TibetInfoNet (TNI)/TibetPressHungary

20. Jun 2009 - 03. Jul 2009

23. Jun 2009 Foreign journalists complete 4-day visit to Lhasa (Xinhua) A 16-member delegation of foreign journalists completed a four-day visit to Lhasa. The tour of the capital of Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) was organised by the Information Department of China's Foreign Ministry. The delegation consisted of journalists from American and European media organisations, including the Associated Press and London's Times newspaper. They visited Tibet University, some monasteries, and the Lhasa Railway station. They also visited tourist sites. 23. Jun 2009 Protests over mining project, three Tibetans seriously injured (Tibet.net) At least three Tibetans were seriously wounded after clashes broke over attempts by Chinese authorities to divert the Gyama river to a mining site, reportedly blocking irrigation water for the residents of Gyama township in Maldrogongkar (Chin: Mozhugongka) county in Lhasa Municipality. The incident took place on 20 June, Tibet.net sources said. One of the more seriously injured was allegedly denied admission by a county hospital and referred to another hospital in Lhasa. His current conditions are unknown. Mining in the area began in 1990, attracting a large number of Chinese miners. The local villagers had been calling for the closure of the mining operations, which had allegedly resulted in the deaths of domestic and wild animals, drying up of pastures and poisoning of drinking water. 23. Jun 2009 Tibetan jailed for three years over messages about unrest (duihua.org) A court in Yunnan province has sentenced a Tibetan tour guide to three years in prison after convicting him of "inciting separatism" by sending email and text messages about unrest among Tibetans, a US-based rights group said. The Dui Hua Foundation circulated copies of two court documents for the first trial and the subsequent appeal against the sentence of Gonpo Tserang, in Dechen (Chin: Deqin) TAP in Yunnan province. The verdict from the initial trial said: "The defendant Gonpo Tserang used the internet to deliberately fabricate rumours, distort the true situation and incite separatism". The court documents listed six people based abroad who were alleged to have received the email messages from the defendant. They also linked the case to the "March 14 incident", referring to the violent demonstrations in 2008. 23. Jun 2009 Tibetan TV dishes pulled (RFA) Chinese authorities have begun to remove satellite dishes in a Tibetan-populated area of Gansu province in an effort to block access to foreign broadcasts, according to Radio Free Asia (RFA) sources. "Beginning in April of this year, the local broadcasting department in Kanlho (Chin: Gannan) prefecture, Gansu province, dispatched staff to the counties to install cable lines and to pull down the satellite dishes used by local Tibetans to listen to foreign broadcasts like RFA and VOA Tibetan programmes", a Tibetan woman in the Labrang area of Kanlho said. A Gannan prefecture document obtained by RFA, citing State Council document No. 129, describes what it calls "unprecedented efforts to collect satellite dishes" to restrict access to long-distance broadcasts in Gansu province. 24. Jun 2009 Serthar monk's fate unknown one year after arrest (TCHRD) The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) reports that the status of Ngagchung from the Larung Gar Buddhist Institute at Serthar remains unknown. The Tibetan monk was arrested on 08 July 2008 during protests along with two other monks on suspicion of leaking information about Tibet's situation to the 'separatist forces' outside. Although the two others were released after interrogation, Ngagchung has remained in detention for almost a year. He is understood to have been detained at Chengdu Public Security Bureau (PSB) Detention Centre in Chengdu. The authorities have turned down numerous requests from his family to visit him. Ngagchung is a nephew of the late Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok, a highly-respected Buddhist teacher who founded the Larung Gar Buddhist Institute in Serthar county (Ch: Seda), Kardze (Chin: Ganzi) TAP, Sichuan province. 24. Jun 2009 Price of caterpillar fungus rises sharply (Xinhua) Xinhua reports that the severe drought and the growing number of tourists to the region have led to the price of caterpillar fungus, cordyceps sinensis (Tib: yartsa gunbu), in the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) rising sharply from between 40,000 - 120,000 Yuan (UK3,500; US$5,855; EUR4,185 - UK10,756; US$17,563; EUR12,555) to 80,000 - 200,000 Yuan (UK7,170; US$11,710; EUR8,370 - UK17,926; US$29,272; EUR20,925) per kg over the past 15 days. The drought is especially severe in key production areas for the fungus, for example, Nagchu (Chin: Nagqu), Chamdo and Nyingtri (Chin: Nyingchi) prefectures, the report quoted a fungus businessman as saying. The production from these areas was reported to have declined due to a 50 percent decrease in rainfall. The price spike is also is due to the large number of tourists in the region, says Xinhua, which results in rising demand for the fungus. 