups say the wave of self-immolation protests will continue until the underlying human rights and other problems in the Tibetan-populated areas are addressed by the Chinese authorities. Chinese authorities however have labeled the self-immolators as terrorists, outcasts, criminals, and mentally ill people and have blamed the Dalai Lama for encouraging the burnings. Reported by 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/immolate-08132012134204.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 <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.

12 years, 10 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS: Burma Eyes Overtaking Cambodia, Laos in Average Income

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Burma Eyes Overtaking Cambodia, Laos in Average Income JULY 23, 2012—Burma hopes to overtake neighbors Laos and Cambodia in terms of average income per person within two to three years, as the country embraces political and economic reforms, Burmese Industry Minister Soe Thein said Monday. "I hope we will have higher average income per person than Laos and Cambodia by 2014-15. It is possible," he said in an interview with RFA's Burmese service. Soe Thein was answering a question on his expectations for the Burmese economy in the next five years. Burma is languishing with a gross national income per capita of U.S. $379.6, based on U.N. figures in 2009, the lowest among its fellow member states in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)—Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Laos has a per capita income of U.S. $1,130 while Cambodia has U.S. $830, based on 2011 figures by the World Bank. The gross national income per capita is the dollar value of a country’s final income in a year, divided by its population. It reflects the average income of a country’s citizens. A nominally civilian government that took over power in Burma in March last year after decades of harsh military rule and financial mismanagement is implementing democratic and economic reforms that have led the international community to ease sanctions on the country. As part of economic reforms, President Thein Sein's government, with the help of the International Monetary Fund, launched a managed float of its kyat currency in April to help normalize and unify its multiple exchange rates. Foreign investment law The country's parliament is also discussing a foreign investment law, which reports say will spell out new tax exemptions, land-use terms, legal structures and incentives for foreign companies. "Our existing law [on trade] are already good. But to be able to compete with [neighboring] ASEAN [countries] and to protect the people, to protect our environment, we are drafting the new law," Soe Thein said. "Actually it was already discussed at the parliament in the first session, and now this is going to be discussed again," he said. When asked when the much awaited law will be approved, he said, "It doesn't matter, it will be done at some point." "Even if this is not done yet, the existing foreign direct investment law is not bad at all. We can apply it for now. When the new law is approved, we can enjoy better benefits." Soe Thein said Burmese authorities will treat foreign companies on an equal basis based on market forces even though Burma has been close to China for decades especially under military rule. "This is a market economy. Local partners will choose. If we consider efficiency, let's say if you buy something, you will choose a good product. In business, you will have to choose the best partner," he said. Asked whether foreign investments are flowing into Burma rapidly in line with reforms, he said there could be a significant rise early next year. "We are going to have it. For now, we are still in the process of discussing. I myself have been discussing many times already. It will be a lot more progress by the beginning of next year, I think. Meanwhile, there is some increase." Jobs On potential employment benefits, the minister said some 110,000 jobs had been created over the last year with a potential for one million jobs when the government enters into peace with ethnic armed rebel groups. "When the peace process is done, we will have more job opportunities in the [ethnic] regions [through the efforts of] international donors. Creating jobs is considered the number one criteria. We choose factories that can provide more jobs. Eventually we will have up to a million [jobs]." The government has struck ceasefire agreements with several ethnic armed groups but their leaders said that the ceasefire is just the first step of a process that must include political solutions. Clashes have been reported regularly in Shan State, Karenni State, Karen State and most notably in Kachin State, where rebels have not reached a truce despite several rounds of negotiations. Reported by Kyaw Kyaw Aung. Translated by Khim May Zaw. Written in English by Parameswaran Ponnudurai.. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/burma/industry-07232012210012.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 <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.

12 years, 10 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS: Protests Erupt as Tibetan Monks Are Detained

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Protests Erupt as Tibetan Monks Are Detained AUGUST 8, 2012—Chinese security forces have detained three Tibetan monks from a monastery at which a woman self-immolated in protest against Chinese rule this week, triggering protests demanding their release, according to sources. Tensions emerged around the Tso monastery in Gansu province Wednesday amid reports that another self-immolator, a young monk, died in neighboring Sichuan’s Ngaba (in Chinese, Aba) Tibetan prefecture, on the same day he set himself on fire on Monday. The three monks were picked up by police on suspicion of sheltering Dolkar Tso, 26, a Tibetan mother of two who self-immolated near a stupa at the Tso monastery in the Kanlho (in Chinese, Gannan) prefecture on Tuesday. She died on the same day. “Last night, at about 10:00 p.m. local time, Chinese police entered the Tso monastery and detained monks Choephel, Sherab, and Tsondru,” a local source told RFA on Wednesday, speaking on condition of anonymity. “Tsondru was released this morning, but at around 5:00 a.m. Chinese police in about a dozen vehicles arrived and tried to detain 17 other monks suspected of bringing Dolkar Tso to the monastery.” Monks and local residents then mobbed the police to demand the release of those detained, the source said. “A large number of monks and laymen then gathered in front of the monastery’s prayer hall to demand that the monk Choephel be set free,” he said, adding, “They have sworn to continue their protest if Choephel is not released.” Also on Wednesday, at 1:30 p.m., about 300 monks left the large nearby monastery of Labrang Tashikyil to say prayers and offer condolences at Dolkar Tso’s family home, but were stopped by Chinese officials, the same source said. “The officials threatened to take action against the monks and to confiscate their vehicles, but the monks left their vehicles and attempted to continue on foot to Dolkar Tso’s home,” he said. “Staff from the monastery’s management committee came out to plead with them not to leave, and the monks then sat down in front of the gate of the Buddhist Dialectics School near the monastery and began to pray.” “More monks have now begun to gather to join them in their prayers,” he said. Dolkar Tso’s self-immolation on Tuesday brought to 46 the number of self-immolations by Tibetans challenging Beijing’s rule since the current wave of fiery protests began in February 2009, with almost all of the protests occurring in Tibetan-populated provinces in western China. A day earlier, monk Lobsang Tsultrim from the restive Kirti monastery in Ngaba (in Chinese, Aba) Tibetan prefecture died after setting himself on fire, sources said. He succumbed to his burns at a hospital in Barkham (in Chinese, Ma’erkang) at around midnight that same day, Kanyag Tsering, a monk living at Kirti’s branch monastery in India, said, citing sources in the region. “His body was then cremated by the Chinese and his ashes were handed over to his family,” Tsering said. “On the night of Aug. 7, four monks from the Kirti monastery re-cremated Lobsang Tsultrim’s ashes at a site near the monastery,” he said. During his protest, Lobsang Tsultrim shouted slogans calling for the return of exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama and the exiled abbot of his monastery, freedom for Tibet, and the re-opening of a Kirti monastery school closed by Chinese authorities in 2008, sources said. He took about 10 steps before falling to the ground, and Chinese police then extinguished the fire and shoved the badly burned monk into a vehicle, driving him to the Ngaba county hospital, Tsering said. After half an hour, he was transferred to Barkham Hospital, where he later died. Lobsang Tsultrim left a final testament, details of which are unknown, but Chinese authorities have threatened a 10-year prison term for anyone transmitting this outside the Kirti area, Tsering said. Reported by Lumbum Tashi and Rigdhen Dolma for RFA’s Tibetan service. Translated by Rigdhen Dolma. Written in English by Richard Finney. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/monks-08082012153912.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 <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.

12 years, 10 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS: Tibetan Monk in New Burning Protest

by Joshua Lipes

cid:image001.png@01CCE405.460E1840 Tibetan Monk in New Burning Protest AUGUST 6, 2012-A Tibetan monk in China's southwestern Sichuan province set himself ablaze today in the latest in a wave of self-immolation protests challenging Chinese rule, Tibetan sources said on Monday. Lobsang Trinlay, a monk at the restive Kirti monastery in Ngaba (in Chinese, Aba) Tibetan prefecture, burned himself shortly after 5:00 p.m. local time on Aug. 6, Sungrab Gyatso, a monk at Drepung monastery in India said, citing contacts in Tibet. "Witnesses said that he shouted slogans calling for the return of [exiled spiritual leader] the Dalai Lama to Tibet and for Tibetans living in and outside of Tibet to reunite," Gyatso said. A Tibetan resident of the area confirmed the account, speaking on condition of anonymity. "A Ngaba Kirti monastery monk self-immolated on Aug. 6. His name is Lobsang Trinlay. After Chinese police extinguished the flames, he was taken away alive," he said. Citing a local source and speaking on condition of anonymity, a Tibetan living in South India said that following the protest, police were observed throwing a badly burned body into a vehicle and driving away. "More police than residents were present at the scene," he added. 'Martyrs' Road' Separately, the London-based advocacy group Free Tibet said a witness reported that "Chinese state security personnel quickly extinguished the flames at the scene on the main road in Ngaba." That road is now called Martyrs' Road by local residents because of the large number of self-immolation protests that have taken place there, Free Tibet said in its statement. "The man who set fire to himself today was reported to be still alive, his upper body badly injured, when security personnel drove him away in a vehicle," Free Tibet said. The burning brings to 45 the number of self-immolations by Tibetans challenging Beijing's rule since the current wave of fiery protests began in February 2009, with nearly all of the protests taking place in Tibetan-populated provinces in western China. The first self-immolation protest in the Tibetan capital was reported in May, when two young Tibetan men set themselves ablaze in a central square of the heavily guarded city. As the world's media focuses on the discipline of Chinese athletes competing in the Olympic Games now under way in London, "Chinese state repression is driving Tibetans to set fire to themselves under a media blackout," Free Tibet director Stephanie Brigden said in a statement on Monday. "China is competing in the Olympic Games despite having broken every commitment on human rights made during its bid for the 2008 games [held in Beijing]," Brigden said. "While we celebrate human endeavor, we must rigorously defend human rights," Brigden said. Reported by Kunsang Tenzin, Chakmo Tso, and Rigdhen Dolma for RFA's Tibetan service. Translated by Dorjee Damdul and Rigdhen Dolma. Written in English by Richard Finney. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/new-08062012153250.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 <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.

12 years, 10 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS: Tibetans Ready for 'Long' Struggle

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Tibetans Ready for 'Long' Struggle JULY 20, 2012—Tibetans will continue to press for freedom of their homeland, now ruled by Beijing, even if their struggle takes “another 50 years,” Tibet’s exile prime minister said Friday as he expressed readiness to resume talks with Chinese authorities on the status of the troubled region. Lobsang Sangay, who was elected last year as prime minister, or kalon tripa, of Tibet’s India-based exile government, said that he still hopes for “meaningful” talks even though Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama’s envoys to the dialogue with Beijing quit a month ago after talks stalled. “We are always ready to appoint special envoys for dialogue with the Chinese leadership whenever we receive the right signals,” Sangay said in an interview with RFA’s Tibetan service in Washington, where he met with U.S. officials and lawmakers. China has ruled Tibet since 1950, and the Chinese government has repeatedly accused exiled Tibetans, including the Dalai Lama, of stoking dissent against its rule. The Dalai Lama fled to India in 1959 after a failed uprising. Lodi Gyari and Kelsang Gyaltsen, who served as the Dalai Lama’s personal representatives in nine rounds of discussions with China beginning in 2002, resigned their posts in June. The Dalai Lama last year stepped down as political leader of the Tibetan people, devolving his responsibilities to Lobsang Sangay. And though China insists it will speak only with the Dalai Lama’s representatives, refusing to speak directly to the exile government, “we are more concerned with the substance of the dialogue than with the title of the envoys who consult with China,” Sangay said. “We are not discouraged by anything the Chinese government says or does … but we are unwavering on the path of the Middle Way,” Sangay said, referring to the Dalai Lama’s policy of seeking only greater autonomy, and not independence from China, for Tibet. “The ball is now in China’s court. Tibetan exiles are prepared to sustain our struggle even if it takes another 50 years,” Sangay said. Growing challenge In a growing wave of challenge to China’s rule, 44 Tibetans have set themselves ablaze in self-immolation protests so far in a bid to push for greater freedom and the Dalai Lama’s return. Though China has repeatedly claimed that Tibet’s exile government has incited the fiery protests, “we have made it very clear in numerous official statements that we appeal to Tibetans not to resort to drastic forms of protest, including self-immolation,” Sangay said. “At the same time, we need to highlight the underlying causes of [these protests] and the purpose for which they gave up their lives.” “Self-immolation is a political protest; there is no other way for Tibetans to protest,” he said. “As compatriots, we urge Tibetans to show solidarity with the goal of these sacrifices.” Lobsang Sangay met on Thursday with Senator John Kerry, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and with Speaker of the House of Representatives John Boehner. In this visit and during previous visits, Sangay said, “we have interacted constructively with all key U.S. officials who are responsible for issues related to Asia, Tibet, and China, and particularly with Maria Otero, the State Department’s Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues.” “Our impression is that U.S. support for Tibetan concerns has remained steadfast and strong,” Sangay said. Reported by RFA’s Tibetan service. Translation by Dorjee Damdul. Written in English by Richard Finney. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/ready-07202012145209.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 <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.

12 years, 10 months

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Release: Radio Free Asia Wins Top Environmental Journalism Award

by Rohit Mahajan

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 13, 2012 Contact: Rohit Mahajan 202 530 4976 <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org Radio Free Asia Wins Top Environmental Journalism Prize Award Recognizes RFA Series on China's Dong River Pollution WASHINGTON- Radio Free Asia's multimedia investigative <http://www.rfa.org/english/news/special/cantonese-pollution/hub-en.html> series exposing the extreme pollution of China's Dong River was named today as a first-place winner by the Society of Environmental Journalists for its 2011-2012 Awards for Reporting on the Environment. "Disappearing <http://www.rfa.org/cantonese/multimedia/pollution_dongjiang/hub.html> River," produced by RFA's Cantonese service, won the top award in the contest's category for outstanding, in-depth reporting in a large market. "A Radio Free Asia videographer worked at great personal risk to film this investigative series," said Dan Southerland, RFA's executive editor. "The final series also benefited from in-depth interviews conducted in Hong Kong and video editing done in Washington, D.C. "The award will inspire us to continue reporting on difficult stories that have an impact on the daily lives of our audience." "Disappearing River," a 10-part broadcast, text and online video series, utilized undercover work of RFA journalists to expose the pollution of China's Dong River, a primary source of drinking water for 50 million people in southern China, including the 7 million residents of Hong Kong. Industrialization, deforestation, and overuse from the growing population are among the factors that have led to the river's advanced environmental degradation. A few weeks after the series aired, the Chinese government put 32 polluting factories on its high-priority watch list for environmental protection. Other prize winners at Society of Environmental Journalists's annual <http://www.sej.org/initiatives/winners-sej-11th-annual-awards-reporting-env ironment> juried contest recognizing the best environmental reporting in print and on television, radio, and the Internet were National Geographic, the New York Times, the Associated Press, and the Seattle Times, 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. 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.

12 years, 11 months

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RFA Breaking News: Burmese Authorities Detain Student Activists

by Rachel Vandenbrink

Burmese Authorities Detain Student Activists July 6, 2012- Burmese authorities on Friday detained more than two dozen members of a banned political organization and raided the headquarters of a student activist group in Rangoon ahead of the anniversary of a major protest against the country's former military regime, fellow activists said. The detentions and raid mark a significant step backward for democratic reforms implemented by the country's nominally civilian government since it took power in March of last year. In several locations around the country, Special Branch police detained members of the All Burma Federation of Student Unions (ABFSU), an umbrella organization for all student unions in Burma and a voice for academic freedom and student rights, which was banned more than two decades ago but has continued to operate underground. The ABFSU was warned by the government last month to register as a political group or risk imprisonment of its members. But the group declined, saying that it did not qualify as a political party and did not need to register. Authorities also raided the Rangoon headquarters of the 88 Generation Students Group, a movement formed by activists who participated in student-led protests against Burma's former military regime in 1988. ABSFU chariman Kyaw Ko Ko spoke to RFA's Burmese service about an hour before authorities began looking for him at the 88 Generation Students' office in Rangoon, saying that he had recently received information about the detention of his fellow activists in various cities around Burma. "First, I heard about the detention of Soe Kyi Thar, ABFSU chair of Lashio [Shan state], together with a female student. We were waiting to see if they would be released. By 9:30 p.m. they were not released, so we talked with [ABFSU secretary] Phyo Phyo Aung to give the news to the media," Kyaw Ko Ko said. "Then we received additional news that the Abbot of Myawaddy monastery in Mandalay was being pressured about tomorrow's religious ceremony," he said, referring to a service honoring those who perished in the July 7, 1962 military bombing of Rangoon University's student union, which ended student protests against the junta. "So the Abbot is negotiating to shorten the ceremony." The organization that evolved into the ABFSU was founded by Burma's revered General Aung San, the father of democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi. In May, Aung San Suu Kyi pledged to help revive the banned national student rights organization, saying she accepts that the student union is legal and essential to promoting democracy in the country. Anniversary ceremonies The ABFSU had planned to conduct ceremonies throughout the country tomorrow to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the bombing incident. Authorities had warned the group against holding any memorials which would "dig up the past." Kyaw Ko Ko said that two ABFSU activists had been detained in Mandalay-Aung Hmyin Sant and Moe Htet-and that the group had yet to confirm the detention of a third, Yeyint Kyaw. ABFSU activists from Monywa had also been detained, he said. "Eventually, I couldn't contact Phyo Phyo Aung anymore and realized she had been taken by the police after contacting others," he said. "I also heard that [ABFSU members] De Nyein Lin, Sithu Maung, and Ye Myat Hein had been detained." Nay Win, father of Phyo Phyo Aung, confirmed his daughter's detention. "Two cars parked in front of our house at around 10 p.m. A lot of uniformed people came in and said they had some questions. The group leader said his name was Saw Thein from the Northern district of the SB [Special Branch]," Nay Win said. "Two female officers were among them and said they would take Phyo Phyo for questioning. Her mother asked if they could question her at home, and they said they couldn't," he said. "They said they would take her for only one or two days, and guaranteed to release her after that." Both Nay Win and his daughter are former political prisoners who were arrested in the aftermath of the May 2008 Cyclone Nargis disaster for helping to bury the estimated 138,000 killed by the storm, despite the then-ruling military regime's efforts to block aid to affected regions. Taken for questioning Zaw Zaw Min, father of De Nyein Lin, told RFA that his home had been visited by the Special Branch district chief and several local authorities at around 10:30 p.m. on Friday. "They requested to take him and said they would release him after questioning. When we tried to take pictures of them, they wouldn't let us. I can't believe this kind of thing could happen during this transitional [political] period. I am very surprised," Zaw Zaw Min said. "Just today we met with the deputy labor minister and he said they would welcome negotiations, and that the president and members of parliament trust the 88 students to work together. And now this happens," he said. "I consider this the destruction of peace. The president said he would leave behind those who want to turn back and will move forward [with reforms], so this kind of thing shouldn't happen at all." Zaw Zaw Min said the officers would not say how long they intended to keep De Nyein Lin for questioning. Both father and son are also former political prisoners. ABFSU said on its Facebook page that Special Branch police had detained "several students from Mandalay, Monywa, Myingyan, Shwebo, and Rangoon in connection with planned July 7 ceremonies." In a statement released Friday, the group said that other detained members include Ko Than Htike, Ko Min Khant, Ko Pyay Phyo Kyaw, Ko Wathan, Ma Htay Htay Win, and Ko Khin Oo. Headquarters stormed Around two dozen Special Branch police officers and regular Burmese police also stormed the headquarters of the 88 Generation Students group on Friday evening, looking for leaders of the ABFSU, 88 Student leader Ko Ko Gyi told RFA. "SB and police came to our office-about 20-25 of them. When I came to the office, I saw them in front of the building. They came to look for Kyaw Ko Ko," he said. "They didn't take anything from the office. They just said that they wanted to hold 'a discussion with [ABFSU members] briefly.' After about 40 minutes, they left." Ko Ko Gyi and fellow 88 Generation Student leader Min Ko Naing criticized the arrests and vowed to hold their own ceremonies on Saturday to remember the students killed on July 7, 1962. "We will continue our work until only one of us is left," Min Ko Naing said in a statement. "The act of detention during this transitional period is a threat for the country's civil society." Reported by RFA's Burmese service. Translated by Khin May Zaw. Written in English by Joshua Lipes. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/burma/students-07062012160721.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 <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.

12 years, 11 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS: Helicopters Fire on Rohingya Refugees

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Helicopters Fire on Rohingya Refugees JUNE 20, 2012—Helicopters opened fire on boats carrying Rohingya Muslims heading to Bangladesh and fleeing sectarian violence in west Burma, according to refugees who survived the sea ordeal. The refugees said they witnessed children drowning and starving to death during their perilous journey. The shooting took place after Bangladesh border guards turned back six boats of refugees as they tried to enter the country from neighbouring Burma across the river Naf to Teknaf town in the southernmost part of mainland Bangladesh, the witnesses told RFA. "We floated in the sea for four days and my younger brother starved to death," said Minara Begum, a 10-year-old girl, speaking through an interpreter. "We had six boats. Then a helicopter came and opened fire, and three boats were lost, all of those people [in them] were killed," She did not specify the exact date of the incident, which occurred earlier this month, or whether the helicopters were from Burma or Bangladesh, Minara Begum, who is from Sittwe, the capital of violence-hit Rakhine state in Burma, is among a group of refugees sheltered and hidden from the authorities by a Bangladeshi woman. The woman said she was moved by the plight of the Rohingyas, a stateless people described by the U.N. as one of the world's most persecuted minorities. Helicopter fire Mohammed Islam, a young father also from Sittwe, said he was among those who left in the group of six boats, three of which he said came under helicopter fire. "Because we couldn't endure the torture, we took six boats and left our homeland," he said, citing burning of homes and mosques and killings and other sectarian violence triggered in the first week of June in which he said two of his children and up to 25 of his relatives died. "Three [boats] were together and three became separated from the group," he said. "These three that fell behind were set on fire by the helicopters." "At first, we couldn’t be sure that the boats were being fired on because of the sound of our engine but then we saw the boats catch fire." Mohammed Islam said three children died on his boat. “We threw them into the sea because they were dead." Another 10-year-old girl, Nahida Begum, said she was the only child who managed to swim ashore after their boat was turned back. The vessel, carrying her grandmother and many other children, including a nursing infant, was very small, not seaworthy and possibly took on water. Third attempt A woman, Shahra Khatun, said her boat was turned back twice and although it managed to land on its third attempt, three children on the vessel, including two of her's, died while waiting out at sea. "My five-year-old boy died of starvation and heat on the boat," she said. "They burned all of our homes and killed my sisters and brothers, that's why I came here," she said referring to the violence in Rakhine state which has left about 60 dead with tens of thousands displaced, according to official estimates. At least 2,000 Rohingyas have tried to enter Bangladesh following the violence between Muslims and Buddhists in Rakhine state in Burma since early June but most were either turned back or detained. In a June 18 incident cited by witnesses who spoke to RFA, the Bangladesh authorities turned back about 130 mostly young Rohingya men. "This is the first time I have ever done anything like this," said a Bangladesh security officer, identifying himself as Major Salif, who oversaw a feeding program for the 130 Rohingyas before they were put back on their boats and sent away. "According to my understanding, this [turning back the refugees] will go on for sometime but God willing it will take its natural course and settle down soon," Salif, the commanding officer at the Shapuri Dip Jetty in Teknaf, told RFA. Strained Bangladesh says its resources are already too strained and has refused to accept the Rohingyas despite appeals from the United Nations to grant them refugee status. Bangladeshi officials estimate that a total of 300,000 Rohingya people live in the country, with only about a tenth of them in two official refugee camps in the southern district of Cox's Bazaar. Burma considers the Rohingya to be illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and denies them citizenship while Bangladesh says Rohingya have been living in Burma for centuries and should be recognized there as citizens. Reported by an RFA correspondent in Bangladesh. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/burma/refugees-06202012193820.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 <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.

12 years, 11 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS: Key Police Witness to Urumqi Riots Dies

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Key Police Witness to Urumqi Riots Dies JUNE 20, 2012—The former chief of a police station in the capital of China’s restive Xinjiang region who was a firsthand witness to some of the worst ethnic violence in the country has died suddenly, raising suspicions as to the cause of his death, according to various sources. Tursun Bexti, who had dealt with sensitive cases involving Uyghurs missing in the aftermath of 2009 clashes in the Xinjiang capital Urumqi, was found dead in the yard outside his home in mid-May, sources told RFA. His death raised unease among some Uyghurs because he was in his early 40’s and the death occurred just after RFA’s Uyghur service reported individual and detailed accounts of Uyghurs who disappeared in the aftermath of the bloody riots. An officer contacted by RFA at the Urumqi Municipal Public Security Bureau confirmed he had died last month but declined to give further details. As chief of an Urumqi police station during the July 5, 2009 riots between Han Chinese and ethnic Uyghurs —the worst ethnic violence in China’s recent history—he had detailed knowledge about Uyghurs who disappeared following the unrest, sources said. Exile Uyghur groups say some 10,000 Uyghurs were reported missing following the violence, which according to official statistics left some 200 dead. Most of those disappeared are believed to have been taken into custody in large-scale roundups, often with little or no notice or explanation given to their relatives. Following the unrest, Tursun Bexti was transferred to the petitioning office of the city’s Public Security Bureau, where he accepted and recorded the cases of Uyghur families demanding information about their missing loved ones. “He was engaged in very sensitive and hard cases,” a police officer at the bureau who wished to be identified only as Zohre said. Tursun Bexti had earned a reputation for attempts to be fair toward other members of the minority in his work, despite being part of an institution they often regarded as biased against them, sources said. Another police officer suggested that his death may be linked to his excessive questioning of authority. “It is true that he was one of those who did not follow the orders of [higher] authorities without questioning them. He was always raising questions of ‘Why?’ and ‘What for?” to the authorities,” the police officer told RFA, speaking on condition of anonymity. “I guess this was the cause of his death,” he said. Funeral One source said Tursun Bexti died on May 14 and was buried two days later, as soon as his sons had returned to Urumqi from their universities in eastern China for the ceremony. "His body was kept for two days until his two sons came from universities in inner China to attend the funeral. The funeral was conducted on Wednesday [May 16],” he said. Ablet Rahman, a police officer from the Tianshan subdivision of the Urumqi Public Security Bureau who attended the funeral, said that the family had wanted to wait longer to hold the ceremony but authorities had rushed them. He added that authorities promised his sons jobs after their graduation in an apparent attempt to ease any concerns. “On Wednesday at the ceremony, our [police] chief Kadeer Memet promised Tursun Bexti’s family members that his sons would start work at the Urumqi public security department as soon they finished school,” he said. Reported by Shohret Hoshur for RFA's Uyghur service. Translated by Shohret Hoshur. Written in English by Rachel Vandenbrink View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/uyghur/policeman-06182012155524.html <http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/burn-06202012095119.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 <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.

