Opinion: After five years of Xi Jinping, Tibet remains a giant open-air prison
November 20, 2017
By John Jones
Hong Kong Free Press, November 18, 2017 – This week marks Xi Jinping’s fifth year in power. Head of the Communist Party and the nation’s armed forces, Xi has made the journey from unassuming CCP member to arguably the most powerful leader in China’s recent history.
His political ideology has been incorporated into the CCP’s party constitution, the upper echelons of the party have been filled with his allies and his political opponents have been rooted out by a nationwide anti-corruption campaign. The emperor reigns supreme.
Outside of the party, Xi and the CCP hold on to power through a mix of old and new methods of intimidation. Over the past five years, the regime has maintained its dismal record on freedom of speech and its harassment of human rights defenders, along with the unfair trials and harsh prison sentences meted out by a judiciary that few would even bother to pretend is independent.
These abuses have been compounded by new methods introduced under Xi, such as laws to restrict the activities of foreign non-governmental organisations. The objective is to maintain a rigid stability across China, where dissent is eradicated and any change takes place strictly on the terms of the party.
At the CCP’s 19th National Party Congress in late October, an emboldened Xi used his opening speech to threaten those who would dare to upend this stability, including those who do not recognise the CCP or Xi as their rulers: “We will never allow anyone, any organisation, or any political party, at any time or in any form, to separate any part of Chinese territory from China.”
Tibetans will be wearily familiar with these words. They have been among those worst affected by Beijing’s desire to hold the People’s Republic of China together by force. Yet they steadfastly refuse to give in to CCP rule, remaining resolute not only through five years of Xi but also nearly 70 years of military occupation.
The CCP’s response has been to transform Tibet into one of the most repressive places on earth, a giant open-air prison.
The country remains under de-facto marshal law with police and security forces ever present. Protesters are beaten and Tibetans who fly their flag or display pictures of their exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, risk being snatched from the street or their home, and made to disappear inside a vast network of detention centres and prisons where beatings and torture are routine.
Under Xi the policy has been to suffocate Tibet by massively ramping up security and surveillance while cutting it off from the wider world.
Hundreds of police stations have been established in urban areas to segment towns and cities into grid systems, allowing police and security services to monitor residents. Over 20,000 security personnel have been deployed across the country to track the daily lives of Tibet’s village population.
These measures, along with tight control of the internet and the spread of CCTV, even into monasteries, are designed to root out any would-be “splittists” or “saboteurs”, the enemies of Xi’s prized stability. The results have been stark: in Xi’s first two years in power Human Rights Watch recorded 479 cases of individuals being detained or tried for political expression or criticism of government policy.
The size and scope of these security measures were on show during the CCP National Congress in late October. For the duration of the event, the entire Tibet Autonomous Region was closed to visitors while Chinese security forces were deployed in even greater numbers. Further restrictions were imposed on the internet and social media.
The one thing Tibetans could do during this period was watch Xi’s three-hour opening speech. In fact, the authorities insisted. According to local sources, students, including children in kindergarten, hospital patients and prisoners were all required to watch the speech.
Xi’s iron rule in China and Tibet has been accompanied by a more assertive foreign policy, visible in Beijing’s attempts to scare foreign governments and businesses into silence over human rights in Tibet. The fear of losing access to Chinese markets has forced governments and businesses to avoid any behaviour that could antagonise Beijing.
In September The Financial Times revealed that German publishing group Springer Nature – which is expanding its China-based operations – had “blocked access to at least 1,000 academic articles in China that mention subjects deemed sensitive by Beijing, including Taiwan, Tibet and Hong Kong.”
Beijing’s attempts to cut Tibet off from the world and shut down talk of human rights have been accompanied by risible claims of record levels of happiness among Tibet’s people. Independent journalists, human rights organisations and other experts keen to check these claims are barred from Tibet, but how Tibetans really feel about the occupation can be seen in the fact that since 2009, almost 150 Tibetans have set themselves on fire in protest against the occupation.
Typically, the Xi regime has attempted to stamp such protests out by threatening would-be protesters rather than listening to their grievances. But despite new regulations to punish the families and communities of self-immolation protesters, at least four Tibetans carried out such protests this year, each shouting for freedom as they set themselves alight.
Other Tibetans continue to challenge the authorities and protest in defence of their environment, their culture and their freedom, showing remarkable bravery in the face of overwhelming pressure.
My organisation, Free Tibet, was formed almost exactly 30 years ago in response to a series of large uprisings in Lhasa and the brutal police crackdown that followed. Ever since, we have played a key role in bringing footage and testimonies of CCP crimes and Tibetan resistance to the world’s attention, defying Beijing’s information blackout.
Those of us who live in freedom and who hear these stories from Tibet cannot afford to be silent.