24. Jun 2009 New airport to open in Qinghai (Xinhua) The newly built Batang Airport in Yushu TAP, Qinghai province passed inspection and will soon open for traffic, reported Xinhua. The prefecture is located in the southern part of Qinghai, with its capital Kyegu (Chin: Jiegu) town being 800 km away from the provincial capital Xining. The airport is located in the ecologically fragile Sanjiangyuan region, the source of Yangtse, Yellow and Lantsang rivers. The airport had the capacity to handle 80,000 passengers per year, and had travel time between Yushu and Xining to one hour. 25. Jun 2009 Nepali Parliamentarians visit Dharamsala (Tibet Post) A group of six Nepali parliamentary members from four parties visiting Dharamsala said that they wanted to include the rights of Tibetan refugees in their country's constitution after their return home. At a press conference, the delegations also said that they were considering creating a Nepali parliamentary support group for Tibet. "We want to solve all the political issues and problems of Tibetans living in Kathmandu, the Nepali capital and other parts of the country. We are about to form a constitution for Nepal and special rights need to be given to the Tibetans and the government will try to grant them other facilities as well", said Siddhartha Gautam, the president of the Lumbini Foundation, Nepal. The delegation will consider providing legal documentation for Tibetan refugees and the possibility of reopening the office of the representative of the Dalai Lama in Kathmandu. "When we return to Nepal, we will take the current issues in the parliament to help ease the situation for Tibetan brothers and sisters living in Nepal", Biswendra Paswan, President of the Dalit Janjati Party said. 25. Jun 2009 Gyatsho Tshering passes away (Tibet.net) Gyatsho Tshering, former director of the Library of Tibetan Works & Archives (LTWA) in Dharamsala, passed away at a hospital in Minneapolis, USA, after a brief illness at the age of 73. Born in 1936 in Sikkim, Gyatsho Tshering worked for various ministries of the government of India, and for the Sikkimese government. He also served at the Indian Mission in Lhasa. He joined the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) in 1963 and worked in high positions in a number of departments. He was director of the LTWA from 1974 until his retirement in the late 1990s. He belonged to the entourage of the Dalai Lama. 26. Jun 2009 Petition for Dhondup Wangchen's release launched (RSF) Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has launched a petition for the release of Tibetan filmmaker Dhondup Wangchen, who was arrested by the Chinese authorities on 23 March 2008 while making a documentary in Tibet. "Without a major campaign on behalf of this courageous man, who took the risk of returning to his country to interview other Tibetans, the Chinese courts could give him a jail sentence", RSF said. Wangchen's wife, Lhamo Tso, who lives in Dharamsala, told RSF she does not know the exact reasons for his arrest. She said that he was reticent about the purpose of his trip when he set off for Tibet in October 2007. After losing touch, she finally learned that that he had been arrested in March 2008 in the Siling (Chin: Xining) area in Qinghai province. It is believed that he is being held at Ershilipu Detention Centre in Kachu town (Chin: Linxia), Gansu province. Wangchen's film, "Leaving Fear Behind" is a documentary that shows Tibetans in the Amdo region expressing their views on the Dalai Lama, the Beijing Olympics and Chinese legislation. 26. Jun 2009 Tibetan arrested on bomb charges (Tibet Post) The Tibet Post has reported that a local official called Tashi, from Bathang (Chin: Batang) county, was arrested on suspicion of organising a bomb attack in Tibet during protests in March 2009. Before his arrest, many protesters suspected of hanging politically motivated banners in the area managed to escape. According to the report, Tashi is suspected of being behind of an explosion at the Chinese police building in Pogurshi township, Bathang county, in Kardze. There is still no confirmation about where he has been detained after he was arrested by Chinese military forces in the area. 26. Jun 2009 Four arrested in Nepal on charges of poaching (PTI) Nepalese police have arrested four Tibetans on charges of poaching and smuggling endangered wildlife species. The Tibetan nationals were arrested in Taplejung district in eastern Nepal, the Nepali National News Agency reported. The police recovered from their possession a head and four legs belonging to the Himalayan Monal, or Danphe, Lophophorus impejanus, 23 traps to kill deer and four sharp knives (khukri). The arrested Tibetans were taken to the District Police Office, Taplejung, where they will be charged, police said. 29. Jun 2009 China tells Nepal to curb Tibetan demonstrations (Reviewnepal.com) The Chinese government has once again requested the Nepal government to curb "growing demonstrations against China by the Tibetan exiles", according to Reviewnepal.com. The Chinese government has made this request through its ambassador to Nepal after Nepal police arrested 35 Tibetans, including eight women, near the Tibetan border as they tried to cross over and stage a protest march in Tibet. Reviewnepal.com reported that some Tibetans also demonstrated in the Kavre district. 29. Jun 2009 Tibet's forests hit by prolonged drought (Xinhua) The worst drought in the past 30 years has affected about 62,340 hectares of forestland in the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), according to Xinhua, citing Tibet Daily reports. It said Shigatse (Chin: Xigaze) and Lhokha (Chin: Shannan) prefecture and Lhasa were the worst hit, with affected areas of 16,600 ha, 29,600 ha and 15,000 ha, respectively. The report said the continuing drought had weakened the trees' resistance and, as a result, plant diseases and infestations had broken out on a large scale. 