12 years, 11 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS: Blind Dissident Chen Says US Vowed to Push China

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Blind Dissident Chen Says US Vowed to Push China MAY 3, 2012—Blind Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng said Thursday that the United States had given him an assurance that it would push Beijing to respect his rights and freedom if these were violated while he remains in China. The assurance, he told RFA's Mandarin service, was a key component of a U.S.-China deal that prodded him on Wednesday to leave the U.S. Embassy in Beijing where he had sought refuge after a dramatic escape from house arrest in his rural Shandong province. In an interview, Chen, who is bedridden with his foot in plaster at a Beijing hospital, said the Chinese authorities appeared to be defying the bilateral deal by placing restrictions on him in terms of phone contact and family movements, as well as by making threats to his wife. Chen, a crusading lawyer who had exposed forced abortions and sterilizations under China's "one-child" policy, is now requesting political asylum for himself and his family in the United States, throwing into doubt the deal used to coax him out of his sanctuary in the U.S. Embassy in Beijing. The 40-year-old activist said he decided on Wednesday to leave the U.S. Embassy only after Beijing agreed that his "civic rights and freedom would be protected." He was also assured of medical treatment, being reunited with his family, and arrangements made for him to pursue further studies at a university under the deal hammered out in talks led by Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell on the American side. "I asked Mr. Campbell what would happen if these conditions were not met. And he said if the conditions were not met, they [the U.S. side] would continue to express concern and ask that the terms of the agreement be fulfilled," Chen said in the interview. Washington acknowledged Thursday that Chen and his family now want to leave the country and said it is in talks with him about his options. No visitors Chen said he has received no visits from friends or well-wishers on Thursday. "No, not one," he said, when asked if anyone had been to visit him. He added that contact by phone was also unreliable. "Yesterday evening I wasn't able to call out or receive calls at all," he said. RFA had dialed his number nonstop for one hour, getting a busy signal each time, before he picked up on Thursday. Chen said his phone hadn't rung and that he had received the call only because he randomly "hit the button." He said he had only been on the phone for a total of 10 minutes during the past few hours. Asked if there were any restrictions on his wife's movements within Chaoyang Hospital, he said, "Yes, it seems that there are. [My wife] hasn't been out of the hospital, but she has been out of the building." "Yes, [she was stopped] yesterday," said Chen, who is now staying in his hospital with his wife Yuan Weijing and the couple's two children. A U.S. State Department spokeswoman told reporters on Thursday that American officials are planning to talk further with Chen, to decide whether he and his family should leave their homeland and seek asylum in the United States. “It is clear now that in the last 12 to 15 hours they ... have had a change of heart,” State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told reporters. “We need to consult with them further, get a better sense of what they want to do, and together consider their options.” Rights groups expressed "concern" for Chen's safety, should he and his family remain in China. "On the basis of a promise from the Chinese government ... U.S. diplomats hastily delivered Chen from the U.S. Embassy in Beijing to a local hospital designated by Chinese officials on May 2," the Hong Kong-based group China Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) said in a statement. "Six days after Chen reached the embassy to seek sanctuary, his fate is now back in the hands of the very government that has been complicit in disappearing, detaining, and assaulting him over the past seven years, including, most brutally, from the time he was placed under house arrest in September of 2010 until his daring escape on April 22," it said. 'Never pressured' U.S. Ambassador to Beijing Gary Locke denied that Chen was pressured in any way, adding that the activist had appeared keen to leave shortly after a phone call from his wife. He told reporters that U.S. officials were prepared to have him stay much longer, if a deal couldn't be reached. "I can tell you unequivocally that he was never pressured to leave," Locke told a news briefing in Beijing on Thursday. "He was excited and eager about leaving when he made his decision." But he added: "He also fully knew of what ... staying in the embassy would entail if he decided not to leave. And he was fully aware of and talked about what might happen to his family if he stayed in the embassy and they stayed in the village in Shandong province," Locke said. Asked what was the deciding factor in his decision to leave the U.S. Embassy, Chen replied: "It was because they threatened me. They said that if I didn't go straight to the hospital, that they would take my wife straight back to Shandong." Zeng Jinyan, a fellow activist and friend of Chen and his wife, reported via Twitter that the couple now fear for their future. A transcribed phone conversation between Chen and rights lawyer Teng Biao posted on the website of the U.S.-based ChinaAid Christian group detailed how Chen was swayed by advice he received from Teng, and how differently things might have gone if he had spoken to him before he left the embassy. "If not for your own sake, but for the sake of your family and friends who tried to rescue you, you should still go back to the U.S. Embassy and find a way to go to the U.S.," Teng is quoted as telling his friend. "If this stays unsettled, all of you will be in danger.... We don’t want to see you sacrifice more and pay a heavier price." Reported by Zhang Min for RFA's Mandarin service. Translated by Luisetta Mudie and Jennifer Chou. Written in English by Luisetta Mudie and Parameswaran Ponnudurai. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/requests-05032012102805.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 <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.

12 years, 11 months

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Release: Radio Free Asia Wins at 2012 New York Festivals

by Rohit Mahajan

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 19, 2012 Contact: Rohit Mahajan 202 530 4976 <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org Radio Free Asia Wins at 2012 New York Festivals RFA Uyghur, Korean Broadcasters Earn Gold and Finalist Spots WASHINGTON - Radio Free Asia Uyghur service broadcaster Shohret Hoshur won a gold medal at this year's New York Festivals radio awards in the category of best coverage of a breaking news story. In addition, three broadcasters from RFA's Korean service were named as finalists in separate categories as announced at the international broadcasting contest's awards reception last night in New York. "At Radio Free Asia, our lives are focused on the audiences we serve in the most repressive information environments on earth. We are dedicated to bringing a voice to the voiceless, promoting the free exchange of ideas, and shining a light on events occurring in the dark," said Libby Liu, President of Radio Free Asia. "We are honored by the New York Festivals' recognition of our programs' excellence, and we are constantly inspired by our audiences to fulfill our crucial mission of bringing uncensored news to millions living in closed societies." Information about RFA's winner and finalists, and their entries follows. . RFA Uyghur's Shohret Hoshur's gold-medal-winning entry, titled "Hear the Children Cry Freedom," chronicles an incident in which four Uyghur youths, the youngest being 7 years old, were jailed following a deadly clash with Chinese police on Dec. 28, 2011. The youths were branded by the authorities as traitors for trying to seek political asylum outside China. The piece won in the category of best coverage of a breaking news story. . RFA Korean service broadcaster Jung Min Noh was named as a finalist in the contest's category of social issues/current events programming for his series on a bicycle rally and human rights campaign in Europe to bring attention to China's forced repatriation of North Korean refugees. . RFA Korean's Won Hee Lee was named as a finalist in the category of best human interest story for her piece on a Korean-American living in the United States engaged in a project attempting to reunite families separated after the Korean War through personalized video greeting letters. . RFA Korean's Jinseo Lee was named as a finalist in the category of educational programming for his series on a group of North and South Korean college students meeting in Germany to discuss the possibility of a unified Korea. # # # 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 Media Relations Manager Radio Free Asia Email: mahajanr(a)rfa.org Desk: (202) 530-4976 Cell: (202) 489-8021 www.rfa.org

12 years, 11 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS: Massive Security Buildup in Tibet’s Capital Lhasa

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Massive Security Buildup in Tibet’s Capital Lhasa June 1, 2012—More than 3,000 security personnel have been deployed to bolster security in Lhasa following the first Tibetan self-immolation protest in the capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region, according to an official document obtained by RFA. One protester who survived the burning last Sunday has been identified as a former monk, but details on his condition were not made available after he was bundled into a security vehicle and taken away from the protest site in front of the famous Jokhang Temple in central Lhasa, sources said. According to the official document dated May 29, the security forces deployed in the capital to “carry out investigations in sensitive areas” include “large contingents of armed police, soldiers, and special forces.” “They have stopped all vehicles and pedestrians in Lhasa city, thoroughly searching inside the vehicles and checking identity papers,” said the Chinese-language report, the first official account of the magnitude of the security buildup in Lhasa, which had already seen heightened security since anti-government riots rocked the capital four years ago. “In the last 24 hours alone, 11,731 vehicles and 28,046 individuals have been searched,” it said. Among those, it said, 157 Tibetans from the Tibetan-populated Chinese provinces of Sichuan, Qinghai, Gansu, and Yunnan “were closely questioned, and 35 who were found without proper permits were sent back to their native places.” In addition, 13 monks and nuns were also repatriated to the Chinese provinces, the report said. Earlier accounts this week said hundreds of Tibetans have been detained since the May 27 self-immolation amid additional controls imposed on the Internet and telephone lines. “Controls on Tibetans’ mobile phones and other electronic devices in Ngaba have been increased, and it is now hard for them to communicate not only with the outside but even with [Sichuan’s provincial capital] Chengdu and neighboring areas of China,” Kanyag Tsering , a Tibetan monk living in India, said, citing sources in the region. Protester identified as former monk Meanwhile, the young Tibetan man who survived the self-immolation was identified as a former monk from the restive Kirti monastery in Ngaba (in Chinese, Aba) prefecture in Sichuan. Dargye, 25, apparently survived his burns after Chinese security forces extinguished the flames of the two self-immolators and took him to hospital, sources said. The other protester, identified as Dorje Tseten, died at the scene, state media reported. Dargye came from Soruma village in the Choejema township of Ngaba prefecture’s Ngaba county, Kanyag Tsering said. Dargye’s father’s name is Lodey and his mother’s name is Shekyi, Tsering said. “He was the youngest of six children. He joined Kirti monastery at a young age, and a few years ago he disrobed and took a job as a cashier at a restaurant in Lhasa owned by the Chukel family, a trading family from Ngaba.” Following Dargye’s self-immolation, Chinese authorities detained the restaurant owner, together with his wife and family and six members of a Lhasa-area Ngaba community association, Tsering said. Five of those detained were identified as Nyurgyog, Khambey, Tamdrin Kyab, Sangdrak, and the group’s chairman, Drolma Kyab. The identity of the sixth group member is still unknown. Separately, another former monk from Ngaba, Khedrub Dramnak, was also detained, Kanyag Tsering said. Dargye’s and Dorje Tseten’s self-immolations were the first reported in the Tibetan capital amid a wave of other burning protests, now totaling 38, by Tibetans challenging China’s rule in historically Tibetan areas and calling for the return of exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama. Most of the previous protests have taken place in Sichuan province’s Ngaba and Kardze prefectures and in two other Tibetan-populated provinces in western China, Qinghai and Gansu. On Wednesday, in the latest self-immolation, a Tibetan mother of three set herself ablaze in Ngaba prefecture’s Dzamthang county. Reported by Tseten Namgyal, Rigdhen Dolma, and Dorjee Tso for RFA’s Tibetan service. Translations by Karma Dorjee. Written in English by Parameswaran Ponnudurai and Richard Finney. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/deployed-06012012161632.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 <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.

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RFA BREAKING NEWS: Xayaburi Dam Construction Suspended

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Xayaburi Dam Construction Suspended MAY 9, 2012— Laos has suspended construction on the controversial Xayaburi dam on the Mekong River following an uproar from neighboring Cambodia and environmental groups, a senior Lao government official said Wednesday. An agreement was signed between companies for construction of the dam project from March this year even though a four-nation commission which manages development along Southeast Asia’s key river has not given the go-ahead for the project. “No construction is going on; it’s discontinued, postponed,” Sithong Chitgnothin, director of the Lao Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ press department, told RFA’s Lao service Wednesday in what is believed to be the first government statement that construction will be halted. He said that Laos would stand by agreements of the Mekong River Commission (MRC), an intergovernmental body including Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam which manages development along Southeast Asia’s main waterway. “The agreement of the four MRC members still stands and the Lao government will always abide by it,” Chitgnothin said. In a landmark ruling in December, MRC member countries agreed that the dam project should not proceed until further assessment was conducted. The decision followed an earlier recommendation by an expert study group for a 10-year moratorium on all mainstream Mekong dams—of which Xayaburi would be the first on the lower part of the river—due to a need for further research on their potentially catastrophic environmental and socioeconomic impact. But in April, Thai company Ch. Karnchang announced it had signed a U.S. $1.7 billion contract with Xayaburi Power Co. for construction of the 1,290-megawatt dam, prompting protests from green groups in Thailand, where most of the dam’s electricity would be sent. In the contract, the company set a start date for the construction on the dam in March 2012, in spite of the December MRC agreement that the dam should wait for further study. Environmental groups monitoring the dam have said that preliminary construction around the dam site, including of roads and support facilities, has begun, but officials say work on the dam itself had not yet started. Cambodia lodged its complaint in a letter to Lao MRC representatives last week, opposing the preliminary construction and warning Laos not to allow the dam to move ahead. The letter followed earlier threats from Cambodia to take Laos to international court over the dam. Through the MRC, established in 1995, member countries have agreed to a protocol for consulting with and notifying each other about use of the river’s resources, but the organization has no binding jurisdiction on what Laos does about the dam. Agreement On Tuesday, an MRC spokesman reiterated that its members were in agreement that the project should be halted pending further study. “All four Lower Mekong countries are still on the same page; that is, that the project needs more study on its impact, [as do] all projects on Mekong River,” Surasack Glahan, a communications officer at the MRC secretariat in Vientiane, Laos, told RFA. “Despite the contract, the construction of the Xayaburi dam must stop until the new study is completed,” Glahan said, adding that the MRC members are consulting with one another on how the environmental impact study will be conducted. Opponents of the project are concerned that the dam, which would block fish migration on Southeast Asia’s main waterway, could not only impact the lives of millions in the region who rely on the river for their food and their livelihoods, but also pave the way for other hydropower projects on the river. At least 11 other dams have been proposed on the mainstream Lower Mekong, in addition to five already built on the upper part of the river in China. Six of them are in Laos, which, with over 70 hydropower dams in total planned on its rivers, has said it hopes to become the “battery” of Southeast Asia. Reported by RFA’s Lao service. Translation by Max Avary. Written in English by Rachel Vandenbrink View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/laos/xayaburi-05092012154022.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 <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.

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Release: Radio Free Asia President Responds to Freedom of the Press Findings

by Rohit Mahajan

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 3, 2012 Contact: Rohit Mahajan 202 530 4976 <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org RFA President Responds to Freedom of the Press Findings Radio Free Asia Broadcast Countries 'Not Free' WASHINGTON - Today, on World Press Freedom Day, Radio Free Asia (RFA) President Libby Liu responded to Freedom House's 2012 Freedom of the Press <http://www.freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-press/freedom-press-2012> survey that classified all six of RFA's broadcast countries as "Not Free" with North Korea as the worst-rated country on the list. "Sadly, on World Press Freedom Day, there is little to celebrate in the countries into which Radio Free Asia broadcasts," Liu said. "For our listeners, as Freedom House's survey finds, free speech, free expression, and free press are far from being guaranteed rights. "Audiences turn to Radio Free Asia not only as a source of trusted news, but as a way to get closer to the truth and to each other, as well as having their voices heard." Freedom House's survey found that despite the overall conditions for press freedoms improving elsewhere in Asia, RFA target countries' media environments remain stuck in a pattern of heavy restrictions and censorship. China was cited by the report for having the "most sophisticated system of media repression" and for stepping up "its drive to control both old and new sources of news and information through arrest and censorship." RFA's mission is to provide accurate and timely news and information to Asian countries whose governments prohibit access to a free press. Guided by the core principles of freedom of expression and opinion, RFA serves its listeners by providing information critical for informed decision-making. Radio Free Asia has nine language services delivering content online and via the airwaves and satellite television into six countries: China, North Korea, Burma, Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. # # # 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 Media Relations Manager Radio Free Asia Email: mahajanr(a)rfa.org Desk: (202) 530-4976 Cell: (202) 489-8021 www.rfa.org

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RFA BREAKING NEWS: China Closes Unirule Website but Founder is Unfazed

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

China Closes Unirule Website but Founder is Unfazed MAY 1, 2012— Chinese authorities have closed the website of a high-profile liberal research institution, its founder, who just won a U.S. award for advocating the importance of liberty, said Tuesday. Mao Yushi, the 83-year-old market economist who founded the Unirule Institute of Economics in Beijing, said he would still go ahead with plans to travel Wednesday to Washington to receive the Milton Friedman Prize for Advancing Liberty from the libertarian Cato Institute. He confirmed with RFA's Mandarin service that the website had been closed, saying he did not know why the Chinese government decided to shut it after its decade-long existence. "I do not know. This is something quite unexpected. The Institute has been in existence for many years—roughly 10 years," he said in an interview. Unirule was founded by a group of prominent Chinese economists in July 1993. The website carried academic articles published by the Institute and "friends" of the Institute, said Mao Yushi, an engineer-turned-economist, a vociferous critic of China’s one-party state, and an advocate of democracy and human rights. Tensions The closure of the website comes amid U.S.-China tensions over the status of blind Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng, who escaped from house arrest and is believed to be under U.S. protection in Beijing. Beijing is also clamping down on increasing online debate over the ousting of high-flying politician and former Chongqing ruling Chinese Communist Party chief Bo Xilai. Mao Yushi said the closure of the website would not deter him from traveling to the United States to collect his award from Cato. "There has been no change," he said, adding that he is scheduled to leave Beijing on Wednesday. "The award is very significant; it promotes freedom," he pointed out. In 2010, Mao Yushi was among key intellectuals prevented by Beijing from traveling to Oslo for the award of the Nobel Peace Prize to Liu Xiaobo, an imprisoned political activist. Human freedom Cato said the Milton Friedman Prize for Advancing Liberty, named in honor of a champion of liberty in the 20th century, is presented every other year to an individual who has made a significant contribution to advance human freedom. The prize also carries a cash award of U.S. $250,000. Cato said Mao Yushi was one of China’s most outspoken and influential activists for individual rights and free markets, a well-known advocate for an open and transparent political system, and one of the pioneers of the movement in China for civil society and freedom. Before economic reform began in China in 1978, he had been an engineer and during his lifetime has faced severe punishment, exile, and near starvation for remarks critical of a command-based economy and society, Cato said. Mao Yushi warned in the RFA interview that the booming Chinese economy was in a precarious state. "There are bubbles and there are bad debts," he said, referring to China's real estate slump, which many analysts say is a major threat to economic growth and confidence in 2012, and to a rising pile of bad bank loans. Asked what the Chinese government could do to tackle the problems, Mao Yushi said, "It’s kind of late now … China’s economic problems are tied in with its political problems." "It’d be difficult to resolve the economic problems without resolving the political problems first." Reported by Tang Qiwei for RFA’s Mandarin service. Translated by Jennifer Chou. Written in English by Parameswaran Ponnudurai. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/web-05012012142516.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 <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.

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Release: Radio Free Asia Wins at Hong Kong Human Rights Press Awards

by Rohit Mahajan

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 23, 2012 Contact: Rohit Mahajan 202 530 4976 <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org Radio Free Asia Honored at Hong Kong Human Rights Press Awards Human Trafficking Web Video Series, Cantonese Radio Report Recognized WASHINGTON - Radio Free Asia won two awards at the 16th annual Hong Kong Human Rights Press Awards sponsored by the Foreign Correspondents Club, Amnesty International, and the Hong Kong Journalists Association. RFA's video documentary series on human trafficking in Asia won in the contest's online content category and its Cantonese language story on the humiliation of a Chinese rights advocate garnered a merit award in the radio broadcast category. "These hard-won awards reflect the commitment to the eye-opening journalism RFA does on a daily basis," said Libby Liu, Radio Free Asia's president. "Our reporting brings our audience closer to the truth, no matter how difficult the subject matter or media environment in which RFA language services operate." RFA's online human trafficking series <http://www.rfa.org/english/news/special/HumanTrafficking/Home.html> , representing the research and work of videographers spanning a year, documents the advent of child soldier recruitment in Burma, labor abuses in China's black factories, traffickers targeting refugee camps in Thailand, and North Korean mothers being forcibly wed in China, among other instances of trafficking. Drawing from in-country interviews with victims, NGO representatives, and traffickers themselves, the videos tell the first-person stories of trafficking that affects millions in Asia. Together, the individual videos seek to go beyond the content's shock value to explore the human subjects and complex factors that underpin trafficking in Asia, namely, population displacement, poverty, ethnic discrimination, cultural pressures, war, and government corruption, among other issues. RFA Cantonese's reporter Grace Leung was honored at the event for her radio story <http://www.rfa.org/cantonese/news/china_dissident-09222011102801.html?encod ing=simplified> on Hebei rights activist Xu Yishun who was jailed for one and a half years in a re-education center for charges related to his plan to visit the wife of then-jailed Shandong blind activist Chen Guangcheng. Xu incurred mistreatment during his imprisonment and public humiliation upon his release in September 2011 when he was discharged without adequate clothing and his relatives were not allowed to pick him up at the prison gates. Other news organizations recognized at this year's event included South China Morning Post, National Public Radio, International Herald Tribune, and Time magazine, among other regional Hong Kong-based outlets. The winners were named at an April 21 ceremony held at the Foreign Correspondents Club in Hong Kong. # # # 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 press releases, please send an e-mail to <mailto:engnews-leave@rfanews.org> engnews-leave(a)rfanews.org. To add your name to our mailing list, please send an e-mail to <mailto:engnews-join@rfanews.org> engnews-join(a)rfanews.org Rohit Mahajan Media Relations Manager Radio Free Asia Email: mahajanr(a)rfa.org Desk: (202) 530-4976 Cell: (202) 489-8021 www.rfa.org

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RFA BREAKING NEWS: Laos Rejects China Rare Earth Plant

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Laos Rejects China Rare Earth Plant APRIL 20, 2012— After mulling for a year, Laos has rejected a bid by a company from China to build a rare earth minerals plant in the Southeast Asian state, citing the company’s refusal to disclose the source of its minerals and potential adverse environmental impact, according to a government official. The mining official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that rare earth minerals could present a risk to the local environment and that without knowing where they came from and which materials are being used, the government could not approve the proposal. “The rare earth minerals are from foreign countries, but [the company] has not disclosed from which ones. They want to build a production plant, but we won’t allow it because there are too many polluted elements in rare earth minerals,” the official said. “We have asked for information about the leads, sediments, and chemical toxins they will use, but they would not provide it to us, so we will not authorize it yet.” The Chinese company, Laos Wonder New Materials Import-Export Co. Ltd., had submitted an application to the Lao government nearly one year ago to build the production plant in Thourakhom district’s Ban Lingxan, located about 50 kilometers (31 miles) from the capital Vientiane. It is believed that the company plans to produce rare earth oxide. Processed rare earth minerals are used in products such as electronics, fluorescent lamps, magnets, and batteries. The official said that an environmental impact study had been conducted in the area of the proposed site and found potential risks of pollution to the environment. He said that in addition to the Chinese company’s failure to provide information on the source of its rare earth minerals, company management was unable to provide details about the potential impact of the mineral production process and had no plan for mitigating damage to the local ecology. Harmful chemicals—usually toxic acids—used in the company’s production process would also be imported along with raw materials from the third country source, the official said. Another common hazard associated with the production process is mildly radioactive slurry tailings resulting from the common occurrence of thorium and uranium in rare earth element ores. With no plan in place to deal with the waste from the plant, he said, the nearby Nam Gnum River is at risk of pollution, along with the riparian communities that make their livelihood from it. The project has never been disclosed to the public. There has also been concern over building a rare earth refinery in Laos' Southeast Asian neighbor Malaysia. Malaysia had granted an Australian miner a two-year license to operate the first rare earths plant outside China in years but the government is reviewing its decision amid protests over alleged health and environmental risks. Global production China now produces over 95 percent of the world's rare earth supply, mostly in Inner Mongolia, even though it has only 37 percent of proven reserves. New demand has recently strained supply, and there is growing concern that the world may soon face a shortage of the rare earths. In 2009, China announced that it would reduce its export of rare earth materials to 35,000 tons per year in 2010-2015, citing resource depletion and environmental concerns. However, some critics have said that China’s decision was motivated by an interest in moving up the supply chain to sell valuable finished goods, rather than inexpensive raw materials. China has a rapidly growing investment presence in resource-starved Laos, which suffers from high rates of poverty and a lack of viable infrastructure. Chinese firms operate concessions which include casinos in Luang Namtha province, on the border of China’s Yunnan province, and in northwestern Bokeo province on the border with Burma. Reported by Waroonsiri Sungsuwan for RFA’s Lao service. Translated by Somnet Inthapannha. Written in English by Joshua Lipes. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/laos/rejection-04202012181020.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 <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.

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RFA BREAKING NEWS : Burma Pledges to Punish Election Fraudsters

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Burma Pledges to Punish Election Fraudsters APRIL 2, 2012— Burma’s Elections Commission has vowed to punish those who committed electoral fraud in weekend by-elections amid complaints of voter irregularities by both the government-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD). Director General of the Union Election Commission Win Ko told RFA’s Burmese service in an interview that anyone found guilty of the offense would face a punishment of a year in prison, provided proper evidence was presented against the alleged offender. Aung San Suu Kyi’s NLD swept the polls, winning 40 of the 44 seats it contested, but the Nobel laureate cautioned against overlooking the polling irregularities which she said would be raised with the commission. “We do not think that such practices should be encouraged in any way,” she said. Responding to allegations by the NLD, Win Ko said action would be taken against violators of election rules based on concrete evidence. On a claim by an NLD candidate that wax had been applied over the NLD tick-box on ballot papers to prevent voters from choosing the party, Win Ko said, “If the evidence is valid, whoever breaks the election law is subject to one year in prison." “However, in my opinion, it would not have been easy for someone to wax over 100,000 voting cards,” he said. “We need evidence of who broke the law and when, and so far we haven't received anything yet.” He did not provide details of the law under which offenders could be charged. Win Ko also addressed allegations of irregular voter lists at polling stations during the Sunday elections. NLD candidates complained that thousands of voters found their names missing from the electoral rolls and that, in one instance, an entire village had been omitted from the registry. “According to the law, the township and village [election] commissions are responsible for that. They also have to rely on a list … compiled by … officials and the local authorities,” he said. “We do not have the manpower to do the groundwork, so we have to rely on that data to compile a voting list.” But Win Ko said that the media had full access to the polls, “so I don’t need to elaborate on [whether they were] free and fair.” Local process He said that as a central organ, the Elections Commission seeks to break larger cases of alleged voting irregularities down to the local level. “On the ground, the Commission has been trying to resolve the problems on a district and village level before they become criminal cases, by negotiating with the parties,” he said. “If these cases reach a criminal level, we urge the parties to report them to the police and Information Ministry. We, as an election commission, can't prosecute that kind of case, but if it proves to be a valid violation, we can change the results of the election.” When asked how experiences from Burma’s 2010 general elections and Sunday’s by-elections would dictate the Commission’s conduct in the 2015 general elections, Win Ko said information was still being collected from the local level on how to improve the process. But he believed the Commission would be better prepared to handle the 2015 elections, based on feedback gathered by political parties at the local levels. Incorrect lists Meanwhile, a Burmese election watchdog said Monday that 95 percent of the country’s polling stations had incorrect voter lists, leading to confusion in the election process. But the Yangon [Rangoon] School of Political Science, a think tank of young intellectuals, said that despite the high percentage of erroneous lists, the voting process was “more free than before,” referring to 2010 general elections that saw a nominally civilian government take power from the country’s former military junta. The election monitoring group, which had also monitored the 2010 elections, based its findings on a survey of 101 voting stations in 21 townships with a team of 400 observers. “We share information on how to observe the elections with as many members of various townships as we can possibly reach. We just use our own budget, and we rely mostly on handbooks issued by international organizations,” group leader Myat Thu told RFA’s Burmese service. “We did not focus on the election results—only how the voting process was managed and whether or not it was free and fair,” he said. Myat Thu said his organization was in constant contact with its network on the ground via cell phone to determine voter arrivals at polling stations and whether or not they faced intimidation, coaching, or were assisted in filling out their ballots. “Based on the answers from each polling station, we took a percentage and issued our finding … that [the voting process] was more free than before, although there were some instances of unfairness and many people didn’t have a chance to vote,” he said. “But despite these problems, they didn't have an effect on the NLD's victory.” International election observers from the U.S., EU and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) all monitored the elections on Sunday. The head of the EU's observer team called the voting process "convincing enough," though she would not label the elections entirely credible. Reported by Kyaw Kyaw Aung and Tin Aung Khine for RFA’s Burmese service. Translated by Khin May Zaw. Written in English by Joshua Lipes. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/burma/pledge-04022012180313.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 <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.