As Xi Jinping looks forward to another five years in power, five more years of police crackdowns in Tibet and attempts to silence potential critics abroad, it is vital that people around the world, especially governments and world leaders, find their voice and speak out in support of Tibetans with courage and conviction.
Tibetans living under the shadow of Xi and his police state refuse to be intimidated. So must we.
John Jones is the Campaigns and Communications Manager at Free Tibet.

China’s planning a 1,000km tunnel to divert water away from one of India’s largest rivers

https://qz.com/1114843/chinas-grand-plan-for-the-brahmaputra-a-1000km-tunnel-to-divert-water-away-from-tibet/
China is working on an incredibly ambitious water diversion project involving the Brahmaputra, one of India’s largest rivers, which may become another point of tension between the two Asian neighbours. Chinese engineers are testing techniques that could be used to build a 1,000-kilometre (km) tunnel—the world’s longest—to carry water from Tibet to Xinjiang, a barren region in northwest China, according to a report in the South China Morning Post (SCMP). The project would divert water from the Yarlung Tsangpo River in southern Tibet, which turns into the Brahmaputra once it enters India, to the Taklamakan desert in Xinjiang.
“The proposed tunnel, which would drop down from the world’s highest plateau in multiple sections connected by waterfalls, would ‘turn Xinjiang into California’,” the SCMP reported, quoting an anonymous geotechnical engineer. Xinjiang, China’s largest administrative division, comprises vast swathes of uninhabitable deserts and dry grasslands. The feasibility of the proposed Tibet-Xinjiang project is being tested along a 600km tunnel in China’s Yunnan region. “The water diversion project in central Yunnan is a demonstration project,” Zhang Chuanqing, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics, told the SCMP. Chuanqing, according to the newspaper, has played a key role in many major Chinese water tunnel projects. “It is to show we have the brains, muscle, and tools to build super-long tunnels in hazardous terrains, and the cost does not break the bank,” he said. The Yunnan project comprises over 60 sections, all of which are wide enough to fit in two high-speed trains, that will pass through high-altitude mountains. “Fault zones are our biggest headache,” Zhang explained. “If we can secure a solution, it will help us get rid of the main engineering obstacles to getting water from Tibet to Xinjiang.”
Over the years, China has developed exceptional infrastructure-building capabilities, some of which have been implemented in the Tibet region. “Nobody thought that there could be a railway line in Tibet, but the Chinese government has done so. So, there shouldn’t be any doubts about China building the tunnel,” Lobsang Yangtso, a research associate at the non-profit coalition, International Tibet Network, told Quartz. But Yangtso warned that the Tibet Plateau has been witnessing climate change, with water crises in many parts of the Himalayan region. “The region is also earthquake-prone and it could lead to a huge natural disaster,” she added. Moreover, any project that diverts water from upstream Brahmaputra is likely to rile up both New Delhi and Dhaka, as the river is a major water resource for both northeastern India and Bangladesh. India has, in the past, raised objections to Chinese dams being built on the Yarlung Tsangpo. “There are currently no water treaties between India, China, and Bangladesh,” said Yangtso, whose research has focused on Chinese environmental policies in Tibet. “India will certainly have to take a strong stand as far as this project goes, as it can be disastrous for India and Bangladesh.”

Tibetans inside Tibet are torchbearers of Tibetan movement, says the Dalai Lama
November 13, 2017
Central Tibetan Administration, November 9, 2017 – His Holiness the Dalai Lama today addressed a gathering of Tibetan devotees from various parts of India, including scholars of the Institute of Buddhist Dialectic and non-Tibetan devotees from Mon, Bhutan and Britain.
Following a brief photo session with each group at Tsuglagkhang courtyard, His Holiness the Dalai Lama spoke for over an hour, emphasing his lifelong commitments towards a better humanity, preservation of Tibetan Buddhist tradition and meaningful resolution of the Tibet issue.
“I always keep saying that the Tibetans inside Tibet are the real masters of the Tibetan destiny. Even when faced with dangers to their lives, they have, in every respect, shown great valour and courage in preserving the indomitable Tibetan spirit, while upholding their rights and dignity as a people,” he told the gathering.
“The principal asset for credibility of Tibetan cause on the world stage is the dedication of the Tibetans inside Tibet to the common cause and their unrelenting courage. It is because of these that the truth of our position stands proven,” His Holiness said, urging them to uphold the spirit.
“Tibetans are a unique people, spiritually blessed by the Chenresig, Avalokiteshvara and in reality, blessed with the rich culture, heritage and language.”
Reasserting his position on seeking genuine autonomy, His Holiness said, “Tibet was materially backward but spiritually highly developed. There is mutual benefit.”