29. Jun 2009 Karmapa appeals for wildlife conservation (Tibet.net; WTI) At an awareness event organised by Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) and Care for the Wild International (CWI) in Dharamsala, the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje, appealed to Tibetans not to harm wildlife. "Animals are not our enemies. We are all interdependent; (...). Even while talking in the interest of human beings, by saving wildlife, you are ultimately helping yourself", said the Karmapa. The event was a part of the Tibetan Conservation Awareness Campaign (TCAC), a WTI-CWI project aimed at spreading conservation awareness among Tibetans. The campaign was launched by the Dalai Lama on 06 April 2005, to address the involvement of Tibetans in wildlife crimes and the use of wildlife products. In 2006, a conservation message by the Dalai Lama generated a wave of mass wild animal skin burning by Tibetans across Tibet. One of the most successful conservation initiatives ever, it virtually eradicated the then widespread use of wildlife pelts in Tibet. "Tibetan leaders wield tremendous influence on Tibetan people. So, we approached leaders of various Tibetan sects for their blessings and support for our campaign to help conserve wildlife" said Ashok Kumar, Vice-chairman, WTI. The Karmapa received the Wildlife Trust of India award. 30. Jun 2009 Students Expelled From School in Kanlho (TCHRD) Two students from Kanlho (Chin: Gannan) Tibetan Middle School, in Gansu province were expelled from their school for their involvement in peaceful protests on 24 April 2009, according to TCHRD. The expelled students were identified as Dolma Tashi, aka Dolta, and Dolma Bum, aka Dolbum. On 24 April, students from the school took to the streets of Sangchu county, amid accusations that seats reserved for Tibetan students were being allocated to Chinese students. TCHRD reports that another factor behind the students' protests was an article, published under the pseudonym of Yidor entitled "Deception and Meanness of Dalai Lama" and "No Escape for the Dalai", which appeared in the bilingual Kanlho Daily. Apparently, the article had also been put up on the school notice board. 01. Jul 2009 Clashes between Tibetans and Chinese armed forces: ten arrested (Tibet Post) The Tibet Post reports that ten Tibetans were arrested following large clashes between Tibetans and Chinese armed forces in Dege county, Kardze TAP. Taklung Gonpa, a Tibetan monastery near Pema and Neydho townships in Dege Jodha, eastern Tibet, has been left completely empty for over a month after monks were forced to denounce the Dalai Lama. Chinese authorities arrested two local Tibetan officials - Gyaltsang Dorjee and Gyuemed Gonpo - who had failed to follow orders in summoning the monks to return. Over twenty people in Dege county organised a peaceful protest over their arrest. The authorities threatened to destroy Kyabche monastery and the affiliated Zamlung monastery if the absent monks did not return. This led to a confrontation involving over 500 Tibetans and 800 Chinese security forces. Many Tibetan protesters were believed seriously wounded after the security forces deployed tear gas, electronic shocks and fired guns into the crowd. 01. Jul 2009 Former Chinese envoy visits Nepal's Foreign Minister (THT) Visiting former Chinese ambassador to Nepal and a politburo member of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Zhang Jiuhuan, called on Nepal's Foreign Minister Sujata Koirala. During the meeting, Jiuhuan requested the latter to curb "all the anti-Chinese activities prevailing in Nepal and Nepal-China border region". Koirala assured that Nepal would not allow any anti-Chinese activities on her soil. Jiuhuan invited the Foreign Minister, along with her father, President of the Nepali Congress Girija Prasad Koirala to visit China. 01. Jul 2009 China launches first direct flight linking Beijing and Lhasa (Xinhua) Air China, the PRC's biggest carrier, said it would launch the first direct flight between Beijing and Lhasa, beginning 10 July, to promote tourism. The three hours and fifty minute flight, by the Airbus A330, will avoid a transfer through Chengdu, cutting two hours off the journey time. 01. Jul 2009 New provincial-level party journal launched in TAR (Xinhua) The Chinese authorities in the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) have launched a bilingual (Tibetan and Chinese) journal called "New Tibet", reported Xinhua, on the 88th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC). Legqog, the chairman of the Tibet Regional People's Congress, called the journal a major event for the CPC members and the masses and also a gift on the CPC's birthday. He had stressed that the journal would function as an organ of the Party and the people and was an important component of the Party's work. The report said the new journal integrates the resources of two other journals, namely "Party Life in Tibet" and "Tibet Communication". It said the regional committee of the CPC launched "New Tibet" as the first province-level CPC publication in Tibet. 03. Jul 2009 Seven killed over cordyceps in Nepal (IANS) Six people have been arrested after a turf war over caterpillar fungus (yartsa gunbu) erupted in Western Nepal, resulting in seven casualties, police said. All seven victims are from the Gorkha community. Most of them were teenagers. The violence erupted in Nar, in Manang district, when a group from Gorkha went there to collect caterpillar fungus. They were stopped by locals, leading to a clash between the two groups during which the villagers, far outnumbering the intruders, beat five of them to death. While trying to flee, two more fell to their death from the mountainside. Six villagers have been arrested over the deaths, police said. The caterpillar fungus is normally exported to China where it is in high demand. It is a major crop in Tibet, but the current drought has considerably reduced production.