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RFA BREAKING NEWS : North Koreans want priority on food over satellite

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

North Koreans Want Priority on Food Over Satellite APRIL 9, 2012— As the countdown begins for North Korea's controversial rocket launch, people in the impoverished nation are asking why their leader Kim Jong Un is giving priority to putting the country's first-ever satellite into orbit when many are finding it difficult to get food on the table. Some of the North Koreans RFA spoke to were shocked to learn that the cost of the satellite-carrying rocket launch in conjunction with the 100th anniversary of the birth of North Korean founder Kim Il Sung will, according to some estimates, cost about U.S. $850 million—enough to feed most of the North's 24 million people for a year. The cost of the other celebratory events may be around U.S. $2 billion, South Korean officials estimate. “Right now, upon the 100th birthday of Kim Il Sung, people are solely interested in when and how much they will be able to receive their rations of food,” said a North Korean from northern Yanggang province bordering China. “Compared to the problem of getting their rations, issues like the satellite launch are nothing,” he said. "Provisions are running out ... and for many people in the city of Hyesan it is difficult to even have two meals a day,” the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity from the administrative center of Yanggang province. Disguised missile test? An executive from North Hamgyong province, the northernmost province of North Korea, questioned the need for the launch of the rocket, Unha-3 (Galaxy-3), which Pyongyang says will place a research satellite called Kwangmyongsong-3 (Shining Star) in orbit sometime between April 12 and 16. The United States and its allies insist that the launch is a ballistic missile test in disguise, in blatant violation of United Nations resolutions and a February U.S.-North Korean agreement. “[It is] impertinent to have a missile experiment when they can’t even provide sufficient rations for their people,” the North Korean executive said, adding that the Kim Jong Un regime "will probably start extensive propaganda on the success of the [event] right after the missile launch." North Korea has been reeling from persistent food shortages since a famine in the 1990s, and banks on foreign aid to feed its people. The U.S. has suspended planned food shipments to the North because Washington said the rocket launch breached the February deal, under which Pyongyang agreed to a partial nuclear freeze and a missile and nuclear test moratorium in return for 240,000 tons of U.S. food aid. The aid package had been expected to target the most needy in North Korea, including malnourished young children and pregnant women. 'Little interest' A South Korean official said on Sunday that the North appeared to be preparing to follow up the rocket launch with a third nuclear weapons test, but Pyongyang has denied the claim. “When people find out that this is not a satellite launch, they [North Korea] will surely suffer the consequences,” another North Korean asserted to RFA. He said that even if the launch ends up in failure, the Kim Jong Un regime will still advertise it as successful, just as they have done in the past. Some experts believe North Korea's planned satellite launch may herald a repeat of events in 2009, when global criticism of Pyongyang's last long-range rocket launch prompted its pullout from six-nation nuclear disarmament talks and its second nuclear test. A North Korean college student, also from North Hamgyong province, said there seems to be little interest among the people in the planned satellite launch amid the massive birthday celebrations. "I am aware of the launch, but since there are many events lined up for the 'Day of the Sun' [Kim Il Sung’s birthday], people are not showing much interest yet about the satellite launch,” the student said. “Newspapers and broadcast media are carrying active propaganda on other events, but not much has touched on the issue of the satellite launch,” another source from Yanggang province said. Asked why the authorities are not presenting a major publicity blitz on the satellite launch at home, most of the North Koreans interviewed said that authorities may want to begin the propaganda campaign just ahead of the launch in order to create a "dramatic" effect. 'What's more important?' In an unprecedented move, reclusive North Korea on Sunday invited foreign journalists to the site of the rocket launch in an apparent bid to influence the world that the launch would have a "peaceful" purpose. Jang Myong-Jin, head of North Korea's Tongchang-ri space center in the far northwest, said it was "really nonsense" to call the upcoming launch a disguised missile test, Agence France-Presse reported. "This launch was planned long ago, on the occasion of the 100th birthday of [founding] president Kim Il Sung. We are not doing it for provocative purposes," he said. When a correspondent from U.S. broadcast network CNN asked a North Korean official at the briefing, "What's more important, food or satellites?," the official stopped smiling, CNN reported. "Please will you answer the question," the correspondent persisted. "Isn't it more important to feed your people?" The North Korean official turned and was ushered out of the room, the CNN report said. Reported by Moon Sung Hui for RFA's Korean service. Translated by Kang Min Kyung. Written in English with additional reporting by Parameswaran Ponnudurai. View this story online at: <http://www.rfa.org/english/news/korea/food-04092012162851.html> http://www.rfa.org/english/news/korea/food-04092012162851.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 <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.

13 years, 2 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS : Bo Xilai's Campaign Was 'Worse Than Cultural Revolution'

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Bo Xilai's Campaign Was 'Worse Than Cultural Revolution' APRIL 3, 2012— The Maoist revival campaign led by Bo Xilai, the purged ruling Chinese Communist party chief in southwestern Chongqing city, was more horrific than the bloody Cultural Revolution, according to a prominent businessmen who escaped the "terror" blitz by fleeing overseas. "The 'red terror' instigated by Bo Xilai in Chongqing was worse than the terror of the Cultural Revolution," said Li Jun, who headed the multibillion-dollar Junfeng Development Corp. before fleeing China in 2010 to evade arrest during the anti-corruption campaigns orchestrated by Bo and his police chief Wang Lijun. "Everyone was afraid they were in danger; it was a very frightening time, because they were just arresting people all over the place and then packaging them up as several hundred members of triad gangs," Li told RFA's Cantonese service in a video interview on Monday, conducted overseas. "A lot of the privately run businesses [there] are basically triad [operations]," Li said, adding that the fallout from Bo's removal from office is only just beginning. Chongqing, the largest Chinese municipality, was the epicenter of a Maoist revival campaign under Bo, who spearheaded an effort to crack down on gangs and corruption and promoted the public singing of nostalgic revolutionary songs reflecting the Cultural Revolution. In 1966, Chinese leader Mao Zedong launched the Cultural Revolution, plunging the country into 10 years of turmoil in which millions of workers, officials and intellectuals were banished to the countryside for hard labor. Many were tortured, killed or driven to suicide. Mao however retains much public affection among Chinese as a charismatic leader seen to have liberated China from what they felt was humiliating imperial subjugation. Li said Bo wanted to use the Maoist revival campaign to achieve his political ambitions. “I think that the singularly most important purpose of Bo Xilai’s 'red song' campaign was to facilitate his entry into the center of power in autumn this year—to show that he is the child of a high cadre and that his roots are red and politically correct. He wanted to revive people’s memories of the violence of the Cultural Revolution.” Some say Bo, a Red Guard during the first stage of the Cultural Revolution, may have been caught in a major ideological battle. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao recently obliquely criticized Bo for fanning nostalgia for Maoist times and warned that failure to act against graft and a growing rich-poor gap could rekindle the chaos of the Cultural Revolution. Random arrests Looking back, Li described a city whose business elite were closely entangled with organized crime and a government that would make arrests almost randomly to be seen as doing something about it. "In Chongqing back then ... a lot of businesspeople were taking measures to protect their personal safety and that of their families," he said. Li's wife and 30 of his relatives were arrested on the same night that he arrived in Hong Kong, on his way to a life in exile. His wife was sentenced to a year in prison on charges linked to the anti-gang campaign, and the government confiscated U.S. $4.5 billion of his company's assets. Li himself was accused of "illegal business practices," and of making illegal loans, a charge he denies. He showed RFA a file of official documents detailing his loan arrangements, but declined to have them published for fear of bringing further trouble to his relatives. Bo's right hand man, Wang Lijun, who was vice mayor and security boss of Chongqing, was hauled to Beijing after he took refuge at the U.S. consulate in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province. Billionaire investigated Li's account of Chongqing under Bo and Wang comes after official media reported at the weekend that a billionaire associate of Bo's from his time as Party secretary in the northeastern port city of Dalian was placed under investigation by Party discipline inspection officials for suspected "economic crimes." Xu Ming, chairman of the chemical company Dalian Shide Group, was detained over alleged involvement in economic crimes, the National Economic Weekly reported on Saturday. Xu, who was named the eighth richest person on China's mainland in 2005 by Forbes, also sat on the board of the Bank of Dalian. He was detained by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection on March 15, the same day that Bo's removal from his position in Chongqing was announced. China's Internet censorship machine subsequently moved to crack down on online rumors, which have flooded the Chinese Internet since Bo's March 15 ouster. Bo's whereabouts are still unknown, and the absence of any official statement on his fate have fueled speculation that China's security chief Zhou Yongkang, who is believed to have been Bo's highest-ranking political supporter, tried to stage a coup in Beijing. Beijing closed 16 websites and disabled comments on the country's hugely popular microblog services for four days in an attempt to stem the tide of political gossip and rumor. More to come Li said he expected that many more of Bo's associates would be investigated in the weeks to come. "Such an all-out campaign as the 'fight black, sing red' movement couldn't have been all [Bo's] own work," he said. "This wasn't something that was just dreamed up by Bo Xilai and Wang Lijun themselves; there must be a huge network of interests at stake here to carry something like this through," Li said. The People's Daily, mouthpiece of the ruling Communist Party called for "unity" in an editorial this week. "We must be more resolute in maintaining a high degree of unity under the Party central committee led by President Hu Jintao," the paper said in one of a series of three political commentaries. It called on China's netizens to "unify their thinking and to refuse to allow rumors or calls for progress in the midst of stability to become keywords among Internet commentators." Xie Tian, professor of management at the University of South Carolina, said it was easy to infer from the article the sorts of problems currently being faced by the nine members of China's Politburo Standing Committee. "One can read between the lines of this article that tells people ... not to waver, that there probably has been a bit of theoretical wavering going on," Xie said. "The warning about laxity suggests that someone has been too relaxed, while the warning not to rock the boat suggests that someone has been doing just that," he said. He said the whole of Chinese society was lost, ideologically speaking. "They know that the course [China] had previously been following is a dead end, and that regression is unthinkable," Xie said. "But no one can agree whether to turn left or to turn right." Reported by Ho Shan and Zhang Qingyan for RFA's Cantonese service, and by Shi Shan for the Mandarin service. Translated by Luisetta Mudie and Jennifer Chou. Written in English by Luisetta Mudie. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/campaign-04032012163029.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 <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org.

13 years, 2 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS : Kirti Monk Self-Immolates, Dies

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Kirti Monk Self-Immolates, Dies March 28, 2012— A Tibetan monk from a restive monastery in China's Sichuan province set himself on fire and died Wednesday in protest against Chinese rule, exile sources said, quoting local contacts. Twenty-year-old Lobsang Sherab shouted slogans to highlight Beijing's "discriminatory" policies on Tibetans as he self-immolated in Cha township in the Ngaba (in Chinese, Aba) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, India-based exiled Tibetan monk Kanyag Tsering told RFA. "The self-immolation occurred at 7.10 p.m. along the main road in the township," he said. "The exact words he uttered as he burned were not immediately clear, but what was clear was that Sherab was protesting against the ruthless policies imposed by the Chinese authorities." "He died on the spot," Tsering said. "The Tibetans who were in the area tried to take his body away, but the Chinese security forces intervened, prevented them from doing so, and took the body, much to the anger of the Tibetans." "The Chinese security forces also ordered shops at the township to close following the self-immolation, apparently as a precautionary move," Tsering said. Kirti Sherab was from the Kirti monastery in Ngaba, from which hundreds of monks were taken away by Chinese security forces after a monk from the institution self-immolated in March last year, triggering an unstoppable wave of burning protests. "Sherab went back to his Raruwa village in Ngaba county two days earlier" apparently to prepare himself for the self-immolation, Tsering said. Sherab, who left behind his parents and three siblings, is the 31st Tibetan to self-immolate since 2009 as Tibetans stepped up their protests against Beijing's rule and called for the return of Tibet's exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama. The protests resulted in a Chinese security clampdown in Sichuan and the other Tibetan-populated provinces of Qinghai and Ganzi, as well as in the Tibet Autonomous Region. Sherab, whose father's name was Sodon and mother's name was Nyima, first joined the Genden Tenpel Ling monastery, a small institution with 31 monks, when he was nine years old before graduating to the mammoth Kirti monastery. Fatal Meanwhile, a Tibetan died on Wednesday two days after setting himself on fire in India—the second fatal self-immolation protest by a Tibetan living outside China. "We do recognize that his sacrifice will help in boosting the morale of other Tibetans and contribute in repelling the dark clouds of Chinese occupation over Tibet,” said Dhondup Lhadar, the vice-president of the Tibetan Youth Congress The group said a grand funeral "deserving of a martyr" is being planned for Jamphel Yeshi in the Tibetan exiled community's headquarters of Dharamsala, the northern Indian hilltown where Tibet's spiritual leader the Dalai Lama in living in exile. “We have decided to take his body to Dharamsala, the seat of the Dalai Lama and headquarters of the Tibetan exile government. All the necessary approval was obtained from the authorities for us to move his body, and we are making all the necessary arrangements,” Lhadar said. Jamphel Yeshi poured fuel over himself, set himself ablaze, and ran screaming down a road engulfed in flames in India's capital New Delhi on Monday in protest against a visit to India by China's President Hu Jintao. Hu is in New Delhi for the BRICS summit that includes India, Russia, Brazil, and South Africa. Photos showing Yeshi running in flames past other protesters have been carried by newspapers and websites across the world, and Tibetans in the Indian capital have vowed to step up protests and highlight the Tibetan cause during the summit on Thursday. Another Tibetan, Thupten Ngodup, had self-immolated and died in India in 1998. Yeshi lived in the Majnu Ka Tila refugee enclave in the north of the city, where thousands of Tibetan exiles have been based for decades after fleeing from China. Call The wave of self-immolations had prompted a call recently from well-known Tibetan blogger Woeser and senior Tibetan religious leader Arjia Rinpoche to end the fiery protests, saying that Tibetans opposed to Chinese rule should instead "stay alive to struggle and push forward" their goals. Lobsang Sangay, the head of Tibet's exile government in Dharamsala, said that while he strongly discouraged self-immolations, the "fault lies squarely with the hardline leaders in Beijing." He accused Beijing of attempting over the last half-century "to annihilate the Tibetan people and its culture." The Chinese government however blamed the Dalai Lama for the self-immolations, accusing the 76-year-old Buddhist leader and his followers of plotting to create "turmoil" in Tibetan-inhabited areas. Reported by Yangdon Demo and Ugyen Tenzin. Translated by Karma Dorjee. Written in English by Parameswaran Ponnudurai. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/burn-03282012142200.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.

13 years, 2 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS : Popular Tibetan Singer Detained

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Popular Tibetan Singer Detained March 26, 2012— Chinese authorities have detained a popular Tibetan singer after he released an album of songs dedicated to Tibet’s spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, sources said Monday. The 25-year-old singer, Ugyen Tenzin, was detained last month soon after the release of his album titled, “An Unending Flow of My Heart’s Blood,” the sources said. Information flow has been severely restricted from troubled Tibetan-populated areas in recent months. Unconfirmed reports said that Ugyen Tenzin has been beaten in custody and is disabled. “He released the album about a month ago, and he was arrested soon after that,” said a source in New York who recently traveled to Tibet. On the album, he had dedicated songs to the Dalai Lama as well as the third highest ranking Buddhist leader the Karmapa, and the Kalon Tripa, the prime minister of the Tibetan government-in-exile. “It has thirteen songs, and some of songs are dedicated or in praise of the Dalai Lama, Karmapa and [Kalon Tripa] Lobsang Sangay,” the source said. Wave of protests Ugyen Tenzin is from Sugma in Nangchen (in Chinese, Nangqian) county in Yulshul (Yushu) prefecture of China's northwestern Qinghai, among three key Tibetan-populated provinces where tensions have risen in recent months following a wave of protests challenging Chinese rule and calling for the return of the Dalai Lama. There have been 30 Tibetan self-immolations in protest against Beijing's rule in the Tibetan-populated areas of Gansu, Sichuan, and Qinghai, triggering ramped-up security across the areas as well as in the Tibet Autonomous Region. Another Tibetan, Duldak Nyima, who is originally from the same county and now lives in New York, said that he heard from a friend back home that Ugyen Tenzin had been arrested because of the album. “A friend of mine received the letter from Tibet few days ago, stating the singer was arrested. I believe the arrest was connected to the release of the album.” “Before the release of the album, [other Tibetans were worried about] the album’s consequences and advised the singer against distributing it,” Duldak Nyima said. “The singer also said in the DVD that he is doing this for the religious and political cause of Tibet; he was … discussing the Tibet issue and Tibetan identity,” he said. In one song on the album, part of which was posted on YouTube, the singer alludes to Tibetan independence and repression: “The unity of the three provinces of Tibet, that is what I have repressed in my heart for 50 years and what I am now going to share through songs, until I breathe my last,” he says. Maltreatment A letter sent by an anonymous source in Tibet said that Ugyen Tenzin is being mistreated in prison and is in ill health. “None of his relatives or friends are allowed to reach him,” according to a copy of the letter. “We learned from the police sources that he was so severely tortured under detention that his body and faculties are disabled. He was recovering from surgery prior to his detention and the torture made it worse,” it said. China has jailed scores of Tibetan writers, artists, singers, and educators for asserting Tibetan national identity and civil rights since widespread protests swept the region in 2008. Another popular Tibetan singer, Tashi Dhondup, was released from jail last year after serving most of a 15-month sentence for recording songs calling for Tibetan independence. The singer was convicted for violating laws by singing songs in support of Tibetan independence and the Dalai Lama. Reported by Norbu Damdul for RFA’s Tibetan service. Translated by Dorjee Damdul. Written in English by Rachel Vandenbrink. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/song-03262012190715.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.

13 years, 2 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS : Tibetan Monk Burns Himself Amid Mass Protests

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Tibetan Monk Burns Himself Amid Mass Protests March 16, 2012— Another Tibetan monk self-immolated Friday in China's Sichuan province in protest over Chinese rule while more than 1,000 Tibetans demonstrated in neighboring Qinghai province demanding the release of more than 50 monks who were detailed a day earlier in a monastery crackdown. Twenty-old Lobsang Tsultrim was in flames as he ran shouting slogans against Chinese rule near the county office in Sichuan's Ngaba (in Chinese, Aba) prefecture, eyewitnesses told India-based monks Kanyag Tsering and Lobsang Yeshe. "He was pursued by Chinese policemen who beat him, knocked him down, and threw him into an open truck," Tsering quoted one eyewitness as saying. "He was seen being taken away but he kept pumping his fists in the air." Tsultrim, the eldest in a family of four and who was ordained as a monk when he was eight, was from the restive Kirti monastery, which has been surrounded and sealed by security forces which have also beefed up security across Ngaba county. He is the 29th Tibetan to have self-immolated since February 2009 amid a wave of fiery Tibetan protests challenging Beijing's rule and calling for the return of Tibet's exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama. Tibetan flag The self-immolation came as more than 1,000 Tibetans protested in Gepasumdo (in Chinese, Tongde) county in Qinghai province on Friday calling for the release of about 50 monks who had been held for raising the Tibetan flag and demanding freedom a day earlier, according to sources. “Over a thousand Tibetans converged at the county building and demanded that all the monks detained should be released," a local Tibetan source told RFA. "They persisted in the peaceful protests and the county government building was surrounded by police and paramilitary forces." The source said there was no confrontation as elder Tibetans had advised the protesters to "persist in their peaceful defiance and not become involved in any kind of violence." The protest was triggered by a crackdown by Chinese security forces on the Ba Shangtre monastery Thursday after about 150 to 200 monks from the institution raised the Tibetan flag at the Gepasumdo (in Chinese, Tongde) county in Tsolho (in Chinese, Hainan) prefecture. They also displayed banners calling for freedom for Tibet, the return of the Dalai Lama to Tibet, and for human rights for Tibetans before marching through the streets, the Tibetan source said. “Some time that evening, 40 Chinese vehicles arrived at the monastery and the Chinese police and paramilitary surrounded it. They searched the residences of the monks and detained about 60 monks," the source said. "Fifty of them were held back at the county detention center while 10 were released.” Police Chinese police at Gepasumdo county refused to confirm the protests. When RFA asked the person who answered the phone at the police station whether there was a 1,000-strong protest, he said, "There wasn't." Asked whether the protesters were all students, he hung up the phone. Tensions have heightened in Tibetan-populated provinces and in the Tibet Autonomous Region following a Chinese security clampdown and the detention of hundreds of monks since early last year. Earlier this week, several thousand students protested in three counties in Qinghai on Wednesday to challenge a possible change in the medium of instruction in schools. The protests against a proposed change from Tibetan to Chinese language occurred in schools in Rebkong (in Chinese, Tongren), Tsekhog (Zeku) and Kangtsa (Gangcha) counties, according to a Tibetan exile spokesman for the Rebkong community based in the Indian hilltown of Dharamsala. It was the biggest protest since October 2010 when thousands of Tibetan middle and primary school pupils from four different Tibetan autonomous prefectures in Qinghai Province demonstrated for days against a language change policy. Anniversary The latest self-immolation came nearly a week after Uprising Day on March 10, the politically sensitive anniversary of the 1959 flight into exile of the Dalai Lama and of regionwide protests throughout Tibet in 2008. The wave of self-immolations prompted a call last week from well-known Tibetan blogger Woeser and senior Tibetan religious leader Arjia Rinpoche to end the fiery protests, saying that Tibetans opposed to Chinese rule should instead "stay alive to struggle and push forward" their goals. Reported by Lumbum, Kansang Tenzin, Lobe Socktsang, and Rigdhen Dolma for RFA's Tibetan service and Qiao Long for RFA's Mandarin service. Translation by Karma Dorjee, Rigdhen Dolma, and Feng Xiaoming. Written in English by Parameswaran Ponnudurai. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/burn-03162012143125.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.

13 years, 2 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS : Tibetan Protesters Told to Surrender or Face ‘Severe’ Action

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Tibetan Protesters Told to Surrender or Face ‘Severe’ Action March 13, 2012—Authorities have warned Tibetans who participated in mass protests in China's northwestern Qinghai province to surrender or face “severe” punishment, and have expelled more than half of Tibetan monks from a restive monastery in Tibet, sources said Tuesday. Public notices written in Tibetan and Chinese have appeared in Nangchen (Nangqian, in Chinese) county in Qinghai province warning those who took part in protests in the county last month to hand themselves in to the police, the sources said. The March 6 notice, a copy of which was shown to RFA, read, “You took part in an unusual protest on Feb. 8. Per this order, you are required to report to the police station to confess by no later than 10:00 a.m., March [date erased], 2012. Those who fail to turn themselves in will be dealt with severely.” It did not say what punishment will be imposed on the protesters. Two venues More than 1,000 Tibetans had protested at two venues in Nangchen county on that day under close watch by the Chinese security forces. The protests came amid Tibetan self-immolations to oppose Chinese rule and to call for the return of Tibet's spiritual leader the Dalai Lama. At the county stadium, about 1,000 laypeople in traditional dress chanted prayers and shouted slogans such as "Freedom for Tibet" and "Long Live the Dalai Lama," sources had told RFA. The Tibetans had shouted "Kyi Hi Hi," a Tibetan battle cry in defiance," when armed soldiers and policemen closed in, the sources said. Several hundred Tibetans also gathered in the main monastery in Nangchen town on the same day, chanting and tossing traditional tsampa, or barley flour, into the air. As Chinese authorities moved to nab the protesters in Qinghai province, reports emerged that 104 monks out of 200 monks in the Karma monastery in Chamdo county in the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) had been expelled, sources inside the region said. Monks without proper identification staying at the Karma monastery have been expelled and returned to their places of origin, according to a recent internal communiqué issued by the monastery management committee, the sources said. Per this order, they are now made to work as laymen on local farms, with local village committees being put in charge of the monks’ “reeducation,” they said. Bomb Some monks and nuns had fled the Karma monastery in October last year after they were suspected by Chinese authorities of being involved in a bomb attack on a government building. Under the latest order, the monks are not allowed to leave their areas without permission from several levels of local authority, the sources said. The monks remaining at Karma monastery are being subjected to political reeducation and are being forced to display pictures of Chinese leaders in their living quarters, denounce the Dalai Lama and show their loyalty and gratitude to the ruling Chinese Communist Party. "Those who refuse are severely beaten. The public denunciation sessions are filmed by the monastery management committee," one source said. The developments came amid tensions in the Tibetan-populated provinces and in the TAR area following a Chinese security clampdown and the detention of hundreds of monks since early last year. Twenty-seven Tibetans have self-immolated so far to protest Chinese rule. Reported by Dorjee Damdul and Palden Gyal for RFA's Tibetan service. Translated by Dorjee Damdul. Written in English by Richard Finney and Parameswaran Ponnudurai. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/action-03132012194041.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.