He also expressed hope for positive changes to take place within China. “The present situation inside Tibet is indeed sad and unfortunate, but I am hopeful that in time, changes will take place within China.”
On the cultural aspect, he said, Tibetans should pride themselves of its thousand millennium old cultural heritage, rooted in the profound Nalanda teachings.
“The tradition handed down to us from Nalanda includes profound philosophy and logic, as well as a rich understanding of the workings of the mind and emotions. We have kept this alive for more than 1000 years and now are in a position to make positive contribution to the well-being of humanity through our own culture. It is a meaningful aspiration to have.”
The 82-year-old Tibetan leader urged youth to pay serious attention on learning Tibetan language and take heed of his advice.
“The most profound teachings of Buddha and the Nalanda masters are in Tibetan and therefore, the best medium to receive these teachings is through the Tibetan language.
Also in attendance were graduates of the Tibetan Medical and Astro Institute and scholars of the Institute of Buddhist Dialectic. His Holiness spoke of the unique aspects of the Tibetan medicine and how it serves as an advanced preventive medication.
He also commended the members of the LHA institute for their dedicated public service, particularly in field of education. He said, “Making efforts in the field of education is highly important and indispensable for sustaining the Tibetan Buddhist culture and ethnicity in these most difficult circumstances in Tibet’s history.”

Opinion: China’s hijacking of religions nearly complete
November 13, 2017
By Song Jieja
Eurasia Review, November 13, 2017 – In recent years, the Chinese communist government has not only been suppressing religions, but has also increasing manipulation of them to serve its political aim of “Unity of Religion and State.”
Of course, its purpose is not to show how open its religious policy is, but to hijack religions to serve a political agenda of legitimatizing, embellishing and varnishing its regime. In other words, the Chinese government wants religions to become their accomplices.
In Tibet, there has been a trend to turn monasteries and Buddhist academies into “Party schools.” Some researchers believe the situation will become more severe after last month’s 19th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party of China.
After an enforced demolition and eviction, the Serthar Buddhist Institute was divided into Serthar Wuming Buddhist College and Larong Monastery. Students were evicted from the world’s largest Tibetan Buddhist school. The committee organization department of Ganzi County also issued a public notice on Aug. 20 regarding the appointment of key officials. They were Serthar Wuming Buddhist College’s party secretary, principal, deputy party secretary, deputy principal as well as Larong Monastery Managing Committee’s party secretary, director and deputy director.
All are members of the Chinese Communist Party.
The Chinese government is currently applying the same policy to the Asian Youth Buddhist Academy, located not far from Serthar Buddist Institute, by demolishing its premises and evicting its students.
Many Tibetans believe the Chinese government will use the Sethar Institute “model” on the Asian Youth Buddhist Academy as well. They also worry the policy will be implemented at all monasteries and Buddhist academies across Tibet.
In recent years, the Chinese government has been expanding its party organizations to control all fields, including Tibetan monasteries, Buddhist academies and even foreign companies in China.
The activities of the Communist Party as well as the daily life of monasteries and Buddhist academies are two entirely different things.
According to the Chinese government, the Party committee in an agency has the highest authority. Therefore, the Party committee established in a monastery or a Buddhist academy would mean it takes full control of the monastery.
Monks and students would not be allowed to share control, even if it relates to the education system and daily religious activities. This would have a serious impact on the learning, study and spiritual practice of Tibetan Buddhism.
No other religion would accept a communist organization being established in their convents, mosques or seminaries. It would be the greatest act of disrespect and tarnish their faith.
This is especially so, given that many religious leaders, clergy and followers from different faiths were murdered by the Chinese Communist Party in the past.
Such historical trauma has not been healed, and now the Chinese government is once again rubbing salt into the wounds of believers. It is a situation that is absolutely unacceptable to Tibetan Buddhists and all religious believers.
Now the Chinese government has announced the newly-amended “Regulations on Religious Affairs” which will be implemented on Feb. 1 next year. It marks the further hijacking of religions by the Chinese government after the Party’s 19th Congress.
The clergy and religious academics have strongly voiced their criticism about the regulations, but the harsh religious policy has already been implemented in Tibet for a long time.
In addition to the “Regulations on the Administration of Sites for Religious Activities” released by the State Council on Jan. 31, 1994 and “Regulations on Religious Affairs” implemented on Mar. 1, 2005, the Chinese government also issued specific regulations for Tibetan Buddhism.
For example, so-called “Rules Governing the Reincarnation of Tibetan Living Buddhas” were implemented on Sept. 1, 2007 and “Measures for the Administration of Tibetan Buddhism Temples” were implemented on Nov. 1, 2010.
These regulations strictly control clerics and the temples of Tibetan Buddhists.
Simultaneously, the government set up public security stations and management committees for monasteries. Government officials are stationed at monasteries to restrict cleric’s freedom of movement, preaching, practices and the study of Buddhism.
