American City Council calls on Obama to press China on Tibet/ENG

2012. február 5./Phayul.com/TibetPress

DHARAMSHALA, February 5: Amidst the ongoing military crackdown in Tibet, the City Council in the American city of Berkeley this week passed a resolution urging the Obama administration to insist that China ends its excessive security measures in Tibet.

The resolution, the first of its kind in the United States, further called on the Obama administration to impress upon China to allow members of the media and international independent fact-finding delegations to visit Tibet.

The unanimously approved resolution gave recognition to the “immeasurable sacrifice” of Tibetan monks and nuns who have self-immolated in protest of Chinese political suppression.

"We recognise acts of self-immolation as a reflection of the extremely repressive conditions to which the Tibetan people are subjected," the City Council Resolution said. "Self-immolation has presented a critical means of political expression in atmospheres of severe political and social repression".

Representatives from the Tibetan Association of Northern California, the Tibetan Youth Congress and Students for a Free Tibet joined with commissioners from the Berkeley Peace and Justice Commission and Berkeley activists to urge the council to pass the resolution.

Speaking before the council, a member of the Berkeley Tibetan community, Yangchen Lhamo said the self-immolations in Tibet have “renewed hope and sparked a mass movement” calling for freedom and the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Tibet.

"Tibetans are more dedicated than ever to making our voices heard and to resisting Chinese oppression,” Lhamo said.

Since Tapey’s self-immolation in 2009, 19 Tibetans have set their bodies on fire calling for the return of the Dalai Lama from exile and protesting China’s occupation of Tibet.

Three Tibetans in the besieged region of Serthar in eastern Tibet on February 4 set themselves ablaze calling for the unity of the Tibetan people and the Dalai Lama’s return. In the last few days, Serthar witnessed a series of public protests with Chinese security personnel opening indiscriminate fire on unarmed Tibetan demonstrators.

As many as six Tibetans are feared dead in the police firings.

Serthar, including the adjoining regions of Drango and Ngaba, continues to remain under severe military lockdown as all phone lines and internet connections remain cut for the third straight week.

Friday's English-language edition of the state controlled Global Times, in a report on the unrest said that phone lines and internet connection were cut off for over 50 kms around the region.