13 years, 2 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS : Slain Uyghurs Not Linked to Bomb-Making Activities

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Slain Uyghurs Not Linked to Bomb-Making Activities March 13, 2012— Four Uyghur men shot dead by police in China’s troubled Xinjiang region last week were not linked to bomb-making activities as suspected but may have had “terror plans,” security officials said Tuesday, as residents disputed any terrorism intentions. The men were gunned down in a pre-dawn raid at a farmhouse near Korla city in central Xinjiang on Thursday, as part of the Chinese government's "strike hard" anti-crime campaign in the region, after police had detained a bomb-making suspect in the city. Korla police said that there was evidence that the men, who defended themselves with knives during the raid, had plans for terrorist activity though they did not elaborate. Beijing considers Xinjiang a terrorism hotspot and the incident added to tensions in the region, where Uyghurs complain of policies favoring Han Chinese migration into the region and the unfair allocation of resources to the Chinese. Local residents who knew the Uyghurs involved disputed the police theory that those killed were suspected terrorists, claiming that the Chinese authorities had fabricated evidence in the past to justify the killings of Uyghurs. A security official said that Tohti Ibrahim, who was detained after a bomb exploded at his home in Korla city, was – unlike previous suspicions – not working with the four killed in Towurchi, a rural township 20 km (12 miles) outside the city. Korla police had identified the Towurchi farmhouse as a target for the raid after detaining and interrogating 20 of Ibrahim’s hospital visitors. “Yes, it was wrong to make the conjecture [that they were linked], but the shooting was not wrong, because the four disobeyed police during the raid operation,” said Seypidin, a senior security official in Korla. Moreover, the four killed had shown evidence of extremism, he said, defending the police action. “Even though they don't have organizational link with the bomb-maker, their ideology and political views are 100 percent the same. And in addition, we found enough evidence of a terror plan, like axes and boxing gloves,” he said. Not terrorists But a Towurchi resident who knew the four men disagreed with the police view that the men had any terrorist intentions, explaining that the items police had confiscated as evidence were not uncommon. “I don't believe they had materials and items for a terror plan. Probably the boxing gloves and bows and arrows were for sports for them and their children. Axes and knives can be found in all the houses in Korla,” he said. “Police, especially state security police, always fabricate evidence to justify their killing,” he added. Three of the four men were from out of town and had served time in jail for unknown offenses, according to the Towurchi resident and Korla police. Ghulamidin Yasin, the police officer who led the raid on the Towurchi farmhouse, said one of the four men was from Akto (Aketao) county in Kizilsu prefecture, and two others were from Peyziwat (Gashi) and Kargilik (Yecheng) counties in Kashgar prefecture. It was not known where the fourth person was from. They had moved to the township to start a terrorist camp, the officer claimed. The resident said they had come to work on the farm in Towurchi two years ago after being harassed by police in their hometowns. “They had left their hometowns to be rid of police trouble because of their police records. They moved to Korla just to seek a peaceful life,” he said. “Of course they had to evade the police raid because they knew what would happen to them if they were detained. And on the other hand, as strong religious believers, they don’t submit easily to unjust treatment,” he said. Bomb suspect Tohti Ibrahim, the bomb-making suspect originally linked to the men killed, may have been motivated to make a bomb in revenge against his wife’s detention, according to his neighbors and Korla police. "Tohti Ibrahim’s case is much different from the others’. His actions were mostly motivated by personal or family anger, rather than ethnic tension,” a neighbor said. Ibrahim’s wife had been detained by city police, along with his brother Memet Ibrahim’s wife, for holding an “illegal religious gathering” with a dozen other women on Feb. 28, neighbors and police said. The raid on the gathering, in which police confiscated books and CDs, was part of a regional campaign against illegal religious activity, Ghulamidin Yasin said. After his wife was detained, Ibrahim told his neighbors, “Now I’m in a situation where I cannot protect my wife. This is enough reason for me to be thrown into hell in the other world,” they said. Reported by Shohret Hoshur for RFA’s Uyghur service. Translated by Shohret Hoshur. Written in English by Rachel Vandenbrink. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/uyghur/korla-03132012182221.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.

13 years, 2 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS : North Korea Moves to Identify Defectors

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

North Korea Moves to Identify Defectors March 12, 2012—The North Korean government has launched a campaign to identify and punish families of defectors in an apparent bid to prevent further defections that have highlighted abuses in the reclusive country, sources said. The move comes amid claims by refugee advocates in South Korea that China has repatriated 31 North Korean refugees it arrested last month despite international concerns they could suffer abuse or even execution for fleeing North Korea during the mourning period for its late leader Kim Jong Il. According to a Pyongyang resident, the government is interrogating families with members who have been "missing" for long periods as it moves to strengthen procedures to check defections. The resident from the North Korean capital who recently visited China told RFA that “thorough investigations on families of people who are assumed to be defectors but have been classified as missing persons due to lack of evidence are now underway.” “They use an intellectual method of interrogation by examining members of each family not all at once but one at a time," said the resident, identified only as Min. Min explained that the North Korean authorities want to pin down the motive of those who might have defected and the dates they left the country. Examinations of cases stretch for long periods if there are any discrepancies in statements made by family members, he said. “I heard that even if they don’t find any discrepancies between the statements, they use extremely coercive methods to find faults by repeating the same questions over and over again while changing the interrogators,” Min added. Confirmation A Chinese Korean, identified as Cho, who has returned from her visit to her family in North Korea's northwestern Hwanghae province's capital Haeju, confirmed that the government is conducting the probe on the defections. Cho said she “heard the news that the entire area of Haeju, too, is under investigation.” >From these accounts, observers said, it can be assumed that the North Korean authorities are carrying out a nationwide investigation on families of suspected defectors. Families that are classified as those of defectors could be banished to remote areas, Min and Cho both said. A Chinese source familiar with the situation in North Korea said that while the investigations appeared to be generally of "missing persons" in North Korean households, they were particularly aimed at probing defections. “It seems to be related to the forced repatriation issue of North Korean defectors that is currently becoming a subject of discussion worldwide,” the source said. “In fact, it looks like they are determined to hunt down those missing people who do appear to have defected from the country.” Plight Human rights groups have recently highlighted the plight of North Korean defectors in China who face deportation home and possible execution. Refugee advocates in South Korea said last week that in the latest case, Beijing had sent home 31 North Korean refugees it arrested last month despite international pressure against the move. Rumors had been rife that Kim Jong Un issued a shoot-to-kill order against people attempting to cross the border during the mourning period for his father and predecessor Kim Jong Il, and has also called for stern punishment for their relatives, said Do Hee-Yun, head of the Citizens' Coalition for Human Rights of Abductees and North Korean Refugees, Agence France-Presse reported. North Korea has in the past treated those who simply crossed the border to find food with relative leniency, while punishing severely those who attempted to flee to the South, according to North Korea Intellectuals Solidarity. However, all fugitives are now treated as traitors worthy of severe retribution, the coalition group of North Korean defectors based in Seoul said. The Chinese source believed that the North Korean authorities "might have come to the conclusion that if this issue of forced repatriation of those North Korean defectors captured in China is prolonged, it could become a link that leads to the creation of more defectors.” Last fall, Pyongyang classified as defectors those citizens on the suspect list who have not returned home for more than five years and punished their families by banishing them to remote areas. Reported by Kim Joon-Ho for RFA's Korean service. Translated by Kang Min Kyung. Written in English by Parameswaran Ponnudurai. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/korea/defectors-03122012163808.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.

13 years, 2 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS : Tibetan Monk Self-Immolates on 'Uprising Day'

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Tibetan Monk Self-Immolates on 'Uprising Day' March 12, 2012— A young Tibetan monk burned himself to death in China’s Sichuan province in protest at Chinese rule as Tibetans marked “Uprising Day” at the weekend, according to exile Tibetan sources in India. The 18-year-old monk, identified as Gepe, staged the self-immolation behind a Chinese military office in the Ngaba (in Chinese, Aba) prefecture, the sources said. It was the 27th self-immolation by Tibetans since they began a wave of fiery protests in February 2009 to challenge Beijing's rule in Tibetan-populated areas and call for the return of Tibet's exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama. The latest self-immolation occurred on Uprising Day, the politically sensitive March 10 anniversary of the 1959 flight into exile of the Dalai Lama and of regionwide protests throughout Tibet in 2008. Speaking to RFA and citing sources in the region, India-based monk Lobsang Yeshe said Gepe was from Ngaba's restive Kirti monastery, from which hundreds of monks have been taken away by Chinese security forces and which has faced a clampdown since early last year. “He self-immolated between 5:00-6:00 p.m. [local time] at the rear of a Chinese military office in the marketplace of Ngaba town,” Lobsang Yeshe said. “He died on the spot, and Chinese military personnel immediately took his body inside the building.” Family kept away Gepe’s family learned of his death only on the next day, Lobsang Yeshe said. But when they went to claim his body, Chinese officials refused to hand it over, saying that it would be taken instead to neighboring Barkham (in Chinese, Ma’erkang) county for cremation. The family would not agree to this, so authorities burned Gepe’s remains that night at a public cremation ground near Kirti monastery, Lobsang Yeshe said. Five monks were present to conduct prayers, but no family members or other Tibetans were allowed to attend. Gepe came from a nomad family living in the village of Soruma Dewa and was taken at a young age to Kirti monastery, where he did well in his studies, Lobsang Yeshe said. He is survived by his mother and two siblings. Chinese police detained Gepe’s mother, Chako, and questioned her for several hours on Sunday and Monday before releasing her, Lobsang Yeshe and fellow monk Kanyag Tsering said in a statement released on Monday. Tibetan shops and restaurants in the area are now closed in solidarity with the dead monk, and security measures in the area have been tightened, Yeshe and Tsering added. News spreads to China News of the self-immolation appeared also on the Chinese website Xin Lang, which carried a Weibo microblog posting confirming Gepe’s name and age and the date of his protest. However, the posting was quickly removed and replaced by a comment saying that the story could not be viewed by the public. The wave of self-immolations prompted a call last week from well-known Tibetan blogger Woeser and senior Tibetan religious leader Arjia Rinpoche to end the fiery protests, saying that Tibetans opposed to Chinese rule should instead "stay alive to struggle and push forward" their goals. Tibet's India-based exile cabinet marked this year's March 10 anniversary of the failed 1959 national uprising against Chinese rule with a statement noting what it called China's efforts over the last half-century "to annihilate the Tibetan people and its culture." Lobsang Sangay, the head of the exile government, said that while he strongly discouraged self-immolations, the "fault lies squarely with the hardline leaders in Beijing." The Chinese government has blamed the Dalai Lama for the self-immolations, accusing the 76-year-old Buddhist leader and his followers of plotting to create "turmoil" in China's Tibetan-inhabited areas. But Sangay said "the self-immolations are an emphatic rejection of the empty promises of [China's] so-called ‘socialist paradise'" and the lack of ability to protest in any other way in Tibet. "Today, there is no space for any conventional protests such as hunger strikes, demonstrations and even peaceful gatherings in Tibet," Sangay said. "Tibetans are therefore taking extreme actions such as ... [committing] self-immolations," Sangay said. Reported by Rigdhen Dolma for RFA’s Tibetan service. Translations by Rigdhen Dolma and Karma Dorjee. Written in English by Richard Finney. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/uprising-03122012142647.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.

13 years, 2 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS : Uyghurs Who Were Gunned Down were 'Prepared To Fight And Die'

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Uyghurs Who Were Gunned Down were 'Prepared To Fight And Die' March 11, 2012— Four Uyghur men shot dead by Chinese authorities last week for suspected bomb-making in the restive northwestern Xinjiang region were prepared for their death and even had made their own funeral arrangements, according to police. The men were gunned down in a pre-dawn raid at a farmhouse near Korla city in central Xinjiang on Thursday as part of the Chinese government's "strike hard" anti-crime campaign in the region. Beijing considers Xinjiang a terrorism hotspot but the minority Uyghurs complain they are being discriminated against. The four men, armed only with knives, knew they had no chance against the gun-toting police. They gave farewell hugs to their wives and children and made their own funeral arrangements before confronting the pursuers, officers who supervised the operation said. Six policemen were initially involved in the raid at the farmhouse near Korla city in the Bayin'gholin prefecture but they had to seek reinforcements after a police officer’s arms were chopped at by an assailant, they said. "While we were waiting for additional forces to come from the county, we monitored the actions of the suspects from a window and we saw them performing the funeral ceremony for each other," Ghulamidin Yasin, the commander of the operation, told RFA. Farewell The wives and eight children of two of the four men told police their husbands hugged and bid them farewell and herded them into a secluded room at the farmhouse before preparing for the police party to arrive. Police were tipped off about the suspected bomb-making at the farmhouse after interviewing acquaintances of a man who was injured while making explosives a week earlier. Seypidin, a senior security official at Korla city, said one woman told police that a neighbor had alerted the Uyghur men just before the raid. "It was around three o'clock. Our neighbors knocked gently at our door," he quoted the woman as saying. "My husband went out and after 10 minutes, he came back to our room and kissed our children one by one and hugged me and whispered, ‘This is my last hug, we will meet in another world. I have only one expectation from you—don’t show your tears to our children under any circumstance.' "After that, my husband put us in another room—all women and children in the farmhouse were placed in one room.” Seypidin said her statement "clearly proved that the suspects had prepared to fight with us and die." The Uyghur men were shot dead as they charged at the police with their knives, according to the police officers. Criticized Seypidin said some top officials had criticized the police operation because none of the suspects were captured alive. Police identified the ringleader of the suspected bomb-making activity as Nesrulla, who they said moved to the farmhouse from Korla city after a warrant for his arrest was issued on March 5. Nesrulla also moved his wife and their son to Hejing county two days before the shooting. Police who monitored the wife's house in Hejing had detained 12 people who visited her. The incident adds to tensions in Xinjiang, where Uyghurs complain of policies favoring Han Chinese migration into the region and the unfair allocation of resources to the Chinese. Ten days earlier, 20 people were killed in attacks in Kargilik (in Chinese, Yecheng) county in Kashgar prefecture. The government said that a group of Uyghurs had stabbed to death 13 people before police shot dead seven of the attackers in the violence. Several residents of Kargilik county interviewed by RFA said the violence stemmed from a massive influx of Han Chinese, resulting in fewer economic opportunities for the Uyghur community. The Chinese government has blamed the incident on separatists. Ethnic violence left some 200 people dead in the Xinjiang capital of Urumqi in 2009. Reported by Shohret Hoshur for RFA's Uyghur service. Translated by Shohret Hoshur. Written in English by Parameswaran Ponnudurai. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/uyghur/die-03112012181519.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.

13 years, 3 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS : Four Killed in China's Xinjiang Raid

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Four Killed in China’s Xinjiang Raid March 9, 2012—Chinese police shot dead four Uyghur men after raiding what they said was a bomb-making operation at a farmhouse near Korla city in China’s troubled northwestern Xinjiang region, according to city police officers Friday. The pre-dawn raid in Towurchi village near Korla city in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region's Bayin'gholin prefecture on Thursday was part of the Chinese government's "strike hard" anti-crime campaigns and "stability drive" as the National People's Congress (NPC), the country's parliament, convened in Beijing for its annual session this week. The raid was staged after a man was injured while making a bomb at his home, raising suspicions, the police officers said. Police believed the man was linked to a group suspected of planning an attack in Xinjiang, which has been gripped by persistent ethnic tensions between the Muslim Uyghurs and the rapidly growing Han Chinese migrant population and where Beijing says its primary terrorism threat comes from. Based on information extracted from interrogations on 21 suspects who were rounded up, police raided the farmhouse, killing one wanted man, identified as Nesrullah, aged 21, among them, they said. Confirmed Korla City Police Bureau Detective Office Chief Wu San and an officer on duty, Xiao Jing, confirmed the events that led to the bloody incident, the latest in Xinjiang since attacks in Kargilik (in Chinese, Yecheng) county in Kashgar prefecture last month killed 20. The officer in charge of the raid told RFA that six armed policemen were involved initially in the raid but that they had to seek reinforcements after a police officer’s arms were chopped at by an assailant. “We had located Nesrulla and his accomplice’s hiding place, which was a farmhouse in Towurchi village of Korla city,” said police officer Ghulamidin Yasin. “When we rushed into the room, there were two women and eight children. We asked them where their men were and they told us they were not home, but we could see from their faces that they were deceiving us,” he said. “We surrounded the storage room and were ready to rush in, when one man rushed out from the room holding an axe, and he chopped one of our policemen’s hands.” When police discovered that there were several other men in the house, some of whom began throwing bottles at the raiding party, 40 more police officers were called in to surround the area, Yasin said. The men rushed out, carrying knives, and police shot them. In addition to Nesrulla, those killed in the incident were identified as Nurmemet, 25, and Abdurehim and Abdulla, both over 30 years old. The men’s last names could not be immediately obtained. “We found two bows, some bomb-making materials, and boxing gloves. It looks like they were preparing some sort of armed attack,” Yasin said. He identified the man who was injured while making a bomb as Tohti Ibrahim. Ibrahim "told the doctor that his gas tank had exploded at home, but the doctor didn’t believe him and immediately informed us,” Yasin said. When police questioned him about the bomb, Ibrahim told them, “I do not acknowledge the law of China, and I am not willing to live under the Chinese regime, and I am willing to die. Don’t question me anymore, just kill me, I will tell you nothing. I was planning to act alone,” according to Yasin. Stabbed In the Kargilik violence last month, the government of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region said in a statement published on its official website that a group of Uyghurs stabbed to death 13 people before police shot dead seven of the attackers. Several residents of Kargilik county interviewed by RFA said the violence stemmed from a massive influx of Han Chinese, resulting in fewer economic opportunities for the Uyghur community. The Chinese government has blamed the incident on separatists. Zhang Chunxian, secretary of the Xinjiang’s ruling Chinese Communist Party committee, said this week that the Kargilik incident, as well as other public violence that rocked the region last year, were related to outside forces. "The infiltration of three overseas forces of separatists, extremists and terrorists, the social situation in nearby countries and international anti-terrorism activities may have directly or indirectly prompted such incidents," he said, on the sidelines China’s annual parliamentary meeting in Beijing, according to the state-run China Daily newspaper. Uyghurs complain of policies favoring Han Chinese migration into the region and unfair allocation of resources. Reported by Shohret Hoshur for RFA’s Uyghur service. Translated by Dolkun Kamberi. Written in English by Rachel Vandenbrink. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/uyghur/korla-03092012182915.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.

13 years, 3 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS : Aung San Suu Kyi's Campaign Speech Censored

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Aung San Suu Kyi's Campaign Speech Censored March 9, 2012— Burmese authorities have censored a key election campaign speech of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, removing portions related to the abuses of the previous military junta and the absence of the rule of law in the country. She told RFA that the authorities had removed a paragraph from the text of her speech to be aired by state radio and television as part of her National League of Democracy (NLD) party broadcast ahead of April 1 by-elections. In that paragraph, she had accused the military junta, which ruled Burma with an iron fist for decades, of not respecting the rule of law and of manipulating the law to punish the people. "I had to submit my speech ahead of time and one paragraph was censored," Aung San Suu Kyi said in an interview on Thursday. "The part about how there wasn't rule of law and the military government had repeatedly used the law to repress the people, that is censored," she said. All political parties were entitled to a campaign speech to be broadcast on state radio and television. It was to be recorded next week and broadcast at a later date before the by-elections in which Aung San Suu Kyi is contesting one of 48 seats. It is believed that the NLD replaced the contentious paragraph. Sanctions The upcoming elections are being closely watched by foreign governments considering the prospect of gradually lifting sanctions as the nominally civilian government embraces political and other reforms following decades of harsh military rule. Aung San Suu Kyi has been facing various election campaign restrictions despite assurances by the Burmese authorities that there would be no such hurdles in the run-up to the polls. She had faced problems getting venues for her to hold campaign rallies and complained that official voter lists included dead people and open possibility for fraud. Aung San Suu Kyi has asked the international community to watch closely how the elections proceed and how the official election commission deals with complaints of electoral irregularities before determining their policy toward Burma. Her NLD had boycotted Burma's general election in November 2010 but agreed to rejoin the electoral process after the new military-backed government began implementing a series of democratic reforms. Even if the NLD wins all 48 seats, the current government will still have a commanding majority in parliament. The NLD scored a landslide victory in 1990 elections but the military junta then did not allow the party to take office. Burmese President Thein Sein assured this month that his government will build on the sweeping reforms it has begun over the last year, saying it is truly committed to democratic change. The Thein Sein administration’s reforms—including freeing political prisoners, signing ceasefires with armed rebel groups, easing restrictions on the press and opening a dialogue with Aung San Suu Kyi—have baffled even some of the nation's fiercest critics. Reported by RFA's Burmese service. Translated by Khin May Zaw. Written in English by Parameswaran Ponnudurai. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/burma/censor-03092012140252.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.

13 years, 3 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS : Call For An End To Self-Immolations in Tibet

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Call For An End To Self-Immolations in Tibet March 8, 2012— A well-known Tibetan writer is leading a call for an end to self-immolations by Tibetans, saying the burnings have already sent a clear message to Beijing that they are against Chinese rule. Woeser, who is effectively under house arrest in Beijing, said in an open letter to Tibetans posted on her blog http://woeser.middle-way.net/ that Tibetans should be "staying alive to struggle and push forward" their objective of winning greater freedom. "Expressed through these self-immolations is the will of Tibetans," the letter said, referring to the 26 self-immolations since February 2009 in protest against Beijing's rule in Tibetan-populated areas and calling for the return of Tibet's spiritual leader the Dalai Lama. Woeser, who has written critically of the Chinese government’s policies in Tibet, said that the self-immolations by mostly young Tibetans "make one feel grief-stricken," and that ending the trend "deserves to be treated as a matter of utmost urgency." Chinese authorities last week prevented Woeser from receiving a Dutch cultural award and placed her under virtual house arrest for one month. "Twenty-six cases make it clear what Tibetans have wanted to articulate," said the joint letter by Woeser and a senior Tibetan religious figure, Arjia Rinpoche, now living in exile in the United States, and Tibet's Amdo-based poet Gade Tsering. "Yet, articulation of one’s will cannot be an ultimate goal. The will has to be put into practice, transforming into reality," they said in the letter titled "Appeal to Tibetans To Cease Self-Immolation: Cherish Your Life in a Time of Oppression." "Only by staying alive can the will become a reality. As long as self-immolation continues, every life would become another irredeemable loss." 'Cherish life' The trio stressed that Tibetans must cherish life and live with resilience. "Regardless of the magnitude of oppression, our life is important, and we have to cherish it … [The] chances to change our reality depend on us staying alive to struggle and push forward.” “Therefore, we plead for an immediate stop of self-immolation,” they said in the letter, which was also posted on Facebook and Twitter and various blogs on which sympathetic readers were invited to add their names in support. They said that self-immolation in itself cannot change Tibetan reality. "[The] chances to change our reality depend on us staying alive to struggle and to push forward; staying alive allows us to gather the strength as drops of water to form a great ocean. It depends on thousands and more living Tibetans to pass on our nation's spirit and blood!" The writers appealed to Tibet's monks, elderly, intellectuals, officials, and people "to protect your fellow devotees, believers, fellow villagers, and families." "Please do prevent the reoccurrence of self-immolation." Tightened security Following the self-immolations, Chinese authorities have tightened security in Tibetan-populated provinces as well as the Tibet Autonomous Region ahead of what Tibetans call "Uprising Day" on March 10, the sensitive anniversary of the Dalai Lama's flight into exile in 1959 and of deadly riots in 2008. Chinese authorities have labeled the self-immolators as terrorists, outcasts, criminals, and mentally ill people, and have blamed the Dalai Lama for encouraging the burnings which, they say, run contrary to Buddhist teachings. But the Buddhist leader has made clear he does not encourage the self-immolations, in turn blaming China's "ruthless and illogical" policy towards Tibet for the protests, which show little sign of subsiding. He called on the Chinese government to change its "repressive" policies in Tibet, citing the crackdown on monasteries and policies curtailing use of the Tibetan language. Reported by RFA's Tibetan service. Written in English by Richard Finney. View this story online at: <http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/burnings-03082012123141.html> http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/burnings-03082012123141.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.

13 years, 3 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS : Third Tibetan Self-Immolation in Three Days

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Third Tibetan Self-Immolation in Three Days March 5, 2012— A Tibetan youth burned himself to death on Monday to protest Chinese rule in Tibetan areas—the third self immolation in three days, according to Tibetan sources. The young man, identified as Dorje, 18, set himself ablaze at around 6:30 p.m. local time in a nomadic area of Ngaba (in Chinese, Aba) county in China’s western Sichuan province, said Kanyag Tsering, an India-based Tibetan monk, citing contacts in the region. “Prior to his self-immolation, he walked from a bridge near the Charuwa nomadic area in Ngaba to the local Chinese office center shouting slogans against Chinese policies in Tibet, and then set himself on fire,” Tsering said. He died on the spot, Tsering said. “Before [local] Tibetans could take possession of his body, Chinese police arrived and took his body to the Ngaba county center.” Dorje is the 26th Tibetan to have self-immolated since February 2009 in protests against Beijing's rule in Tibetan-populated areas and calling for the return of Tibet's exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama. Dorje’s family is the Garkya Tsang of Charuwa in the Cha subdivision of Ngaba county, and his father’s name is Cha Cha, Tsering added. Desperate situation His death came after twin self-immolations at the weekend, highlighting what rights groups say is the "desperate" situation facing Tibetans as Chinese authorities pursue a crackdown on monasteries and policies curtailing Tibetan language and other cultural rights. “This third self-immolation in as many days underlines that Tibetans will not stop protesting until their calls for freedom are heeded. The international community must take immediate action,” London-based advocacy group Free Tibet Director Stephanie Brigden said. A 32-year-old Tibetan widow and mother of four named Rinchen died after burning herself on Sunday in Sichuan province while a middle-school girl, identified on Monday as Tsering Kyi, self-immolated on Saturday in Gansu province. Following the self-immolations, Chinese authorities have tightened security in the two areas and in the Tibet Autonomous Region ahead of what Tibetans call "Uprising Day" on March 10, the sensitive anniversaries of the Dalai Lama's flight into exile in 1959 and of deadly riots in 2008. The body of Tsering Kyi is in the custody of Chinese police and has not been returned to her family after she set herself on fire at a vegetable market in Machu county in Gansu province’s Kanlho (in Chinese, Gannan) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, sources said. “The Chinese vendors at the Machu vegetable market threw stones at her burning body,” one source had said, adding that the girl died at the scene. Several witnesses to the fiery protest were immediately detained, the source said. “The Machu Tibetan Nationality Middle School is surrounded by Chinese paramilitary forces, and officials are conducting ‘reeducation’ activities inside the school. Tibetan family houses in the Machu area are also being searched.” Language protest Tsering Kyi had earlier protested a Chinese decision to eliminate Tibetan as the language of instruction for text books in the middle school, a Tibetan source said, speaking on condition of anonymity. “Authorities had implemented the teaching of subjects like history, geography, chemistry, and math in Chinese,” the source said. “Tibetan teachers and students are facing great difficulty in adjusting to the transition,” he said. Meanwhile, a monk named Rigdzin Dorje, who set fire to himself in February, is now reported to have died. Another monk, Lobsang Konchog, who self-immolated in September 2011, “is in serious condition following [the] amputation of his legs and arms. He is being fed through a tube in his throat, ” the India-based Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) said in a statement. The staff at the hospital physically abuse him and have labeled him an “enemy of the state,” said the CTA, expressing condolences to the families of the self-immolators. Reported by RFA’s Tibetan service. Translations by Karma Dorjee and Rigdhen Dolma. Written in English by Richard Finney. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/third-03052012140822.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.