Therefore, implementation of the new regulations will worsen the situation for Tibetan Buddhists.
Tibetans believe, the integration of these so-called core values of socialism into religion reveals the Chinese Communist Party’s attempts to legitimize its rule and control people and organizations at all levels of society.
But is religion still religion if it is under the Communist Party’s total control?
“No matter what kind of religion you believe in, there is only one norm: they must obey the command of the Party and acknowledge the Communist Party’s superior position over all churches,” one Chinese blogger recently wrote.
“If you believe Christianity, the Communist Party is the God of your God; if you believe in Buddhism, the Communist Party is Buddha of your Buddha; for Muslims, the communist party is Allah of your Allah; for the living Buddha, only the Communist Party can approve who will be the living Buddha,” the blogger continued.
“The Party wants you to say what she wants you to say; do what she wants you to do. Believers of different religions should uphold their faith to follow the Party’s will. If you are not doing so, you will be suppressed by the dictatorship.”
Song Jieja is a Tibetan writer, commentator and former Chinese spokesman of the exiled Tibetan government. He is currently studying in Spain.

Canadian Foreign Minister speaks out about Tibetan political prisoners
November 13, 2017
Canada Tibet Committee, November 13, 2017 – In a response to questions about Canadian government action in defense of Tibetan political prisoners, Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Chrystia Freeland, says that Canada is “closely monitoring the cases of Tibetan human rights defenders who have been detained. This includes seeking trial attendance where possible.”
Minister Freeland added that Canada has requested specific information from China about Tibet’s Panchen Lama, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, who was taken by Chinese authorities in 1995 at age 6. He has not been seen or heard from since.
The Minister’s statements came in response to written questions submitted in June 2017 by Parliamentary Friends of Tibet Vice-Chair Randall Garrison (NDP), requesting details about how the Government has applied its “Guidelines on Supporting Human Rights Defenders” in the case Tibet. Garrison also asked what progress had been made by the Canadian Embassy in Beijing in efforts to obtain permission for a Canadian diplomatic delegation to visit Gedhun Choekyi Nyima to ascertain his well-being.
In her response, Minister Freeland reiterated that the Government of Canada has called on China to allow the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion and Belief to visit Gedhun Choekyi Nyima in detention.
Minister Freeland also alluded to difficulties faced by Canadian Embassy officials when seeking access to Tibet, adding that Canada will “continue to seek greater access to Tibet for our diplomats, parliamentarians, NGOs, and visiting delegations”.
Members of the Canadian parliament most recently visited Tibet in August 2017, when a delegation of MPs and Senators representing the Canada-China Legislative Association toured Tibetan areas in Qinghai and Sichuan to discuss trade, tourism, and cultural exchange with local officials. It is not known if the parliamentarians raised concerns about political prisoners during their visit, or if there has been other diplomatic exchanges since.
Minister Freeland concluded her remarks by affirming that the “Government of Canada will continue to urge the Government of China to respect the rights of ethnic Tibetans and to take steps to improve the human rights situation in Tibetan areas” and that “Canada has also consistently advocated for substantive and meaningful dialogue between the Chinese government and the Dalai Lama or his representatives to work toward a resolution of issues acceptable to both sides.”
Note: The Minister’s remarks are found in her response to order paper questions Q-1070 and Q-1076 at https://www.ourcommons.ca/DocumentViewer/en/42-1/house/sitting-200/hansard

Bipartisan resolution in U.S. Congress supports Dalai Lama and Tibet
November 6, 2017
115th Congress, 1st session: H.Con.Res.89
U.S. House of Representatives, November 1, 2017- Expressing the sense of Congress with respect to United States policy toward Tibet and that the treatment of the Tibetan people should be an important factor in the conduct of United States relations with the People’s Republic of China.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN (for herself, Mr. ENGEL, Mr. YOHO, and Mr. SHERMAN) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of Congress with respect to United States policy toward Tibet and that the treatment of the Tibetan people should be an important factor in the conduct of United States relations with the People’s Republic of China.
