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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.

12 years, 11 months

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.

12 years, 11 months

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.

12 years, 11 months

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.

12 years, 11 months

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

12 years, 12 months

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

"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

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

by Parameswaran Ponnudurai

13 years

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, 3 months

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, 3 months

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