13 years, 3 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS : North Korean Guards Lure, Nab Potential Defectors

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

North Korean Guards Lure, Nab Potential Defectors March 5, 2012—North Korean guards along the border with China are inducing citizens to defect and then catching them in a bid to secure attractive government rewards, according to sources. Border guards who apprehend potential defectors are offered educational benefits or employment opportunities upon discharge from duty, along with membership in the powerful ruling Workers' Party of Korea, the sources said. Several of the 40-odd North Koreans detained recently in northern Yanggang Province in their attempt to cross over to China had been lured into the "trap" set by the border guards, according to a North Korean woman defector, whose family was among those caught. The woman, identifying herself only as Kim and who defected to South Korea five years ago, told RFA that a border guard, who was a family friend, had offered to help her family get across the North Korea border with China. Little did she realize that the border guard, who was "like a son" to her family," would double-cross and detain them while they were attempting to cross the Yalu River, which borders China, she said. "The idea that someone could induce them to escape [and then inform the authorities] didn’t even cross my mind," Kim said. "[But] when I [checked with] some sources, I found out that the guards arrested them after luring them," she said. Rewards As North Korean authorities strengthened border security after dictator Kim Jong Il’s death in December, border guards who nabbed potential defectors were offered rewards by his successor son Kim Jong Un's regime, sources said. They were offered a choice of receiving college recommendations or being placed at a key fruit farm upon their discharge from duty, along with from being accepted as members of the Workers Party, a source from Yanggang Province told RFA. The farm lies along the large Taedong River, which runs through the North Korean capital, Pyongyang. Many North Korean defectors who successfully cross the border into China have been detained by Chinese security forces and deported back home by Beijing, which considers them economic migrants instead of refugees. Nearly 40 North Koreans were detained in February as they crossed the border into China in separate incidents, according to reports. Executions The U.N. refugee agency UNHCR and human rights watchdog Amnesty International have called on Beijing not to send the North Koreans back. Rights groups say they face harsh punishment, including torture or even death in their homeland. Seoul has repeatedly urged Beijing to treat fugitives from the North as refugees and not to repatriate them. China says they are economic migrants and not refugees deserving protection. More than 21,700 North Koreans have fled to the South since the 1950-1953 Korean war, most of them in recent years. They first escape to China, hide out, and then travel to a third country to seek resettlement in the South. Reported by Moon Sung Hwi for RFA's Korean service. Translated by Kang Min Kyung. Written in English by Parameswaran Ponnudurai. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/korea/defectors-03052012095110.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.

13 years, 3 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS : Immigration Tensions Led to Attack by Uyghurs

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Immigration Tensions Led to Attack by Uyghurs February 29, 2012—Violence in China’s northwestern Xinjiang region which left some 20 people dead this week may have been fueled by a mass migration of Han Chinese to a largely Uyghur county, stoking ethnic tensions amongst the area’s unemployed youth, according to residents. Local officials, meanwhile, were striving to keep a lid on rumors swirling after the worst violence in seven months in the volatile region and have given strict orders to government employees not to speak to the media. But a senior official told RFA that he had witnessed the violence which left nearly 20 dead on a busy street in Kargilik (in Chinese, Yecheng) county in Kashgar prefecture on Tuesday night. “We saw the people were crying and fleeing and later all the streets in the town were blocked by police,” said Abdukeyim, chief of the county’s land management department, just 100 meters (330 feet) from a market where the violence occurred. He said based on a government report on the incident, a group of knife-wielding Uyghurs went on a stabbing spree on Han Chinese, leading to a police shootout. “This morning I attended a conference held by the county which all chiefs of county level departments were present at. Attendees were given a brief report on the incident,” Abdukeyim said. “According to the report, nine [Uyghurs] took part in the attack and eight of them were shot [dead] by police. Ten Han [Chinese] were killed and five were injured.” The government of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region said in a statement published on its official website www.tianshannet.com on Wednesday that a group of Uyghurs stabbed to death 13 people before police shot seven of the attackers dead. Second class citizens Several residents of Kargilik county interviewed by RFA Wednesday said the violence stemmed from a massive influx of Han Chinese, resulting in fewer economic opportunities for the Uyghur community and an upsurge in unemployment. One Uyghur resident, who asked to remain anonymous, said that Uyghurs were fed up with being treated like second class citizens in their traditional homeland. “Growing up in a village, I had never even seen a Han Chinese before I was 18 year old. Now you can see Han Chinese in all corners of Kargilik county,” he said. “Their population is exploding and they have now occupied almost all of the towns in the county.” “The flood of immigrants was a key reason behind the attack.” Xinjiang has been gripped for years by persistent ethnic tensions between the Muslim Uyghurs and the rapidly growing Han Chinese migrant population, leading to riots in the regional capital Urumqi on July 5, 2009 which left 200 dead and 1,700 injured, according to state media. Uyghurs, who form a distinct, Turkic-speaking minority in Xinjiang, say they have long suffered ethnic discrimination, oppressive religious controls, and continued poverty and joblessness, even as Beijing pursued ambitious programs to develop its vast northwestern frontier. Ethnic policies A Han Chinese doctor from Bo-Ai Hospital in Kaghilik county expressed sympathy for the region’s Uyghurs, saying that Tuesday’s attack could have been an act of frustration with the government’s measures against the minority ethnic group. “I think the sense of dissatisfaction and resistance is a direct result of the government enforcing a high-pressure policy on Uyghur people,” said the doctor, who says he had good relations with Uyghur doctors at the hospital. “I have a very good relationship with my Uyghur colleagues at the hospital. I don’t want to see this kind thing happen, but I also don’t want to see excessive controls on the local Uygur people,” he said. “If the [harsh] policy continues, there will be more of this kind of thing in the future. In the end, the ordinary citizens will suffer.” A senior teacher in Kargilik county compared Han immigrants in the area to an invading army. “Yes, it’s true that civilians were targeted in the attack, but in the view of the Uyghurs—myself included—there is no difference between Han civilians and the army,” he said, citing the July 5, 2009 riots in which he claimed Han Chinese civilians attacked Uyghur civilians “with support of the armed police.” More than 1,000 Uyghurs have been jailed and several thousand “disappeared” in the aftermath of the most deadly episode of ethnic unrest in China’s recent history, according to Uyghur exile groups. “Han civilians are taking our bread, taking our jobs, and taking our houses. They are threatening our survival,” the teacher said. The teacher also complained that nearly all Han citizens in Xinjiang sided with the government on all ethnic issues. “They never ask the government to end religious pressure on the local people, to stop arrests and executions, or call for equal job opportunities,” the teacher said. He said Han citizens were likely targeted because the Uyghurs were not well armed enough to take on the security forces. “The difference in power of arms between the two sides is incomparable. You can’t do anything to the armed police with a knife,” he said. “I think this is the main reason they attacked Han civilians.” Reported by Shohret Hoshur and Mihray Abdilim for RFA’s Uyghur service. Translated by Shohret Hoshur and Mihray Abdilim. Written in English by Joshua Lipes. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/uyghur/attack-02292012184547.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.

13 years, 3 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS : Tibetan Comedian Detained Amid Video Release Plan

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Tibetan Comedian Detained Amid Video Release Plan February 24, 2012— Authorities in China’s southwestern Sichuan province have detained a popular Tibetan comedian ahead of his plan to release a video criticizing Chinese rule in Tibetan-populated regions, which has been a key theme of recent Tibetan protests, according to exile sources. Athar, 33, who runs a general store aside from giving satirical performances in Lithang county in the Kardze (in Chinese, Ganzi) prefecture, was taken into custody at night in early February by a special Chinese police team acting on orders from the top, sources said. The detention came amid tensions in Tibetan-populated areas in Chinese provinces on the back of self-immolations and protests against Chinese rule that have led to a security clampdown and the detention of hundreds of Tibetans. “Two weeks ago, many Chinese police wearing black head gear came to his shop in the evening,” said India-based Tibetan exile parliament member Andrug Tseten, citing sources in the region. “They searched his shop and took him away with them in the night,” Tseten said. Athar’s relatives who went to the county police to enquire about his situation were told that the performer had been taken by police belonging to a special task force assigned to detain people involved in “serious political matters,” Tseten said. “County police told Athar's relatives that they got the order from 'higher levels' and that those who detained him were special task force police assigned to arrest people involved in serious political matters. They did not know where Athar was taken.” Call for unity A U.S.-based friend who had visited Athar in November said Athar had told him he was about to release a DVD that might lead to his arrest. Athar, a member of the Yuru Keta Depa family, gave his friend a short recorded message, telling him to pass it on if he should hear he had been detained. It was not immediately clear whether Athar had publicly released the video before his detention. In a copy of the video message obtained by RFA, Athar warns that Tibet under its present status has gone down a “wrong path,” urges unity among Tibetans, and calls for a strengthened Tibetan national identity and culture. "The Tibetan sky, which has a history of more than a thousand years, is [now] shrouded by a thick black cloud,” Athar says. “Many in the world who are sensible and knowledgeable are shedding tears for us and extending their support.” “We should cease all those actions that please our enemy and should shoulder our responsibility and foster unity among all three regions of Tibet and all traditions of Tibetan Buddhism, protect our culture, and conserve our environment,” Athar said. Communications cut “Because of strict restrictions on all lines of communication in Sichuan, it is impossible to call the [Lithang] area to find out what has happened to Athar,” the comedian’s U.S.-based friend said. “Also, large numbers of Chinese forces are deployed in Lithang these days,” he added. Athar’s case follows the detention of two other Tibetan cultural figures this month. About a week ago, popular Tibetan writer Gangkye Drubpa Kyab, 33, was taken into custody in Serthar (in Chinese, Seda) county in Sichuan by special police who raided his home late at night. Two weeks earlier, Dawa Dorje, a popular advocate of Tibet’s traditional culture and language in his 20’s, was detained by Chinese authorities as he returned to the Tibet Autonomous Region after organizing a conference promoting Tibetan culture in Sichuan. Sichuan has been the focus of Tibetan protests against Chinese rule and a series of Tibetan self-immolations that have led to a beefed-up Chinese security presence. Last month, Chinese police opened fire on Tibetan protesters in at least three counties in Sichuan and Qinghai provinces, wounding scores and killing at least six, according to right groups. Twenty-three Tibetans have self-immolated to protest Chinese policies and rule in Tibetan regions since February 2009. Chinese authorities have labeled the self-immolators as terrorists and blamed the Dalai Lama for the tense situation, saying he is encouraging the fiery protests which, they say, run contrary to Buddhist teachings. But the Dalai Lama has blamed China's "ruthless and illogical" policy toward Tibet. Reported by Rigdhen Dolma for RFA’s Tibetan service. Translations by Karma Dorjee and Rigdhen Dolma. Written in English by Richard Finney. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/comedian-02242012152238.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.

13 years, 3 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS : Tibetan Monks Thwart Attempt to Snatch Body After New Self-Immolation

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Tibetan Monks Thwart Attempt to Snatch Body After New Self-Immolation February 19, 2012 — Tibetan monks on Sunday prevented Chinese security forces from taking away the body of a Tibetan teenager who burned himself to death in front of a monastery to protest against Chinese rule in southwest Sichuan province, sources said. Nyadrol, who was 18, died on the spot after setting himself ablaze Sunday in front of the monastery in Ngaba (in Chinese, Aba) prefecture's Zamtang (in Chinese, Rangtang) county, which was hit by bloody protests last month. "He did it in front of the Zamtang Jonang monastery on Sunday around noon time," according to Tsayang Gyatso, head of the Jonang Buddhist Association in India's Dharamsala hill town, where Tibet's spiritual leader the Dalai Lama is living in exile. "The Chinese security forces tried to take his body away but the monks of Zamtang Jonang monastery just managed to take possession of his charred body and conduct prayers," he told RFA, citing contacts in the region. Nyadrul's self-immolation brings to 23 the number of Tibetans who have burned themselves to protest Chinese policies and rule in Tibetan regions since February 2009. Three other self-immolations were reported in early February this year in Serthar county (in Chinese, Seda) in Sichuan, but have never been confirmed due to communication problems stemming from a stepped-up crackdown by Chinese security forces. 'Terrorists' The Chinese authorities have labeled the self-immolators as terrorists and blamed the Dalai Lama for the tense situation, saying he is encouraging the self-immolations, which run contrary to Buddhist teachings. But the Dalai Lama blamed China's "ruthless and illogical" policy towards Tibet. Chinese security forces had beefed up security in Zamtang in late January after shooting dead a Tibetan protester and wounding several others as they opened fire on hundreds of demonstrators. The protests occurred as a poster appeared demanding freedom for Tibet and the return of the Dalai Lama. Crackdown Beijing has arrested hundreds of Tibetans, mostly monks in Ngaba, following a crackdown stepped up over the last year triggered by the self-immolations. Last week, police detained a popular Tibetan writer Gangkye Drubpa Kyab, 33, in Serthar, which was also rocked by bloody protests in January. Two weeks earlier, a popular advocate of Tibet’s traditional culture and language, Dawa Dorje, in his 20's, was believed to have been detained by Chinese authorities. Reported by Tenzin Wangyal 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-02192012102305.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 .

13 years, 3 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS : Monk Burns to Protest Monastery Intrusion

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Monk Burns to Protest Monastery Intrusion February 17, 2012—A Tibetan monk burned himself to death on Friday after protesting Chinese security intrusions at his monastery in China’s western Qinghai province on Friday, adding to tensions in protest-hit Tibetan-populated areas, sources said. Damchoe Sangpo, aged about 40 and a monk at the Bongtak monastery in Themchen county of the Tsonub (in Chinese, Haixi) prefecture, set himself ablaze at around 6:00 a.m. local time and died shortly afterward, an India-based senior Tibetan monk named Shingsa said, citing contacts in the region. It was the 22nd confirmed self-immolation by Tibetans protesting Chinese policies and rule in Tibetan regions since a wave of the fiery protests began in February 2009. Three other self-immolations were reported in early February in a remote region of Sichuan province, but have never been confirmed due to communication problems stemming from a stepped-up crackdown by Chinese security forces. Damchoe Sangpo, the monk who died in Friday’s protest, had objected to the cancelling by Chinese authorities of a traditional prayer festival at the monastery and to the presence of Chinese security forces, Shingsa told RFA in an interview. “After the Tibetan New Year, which in Qinghai’s Amdo region coincides with the Chinese New Year, Chinese officials banned the [monastery’s] Monlam religious gathering and sent armed security forces there ,” Shingsa said. “Damchoe objected to this, and told the Chinese officials that if they didn’t withdraw their troops from the monastery, the monks should not be held responsible for any incident that might follow,” he said. “When monks came out of the temple after morning services, they saw Damchoe burning,” Shingsa said, adding, “He died on the spot.” Communications cut Tibetan-populated regions in China have been shaken by a series of self-immolations and protests recently, leading to a bloody crackdown by security forces and the arrest of scores, if not hundreds, of Tibetans. Chinese authorities have virtually cut off communication lines amid the crackdown, and information flow has been severely restricted, according to sources who have traveled out of these places. Damchoe Sangpo was the youngest of 10 siblings, of whom all the others were girls, Shingsa said. “His father’s name is Taklha. His mother passed away when he was very young.” Damchoe Sangpo, who was described by Shingsa as a “highly responsible person,” was ordained as a monk in 1991 and went to India in 1994. “[Three years] later, he returned to Tibet and became the disciplinarian of the monastery. Before his death, he tutored the monks in religious texts.” It is not clear whether the Chinese authorities or the monks are now in possession of Damchoe’s body, Shingsa said. “Because of the heavy troop presence at the monastery, no more phone calls can be made, and it appears that all of the lines have been cut,” he said. Reported by Rigdhen Dolma, Dhondup Dorjee, and Lobe for RFA’s Tibetan service. Translations by Karma Dorjee and Rigdhen Dolma. Written in English by Richard Finney. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/intrusion-02172012113723.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.

13 years, 3 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS : Wife concerned over top Chinese dissident’s life

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Wife concerned over top Chinese dissident’s life February 14, 2012— The exiled wife of China’s prominent jailed dissident lawyer Gao Zhisheng on Tuesday expressed doubt over whether her husband is alive, saying she could not trust the authorities who say he is serving his latest imprisonment in a remote region. Speaking to RFA as visiting Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping met with U.S. President Barack Obama at the White House, Geng He, who fled to the U.S. with her two children in 2009, said she worried about her husband’s safety as he had disappeared for lengthy periods and re-emerged to say he had been tortured. “This government lied about his situation all along. Can we believe what they say? Can we believe Gao Zhisheng is still alive? That is our worry,” she said in an interview. Authorities in Beijing have said little publicly about Gao, one of China’s most outspoken dissidents, although his case has been highlighted by foreign governments and human rights groups across the globe. But, in December, China’s official Xinhua news agency said in a terse announcement that Gao had been imprisoned for three years for repeatedly violating his terms for probation for "inciting subversion" of the state. Geng, who has not spoken to Gao for nearly two years, said she had become more concerned over Gao’s life after his brother traveled to a jail in Shaya county in the far northwestern Xinjiang region where in December they were informed Gao was being held. Prison authorities told the brother that Gao was not allowed visitors and did not want to see his family, Geng said. “He used his career as a lawyer to work for fairness and human rights principles. But the situation is that the Chinese government harshly persecutes the good lawyers that the people need,” Gao said. Once a prominent lawyer lauded by China's ruling Communist Party, Gao fell afoul of the government after he defended some of China's most vulnerable people, including Christians, coal miners, and followers of the banned Falun Gong spiritual movement. In 2006, authorities arrested Gao and handed him a sentence for “inciting subversion” that was later suspended. But over the next five years, Gao repeatedly suffered forced disappearances and torture, Geng said. Prominent case “We have no idea if he is indeed alive,” Jared Genser, Gao’s lawyer in the U.S., said in an interview. Genser, an international human rights lawyer, said that Gao’s case stands out for the brazenness with which the Chinese authorities have withheld information about his situation, despite international attention. “While I would like to believe the Chinese government, they have repeatedly lied about this case,” he said. “I could see why, if they had killed him – from torture, for example – they would want to postpone making that public until after the leadership transition… and why they would want to keep that very much under wraps at this sensitive time,” he said. Vice President Xi is widely expected to take over the leadership of the ruling Chinese Communist Party later this year and the government in 2013. “They are flagrantly lying to the international community and torturing not only Gao Zhisheng, but also his family is being tortured by the lies they are telling to the international community and to the family themselves. I think that is the most disturbing part about this case,” Genser said. Asked what message she had for Xi, Geng said, “My husband is an excellent lawyer.… Why would you have such a good lawyer “disappeared’?” Geng also testified at a hearing Tuesday of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, saying her husband once said, “’You can’t be a rights lawyer [in China] without becoming a rights case yourself.’” “Whatever he does I support him,” Geng told RFA, speaking about how hard Gao’s ordeal has been on her children. “It has been four years since I spent Valentine’s Day with him,” she said, and brought out a Valentine card that her son, Peter, made for his father. “I’ve wanted to grow up to be like you. I hope you can come home soon. I love you,” he had written. Reported by Zhang Min and Wei Ling for RFA’s Mandarin and Cantonese services. Written in English with additional reporting by Rachel Vandenbrink. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/women/genghe-02142012172353.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.

13 years, 3 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS : Tibetan Culture Advocate ‘Detained’

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Tibetan Culture Advocate ‘Detained’ February 13, 2012— A popular advocate of Tibet’s traditional culture and language is believed to have been detained by Chinese authorities, sources in exile and in Tibet said Monday, as another Tibetan self-immolated in protest against Chinese rule. One source, calling from inside Tibet, told RFA that Dawa Dorje, who works as a government researcher in Nagchu (in Chinese, Naqu) prefecture in the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), was detained last week after expressing concern over the closure of Tibetan monasteries. He was picked up at Tibet's capital Lhasa's Gonggar Airport, the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity. "There is hardly anyone in Nagchu who doesn't know about this young Tibetan Dawa Dorje," the source said. Dorje's age is not known. "He was detained at Gonggar Airport. He was arrested and taken away but details are not known. His family members could not locate him and are desperately trying to find out where he has been detained," the source said. Conference An India-based friend of Dorje, who identified himself only as Rabgye, told RFA that Dorje had flown into Tibet from China’s southwestern Sichuan province where anti-Beijing protests have escalated in recent weeks. Dorje had taken a flight to Lhasa from Sichuan’s capital Chengdu after organizing a conference there promoting Tibetan culture, said Rabgye, a monk at the Sera Je monastery in southern India. Local authorities inside Tibet and in Chengdu could not be immediately contacted over Dorje's whereabouts due to communication problems. “He called for a conference of Tibetan singers and other Tibetans in Chengdu on Feb. 1 and asked them to write and sing songs with themes that would promote the Tibetan language, race, and culture,” Rabgye said. “He advised the Tibetan singers that songs are a powerful medium for influencing people’s thoughts.” After resting for a day following the conference, Dorje received a call from his office in Tibet ordering him to return to work, and he took a flight from Chengdu to Lhasa, Rabgye said. “To his family’s surprise, he did not emerge from the Gonggar airport in Lhasa,” he said. 'Biggest concern' Rabgye added that he had received a communication from Dorje on Jan. 28, a few days before the conference in Chengdu. “He told me that his biggest concern was about the closing of [Tibetan] monasteries in Driru,” a county in the TAR, he said. Monks and nuns in many of the monasteries in Driru have left their facilities in recent months, citing intolerable interference in their daily activities by Chinese authorities, sources have said. “The local people are also unhappy about the monasteries closing, but if they protest, the Chinese will have an excuse to crack down on the Tibetans. So this was his biggest worry,” Rabgye said. Dawa Dorje graduated from Tibet University in Lhasa and works as a researcher in the office of the county prosecutor in Nyanrong county in Nagchu prefecture, Rabgye said. “He has written several books on the preservation of the Tibetan language, the proper practice of Tibetan religion, and the importance of sending children to school,” he said, adding that Dorje had also organized many conferences on these subjects. Writers, singers, and artists promoting Tibetan national identity and culture have frequently been detained by Chinese authorities, with many handed long jail terms, following region-wide protests against Chinese rule that swept Tibetan areas in 2008. Self-immolation News of Dorje's alleged detention came as a 19-year-old Tibetan monk set himself ablaze on Monday in Sichuan province amid escalating protests against Chinese rule in Tibetan areas and as Beijing poured more security forces into the region to keep a lid on the situation. It was the second self-immolation by a Tibetan teenager in two days and brought to 24 the number of Tibetans who have burned themselves in protest since February 2009 when Beijing stepped up a clampdown on monasteries and rounded up hundreds of monks. Lobsang Gyatso, a monk from the restive Kirti Monastery in Ngaba (Aba, in Chinese) prefecture, set fire to himself in Ngaba town in the afternoon and was beaten and taken away by Chinese security forces, according to sources. Following the incident, Chinese security forces set up checkpoints around the town and were searching residents, according to London-based Free Tibet, an advocacy group. Ngaba town has been the scene of repeated demonstrations against rule by Beijing during the last year. Posters Elsewhere, about 200 Tibetans protested at the weekend in Kyegudo town in nearby Yulshul (in Chinese, Yushu) prefecture, while posters calling for independence for Tibet were put up in Kardze town in Kardze (in Chinese, Ganzi) prefecture, sources said. In Kardze town, Chinese police detained a Tibetan youth on Saturday after a poster warning that three more Tibetans were preparing to self-immolate "for the Tibetan cause" appeared on the wall of the local police station, a local source said, speaking on condition of anonymity. The youth, Tashi Palden, 21, was detained as he shouted slogans in the town center calling for Tibetan independence and for the return of exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, the source said. Reported by Rigdhen Dolma for RFA’s Tibetan service. Translations by Rigdhen Dolma and Karma Dorjee. Written in English by Richard Finney and Parameswaran Ponnudurai. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/culture-02132012210853.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.

13 years, 3 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS : Two Tibetans Shot Dead; Another Self-Immolation

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Two Tibetans Shot Dead; Another Self-Immolation February 9, 2012— Chinese security forces on Thursday shot and killed a Tibetan monk and his brother who had been involved in protests against Chinese rule, as another Tibetan self-immolated to protest Tibetans' plight, sources said. The shooting in Draggo (in Chinese, Luhuo) county in southwest Sichuan province signaled a hardening crackdown by Chinese authorities on dissent by Tibetans, 22 of whom have self-immolated since March 2009 when Beijing escalated a clampdown on monasteries. The two brothers had been on the run for more than two weeks, and had been hiding in the hills in a nomad region when they were surrounded and fired upon, according to sources in Tibet and in exile. Killed on the spot Yeshe Rigsal, a 40-year monk, and his 38-year-old brother, Yeshe Samdrub, had been pursued by the authorities after they participated in Jan. 23 protests against Chinese rule and calling for the return of exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama in Draggo in the Kardze (in Chinese, Ganzi) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. "He was on the run, and Chinese security forces encircled the place where he was staying and shot him and his brother," said Kalsang, a monk at the Drepung monastery in South India, citing sources in the region. "Both were killed on the spot," he said. The Jan. 23 Draggo incident was immediately followed by bloody protests the same week in Serthar (in Chinese, Seda) county and Dzamthang (in Chinese, Rangtang) county, both also in Sichuan, in which rights and exile groups believe a total of at least six were killed and 60 injured, some critically. Gunshot wounds Yeshe Rigsal, from the Draggo monastery in Sichuan, was among those who sustained gunshot wounds when Chinese security forces opened fire at protesters in the first incident. Separately, another India-based monk confirmed the account of the two men’s deaths, also citing sources in the region. “It happened this morning, Feb. 9,” the monk, Phuntsog, said. The brothers may have “confronted” their pursuers, he said. Self-immolation As the shooting incident raised tensions, RFA learned of another self-immolation on Thursday. Sources said an unidentified monk set himself ablaze at Lab monastery in Qinghai province's Tridu (in Chinese, Chenduo) county, the scene of protests against Chinese rule by about 1,000 Tibetans on Wednesday. The county is in Yulshul (in Chinese, Yushu) prefecture. “This morning, a monk of Lab monastery set himself on fire," a caller from Tibet told RFA. The name and other details of the monk protester were not immediately available. "After that incident, the Chinese authorities took away the Khenpo [the title of a respected senior monk] and other high lamas of the monastery to the prefecture headquarters in Yushu," the caller said. "The monks of Lab monastery and other Tibetans in the area are waiting for the Khenpo and lamas to return. If they do not return by today, they are determined to start protests against the Chinese authorities,” he said. 'Tense moments' Lab monastery is located on the other side of the mountain where 1,400 Tibetans had protested against Chinese rule on Wednesday, according to the caller. In that protest, about 400 monks from the Sekha monastery launched a 12 kilometer (about seven mile) "solidarity" march to Dzatoe town, but were stopped by security forces halfway at a bridge, angering about 1,000 local residents who then joined the demonstration. The monks carried white banners calling for the Dalai Lama's return to Tibet from exile in India and urging the Chinese authorities to release "innocent" Tibetan prisoners. The banners, with words written in red and blue, also called on the authorities to "Respect the Tibetans—We are one in happiness and sorrow," and "Respect the Tibetan language." Also on Wednesday, several hundred Tibetans assembled at a hall in the Dzatoe county seat to conduct a religious gathering but were blocked by Chinese security forces, a Tibetan source in exile said, citing contacts in the region. Between 1,500 and 2,000 Tibetans then gathered at the scene, the source said. "The crowd shouted slogans calling for freedom for Tibet and the return of the Dalai Lama and ridiculed Tibetan members of the security force who had pointed their weapons at them." "There were some tense moments between the Tibetans and police, but there was no shooting, and the police withdrew their force," the source said. Reported by Sonam Wangdue, Lobsang Chophel, and Tsewang Norbu for RFA’s Tibetan service. Translations by Karma Dorjee and Dorjee Damdul. Written in English by Richard Finney and Parameswaran Ponnudurai. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/another-02092012170023.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.