Whereas on October 17, 2007, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama (in this resolution referred to as the “Dalai Lama”) was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in recognition of his many enduring and outstanding contributions to peace, nonviolence, human rights, and religious understanding;
Whereas during his Congressional Gold Medal acceptance speech, Dalai Lama stated, “The time has come for our dialogue with the Chinese leadership to progress towards the successful implementation of a meaningful autonomy for Tibet, as guaranteed in the Chinese constitution and detailed in the Chinese State Council ‘White Paper on Regional Ethnic Autonomy of Tibet’”;
Whereas the Dalai Lama continues to advance the goal of greater understanding, tolerance, harmony, and respect among the different religious faiths of the world through interfaith dialogue and outreach to other religious leaders;
Whereas the Dalai Lama continues to use his moral authority to promote the concept of universal responsibility as a guiding tenet for how human beings should treat one another and the planet we share;
Whereas in the ten years since the Dalai Lama accepted the Congressional Gold Medal, China has implemented increasingly repressive policies in Tibet, including—
(1) travel restrictions against Tibetans and United States citizens;
(2) restrictive regulations on religious affairs;
(3) censorship of Buddhist literature and information;
(4) demolition of Tibetan Buddhist sites;
(5) imprisonment of Tibetan prisoners of conscience; and
(6) declarations that “Decision-making power over the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama and over the end of survival of his lineage resides with the central government of China”;
Whereas on April 15, 2015, the Chinese State Council released a white paper entitled “Tibet’s Path of Development Is Driven by an Irresistible Historical Tide”, which stated that “there is no prospect of [a high degree of autonomy for Tibet] ever coming to pass” and furthermore stated that Tibet had been part of China “since ancient times”;
Whereas in recent years, Tibetan nomads, who have lived as nomadic herders on the Tibetan Plateau for centuries, have been banned from grazing in certain areas of the Tibetan Plateau and hundreds of Tibetan herders have bene forcibly relocated by Chinese government officials into “socialist villages”;
Whereas in September 2017, the Government of China adopted additional restrictive regulations on governmental control over the practice of religion and expressed an intention that the government should “actively guide religion to fit within socialist society”;
Whereas these 2017 regulations state that “religious groups, religious schools, religious activity sites and religious citizens shall abide by the Constitution, laws, regulations and rules; practice the core socialist values; [and] preserve the unification of the country, ethnic unity and religious harmony and social stability”;
Whereas these 2017 regulations, scheduled for implementation by the Chinese government beginning February 2018, would explicitly ban unregistered religious groups from teaching about religion, establishing religious colleges, going abroad to take part in religious training or gatherings, or otherwise engage in activities that “endanger national security”;
Whereas the Department of State stated in the 2016 Report on Tibet Negotiations that “[t]he Dalai Lama’s representatives and Chinese officials from the United Front Work Department have not met directly since the ninth round of dialogue in January 2010”;
Whereas 2016 International Religious Freedom Report for China published by the Department of State stated, “In the [Tibet Autonomous Region] and other Tibetan areas, authorities engaged in widespread interference in religious practices, especially in Tibetan Buddhist monasteries and nunneries”;
Whereas the 2016 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for China published by the Department of State stated, “Under the professed objectives of controlling border areas, maintaining social stability, combating separatism, and extracting natural resources, the government engaged in the severe repression of Tibet’s unique religious, cultural, and linguistic heritage by, among other means, strictly curtailing the civil rights of the Tibetan population, including the freedoms of speech, religion, association, assembly, and movement”;
Whereas since 2009, 150 Tibetans have self-immolated to protest against China’s rule in Tibet and most Tibetans publicly call for the return of the Dalai Lama to Tibet;
Whereas the Chinese Government has refused to allow an independent investigation into the causes of the self-immolations and has instead criminalized them, by imprisoning the survivors and collectively punishing the relatives, friends and villagers of the self-immolators, as documented by the International Campaign for Tibet;
Whereas Congress has a long history of support for Tibet, including—
(1) declaring that the United States should make the Tibet issue a higher policy priority;
(2) declaring that the United States should urge China to establish a constructive dialogue with the Dalai Lama;
(3) requiring Voice of America and Radio Free Asia to begin broadcasts in the Tibetan language;
(4) mandating that Tibet be listed separately in the annual Country Reports on Human Rights published by the Department of State;
(5) requiring a report from the Department of State on the state of negotiations between the representatives of the Tibetan people and the Chinese government;
(6) establishing educational and cultural exchange programs with Tibet;
(7) providing humanitarian, food, medical, vocational training, primary and secondary education, and other assistance to Tibetan refugees;
(8) funding programs to promote and preserve Tibetan culture and the resilience of Tibetan communities in India and Nepal;
(9) funding a scholarship program for Tibetan refugees to study in the United States;
(10) providing assistance to non-governmental organizations working to preserve the Tibetan environment and cultural traditions; and
(11) appropriating funds for National Endowment for Democracy programs related to Tibet;