13 years, 3 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS : Defiant Tibetans Hold Protests Amid Self-Immolation

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

February 8, 2012— About 2,000 Tibetans in two troubled southwest Chinese provinces on Wednesday defied a security crackdown and held separate protests against Beijing's rule as another monk self-immolated, fueling tensions, according to local and exile sources. Chinese security forces attempted but failed to stop the demonstrations in two counties in Qinghai province as protesters shouted slogans and carried banners calling for a "free Tibet," the release of all Tibetan political prisoners, and the return of Tibet's spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, the sources said. The crowds swelled to about 1,000 each at the peak of the protests in Nangchen (Nangqian, in Chinese) county and Tridu (Chenduo, in Chinese) county in Yulshul (Yushu, in Chinese) prefecture, the sources said, citing contacts in the two areas. Security forces did not open fire to quell the protests in a sign of restraint following bloody violence two weeks ago when police opened fire, killing up to six Tibetans in separate incidents, according to rights groups. The protests came as a Tibetan set himself ablaze in Sichuan province Wednesday in anger at Chinese rule and as Tibetans across the globe held prayers and protests in honor of compatriots who "sacrificed" their lives for the Tibetan cause, activists said. Wednesday's self-immolation took place at a school in the main town of Ngaba county, in Ngaba (in Chinese, Aba) prefecture, India-based monks Losang Yeshe and Kanyag Tsering said in a statement to RFA, citing contacts in the region. The still-unidentified Tibetan man, who appeared to be a monk, shouted slogans before self-immolating, they said. He was immediately taken away by soldiers and police. Fiery protests Twenty-one Tibetans have set fire to themselves in a wave of protests in ethnic Tibetan regions of China since March 2009 as Beijing stepped up a crackdown on monasteries. In the protest in Nangchen on Wednesday, as many as 1,000 people, mostly laypersons in traditional dress, flocked to the county stadium under close watch by security forces. "They chanted prayers and [shouted slogans such as] "Freedom for Tibet" and "Long live the Dalai Lama," one source from inside Tibet told RFA. "When armed soldiers and policemen closed in, the Tibetans shouted "Kyi Hi Hi," a Tibetan battle cry in defiance," the source said. "The soldiers and policemen then retreated but watched from a distance. There was no clash between them but the protesters remained in the stadium." At the same time, several hundred Tibetans gathered in the main monastery in Nangchen town, chanting and tossing Tsampa [barley flour] into the air. Stopped at bridge In the other protest in Tridu county, about 400 monks from the Sekha monastery launched a 12 kilometer (about seven mile) "solidarity" march to Dzatoe town but were stopped by security forces halfway at a bridge, angering about 1,000 local residents who then joined the demonstration. "Chinese [forces] pressured the monks to stop the march, and at that point around 1,000 local residents joined the protests and raised slogans for up to three hours," one local source said. Another source said the monks had defied appeals by laypersons against proceeding with the march amid fears they would be detained. “The Tibetan protesters shouted that they were ready to sacrifice their lives and would continue their struggle," one caller from Tibet told RFA. The monks carried big white banners calling for the Dalai Lama's return to Tibet from exile in India and urging the Chinese authorities to release "innocent" Tibetan prisoners. The banners, with words written in red and blue, also called on the authorities to "Respect the Tibetans—We are one in happiness and sorrow," and "Respect the Tibetan language." Chinese security forces later surrounded Sekha monastery and were restricting the movements of monks and other Tibetans, sources said. Rising tensions Tensions have risen in the region since three Tibetans set themselves on fire in Serthar (in Chinese, Seda) county in Sichuan on Feb. 3. Three other counties in the province—Draggo (in Chinese, Luhuo), Serthar (in Chinese, Seda), and Dzamthang (in Chinese, Rangtang)—were rocked by bloody protests against Chinese rule two weeks ago in which rights and exile groups believe at least six were killed and 60 injured, some critically. Official Chinese media reported that only two Tibetans were killed in the incidents after "mobs" armed with, guns, knives, and stones attacked local police. Telephone and other communication links to the protest areas have mostly been cut. Reported by RFA's Tibetan service. Translations by Jigme Ngapo, Karma Dorjee, Rigdhen Dolma and Dorjee Damdul. Written in English by Parameswaran Ponnudurai and Richard Finney. View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/defiant-02082012161711.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.

13 years, 4 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS : New Self-Immolation Amid Tensions

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

New Self-Immolation Amid Tensions February 8, 2012— Another Tibetan protester set himself ablaze Wednesday to protest Chinese rule in a Tibetan-populated area of China’s western Sichuan province, according to Tibetan sources in exile. Twenty-one Tibetans, mostly monks and former monks, have set fire to themselves in a wave of self-immolation protests in ethnic Tibetan regions of China since March 2009 as Beijing has stepped up a crackdown on monasteries amid charges of human rights abuses. Wednesday's self-immolation took place at 6:30 p.m. local time at the No. 2 primary school in the main town of Ngaba county, in the Ngaba (in Chinese, Aba) prefecture, India-based monks Losang Yeshe and Kanyag Tsering said in a statement to RFA, citing contacts in the region. The still-unidentified Tibetan man shouted slogans before self-immolating, they said. “The protester appeared to be a monk,” Yeshe and Tsering said, quoting a source, “but his name and place of origin and other details are not known.” “He was immediately taken away by soldiers and police,” they said, adding that two other monks were detained in the vicinity. “Their identities are also unknown,” Yeshe and Tsering said. Global protests, prayers Security in Ngaba particularly has been extremely tight as Tibetans across the globe planned prayers and protests on Wednesday to pay respect to compatriots who have sacrificed their lives for the Tibetan cause. "The Tibetans in Tibet are aware of the exile Tibetans' global solidarity protest today, and as a result there was a massive security presence in Ngaba. During the daytime, almost no Tibetans were seen in the street," Tsering told RFA by telephone from the Indian town of Dharamsala, where the Dalai Lama has been living in exile. "This self-immolation took place in the evening, when the security forces had considerably withdrawn from the scene," he said, citing contacts in the region. "The scene of the self-immolation protest was not in a public gathering square. It was in a little secluded area. The news is confirmed by five different sources, from Bejing, Tibet, and in exile," he said. Rising tensions The latest self-immolation protest came five days after sources said that three Tibetans set themselves on fire in Serthar (in Chinese, Seda) county, also in Sichuan province. Serthar was among three counties in Sichuan province where Tibetans protested against Chinese rule two weeks ago in which rights and exile groups believe at least six were killed and 60 injured, some critically. The other counties were Draggo (in Chinese, Luhuo) and Dzamthang (in Chinese, Rangtang). Official Chinese media reported only two Tibetans were killed in the incidents after "mobs" armed with, guns, knives, and stones attacked local police. Tensions have risen in the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) and in Tibetan-populated areas of Sichuan, Qinghai and Gansu provinces following a recent wave of protests against Chinese rule and calling for the return of the Dalai Lama, Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader. Chinese authorities have ramped up security across Tibetan areas following the protests, sources said. Telephone and other communication links to the protest areas have mostly been cut. Reported by Rigdhen Dolma and Dorjee Damdul for RFA’s Tibetan service. Written in English by Richard Finney. 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.

13 years, 4 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS : Lao Officer Held Over Foreign Trade In Babies

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Lao Officer Held over Foreign Trade in Babies February 5, 2012—A retired justice ministry officer in Laos has been hauled up for questioning after he "adopted" newborn babies from hospitals and poor rural households and allegedly sold them—mostly to Americans, Canadians, and Australians, according to government officials. The officer, who obtained adoption papers from the justice and foreign affairs ministries for babies that had been taken away from their parents, is accused of selling the infants—all one to two years old—for U.S. $1,500 to $5,000 each. "What he did for adoption was legal, but selling babies was [illegal]," a Lao national security official investigating the case told RFA, saying the retired officer had been taken in for interrogations. "He is the one who goes around hospitals and poor rural homes to locate unwanted babies and takes them to be sold later," the official said. It is not know how many babies have been linked to the trade but Laos has gained notoriety in recent years for human trafficking. It is a source and a transit and destination country for women and girls subjected to sex trafficking, as well as for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor, according to a U.S. State Department report. Adoption freeze The Lao national security ministry has forwarded a report on the investigations over the babies-for-sale scam to the ministries of justice and foreign affairs, requesting them to suspend the issuance of adoption papers for babies on the suspect list, officials said. The adoption papers will be issued only to immediate families who want to take charge of the babies, they said. A justice ministry official said it is investigating whether the babies had actually been sold, which can constitute a human trafficking offense punishable by a three-to-five-year imprisonment. "We are going to look into the [economic] situation of the parents to assess their need to give up the child," the official said. "Adopting a child for sale later is a crime, related to human trafficking, no question about it," the official said. "We cannot say anything before the investigation is over." The official confirmed that the retired officer is "familiar" with most of the ministry's employees and that he often applied for adoption and naturalization papers. No specific law Laos has no specific law to check human trafficking, officials have said. This "loophole" allows human traffickers to pose as "adopted parents," making it difficult for enforcement officials to distinguish them from "genuine adopted parents," an anti-human trafficking official in Vientiane said recently. It also makes it difficult to indict traffickers, the official said. At present, Laos uses the criminal code to deal with the human trafficking problem. According to the U.S. State Department's 2011 Trafficking in Persons Report, court proceedings of human trafficking cases in Laos "lacked due process and transparency." International groups and non-governmental organizations have also been unable to verify data provided by the Lao government, the report said. The government did not report prosecuting any cases of internal trafficking, while the impunity of corrupt government officials remained a problem throughout the Lao justice system, it said. The report also highlighted corruption, which it said is "endemic" in Laos. Observers of trafficking in Laos believe that some public officials—particularly at local levels—are involved in facilitating human trafficking, sometimes in collusion with counterparts in neighboring Thailand, the report said. "Nevertheless, the government has never reported any officials investigated, prosecuted, or punished for involvement in trafficking in persons." The Lao National Assembly approved a National Plan of Action on human trafficking in 2007 but it has not been endorsed by the prime minister’s office. Reported by Nontarat Phaicharoen for RFA's Lao service. Translated by Viengsay Luangkhot and Max Avary. Written in English by Parameswaran Ponnudurai. 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.

13 years, 4 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS : Three Tibetans Self-Immolate Amid Crackdown

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Three Tibetans Self-Immolate Amid Crackdown February 4, 2012—Three Tibetans have set themselves on fire in the troubled county of Serthar (in Chinese, Seda) in China's Sichuan province, the latest in a series of self-immolations against Chinese rule, sources said Saturday. News of the self-immolations in a remote village in Serthar on Friday surfaced only a day later due to a clampdown in communications by Chinese authorities following a string of bloody protests a week ago, they said. “On Feb. 3, three Tibetans self-immolated in protest against Chinese policy at a place called Phuwu in Serthar and one of them died," an exile source told RFA. The area is near the border with Sichuan's neighboring Qinghai province, the source said. "This area is far from the main Serthar county town. The survivors are seriously injured though the details are difficult to obtain due to the shutting down of communication lines in the area," another source said. "However, [in the protests] they had called for freedom for Tibet and the return of the Dalai Lama." Twenty self-immolations A third source also confirmed the self-immolations, the number of which has climbed to 20 since February 2009 amid growing tensions in Tibetan regions of China where people have been protesting against Beijing's rule and calling for the return of the Dalai Lama, Tibet's spiritual leader. The identity of the person who perished in the self-immolation could not be immediately confirmed but the two who were seriously injured were initially identified as Tsaptsai Tsering, 60, and Kyarel, 30, sources told RFA. Serthar was among three counties in Sichuan province where Tibetans protested against Chinese rule last week in which rights and exile groups believe at least six were killed and 60 injured, some critically. The other counties were Draggo (in Chinese, Luhuo) and Dzamthang (in Chinese, Rangtang). Official Chinese media reported that only two Tibetans were killed after "mobs" armed with, guns, knives and stones attacked local police. Chinese authorities have ramped up security across Tibetan areas—from Lhasa, capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region, to the Amdo and Kham regions—following the protests, according to sources. Telephone links to the protest areas have also been mostly cut and more than a 100 protesters have been detained, some sources said. Tensions Tensions in the Tibet Autonomous Region and in Tibetan-populated areas in China's provinces have not subsided since anti-China protests swept through the Tibetan Plateau in March 2008. Chinese authorities have blamed the Dalai Lama for the tense situation, saying he is encouraging the self-immolations, which run contrary to Buddhist teachings. But the Dalai Lama blamed China's "ruthless and illogical" policy toward Tibet. He called on the Chinese government to change its "repressive" policies in Tibet, citing the crackdown on monasteries and policies curtailing the use of the Tibetan language. Reported by Lobsang Sherab and Tenzin Wangyal for RFA's Tibetan service. Translated by Karma Dorjee. Written in English by Parameswaran Ponnudurai. 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 .

13 years, 4 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS : Two More Uyghurs Get Life Sentences

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Two More Uyghurs Get Life Sentences January 27, 2012-Chinese authorities have sent another two Uyghurs to life imprisonment after Cambodia deported them to China, family members and lawyers said Friday, as more details emerged regarding 21 Uyghur asylum seekers who were forcibly sent home. News of the sentence came a day after it was reported that two Uyghurs from the same group had been ordered to spend the rest of their life in prison in punishments meted out in secret and described as severe by rights groups. The four and 12 others, who were ordered jailed up to 20 months, faced charges of splittism, terrorism and illegal travel. The Uyghurs from China's volatile Xinjiang region had fled to Cambodia more than two years ago and sought asylum in the Southeast Asian state following ethnic riots involving the minority Uyghurs and majority Han Chinese in the region's capital Urumqi in July 2009. Some rights groups say the Uyghurs were fleeing persecution because they had witnessed Chinese security forces arresting and using lethal force against Uyghur demonstrators during the riots. Families and lawyers of the deported Uyghurs who spoke to RFA could only identify three of the four who were sentenced to life imprisonment-Mutellip Mamut, 32, Nurahmet Kudret, 35, and Islam Urayim, 32. Among the others in the group-four were sent to 20 years in jail, four received 17 years imprisonment, and another four received 16-year sentences. The sentences took effect on September 2011 after swift verdicts handed out in a trial conducted on Dec. 24, 2010 and then confirmed by China's top court, legal sources said. The fate of two more Uyghurs who were detained on deportation to China was not known amid concerns by rights groups over their whereabouts as one of them had serious health problems. Three others from the deported group-a woman and two children-were released. Interviews Details on the fate of the 21 surfaced only this week when RFA began interviewing families and lawyers in Xinjiang even though the Uyghurs were deported on Dec. 19, 2009. Lawyers hired by some of the Uyghurs indicated that the trials were conducted without the presence of their immediate families or relatives and that the accused were brought in and taken out of the court with their faces covered. The lawyers themselves were prevented from fully defending their clients. Lawyer Tunisa Hesen, whose client Memettursun Omer was given a 20-year sentence, said that she could not divulge what was discussed at the trial. Hesen, 55, who works for a local government department dealing in legal issues, said that her department drafted her court remarks one day before the trial, implying that she was not allowed to represent her client effectively. "We are not allowed to say,'He is not guilty' in such state security cases," said another lawyer Nasirjan, 32, a lecturer at the Kashgar Pedagogical University and whose client Helil Abdugheni got a 16-year jail sentence. Families of the clients expressed dissatisfaction over the conduct of the two lawyers, saying they were paid adequate fees but did not provide them with any key information. Unlike Hesen and Nasirjan, who were hired by their clients, the Uyghurs who received life sentences had lawyers appointed by the court, according to legal sources. Families of the Uyghurs said more than 10 families went to the court to attend the trial but were not allowed to witness the proceedings. "The courtyard was blocked and they stayed on outside and waited until the proceedings ended," one family member, speaking on condition of anonymity, said. "They were not able to see their loved ones." Persecution Uyghurs, who form a distinct, Turkic-speaking minority in Xinjiang, say they are subjected to political control and persecution for opposing Chinese rule in their homeland. Beijing says some Uyghurs belonged to militant groups allied with Al-Qaeda and operating in Xinjiang. Uyghur exile groups criticized the Chinese authorities for consistently refusing to provide information on the whereabouts and legal status of the jailed Uyghurs. They said that Beijing had assured the international community that the deported Uyghurs would be dealt with transparently upon their return. The U.S. State Department expressed concern Friday over the sentences that were imposed on the deported Uyghurs. We're seeking to confirm these reports with the Chinese," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told reporters. Washington "has repeatedly called on the Chinese government to provide information on the whereabouts" of all the Uyghur asylum seekers, Nuland said. It has also asked Beijing "to allow access to them by international agencies and to treat them in accordance with international human rights obligations and commitments," Nuland said. The World Uyghur Congress (WUC) said that Uyghurs forcibly returned to China "are in extreme risk of torture, detention and enforced disappearance." The Uyghurs had fled to Cambodia in small groups between May and October 2009 and had applied to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) for refugee status in Phnom Penh. Reported by Shohret Hoshur for RFA's Uyghur service. Translated by Shohret Hoshur. Written in English by Parameswaran Ponnudurai. 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.

13 years, 4 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS : Life Imprisonment For Uyghur Asylum Seekers

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Life In Prison for Uyghur Asylum Seekers January 26, 2012- Two Uyghur asylum seekers who were deported back to China by Cambodia have been sentenced to life imprisonment in a punishment imposed in secret by Chinese authorities and described as severe by rights groups. The duo were among 18 Uyghurs from China's volatile Xinjiang region who were believed sentenced to various prison terms since Cambodia deported them on December 19, 2009. The fate of a woman and two infants who were also deported from Phnom Penh is unknown. This is the first time news on the punishment meted out to the Uyghurs had been revealed. They had fled to Cambodia and sought asylum in the Southeast Asian state following ethnic riots involving the minority Uyghurs and majority Han Chinese in Xinjiang's capital Urumqi in July 2009. Some rights groups say the Uyghurs were fleeing persecution because they had witnessed Chinese security forces arresting and using brutal and lethal force against Uyghur demonstrators during riots. Uyghurs, who form a distinct, Turkic-speaking minority in Xinjiang, say they are subjected to political control and persecution for opposing Chinese rule in their homeland. Nurahmet Kudret, 35, and Islam Urayim, 32, were sentenced to life in prison by a local court in a trial shrouded in secrecy, family sources and local authorities in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) told RFA, quoting jail notices they had seen. Kudret, originally from Gulbagh town in Yarkand county, is serving his life sentence in XUAR Prison No. 3 in Urumqi, and Urayim, originally from Uchturpan county in Aksu prefecture, is serving his term in XUAR Prison No. 1, also in Xinjiang's capital. It is unclear when the two men were sentenced, or what charges they were convicted of. 17-year sentence Another Uyghur who was in the same group that was deported home, identified as Musa Muhamad, was sentenced to 17 years in prison, according to relatives of the 25-year-old man. They said the Kashgar Intermediate Court sentenced him on Oct. 20 last year in a closed trial but that the authorities refused to provide information on the charges against him. "We received a notice, dated Oct. 27, 2011 from Dahiyen Jail of Turpan prefecture. The notice stated that my son, Musa Muhamad had been transferred to the jail in line with the verdict of the Kashgar Intermediate Court," Muhamad's mother Aytursun told RFA. "This is the first and last official message about my son since he left our home at the end of September 2009," she said, adding that local authorities had prevented her from visiting her son in jail. "I don't know what the families of the other detainees have encountered, but what I'm wondering is how can a government jail its citizens for so long without the knowledge of their families.?" "I don't know whether a trial was in fact held and when or where it was held and whether my son was able to hire a lawyer," she said. "What I can do to rectify this injustice?," Aytursun asked. Unknown The jail terms of 15 other Uyghurs deported to China were not known. Uyghur exile groups criticized the Chinese authorities for consistently refusing to provide information on the whereabouts and legal status of the jailed Uyghurs. They said Beijing had assured the international community that the deported Uyghurs would be dealt with transparently upon their return. The World Uyghur Congress (WUC) said it condemned the sentences in the "harshest possible terms" and said it was concerned that "the other Uyghurs forcibly returned from Cambodia are suffering the same fate." "We have highlighted again and again, before the international community, that Uyghurs forcibly returned to China are in extreme risk of torture, detention and enforced disappearance, and [the three cases that were cited] proves once again, that our fears are well-founded," World Uyghur Congress President and Uyghur human rights activist Rebiya Kadeer said. "We call once again on international governments to pressure the Chinese authorities to immediately disclose the whereabouts of all the extradited Uyghurs and to provide the charges, if any, that have been made against them," she said. The Uyghurs had fled from China in small groups between May and October 2009 and had applied to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) for refugee status in Phnom Penh. Their cases were still under review when they were forcibly returned to China. A UNHCR official had said then that "in his 30-year history in UNHCR, this was the most flagrant violation of the 1951 Convention on Refugees he had experienced." 'Wake-up call' "The imprisonment of these men, who were forcefully deported from a place of refuge, should serve as a wake-up call to the world about the brutal treatment awaiting Uyghur asylum seekers who are sent back to China," said Uyghur American Association (UAA)President Alim Seytoff. "The Uyghurs in Cambodia were sent back to the very repression they were attempting to flee. We cannot allow the long arm of Chinese pressure to govern the treatment of Uyghur asylum seekers in other countries." Reported by Shohret Hoshur for RFA's Uyghur service. Translated by Shohret Hoshur. Written in English by Parameswaran Ponnudurai. 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.

13 years, 4 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS : More Shot Dead As Tibetan Protests Escalate

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

More Shot Dead As Tibetan Protests Escalate January 24, 2012-Chinese authorities shot dead as many as five Tibetans and seriously wounded 40 others on Tuesday in the second day of bloodshed as protests escalated in the troubled Kardze (in Chinese, Ganzi) prefecture in Sichuan province, local sources said. A crackdown has been launched in Serthar (in Chinese, Seda) county where the incident occurred, with about 40 protesters arrested and all public movements limited, the sources said. "A kind of martial law has been imposed," a local resident, calling himself Ganta, told RFA. "Tibetans are confined to their homes as the Chinese police fire on anyone who ventures outside in the streets," another local source said. Local sources identified two of the dead, saying as many as five could have been gunned down by security forces. Authorities in Serthar could not be contacted as telephone calls to various county offices were not picked up. Tibet's India-based exile government, the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), also said that up to five Tibetans may have been killed. "Local sources have confirmed that three demonstrators were shot dead," it said. CTA head Lobsang Sangay appealed to the international community "to intervene to prevent further bloodshed." "How long and how many tragic deaths are necessary before the world takes a firm moral stand? Silence from the world community sends a clear message to China that its repressive and violent measures to handle tensions in Tibetan areas are acceptable," he said. A third source said police have sealed all Serthar county exit points. "The hotels, shops and other businesses in the town were ordered shut and the situation is extremely tense." Sources said local residents dare not take the seriously injured for immediate medical treatment due to the security situation. Second shooting The shooting came a day after at least six Tibetans were believed killed and an unknown number injured when security forces fired on protesters in Draggo (in Chinese, Luhuo) county-also in the Kardze prefecture-Tibetan sources in the region and in exile said. The killings have raised tensions in Tibetan-populated regions of China following a wave of self-immolation protests beginning in March 2011 against rule by Beijing. The incident in Serthar on Tuesday was sparked by protests that began on Monday with posters calling for more self-immolations and cautioning Tibetans not to allow the bodies of those who set themselves ablaze to be taken away by Chinese security forces, the sources said. "Leaflets containing the Tibetan national flag and slogans such as 'Long live the Dalai Lama,' 'Shame on China,' and 'Victory to Tibet' were scattered during the protests," the first source said. Tibetans in the Kardze area, the Tibetan area of Kham, are renowned for their strong sense of Tibetan identity and nationalism, the International Campaign for Tibet said. "[They] have risked their lives on numerous occasions through demonstrations, prayer vigils, and solitary protests, in order to convey their loyalty to [Tibet's spiritual leader] the Dalai Lama and their anguish at the repression since March 2008," it said. More protests Protests were also reported in neighboring Ngaba (in Chinese, Aba prefecture) as several hundred monks and lay-Tibetans sat along a road crossing to speak out against Chinese rule. "The laypersons took off their upper clothes and remained half naked reciting mantras and eating [roasted barley] in protest," one source said. "They marched to the main town in Meruma and when the Chinese police tried to block them, they refused to stop and marched ahead," the source said. "Then the recitation [of mantras] turned into slogans, calling for the long life of the Dalai Lama and freedom for Tibet." Tibetans who tried to attend a 15-day special prayer at the Kirti monastery in Ngaba were also stopped and beaten by Chinese security forces, the source said. Tensions in the Tibet Autonomous Region and in Tibetan-populated areas in China's provinces have not subsided since anti-China protests swept through the Tibetan Plateau in March 2008. Chinese authorities have blamed the Dalai Lama for the tense situation, saying he is encouraging the self-immolations, which run contrary to Buddhist teachings. But the Dalai Lama blamed China's "ruthless and illogical" policy toward Tibet. He called on the Chinese government to change its "repressive" policies in Tibet, citing the crackdown on monasteries and policies curtailing the use of the Tibetan language. Reported by Thakla Gyal and Lobsang Choephel for RFA's Tibetan service. Translated by Karma Dorjee and Dorjee Damdul. Written in English by Parameswaran Ponnudurai. 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.