Whereas section 901(b)(6) of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1990 and 1991 (Public Law 101–246; 22 U.S.C. 2651 note) stated that United States policy toward China should be explicitly linked with the situation in Tibet, specifically including —
(1) lifting martial law in Lhasa and other parts of Tibet;
(2) opening Tibet to foreigners, including the press and international human rights organizations;
(3) releasing Tibetan political prisoners; and
(4) conducting negotiations between representatives of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Chinese government;
Whereas the Tibetan Policy Act of 2002 (22 U.S.C. 6901 note), signed into law on September 30, 2002—
(1) established United States principles with respect to human rights, religious freedom, political prisoners, and economic development projects in Tibet;
(2) established in statute the position of the Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues in the Department of State;
(3) established annual reporting requirements on Sino-Tibetan negotiations and safeguarding Tibet’s distinct cultural identity, both by the Secretary of State and by the congressionally established Congressional-Executive Commission on China;
(4) mandated the provision of Tibetan language training to interested foreign service officers;
(5) required Federal officials to raise issues of religious freedom and political prisoners; and
(6) urged the Secretary of State to seek establishment of an office in Lhasa;
Whereas the President will visit China on November 8, 2017, for a series of bilateral, commercial, and cultural events including meetings with President Xi Jinping, who has been reappointed as the Chinese Communist Party Leader by the 19th Congress held from October 18 through 24, 2017; and
Whereas it is in line with United States national security interests and values to oppose China’s increasingly repressive policies toward Tibet and work towards a negotiated solution: Now, therefore, be it resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that it should be the policy of the United States to—
(1) make the treatment of the Tibetan people an important factor in the conduct of United States relations with the People’s Republic of China;
(2) consistent with the Tibetan Policy Act of 2002 (22 U.S.C. 6901 note)—
(A) encourage the Government of the People’s Republic of China to enter into a dialogue with the Dalai Lama or his representatives leading to a negotiated agreement with respect to Tibet;
(B) publicly call for the immediate and unconditional release of all those held prisoner for expressing their political or religious views in the Tibet Autonomous Region and other Tibetan areas; and
(C) establish an office in Lhasa, Tibet, to assist visiting US citizens and to monitor political, economic, and cultural developments in Tibet;
(3) appoint the Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues at the highest levels of government;
(4) revoke appropriate privileges of any Chinese official found to be responsible for impeding access of United States citizens, including Tibetan-Americans, to Tibet and ensure that reciprocal visa processing measures are occurring in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Department of State;
(5) continue to designate China as a country of particular concern pursuant to section 402 of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6442(b));
(6) engage with appropriate officials of the Chinese Government to—
(A) stop the demolition of Tibetan Buddhist religious institutions;
(B) revise religious and travel regulations to conform with international human rights standards; and
(C) ensure that Tibetan nomads are allowed to continue their way of life on the Tibetan Plateau, which they have helped to preserve for centuries, and are not forcibly relocated into “socialist villages”.
PDF version at: https://www.savetibet.org/on-eve-of-president-trumps-china-trip-bipartisan-resolution-introduced-in-us-congress-supporting-dalai-lama-and-tibet/

Tibetan fashion designer finds balance between cultural tradition and modernity
November 6, 2017
By Ananth Krishnan
India Today, November 2, 2013 – Earlier this year, Aj Namo became the first Tibetan fashion designer selected for China Fashion Week, the country’s biggest fashion show. But when the organisers offered her their models, including some of China’s most well known faces, she declined. Instead, she selected young Tibetans from her hometown of Kangba, a small grassland township in western Sichuan, near Tibet. She also eschewed the customary grand fashion show opening, with bright lights and loud music that Chinese prefer. Instead, her older sister Kelsang sang a Buddhist prayer.
“I asked her to sing because Tibetan culture has the power to make people feel quiet and calm,” says the 32-year-old. Her debut made such an impact that she was invited back, on November 5, for her second show at China Fashion Week. Heads turn when Aj Namo enters a trendy Beijing cafe near her studio, if only because Tibetan faces aren’t all that common in the upmarket dining establishments of the Chinese capital. Aj Namo moved to Beijing 13 years ago, the first of her family-who have been herders for many generations-to leave the Tibetan plateau. The only Tibetans there were students on government scholarships, or displaced herders who make a living selling handicrafts on city streets. There are only around 6 million Tibetans in China, accounting for less than half a per cent of the 1.4 billion population (of which more than 90 per cent are Han Chinese).
Aj Namo headed to Beijing without a plan. “The only clear idea I had was I needed to get out of my hometown,” she said. “I had no idea where to go or what to do.” She was always fond of music, and began singing Tibetan songs for small entertainment shows. Aj Namo quickly made a name for herself as a singer, appearing on television at a time when Chinese audiences were beginning to pay attention to arts and culture of ethnic minority groups. Now, as many Tibetans in China worry about the dilution of their culture and sense of identity, she also sees a greater yearning among young Tibetans to rediscover their roots.