13 years, 4 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS: Six Tibetans Believed Killed in Protests

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Six Tibetans Believed Killed in Protests January 23, 2011 - At least six Tibetans may have been killed and an unknown number injured when security forces fired on protesters in China's Sichuan province on Monday, Tibetan sources in the region and in exile said. The shooting sparked wider protests and has raised tensions in Tibetan-populated regions of China following a wave of self-immolation protests beginning in March 2011 against rule by Beijing. "Today, Jan. 23, many Tibetans began a peaceful protest against Chinese rule at the Draggo (in Chinese, Luhuo) county center," in the Kardze (in Chinese, Ganzi) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, a Tibetan living in the area said, speaking on condition of anonymity. "At least two Tibetans were shot to death, and over ten were injured," after Chinese police "violently suppressed the protest," the source said. One of the protesters also attempted to set himself ablaze, the source added. Tibet's India-based exile government quoted sources saying six had been killed in what it described as "indiscriminate firing" by police. The protest began when Chinese authorities insisted that local Tibetans celebrate the Lunar New Year against the wishes of residents saddened by earlier protest deaths, said Lobsang Khyentse, an India-based Tibetan reporter citing contacts in the region. A few days before, an unsigned poster had been put up in front of the Draggo county headquarters saying, "We Tibetans have no freedom, and this year several Tibetans have sacrificed their lives," Khyentse said. "So on the occasion of Chinese New Year, I am going to self-immolate," the poster said. "I urge all the Tibetan people to prevent the Chinese from taking my dead body." Thousands protest Thousands of Tibetans have now joined in the protest, said Yeshe Sangpo, a Tibetan monk living in India and citing sources in the region. Initially, a group of a few hundred shouted slogans calling for freedom for Tibet and the return of exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, he said. 'When the protesters arrived in front of the local Chinese police, the police opened fire," killing two on the spot, Yeshe Sangpo said. "The protest began in the morning and continues now [at about 3:30 p.m. in Tibet]. The protesters have done serious damage, and have destroyed Chinese shops and other Chinese facilities in the area." "When we reached the police station, police fired on us with automatic weapons," a monk who participated in the protest said. "They also used firefighters and tear gas to disperse the crowd." One protester, identified as Yonten, was killed and at least 32 others were injured, five of them seriously, he said, adding that some injured protesters were taken to safety by relatives. Another Tibetan, identified only as the son of a man named Logya, was also killed, sources said. Another participant in the protest said that "hundreds" of Tibetans had been detained following the shooting. 'New tension' An online Tibetan news magazine based in Dharamsala, India, confirmed the account, saying that Chinese police had killed "at least six" Tibetans, a number cited by Tibet's parliament in exile. "About 6,000 Tibetans from Tawu and Kardze counties have now assembled at Draggo [monastery] to protest," The online Tibet Express said. "It has been reported that at least six Tibetans were killed, and several injured," the online magazine said. "Tenzin Thargyal, a Tibetan doctor at Draggo monastery was shot and seriously hurt. Tibetans have now gathered at the monastery, and there is new tension in the area." Thirty-two of the injured were taken to Draggo monastery, a protester at the monastery said, speaking to RFA by phone. In a statement released by the India-based Tibet Central Administration, Tibet's government-in exile, the Tibetan parliament said it is "deeply aggrieved by the incidents and condemns the Chinese authorities for resorting to such drastic acts of force and repression." "We are also taken aback by the silence of the International Community when it comes to such gross violation[s] of Human Rights in Tibet," the statement said. Reached for comment, an officer at the Kardze prefectural police headquarters said, "We deal with all kinds of protests . the situation is under control." Calls to the Draggo county police station rang unanswered Monday. Reported by Chakmo Tso, Lobsang Choephel, and Rigdhen Dolma for RFA's Tibetan service. Translations by Dorjee Damdul, Karma Dorjee, and Rigdhen Dolma. Written in English by Richard Finney. 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.

13 years, 4 months

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RELEASE: Radio Free Asia Launches Nightly Televised News Show in Burma

by Rohit Mahajan

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Jan. 19, 2012 Contact: Rohit Mahajan 202 530 4976 <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> mahajanr(a)rfa.org Radio Free Asia Launches Nightly Televised News Show in Burma Aung San Suu Kyi Lauds RFA in Inaugural Episode for Journalistic Excellence WASHINGTON, DC - Radio Free Asia's Burmese service today broadcast the first televised episode of its nightly news program in Burma. Hosted by two co-anchors, the half-hour program aired via television satellite at 8:30 p.m. local time, and featured news about Nobel Peace Prize laureate and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi's registration to participate in the country's upcoming elections and interviews with recently released Burmese political prisoners, among other major Burma stories. In a recorded statement that aired on the inaugural program, Suu Kyi praised Radio Free Asia (RFA) for its continued excellence in delivering accurate news and information to the Burmese people. "It's a great honor to greet the viewers of Radio Free Asia's first ever television program in Burma. While I was under house arrest, not only did Radio Free Asia keep me informed about the latest news happening in Burma, it gave me knowledge," Suu Kyi said. Nyein Shwe, the director of RFA's Burmese service, said, "With the vastly growing popularity of television in Burma, this is an exciting opportunity for Radio Free Asia to build on the phenomenal success of our radio journalism and reach an even bigger audience. RFA Burmese is seizing this moment, as great changes are happening in Burma, to meet the needs of a public yearning for truth." The 30-minute program airs seven days a week, with new episodes on weekdays and repeated content on weekends. With content gathered within Burma from videographers and stringers, the nightly program will feature interviews, news, and reports on developments in the country, with a focus on the April 1 elections. The televised program supplements the four hours daily RFA Burmese broadcasts via satellite and shortwave. Television episodes are also available online on the RFA Burmese service's website at http://www.rfa.org/burmese/. # # # 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 press releases, please send an e-mail to <mailto:engnews-leave@rfanews.org> engnews-leave(a)rfanews.org. To add your name to our mailing list, please send an e-mail to <mailto:engnews-join@rfanews.org> engnews-join(a)rfanews.org

13 years, 4 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS: Writer Vows to Continue Struggle

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Exiled Chinese Writer Vows to Continue Struggle January 12, 2011- Acclaimed Chinese author and rights activist Yu Jie vowed Thursday to continue his struggle for freedom in China, where he says he was tortured and deprived of the freedom to write and practice his religion. "My decision to leave China marked an important turning point," Yu declared to RFA in his first media interview a day after going into self-imposed exile in the United States. He said he had come under tremendous pressure since his detained "best friend," Liu Xiaobo, was declared Nobel Peace Prize winner in October 2010. Since then, "my situation deteriorated rapidly," he said. "I was subjected to torture." "For the better part of the past year, I was deprived of my freedom and under surveillance," said Yu, 38, who is also a leader of the underground Protestant church in China. "I was even deprived of the freedom to publish overseas. I felt that, as a writer and as a Christian, I no longer had any freedom to express myself and to practice my religion. So I chose to come to the United States, where I can live freely," he explained. Yu, who wrote a controversial book about China's Premier Wen Jiabao which was banned in China but published in Hong Kong, said he had visited the United States more than a dozen times before but had never wanted to leave China. "Many friends often asked why I did not stay and instead always chose to return to China. I told them that I am a writer who writes in the Chinese language, and that as long as my life was not in danger, as long as I had even the slightest degree of freedom to write, I would insist on staying in China." Unbearable But Yu, who had been repeatedly denied permission to leave China after being severely beaten by security agents in late 2010, said the pressure on him since Liu won the Nobel prize had become unbearable. Yu then asked RFA to convey a message to his friends in China, saying he was "deeply grateful" to them for their concern over his well-being. "I will be spending a relatively long time in the United States. I will not stop writing," he said, about his struggle to help bring freedom to his compatriots. "I believe that living overseas, I will have access to more information and material." "I will be able to write with a free spirit-free from fear. I will have the freedom to write and to publish. I believe my observation, studies, writing, and commentaries about China will reach new heights. I will not let my friends down." Reported and translated by Jennifer Chou for RFA. Written in English by Parameswaran Ponnudurai. 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.

13 years, 4 months

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"RFA BREAKING NEWS:" Angry Tibetans Parade Corpse after Latest Self-immolation Protest

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Angry Tibetans Parade Corpse after Latest Self-immolation Protest January 8, 2011-Hundreds of angry Tibetans forced Chinese authorities on Sunday to return the body of a monk who self-immolated, parading the corpse in the streets in China's western Qinghai province, witnesses said. Sopa, a respected 42-year-old monk, set himself on fire and died in the town center of Darlag (in Chinese, Dari) county in Golog Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture after shouting slogans calling for Tibet's freedom and the long life of Tibet's spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, they said. Before his self-immolation, he climbed a local hill, burned incense, prayed, and then distributed several leaflets in which he wrote that he was performing the deadly act "not for his personal glory but for Tibet and the happiness of Tibetans," a source from inside Tibet told RFA. "The Tibetans should not lose their determination. The day of happiness will come for sure. For the Dalai Lama to live long, the Tibetans should not lose track of their path," Sopa wrote, according to the source. Dressed in the yellow outer gown of an ordained monk, he set himself alight at around 6 a.m. after he "drank and threw kerosene all over his body." "His body exploded in pieces [and the remains were] taken away by police," the source said. Several hundred Tibetans marched to the police station to demand his remains, and when their request was denied, "the protesters smashed windows and doors of the local police station," another source said. When the police finally relented and handed over Sopa's remains, the protesters paraded the body in the streets, sources said. "Only the head and chest parts [of the body] are intact, the rest were in pieces when Tibetans received the remains from the police," a third source said. High-ranking lama Sopa was a Rinpoche, an honorific used in Tibetan Buddhism for lamas and other high-ranking or respected teachers. He served in a monastery in Darlag. Chinese authorities tightened security after the self-immolation, deploying additional security forces from the main town of Golog. Sources said Tibetans planned to organized a large prayer session comprising about 2,000 people at Sopa's monastery. "Now it's difficult to reach the Darlag area by phone," a source said. Sopa's death came after two Tibetans set themselves on fire Friday in restive Ngaba (in Chinese, Aba) prefecture in China's Sichuan province, protesting against Chinese rule and calling for the return of the Dalai Lama to Tibet. One of them, a monk, is believed to have died. Fifteen Tibetans have self-immolated since March last year and rights groups say the incidents underscore the "desperate" situation facing Tibetans as Chinese authorities pursue a security clampdown. "These latest self-immolations confirm that what we are currently witnessing in Tibet is a sustained and profound rejection of the Chinese occupation," Free Tibet Director Stephanie Brigden said on Friday. "It is a damning indictment of the international community that 14 people, in different parts of Tibet, have now chosen to set themselves on fire and the international community has failed to respond." "We can only expect that such acts of protest will continue for as long as world leaders turn a blind eye to the desperate situation in Tibet," she said. Kalachakra The self-immolations came as tens of thousands of Buddhist pilgrims from around the world traveled this week to Bodhgaya, a town in northern India, to hear the Dalai Lama give the "Kalachakra" religious teachings. At least 9,000 Tibetans traveling on Chinese passports, along with an estimated 1,200 Chinese Buddhists from the mainland, are among those who have registered with event authorities. Tensions in the Tibet Autonomous Region and in Tibetan-populated areas in China's provinces have not subsided since anti-China protests swept through the Tibetan Plateau in March 2008. Chinese authorities have blamed the Dalai Lama for the tense situation, saying he is encouraging the self-immolations, which run contrary to Buddhist teachings. But the Dalai Lama shot back, blaming China's "ruthless and illogical" policy towards Tibet. He called on the Chinese government to change its "repressive" policies in Tibet, citing the crackdown on monasteries and policies curtailing use of the Tibetan language. Reported by Dolkar and Chakmo Tso for RFA's Tibetan service. Translated by Karma Dorjee. Written in English by Parameswaran Ponnudurai and Rachel Vandenbrink. 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.

13 years, 5 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS: Angry Tibetans Parade Corpse after Latest Self-immolation Protest

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Angry Tibetans Parade Corpse after Latest Self-immolation Protest January 8, 2011-Hundreds of angry Tibetans forced Chinese authorities on Sunday to return the body of a monk who self-immolated, parading the corpse in the streets in China's western Qinghai province, witnesses said. Sopa, a respected 42-year-old monk, set himself on fire and died in the town center of Darlag (in Chinese, Dari) county in Golog Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture after shouting slogans calling for Tibet's freedom and the long life of Tibet's spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, they said. Before his self-immolation, he climbed a local hill, burned incense, prayed, and then distributed several leaflets in which he wrote that he was performing the deadly act "not for his personal glory but for Tibet and the happiness of Tibetans," a source from inside Tibet told RFA. "The Tibetans should not lose their determination. The day of happiness will come for sure. For the Dalai Lama to live long, the Tibetans should not lose track of their path," Sopa wrote, according to the source. Dressed in the yellow outer gown of an ordained monk, he set himself alight at around 6 a.m. after he "drank and threw kerosene all over his body." "His body exploded in pieces [and the remains were] taken away by police," the source said. Several hundred Tibetans marched to the police station to demand his remains, and when their request was denied, "the protesters smashed windows and doors of the local police station," another source said. When the police finally relented and handed over Sopa's remains, the protesters paraded the body in the streets, sources said. "Only the head and chest parts [of the body] are intact, the rest were in pieces when Tibetans received the remains from the police," a third source said. High-ranking lama Sopa was a Rinpoche, an honorific used in Tibetan Buddhism for lamas and other high-ranking or respected teachers. He served in a monastery in Darlag. Chinese authorities tightened security after the self-immolation, deploying additional security forces from the main town of Golog. Sources said Tibetans planned to organized a large prayer session comprising about 2,000 people at Sopa's monastery. "Now it's difficult to reach the Darlag area by phone," a source said. Sopa's death came after two Tibetans set themselves on fire Friday in restive Ngaba (in Chinese, Aba) prefecture in China's Sichuan province, protesting against Chinese rule and calling for the return of the Dalai Lama to Tibet. One of them, a monk, is believed to have died. Fifteen Tibetans have self-immolated since March last year and rights groups say the incidents underscore the "desperate" situation facing Tibetans as Chinese authorities pursue a security clampdown. "These latest self-immolations confirm that what we are currently witnessing in Tibet is a sustained and profound rejection of the Chinese occupation," Free Tibet Director Stephanie Brigden said on Friday. "It is a damning indictment of the international community that 14 people, in different parts of Tibet, have now chosen to set themselves on fire and the international community has failed to respond." "We can only expect that such acts of protest will continue for as long as world leaders turn a blind eye to the desperate situation in Tibet," she said. Kalachakra The self-immolations came as tens of thousands of Buddhist pilgrims from around the world traveled this week to Bodhgaya, a town in northern India, to hear the Dalai Lama give the "Kalachakra" religious teachings. At least 9,000 Tibetans traveling on Chinese passports, along with an estimated 1,200 Chinese Buddhists from the mainland, are among those who have registered with event authorities. Tensions in the Tibet Autonomous Region and in Tibetan-populated areas in China's provinces have not subsided since anti-China protests swept through the Tibetan Plateau in March 2008. Chinese authorities have blamed the Dalai Lama for the tense situation, saying he is encouraging the self-immolations, which run contrary to Buddhist teachings. But the Dalai Lama shot back, blaming China's "ruthless and illogical" policy towards Tibet. He called on the Chinese government to change its "repressive" policies in Tibet, citing the crackdown on monasteries and policies curtailing use of the Tibetan language. Reported by Dolkar and Chakmo Tso for RFA's Tibetan service. Translated by Karma Dorjee. Written in English by Parameswaran Ponnudurai and Rachel Vandenbrink. 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.

13 years, 5 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS:

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

Burma's Censorship Czar Wants Press Controls Abolished October 7, 2011 -The head of Burma's powerful state censorship body called Friday for press freedom in the country, saying his own department should be closed down as part of reforms being pursued by the new nominally civilian government. "Press censorship is non-existent in most other countries as well as among our neighbors and as it is not in harmony with democratic practices, press censorship should be abolished in the near future," Tint Swe, Director of the Press Scrutiny and Registration Department, told RFA in an interview. But, he said, newspaper and other publications should accept press freedom with responsibilities. Tint Swe's department, set up more than four decades ago when the military took over the country, has eased restrictions on certain media coverage since the new government of President Thein Sein took power early this year after elections called by the then-ruling military junta, which had been accused of blatant human rights abuses. Previously, all media publications had to send drafts of their reports to the censorship department. Since June 10, the department allowed publications dealing with entertainment, sports, technology, health and children's issues to practice "self censorship," whereby editors themselves were given the task of omitting materials that may be deemed as sensitive instead of sending their draft reports to the department. Publications that covered politics and other issues viewed sensitive by the authorities, however, have to continue sending drafts of their reports to the department. A matter of time Tint Swe said it was just a matter of time before all publications are free from any kind of censorship and for the first time, private groups would be allowed to establish daily newspapers under a new media law, a draft of which is before parliament. He also said that newspapers were being allowed to publish reports on pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi without restrictions previously imposed under military rule. Last month, Burmese magazine The Messenger was suspended for two weeks for carrying a full cover picture of Aung San Suu Kyi. "There are no restrictions now on coverage for Aung San Suu Kyi's activities and more freedom is expected in the near future as the country undergoes democratic change," he said. Burmese authorities also last month lifted a longstanding ban on international news websites, exiled Burmese news websites and YouTube. Still, foreign media watchdogs say Burma's heavily censored media remains among the most restricted in the world. The government has made virtually no progress on press freedom, said an analysis last month by the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). State censors are still actively spiking news stories and there is pervasive state surveillance of reporters' communications and movements, with at least 14 journalists and media support workers behind bars, the group said. Authorities continue to "systematically harass, sanction, and imprison journalists, particularly those who report undercover for exile-run media groups," it said. Still controlled CPJ said interviews with seven Burma-based journalists and six journalists working for exile media revealed that President Thein Sein's government has not dismantled the extensive mechanisms of control and repression that the previous military regime employed to stifle independent reporting and critical commentary. Since last year's elections, two journalists have been sentenced to long prison terms and more than a dozen publications have been suspended for their news reporting, it said. News publications that are privately owned and run have proliferated in recent years, with around 200 journals, magazines, and newspapers currently in circulation, CPJ said. Those publications, however, are heavily censored and are often forced to publish state-prepared news and commentaries that present the government and its policies in a glowing light. Burma ranked second to last in Internet freedom in a report called "Freedom on the Net 2011," released by Washington-based information watchdog Freedom House. Win Tin, a former journalist who is now a leader in Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy, said there were speculations that groups close to retired military generals may get permission to publish daily newspapers when the new press law is introduced. The Burmese government has launched talks with Aung San Suu Kyi and invited armed ethnic groups to hold peace negotiations as part of a program of reform initiatives but is under pressure to release about 2,000 political prisoners to underline its seriousness toward achieving democracy and freedom. Reported by Kyaw Kyaw Aung for RFA's Burmese service. Translated by Khin Maung Nyane. Written in English by Parameswaran Ponnudurai. 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 <mailto:engnews-leave@rfanews.org> . To add your name to our mailing list, send an e-mail to engnews-join(a)rfanews.org <mailto:engnews-join@rfanews.org> ##### All media inquiries may be sent to Rohit Mahajan at mahajanr(a)rfa.org <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org>

13 years, 8 months

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Radio Free Asia Marks 15 Years of 'Bringing Free Press to Closed Societies'

by Rohit Mahajan

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Sept. 29, 2011 Contact: Rohit Mahajan 202 530 4976 mahajanr(a)rfa.org <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> Radio Free Asia Commemorates 15 Years of 'Bringing Free Press to Closed Societies' WASHINGTON, DC - Radio Free Asia (RFA) today commemorated the 15th anniversary of its first broadcast <http://www.rfa15.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/First-broadcast-in-pdf. pdf> on this date in 1996. RFA President Libby Liu stressed RFA's critical role of "bringing free press to closed societies" through its nine language services that provide accurate, objective news and information for people living in six Asian countries that restrict free speech and media freedoms. "Since our first broadcast 15 years ago, Radio Free Asia has risen from a small band of broadcasters to become an award-winning global media organization operating in some of the world's most challenging media environments," Liu said. "Built on a rock-solid foundation of objective journalism, RFA prides itself on bringing free press to closed societies through our dedicated, professional team of reporters." Michael Meehan, the chair of RFA's corporate board and a member of the Broadcasting Board of Governors, added, "RFA's mission is more important than ever in this age of revolutionary communication changes that drive the global hunger for trustworthy, timely news and information. Audiences in Asia consistently turn to RFA as a credible news source and to express opinions and ideas without fear on the airwaves and online." RFA's many highlights over the years include interviewing high-ranking North Korean defectors, breaking the news to the world about the Tibetan uprising in March 2008, launching the first weekly listener Q&A program with Burmese democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi after her release from house arrest last year, obtaining exclusive interviews from Chinese artist Ai Weiwei about his recent imprisonment, covering the landmark Khmer Rouge trial, and first reporting the incident that led to the Uyghur ethnic unrest in China's Xinjiang region in the summer of 2009. In addition to providing exclusives, RFA hosts call-in shows and discussions with experts on technology, health, human rights, and politics. This engages audiences on interesting, timely issues and perspectives to which they would otherwise have little, if any, access. Over the years, this multifaceted programming has earned numerous prestigious awards <http://www.rfa15.org/awards/> for RFA's Mandarin, Cantonese, Tibetan, Uyghur, Burmese, Korean, Lao, Cambodian, and Vietnamese language services, as well as RFA's online multimedia team. These include multiple Edward R. Murrow and Gracie Allen awards, in addition to top prizes from respected organizations such as Amnesty International, the Hong Kong Journalists Association, the Society of Environmental Journalists, and the International Women's Foundation, among others. In 2009, New York Festivals Radio Program and Promotion Awards, in an international competition, declared RFA "Broadcaster of the Year <http://www.rfa.org/english/awards/festivals-07072009145031.html> " and bestowed seven medals to its broadcasters and services. Accolades have also come from opinion leaders in Asia, including the Dalai Lama <http://www.rfa.org/english/about/releases/dalai-lama-2011-visit.pdf> (who recently visited RFA's Washington headquarters), Aung San Suu Kyi <http://www.rfa15.org/> , and Uyghur exile leader Rebiya Kadeer, among many others. Earlier this year, RFA launched its multimedia 15th anniversary website <http://www.rfa15.org/> , which provides the behind-the-scenes story of its origins to the present (including the audio <http://www.rfa15.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/mandarindebut.mp3> of its maiden broadcast by RFA's Mandarin service). "We at RFA are encouraged by the high praise and awards won since we began. But there is no greater validation of our work's importance than the trust earned daily from our growing audiences," Liu said. # # # 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 Media Relations Manager Radio Free Asia Email: mahajanr(a)rfa.org Desk: (202) 530-4976 Cell: (202) 489-8021 www.rfa.org

13 years, 8 months

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PRESS RELEASE: Radio Free Asia Hosts Tibetan Karmapa -- 'It Is ... like a Dream' to Visit RFA: Karmapa

by Rohit Mahajan

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 15, 2011 Contact: Rohit Mahajan 202 530 4976 mahajanr(a)rfa.org <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> 'It Is Something like a Dream' to Visit Radio Free Asia: Tibetan Karmapa RFA Hosts 17th Karmapa during its 15th Anniversary Year WASHINGTON, DC - On the heels of the Dalai Lama's visit to RFA earlier in the week, Tibetan spiritual leader Ogyen Trinley Dorje, the 17th Karmapa, today visited RFA's headquarters in Washington, DC. During the Tibetan lama's visit, he met privately with RFA's leadership, gave an interview to RFA's Tibetan service, and met with RFA Tibetan's language service staff. He spoke about RFA's important role in its 15th anniversary year as a broadcaster for the Tibetan community both in Tibetan regions inside China and around the world. "It is something like a dream for me to be physically present at Radio Free Asia," the Karmapa said in his meeting with RFA's Tibetan staff. "When I was in Tibet and listened to RFA Tibetan service programs, I wished that I could personally meet you in person. I am extremely delighted to be present amongst you in person." "Through the programs of the RFA Tibetan language service, the audience both inside and outside Tibet are greatly benefited with the opportunity of receiving true stories on time for the Tibetan audience and others who are interested, and you promote freedom of expression through your broadcasts," he said in his address. "Your broadcasts are a crucial component for the Tibetan cause." In his interview, the Karmapa said, "I was brought up in Tibet by listening to RFA Tibetan programs." "You have completed 15 years of your service, and those 15 years signify extremely remarkable accomplishments," he stated. The Karmapa is the head the Karma Kagyu sect of Tibetan Buddhism. The Tibetan spiritual leader is in Washington with the Dalai Lama for the 11-day Buddhist Kalachakra ritual, which concludes this week. Voice of America also interviewed the Karmapa today. # # # 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 press releases, please send an e-mail to engnews-leave(a)rfanews.org <mailto:engnews-leave@rfanews.org> . To add your name to our mailing list, please send an e-mail to engnews-join(a)rfanews.org <mailto:engnews-join@rfanews.org> Rohit Mahajan Media Relations Manager Radio Free Asia Email: mahajanr(a)rfa.org Desk: (202) 530-4976 Cell: (202) 489-8021 www.rfa.org

13 years, 10 months

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PRESS RELEASE: Radio Free Asia Hosts Dalai Lama on Anniversary Year

by Rohit Mahajan

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 11, 2011 Contact: Rohit Mahajan 202 530 4976 mahajanr(a)rfa.org <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> Radio Free Asia Hosts Dalai Lama on Anniversary Year His Holiness commends RFA for educating those who 'have no freedom of information' WASHINGTON, DC - Radio Free Asia (RFA) today hosted His Holiness the Dalai Lama at its Washington, DC headquarters. The Tibetan spiritual leader made remarks on RFA's 15th anniversary year to staff from all nine RFA language services, commending them for delivering a free press to closed societies. Also during the visit, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate was interviewed by RFA's Mandarin service, with questions submitted from RFA's Tibetan, Mandarin, Cantonese, and Uyghur services. In his address to RFA's staff, the Dalai Lama spoke about the value of democracy, freedom, and civil law, citing education as the key to ensuring those principles to endure. The Dalai Lama said RFA is "extremely helpful" and lauded its services for their contribution in working to "educate people who have no freedom of information." The spiritual leader also spoke about the crises and turmoil in recent years in mainland China facing Uyghurs, Tibetans, and more recently people living in Inner Mongolia, referring to them as "brothers" in their challenges. RFA's exclusive interview was webcast live on its Mandarin and Tibetan sites, and made available online and via shortwave and satellite to listeners in China. The Nobel laureate is in Washington for the 11-day Buddhist Kalachakra ritual, which concludes this week. # # # 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 press releases, please send an e-mail to engnews-leave(a)rfanews.org <mailto:engnews-leave@rfanews.org> . To add your name to our mailing list, please send an e-mail to engnews-join(a)rfanews.org <mailto:engnews-join@rfanews.org>

13 years, 11 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS: Diplomat Seeks Asylum in US

by Joshua Lipes

Diplomat Seeks Asylum in US July 3, 2011 - The number two diplomat at the Burmese Embassy in Washington, D.C. has defected and is now seeking political asylum in the United States. Deputy Chief of Mission Kyaw Win, 59, told RFA he made the decision to leave the government because he saw little hope for Burma's future and because he fears "my life and those of my family are in danger." Kyaw Win said that after Burma held historic elections last November, he expected the government to begin a transition to democracy. Instead, he said, nothing has changed and "the military continues to hold uncontested power." "Senior military officials are consolidating their grip on power and seeking to stamp out the voices of those seeking democracy," he said, adding that war with the country's ethnic groups is imminent. Recent fighting between government troops and the ethnic Kachin army near the border with China has escalated, causing thousands of refugees to flee the conflict. He also warned of threats made by the Burmese government against Nobel laureate and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, which he said "must be taken seriously." Suu Kyi, who turned 66 in June, recently announced plans for her first tour of Burma since 2003 when her visit to Depayin in the north was marred by what many believed was an assassination attempt against her by groups linked to the military junta. Her motorcade was attacked by pro-junta thugs, resulting in the death of at least 70 of her supporters in what is known today as the Depayin massacre. Burma's state media warned Suu Kyi in a commentary last week that her tour could trigger riots. Career diplomat Kyaw Win is a career diplomat who has worked for the Burmese Foreign Ministry for 31 years. During that time he served in Madrid, Geneva, New Delhi, Brasilia, and Washington. But now, he says, the army of Burma's late national hero and father of Suu Kyi, General Aung San, "has been corrupted" and has become "an oppressor of the people, not a defender of the people." The Burmese government has been accused of numerous human rights violations, including murder, torture, rape, forced labor, and the use of child soldiers. Kyaw Win says he now supports an international inquiry into those violations. He is also calling for "highly targeted financial sanctions against the government and their cronies that serve to keep them in power." Deputy Chief of Mission is the highest posting a non-military person can hold in Burmese embassies. Kyaw Win has held the position in Washington since 2008. But he said that his work reaching out to the diplomatic, governmental, and NGO communities in the U.S. capital may have made him a target of the regime he represents. "My reports questioning the actions of the military and urging dialogue and reconciliation ... resulted in my being deemed dangerous by the government," he said, adding that he fears persecution should he return to Burma. His message for Burma's military is "not to fear democracy, but embrace it as the only way forward." Kyaw Win is not the first high-ranking Burmese diplomat to defect from the country. In March 2005, former Major Aung Lynn Htut resigned as deputy chief of mission at the Burmese embassy in Washington and requested political asylum in the U.S. for himself, his wife, a son, two daughters and a sister. At the time, he said that he feared for his life because of an ongoing purge of the associates of former Prime Minister Khin Nyunt, who was ousted in 2004 following a power struggle with more hard-line officials in the military junta. Several other Burmese diplomats defected from the country following a brutal crackdown on student-led protests opposing the rule of military dictator Ne Win in 1988. Little progress In November of 2010, the Burmese government held its first elections in 20 years, but blocked Suu Kyi, who had spent 15 of the last 21 years under house arrest, from participating and disbanded her opposition party, the National League for Democracy. She was released by the ruling generals on Nov. 13 just after elections which were heavily criticized as a sham by the local opposition and Western nations. The new quasi-civilian government, largely comprised of retired military officers, has not introduced any real reforms since then and is still holding some 2,200 political activists in prisons throughout the country. Suu Kyi addressed U.S. lawmakers for the first time in June, asking them to help push for the release of Burma's political prisoners and for a UN probe into human rights abuses in her country. The United States and other Western governments have made freedom for Burmese political prisoners a key prerequisite for any easing of tough sanctions against Burma. U.S. President Barack Obama's administration abandoned a previous policy of diplomatically isolating Burma and has attempted to engage the government over the past 18 months, but has achieved little progress. Reported and translated by Khin Maung Soe for RFA's Burmese service. Written in English by Joshua Lipes. 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 <mailto:engnews-leave@rfanews.org> . To add your name to our mailing list, send an e-mail to engnews-join(a)rfanews.org <mailto:engnews-join@rfanews.org> ##### All media inquiries may be sent to Rohit Mahajan at mahajanr(a)rfa.org <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> Rohit Mahajan Media Relations Manager Radio Free Asia 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300 Washington, DC Email: mahajanr(a)rfa.org <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> Desk: (202) 530-4976 Cell: (202) 489-8021 www.rfa.org <http://www.rfa.org>

13 years, 11 months

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PRESS RELEASE: Radio Free Asia Wins at 2011 New York Festivals

by Rohit Mahajan

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 21, 2011 Contact: John Estrella 202 530 4900 estrellaj(a)rfa.org <mailto:estrellaj@rfa.org> Rohit Mahajan 202 530 4976 mahajanr(a)rfa.org <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> Radio Free Asia Wins at 2011 New York Festivals RFA Korean, Mandarin Broadcasters Take Gold, Earn Finalist Spots WASHINGTON, DC - Radio Free Asia (RFA) Korean service broadcaster John Hyun-Ki Lee won a gold medal and RFA Mandarin service broadcasters Zhang Min and April Wang were named finalists at this year's New York Festivals (NYF). "Radio Free Asia delivers trustworthy, informative news and information to millions living in closed societies," said Dan Southerland, Executive Editor for RFA. "For RFA's broadcasters and services, this high recognition at the New York Festivals encourages us to build on our efforts to fulfill an important mission." Information about RFA's winner and finalists, and their entries follows. * RFA Korean service broadcaster John Hyun-Ki Lee won a gold medal in the NYF category of Human Relations for his piece "New Year Celebrations Thousands of Miles from Home." Lee interviewed North Korean defectors living in Virginia, New York, Australia, and Canada as they reminisced about their families, friends, and lives they left behind. The program was aired on Feb. 4, the day after the Korean diaspora marked the new lunar year, with the hope that long-lost relatives of these defectors would be able to listen. * RFA broadcaster Zhang Min of the Mandarin service was named a finalist in the category of Best Human Interest Story for her piece titled, "Blind Barefoot Lawyer Freed but not Free." For the story, which aired on Sept. 9, 2010, Zhang was able to get an exclusive telephone interview with freed Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng on the day of his release from prison. Despite international concerns, Chen remains under virtual house arrest with little access to the outside world. * RFA Mandarin service broadcaster April Wang's series "One Hundred Million People Shunned: The Stigma and the Reality of Hepatitis B in China" also earned recognition as a finalist in the category of Social Issues/Current Events. The series, which aired consecutively on Sept. 28 and 29, 2010, focused on those suffering in China from discrimination over longstanding misconceptions of the transmission of Hepatitis B. # # # 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.

13 years, 11 months

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RADIO FREE ASIA Breaking News: EU Delegation to Visit Burma

by Rohit Mahajan

EU Delegation to Visit Burma <http://www.rfa.org/english/news/burma/eu-06162011154933.html> June 16, 2011 - The European Union is sending a senior delegation for talks with Burmese leaders and democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi this weekend, the highest ranking team to visit the Southeast Asian state since Burma's generals seized power 22 years ago, officials said. the visit marks a shift in EU policy, a change that was initiated in response to last year's Burmese elections and the introduction of a quasi-civilian government. The team from the European Commission in Brussels is headed by the Director General for Political Affairs, Robert Cooper. He will be accompanied by the EU's special envoy for Burma, the Italian politician Piero Fassino. They are due to arrive in Burma's former capital Rangoon on June 19, when Aung San Suu Kyi will celebrate her birthday, the first time she has been able to mark the event with supporters in eight years following her release from house arrest in November. In April, the EU lifted its visa ban on certain Burmese senior government officials, including the Burmese foreign minister, but decided to maintain its economic sanctions against Burma. "We want to engage with the regime at the highest level," the EU representative for the region, David Lippman, told RFA last week. "To help facilitate that, we reduced the visa restrictions on some ministers-especially the foreign minister, Wunna Maung Lwin, who is expected to be the main interlocutor in any future dialogue," he said. Sham elections Although the elections in November last year were regarded by rights groups and opposition leaders as a sham, many diplomats in Europe believe that small changes have occurred and that the process needs to be encouraged. Lippman was at pains to point out that the lifting of the visa ban on nonmilitary ministers and a suspension of an asset freeze-for the next 12 months-represents only a small change in policy, introduced in order to engage the authorities. "Any future changes will depend on the new government's performance," he said. Not unexpectedly, the release of political prisoners and economic reform are high on the agenda, he confided. About 2,200 political prisoners still languish in Burmese prisons, and Burma's new government has not responded to a deluge of calls from foreign governments and rights groups to show seriousness in introducing political reforms. Lippman insisted that the EU policy is not a carrot-and-stick approach. Humanitarian aid and other financial assistance will continue and increase on the basis of need, he said, adding that political and economic changes will certainly improve the relationship. Well received Cooper, a veteran British diplomat who knows the region well, is expected to be well received in Naypyidaw, Burma's capital. More than a decade ago, Cooper made a relatively secret visit to Burma where he met Aung San Suu Kyi while he still worked as diplomat for the British government. During the upcoming trip, he is expected to meet the opposition leader, representatives of the national minorities, and government ministers. The Burmese foreign minister is likely to be his host, but he hopes to meet a range of other ministers including those responsible for commerce and planning. Whether he will make a call on Burmese President Thein Sein is still unclear. If he does, this may be a sign that the visit will be more successful than many European diplomats believe. Thein Sein and his hard-line vice president Thira Aung Mying Oo are believed to be locked in a personal power struggle, and experts believe that Burma's political opposition and the international community should look for ways to strengthen the president's hand without tipping their own. "Nothing will come out of this trip," said a central European diplomat based in Bangkok who is also responsible for Burma. "The best we can hope for is that it is the start of a process of dialogue and engagement." New EU special envoy? It is also unclear if the EU will replace Fassino with a new envoy now that the United States has appointed an envoy and the U.N. is considering a top-level envoy of its own. This will be Fassino's first trip to Burma-and possibly his last, as he is set to become mayor of the Italian city of Turin. At present, Lippman, the EU representative in Bangkok, seems to be running the show, eager to visit Burma once a month and meet Aung San Suu Kyi on those occasions. Although Aung San Suu Kyi may be free and able to celebrate her birthday with family friends and supporters, this is a critical time for her. She plans to make her first trip up-country to Mandalay in the coming days, and all eyes will be on how Burma's government reacts and what kind of reception she gets. Aung San Suu Kyi's youngest son Kim Aris is also due in Rangoon from Britain in the next few days to be with her on her birthday. He has already picked up his visa. This will be his third visit to Burma since his mother was released from house arrest nearly seven months ago. Reported by Larry Jagan for RFA's Burmese service. 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 <mailto:engnews-leave@rfanews.org> . To add your name to our mailing list, send an e-mail to engnews-join(a)rfanews.org <mailto:engnews-join@rfanews.org> ##### All media inquiries may be sent to Rohit Mahajan at mahajanr(a)rfa.org <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> Rohit Mahajan Media Relations Manager Radio Free Asia Email: mahajanr(a)rfa.org Desk: (202) 530-4976 Cell: (202) 489-8021 www.rfa.org

13 years, 11 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS: Uyghur Repatriation Imminent

by Rohit Mahajan

Uyghur Repatriation Imminent May 27, 2011 – An ethnic Uyghur, once acknowledged by the U.N. as a refugee, is set to be deported to China after a Kazakh court refused to grant him political asylum, according to his brother. Ershidin Israil, 38, fled to Kazakhstan in the aftermath of deadly riots in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region and has been held by Kazakh authorities since June last year amid Chinese accusations he was involved in "terrorism." Experts say the court ruling on Wednesday called into question Kazakhstan's adherence to international obligations in the face of increased pressure from neighboring China where Israil could be severely punished on his return. Seeking political asylum in Kazakhstan may have been Israil’s last bid to stay out of China, whose anti-terrorism policy, according to rights groups, deliberately targets activists among ethnic minority communities such as Uyghurs and Tibetans. If repatriated to his home country, he is likely to face harsh punishment in a specific case of informing RFA about the death in custody of a fellow Uyghur held by authorities for alleged involvement in July 2009 riots in Xinjiang’s capital Urumqi. His brother Enver Israil, who arrived in Kazakhstan three months ago, said he heard from his brother's lawyer that he was accused of being a terrorist by the Chinese police and that they had demanded his return. "[The Chinese police] tortured a jailed protester to death and nobody is calling the Chinese terrorists, but my brother is accused of terrorism just because he told the media about the killing," he said in a phone interview Thursday from Almaty, the country’s largest city. "Where is the justice?" he asked. Seeking refuge On Sept. 24, 2009, Israil fled on foot to Almaty from the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR), crossing the border without a passport after four nights of walking. Chinese authorities in Ghulja, in Qorghas (in Chinese, Huocheng) county, Ili prefecture were searching for Israil for allegedly releasing details of the Sept. 18 beating death of Shohret Tursun, according to Israil’s sister-in-law. Tursun was detained among a group of 40 Uyghurs in July 2009 around the time of ethnic riots in Urumqi that left some 200 dead. His badly bruised and disfigured body was released to his relatives nearly two months later, prompting a standoff between authorities who wanted him buried immediately and family members who refused and demanded an inquiry into whether he had been beaten to death. The family was forced to hold a burial for Tursun the following day. In a previous RFA interview with Israil, he said he fled his hometown fearing harsh punishment from Chinese authorities as a two-time offender. Israil had previously served a six-year jail sentence in 1999 for "separatism." After meeting with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Almaty, Israil was granted refugee status in March 2010 and accepted for resettlement in Sweden that April. But while making final preparations to leave Kazakhstan, a UNHCR official informed Israil that Kazakh authorities had refused to supply him with the necessary documents to leave the country. On April 3, Israil was moved into an apartment guarded around the clock by Kazakh police officers while the UNHCR investigated the delay in his resettlement. In June 2010, he was detained by local authorities and has since attended a total of five hearings on his application for refugee status, all of which rejected his bid and ruled that he must be returned to China. ‘A terrible track record’ Exiled Uyghur dissident Rebiya Kadeer, president of the Munich-based World Uyghur Congress (WUC), said the Kazakh government is disregarding international law by moving to repatriate Israil. She called the Chinese charges against him “an obvious abuse of the Geneva Convention rules,” adding that he had committed no crime aside from revealing how Uyghurs have been treated in the aftermath of the 2009 riots. “I urge the U.N. and EU to take  action," she said. “I would ask the  Kazakh government to not forget our blood relations and to take  into consideration the one million Uyghurs who are living in Kazakhstan." Memet Tohti, the WUC representative in Geneva, said China is desperate to take Israil back to prevent him from talking about the abuses he had witnessed and in order to show other Uyghurs that they cannot defy the government and escape punishment. "Ershidin was in jail for six years and he is aware of a number of tragic stories that have taken place in China's black jails," he said, referring to the country's growing number of unofficial detention centers which serve as holding camps for petitioners seeking redress against official wrongdoing. "Secondly, Chinese authorities want to discourage Uyghurs in East Turkestan from taking part in the Uyghur freedom movement by showing them that they can get to them no matter in what part of the world they seek refuge." Uyghur groups use the term “East Turkestan” to refer to a short-lived Uyghur government that existed before the communist takeover of Xinjiang or to assert their cultural distinctiveness from China proper. Nury Turkel, a Uyghur American attorney based in Washington, said Kazakhstan’s refusal to grant Israil political asylum is the latest example of the country bowing to Chinese pressure. “Kazakhstan has a terrible track record of repatriating or forcibly removing Uyghurs to China who were suspected of being involved in any political activities, and history certainly will not be kind to Kazakhstan,” he said. “Kazakhstan—being under the Soviet Union for several years and knowing how it feels to be oppressed—I think it’s time for Kazakhstan to enjoy their sovereignty and make a decision based on their international obligations, not on the pressure by neighboring countries.” An uncertain future Sharon Hom, executive director of Human Rights in China, a New York- and Hong Kong-based group, said that as a member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), a regional group for security and economic cooperation in Eurasia, Kazakhstan has a number of obligations to fellow SCO states, particularly China. “These include forcible returns to China of any individual or group suspected of terrorism, separatism, or extremism, including individuals who may have been granted refugee status by UNHCR,” Hom said. “China has designated Central Asia as a source of what it terms the 'East Turkestan' threat and has exerted intensified pressure on its neighbors, and most recently on Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.” Hom noted that Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan—both SCO member states—obstructed travel of Uyghur activists to attend a recent conference in the U.S., apparently to preserve their relationship with China. Hom said that Israil could “disappear” if he is deported to China, like many others forcibly returned to the country. “If he is subjected to any Chinese legal process, it will be within a system that is politicized, corrupt, nonaccountable, and marked by the complete absence of due process. The international community needs to act immediately to protect him and demand respect for his refugee status.” Uyghurs say they have long suffered ethnic discrimination, oppressive religious controls, and continued poverty and joblessness despite China's ambitious plans to develop its vast northwestern frontier. Xinjiang is a vast strategically crucial desert territory that borders Russia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. The region has abundant oil reserves and is China's largest natural gas-producing region. Reported by Shohret Hoshur for RFA’s Uyghur service. Translated by Shohret Hoshur. Written in English by Joshua Lipes. http://www.rfa.org/english/news/uyghur/repatriation-05262011192244.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 <mailto:engnews-leave@rfanews.org> . To add your name to our mailing list, send an e-mail to engnews-join(a)rfanews.org <mailto:engnews-join@rfanews.org> ##### All media inquiries may be sent to Rohit Mahajan at mahajanr(a)rfa.org <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> Rohit Mahajan Media Relations Manager Radio Free Asia Email: mahajanr(a)rfa.org Desk: (202) 530-4976 Cell: (202) 489-8021 www.rfa.org

14 years

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PRESS RELEASE: Radio Free Asia Launches 15th Anniversary Website Detailing History, Impact

by Rohit Mahajan

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 3, 2011 Contact: John Estrella 202 530 4900 estrellaj(a)rfa.org <mailto:estrellaj@rfa.org> Rohit Mahajan 202 530 4976 mahajanr(a)rfa.org <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> RFA Launches 15th Anniversary Multimedia Website Detailing History, Impact Site Features Aung San Suu Kyi Video Praising RFA's Contribution to Freedom WASHINGTON, DC - Today, on World Press Freedom Day, Radio Free Asia (RFA) launched a website <http://www.rfa15.org/> commemorating RFA's 15 years of bringing news and information to people without access to a free press. Featured on the homepage is a video greeting by recently freed Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi thanking RFA for keeping her informed during her house arrest and praising the broadcaster for making an "invaluable contribution" to freedom and democratic ideals. Visitors to the multimedia site can view images, video, and timelines that tell the story of RFA from its beginnings in 1996 to the present. The site also takes visitors behind the scenes through a special section that details the creation and continuation of RFA's nine language services, which deliver objective, timely news and information to people living in countries that restrict press freedoms and censor free speech. "While much has changed at Radio Free Asia since we began in 1996, our mission continues to be imperative: to advance the principles and the universal right to seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any medium and regardless of frontiers," said Libby Liu, President of RFA. "We hope this website marking RFA's 15 years as a news organization shows how our staff's work has made a tremendous impact on the lives of our listeners." In addition to sections devoted to RFA's listener comments, awards in journalism, and praise from global opinion leaders, the site also informs visitors about the journalistic climate of the countries into which RFA broadcasts in nine languages (Mandarin, Cantonese, Uyghur, Burmese, Vietnamese, Korean, Lao, Khmer, and Tibetan in three dialects) through an interactive map. # # # 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 press releases, please send an e-mail to engnews-leave(a)rfanews.org <mailto:engnews-leave@rfanews.org> . To add your name to our mailing list, please send an e-mail to engnews-join(a)rfanews.org <mailto:engnews-join@rfanews.org> . Rohit Mahajan Media Relations Manager Radio Free Asia Email: mahajanr(a)rfa.org Desk: (202) 530-4976 Cell: (202) 489-8021 www.rfa.org

14 years, 1 month

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PRESS RELEASE: Radio Free Asia Hosts First Interview with Exile Tibetan Prime Minister-Elect Lobsang Sangay

by Rohit Mahajan

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 27, 2011 Contact: John Estrella 202 530 4900 estrellaj(a)rfa.org <mailto:estrellaj@rfa.org> Rohit Mahajan 202 530 4976 mahajanr(a)rfa.org <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> Radio Free Asia Hosts First Interview with Exile Tibetan Prime Minister-Elect Lobsang Sangay WASHINGTON, DC - Today, the declared winner of the Tibetan exile government elections, Lobsang Sangay, gave Radio Free Asia's Tibetan service his first interview since being named prime minister-elect. During his interview at RFA's headquarters in Washington, Sangay commented on the Dalai Lama's recently announced intention to retire and hand political power to the next prime minister of the exile government. "The Dalai Lama ... has decided to transfer political power to the Tibetan people by entrusting whom they have magnanimously chosen as the head of their exile government," Sangay said during an interview that was webcast on RFA's Tibetan service's website. "We must respect the wishes and wisdom of His Holiness and find ways to implement his decision." Sangay, 43, is a law researcher at Harvard University. He won 55 percent of the vote in the March 20 election held around the world, defeating two candidates, Tenzin Namgyal Tethong and Tashi Wangdu. Sangay will relocate in May to Dharamsala, India, the seat of the Tibetan government-in-exile, to begin establishing his cabinet before the current office holder, Samdhong Rinpoche steps down on Aug. 14. Many expect Sangay will play a more visible role, as the Dalai Lama this year announced his intention of stepping down as political leader of the Tibetan exile community. RFA's Tibetan service provided extensive coverage of the exile elections beginning last year in May with broadcasts via Internet, satellite television, and shortwave radio on March 13 of a Kalon Tripa candidates forum. Tibetans living within China's Tibetan regions also posed pre-recorded questions to the candidates during the forum. The event was part of a series of seven town-hall style debates in Dharamsala and Bylakuppe, India, with general exile candidates, capping off eight months of interviews, profiles, and discussions about the race. # # # 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 press releases, please send an e-mail to engnews-leave(a)rfanews.org <mailto:engnews-leave@rfanews.org> . To add your name to our mailing list, please send an e-mail to engnews-join(a)rfanews.org <mailto:engnews-join@rfanews.org> Rohit Mahajan Media Relations Manager Radio Free Asia Email: mahajanr(a)rfa.org Desk: (202) 530-4976 Cell: (202) 489-8021 www.rfa.org

14 years, 1 month

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Press Release: Radio Free Asia Hosts Tibetan Exile Prime Minister Live Debate

by Rohit Mahajan

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 11, 2011 Contact: John Estrella 202 530 4900 estrellaj(a)rfa.org <mailto:estrellaj@rfa.org> Rohit Mahajan 202 530 4976 mahajanr(a)rfa.org <mailto:mahajanr@rfa.org> Radio Free Asia Hosts Tibetan Exile Prime Minister Live Debate Forum Comes as Dalai Lama Announces Wish to Hand over Political Reins to Next PM WASHINGTON, DC - On the heels of the Dalai Lama's announcement of his intention to hand over political leadership of the Tibetan government in exile to the next prime minister, Radio Free Asia's (RFA) Tibetan service will host a live debate with the three final candidates vying to be elected the head (or "Kalon Tripa") of the Central Tibetan Administration on Sunday, March 13. The debate will be broadcast live via shortwave radio, satellite television, and webcast from 7 to 10 a.m. EDT (Sunday, March 13). This is part of RFA Tibetan's series of seven town hall-style events being held in Tibetan exile settlements in India and featuring parliamentary candidates ahead of the March 20 general exile government elections. At RFA's March 13 forum, one of the three Kalon Tripa candidates - Lobsang Sangay, Kasur Tenzin Namgyal Tethong, and Tashi Wangdu - will be in Washington, with the others at two debate sites with live audiences in India: in Dharamsala, the seat of the Tibetan government in exile, and at India's largest Tibetan refugee settlement in the southern town of Bylakuppe. Candidates will answer questions from RFA's on-site moderators, as well as those from audience members in attendance, in addition to prerecorded ones from Tibetans worldwide including those living inside the Tibetan area in China. "Through this debate, Radio Free Asia provides a means for the Tibetan exile community worldwide to participate in a unique, democratic process that will affect the future of Tibetan affairs," said Libby Liu, President of RFA. The debate culminates RFA Tibetan's extensive, ongoing coverage of the March 20 elections to replace Samdhong Rinpoche, the current, outgoing Kalon Tripa. This includes: * Hosting one-hour programs that focus on Kalon Tripa candidates, members of the Tibetan exile parliament, and candidates vying to replace them, and the exile government political process, every week since May 2010; * Regularly featuring interviews with Kalon Tripa candidates; * Conducting the first live debate on the day of the official announcement of primary elections to choose the final Kalon Tripa candidates; * Providing listeners with thorough coverage of the Oct. 3 primary elections at all the major stations in India, Nepal, Australia, Europe, and North America; * Interviewing almost all of the candidates for the Central Tibetan Administration; * Holding seven town hall debates in Tibetan refugee settlements in Dharamsala and Bylakuppe; and * Covering all Tibetan exile candidates' debates organized by NGOs and media in North America, Europe, and India. The Web address for the site on which the debate can be watched is http://www.rfa.org/tibetan/. # # # 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 press releases, please send an e-mail to engnews-leave(a)rfanews.org <mailto:engnews-leave@rfanews.org> . To add your name to our mailing list, please send an e-mail to engnews-join(a)rfanews.org <mailto:engnews-join@rfanews.org> Rohit Mahajan Media Relations Manager Radio Free Asia Email: mahajanr(a)rfa.org Desk: (202) 530-4976 Cell: (202) 489-8021 www.rfa.org

14 years, 3 months

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RFA BREAKING NEWS: Vietnamese Police Attack U.S. Official

by Rohit Mahajan

Vietnamese Police Attack U.S. Official Jan. 5, 2011 - The United States has lodged a "strong protest" with the Vietnamese government after policemen attacked an American diplomat while barring him from meeting with a dissident Catholic priest in central Vietnam. Christian Marchant, a political officer with the U.S. embassy in Hanoi, was roughed up outside the home for retired priests in Hue where Nguyen Van Ly, 63, is being held under house arrest after being released from jail on medical parole last year. "We are aware of and deeply concerned by the incident and have officially registered a strong protest with the Vietnamese government in Hanoi," a State Department official told RFA. "We plan to raise the issue with (Vietnamese) Ambassador Phung in Washington today as well," the official said. "Diplomats are entitled under international law to special protection against attack. The government of Vietnam has a responsibility to take appropriate steps to prevent any attack on the person, freedom, or dignity of diplomats," the official explained. Ly, One of Vietnam's high-profile human rights activists, told RFA that the incident Wednesday was witnessed by hundreds of people. "They all saw police's brutality toward Mr. Marchant," he said. "They reported that he was wrestled down to the ground right in the middle of the road. His clothes got dirty. He stood back up and flicked off the dust." Asked for his account of the incident, Ly said, "I saw him standing, not lying on the ground but he looked really strenuously tired." Ly, who was released from prison in March, 2010, five years before the end of his eight-year sentence for disseminating anti-government propaganda, said the six-foot tall Marchant raised his camera high to take a picture but a policeman prevented him. "I heard him say that I was a prisoner, he could not allow (the) visit." Ly said Marchant was bundled into a police car and taken away. "The embassy officer exchanged words loudly with the police and they pushed and pulled him to a police car...he yelled out very loud and resisted hard but they put him in the car, closed the doors and drove away." Citizen journalists told RFA about 30 to 40 policemen blocked the entrance to Ly's home as Marchant, accompanied by a Vietnamese interpreter, went to meet with Ly at about 10 a.m. Ly had suffered two strokes in 2009 when he was in solitary confinement that left him partly paralyzed, and Western governments had repeatedly demanded to the Vietnamese government that he be freed. Nguyen Van Ly, 63, suffered two strokes in 2009 that left him partly paralyzed, and Western governments had demanded repeatedly that he be freed. His trial grabbed world headlines as he tried to read out a poem criticizing Vietnam's communist authorities and was muzzled by police. He has spent more than 15 years in prison since 1977. His release from prison last year came after a group of US senators wrote to Vietnam's President Nguyen Minh Triet, calling for his freedom. The Roman Catholic Father Ly, a founding member of Bloc 8406, a pro-democracy movement, was a thorn in the side of the ruling Communist Party, as he advocated greater human rights in the one-party state. Reported by Thao Dao of RFA's Vietnamese service and Richard Finney. Translated by Viet Nguyen. Written in English by Parameswaran Ponnudurai. 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 Rohit Mahajan Media Relations Manager Radio Free Asia 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300 Washington, DC Email: mahajanr(a)rfa.org Desk: (202) 530-4976 Cell: (202) 489-8021 www.rfa.org

14 years, 5 months

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