“Young Tibetan people have realised that many parts of their culture are missing, and they are trying to rediscover them,” she says. “More and more, I see younger Tibetans inheriting their traditions and culture, and having the sense to combine this with modernity.” Today, as an established singer and a fast-rising fashion designer, Aj Namo sees herself as an ambassador for Tibetan culture in Beijing. She wants to change pervasive Chinese perceptions of Tibetans and their culture as “backward”, a result of state propaganda that emphasises how the Communist Party brought “civilisation” to the country’s 55 “backward” minority groups.
“Tibetan culture actually has a long history and is advanced,” she reflects, although she is optimistic about the increasing interest among young Chinese for all things Tibetan, evident in the growing number of young Han Chinese travelling to Tibet “to find themselves”, and her selection for the fashion week. “Tibetan culture is becoming a cool trend here, so many people are wearing Buddha beads now, even if maybe they have no knowledge of Buddhism. But it’s a beginning,” she says. Her next step is to expand her studio in Beijing so that it becomes a platform to spread Tibetan culture, for instance, by bringing in musicians and holding cultural events. She then wants to go global, and hopes to showcase her Tibetan designs in Paris and New York. She also hopes to one day reach out to the Tibetan community in India.
Even as Tibet struggles with the problem of preserving its culture and identity amid an onslaught from the Chinese state, Aj Namo believes younger Tibetans are finding ways to balance tradition and modernity. “Outwardly, it might seem we are just wearing Tibetan clothes, or doing thangka [Tibetan paintings] to be fashionable,” she says. “But we also still follow strict rules, reciting scriptures and praying for our lamas every day. It’s not that young Tibetans are just fashion lovers. We also know that our tradition brings us great strength.”

Tibetan leader concerned about China’s development policies in Tibet
November 6, 2017
Assam Tribune, November 4, 2017 – The president of the Tibetan government-in-exile, Lobsang Sangay, on Friday said the international community must ensure that Tibetans have a say on any development project undertaken in the ecologically fragile plateau, which is also known as ‘water tower’ of Asia.
Even as Beijing has refuted reports on building a 1000-km-long tunnel to divert the Brahmaputra, known as Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibet, to the arid Xinjiang region, Sangay said it is a fact that 12% of China’s population has access to fresh water.
“The prospects of diverting water from the rivers of Tibet looms large as parts of China are facing a water crisis. If this happens, nearly 1.4 billion people, who are dependent on water from rivers originating in Tibet, including the Brahmaputra, will be in great danger,” Sangay said on the concluding day of Balipara Foundation’s Eastern Himalayan Naturenomics Forum, 2017, here on Friday.
He added that diversion of rivers in Tibet is imminent as China is pressed by the need to provide water to parched regions.
“This is not a political statement, rather a serious environmental concern, involving water security issues of a huge section of people in countries who are dependent on the water from Tibetan rivers,” he said.
He added that the Tibetan people, who have been living in harmony with nature because of their religious beliefs and cultural practices, should have a say on development projects in the region.
“In fact, environment is not an issue affecting the Tibetans only. It is a global subject because of the large number of rivers originating from the Himalayan glaciers in the region and sustaining ecosystems in neighbouring countries. The international community must take note of this fact and make China ensure that Tibetans have a say on development projects planned in Tibet,” said Sangay.
He added that even a section of Chinese environment scientists have expressed concern over increasing threats to Tibet’s fragile ecosystem. “There are studies which suggest that Tibet’s 46,000 glaciers are likely to get reduced to 50% by 2100 because of global warming. If this happens, the sources of fresh water will be gone by then,” Sangay said.

Youth leaders from conflict zones in dialogue with the Dalai Lama
November 6, 2017
Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, November 6, 2017 – In a repeat of last year’s fruitful meeting, the United States Institute of Peace has brought 25 youth leaders, mostly from conflict zones, to Dharamsala to interact with His Holiness the Dalai Lama. They met today for the first of two sessions at His Holiness’s Office.
In his preliminary remarks His Holiness suggested that all human beings have a responsibility to contribute to the creation of a more peaceful and compassionate world. “When conflict arises due to our over-emphasis on secondary differences of race, nationality, faith or political boundaries between states, who suffers?” he asked, “We do. We need to look deeper and understand how in being human we are the same.”
President of USIP, Nancy Lindborg, invited the Youth Leaders, young women and men from Afghanistan, Burma, Colombia, Iraq, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates and the USA to introduce themselves. She then invited His Holiness to open the conversation.
“Usually I get eight or nine hours sound sleep at night, but lately when I wake up I’ve been wondering how many people were killed while I slept; how many children died of starvation? The current situation is very sad, but just feeling despondent is of no help. If we ask ourselves who creates many of the problems we face, the answer is that we human beings do. Therefore, it’s logical that if we make the effort, we can take steps to solve them and avert the suffering involved.
“Scientists have found evidence that basic human nature is compassionate. It’s the common experience of all 7 billion human beings be cared for by their mother with love and affection. And it’s common sense that if we acknowledge our sameness as human beings, we more easily make friends. These are grounds for being optimistic.
“What will really change the world is coming to better understand our emotions and how to manage them on the basis of secular ethics. I believe we can change our emotions by using our intelligence to raise our awareness. Since it’s evident that the use of force provokes further violence, we have to adopt a more human approach—and we can start by recognising each other simply as brothers and sisters. This is how we could make this a more peaceful century.
“We need to adopt a more holistic attitude, looking at problems from a variety of angles. We need to make a demilitarized world one of our goals and look forward to a Global Union in which political boundaries, many of them imposed arbitrarily during colonial times, are less significant. Most important is the need to remain optimistic.”
With Nancy Lindborg’s guidance the Youth Leaders summarized the work they are each doing and put questions to His Holiness in relation to it. In his answers he encouraged the young people to be determined, just as those who engage in violence often are. He emphasized the special strength women can bring to promoting inner values, human values, in the world today. He added that responsibility for change rests with members of the younger generation like them. They must cultivate a vision of a better future and work hard to achieve it. Time and again His Holiness stressed the role of a more holistic education.
Following some discussion of the difficulty of changing entrenched attitudes, for example in relation to the role of women in education and leadership, Professor Samdhong Rinpoche contributed some Gandhian advice. He said it was important to distinguish between an action and its agent. We can oppose an action or prejudice without adopting a negative attitude towards its perpetrator. His Holiness added that a real test of the extent and strength of your compassion is whether you can apply it to those you consider opponents or enemies. He recommended a simple solution to disagreements—meet and talk.
His Holiness suggested that sometimes being practical and realistic is the most sensible course of action. He mentioned that most Tibetans were nomads and in the cold climate of Tibet wore clothes made of sheepskin. When they came to India, they could not cling to their customary ways, they simply had to adapt and dress accordingly.
With regard to the question of religious faith and identity and the trouble they can cause, His Holiness pointed out that in terms of personal conduct and practice it is fine to think of one truth and one faith. However, in relation to the community at large in the wider world, it is necessary to recognise a multitude of faiths and various aspects of the truth.
At several points in the conversation His Holiness expressed his admiration for the Youth Leaders’ work and the spirit they bring to it.

China detains seven Tibetans over self-immolation videos
October 30, 2017
Radio Free Asia, October 23, 2017 – China has detained seven Tibetan men in Yushul (Yushu, in Chinese) prefecture’s Tridu (Chenduo) county on charge of producing and distributing videos about self-immolation protests that took place several years ago, sources in the region told RFA’s Tibetan Service.
“In the past 10 ten days alone, China has detained at least seven Tibetans. They are currently being held in Tridu County,” said a source from Tibet.
“According to the local Tibetans, the reasons for their arrest and detention is due to sharing and dissemination of a new video that these Tibetans made two years ago, highlighting the hardship and agonizing suffering of those Tibetans self-immolators, and it is being shared via WeChat,” the source told RFA.
“Although it was not widely circulated, the newly made video highlights the Tibetan self-immolators’ ordeals that took place several years ago,” added the source.
“Due to the heavy clampdown and scrutiny on internet usage, and on WeChat, it is difficult to further verify the status of those Tibetans held by the Chinese through their families and friends,” said a source.
According to a written list obtained by RFA from another source, the detainees are Tashi Damdul, Kalsang Gyaltso, Tsering Chophel, Tenzin Namgyal, Choephel, and Tsering Norbu from Khanra village in Tridu County. The seventh detainee, Tsegyam, is from Kamyi village in the county.
“Chinese authorities accused those Tibetans of making contact outside Tibet, via the internet, and also charged them with engaging in many unlawful activities,” said the first source.
“Since the Chinese authorities arrested these Tibetans under a secret operation, the exact date of detention, and how it took place could not be ascertained,” added the source.
The detentions came amid the ruling Chinese Communist Party’s 19th Party Congress in Beijing, which opened on Oct. 18 for one week brought a wide crackdown on communications and travel.
During the congress, the source said, “Tibetan WeChat users come under threat, as Chinese spies have infiltrated into many chat groups under fake names for the purpose of keeping an eye on user activities.”
“These restrictions and scrutiny have caused big inconveniences to even simple harmless chats between family members and friends,” said the source.
It was not immediately clear which self-immolation protests featured in the videos.
A total of 150 people have now set themselves ablaze in Tibet and Tibetan-populated counties in western China. Their protests have featured demands for Tibetan freedom and the return of the Dalai Lama from India, where he has lived since escaping Tibet during a failed national uprising in 1959.
Reported by Kunsang Tenzin for RFA’s Tibetan Service. Translated by Dorjee Damdul. Written in English by Paul Eckert.