Tibet

By Bijender Sharma

Dharamshala, APRIL 10,2008---The Kashag of the Central Tibetan Administration today, appealed to the international legal bodies and governments to help save the lives of those arrested Tibetans and ensure proper legal trials.According to press report , Mr Zhang Qingli, Party Secretary of TAR, is quoted to have stated that all those involved in the recent "riots" in Tibet will be tried and sentenced with strictest measures by the end of April.According to information available, Mr Zhang Qingli at a meeting attended by distric level and above communist party cadres, including government officials, declared that the authority is to adopt four quick procedures which include quick order, quick arrest and quick trial. With these orders in place it is very obvious that the authorities in Tibet intend to exercise quick summary trial without proper legal procedures and carry out executions. In fact out of over 100 monks from Ramoche, 70 monks have already been arrested, said a press note released by the Kashag today..The Kashag expressed concern over the strict restrictions on movements and food supplies in tibetan monasteries which has already cause a death in Lhasa due to desperation from hunger. The Kashag, therefore appeals for help to ensure that those confined in the monasteries where shortage of food is causing great sufferings and may cause death due to hunger are supplied with timely provision of food and other required needs.

By Bijender Sharma
DHARMSHALA---Large number of exiled Tibetans participated in a peaceful candlelight protest here last evening.The candle light procession is to show solidarity. This was organised by the Tibetan Youth Congress and other organisations.

"We are here to condemn Chinese brutal forces which they used against peaceful demonstrators. We appeal the international countries and the Olympic committee that they must immediately cancel Beijing as a host of 2008 Olympic games," said Yeshi, a Tibetan activist.As the Olympic Games to be held in Beijing in August this year, the Tibetans are trying to revive their freedom movement and protest against China's illegal occupation of their homeland.

DHARMSHALA----The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) today said that the Chinese authorities are stepping up the offensive arrest drive inside Tibet with renewed vigour and fervour. The latest information emanating from Tibet indicates over 2,300 Tibetans from various parts of Tibet have so far been arrested by the Chinese authorities currently detained in detention centres located in Townships, Counties and Prefectures in various administrative regions of Tibet.
According to a press releas of the TCHRD documentation since 10 March 2008, the Centre has documented a list of 301 Tibetans whose identities were confirmed as of today."Tibet Autonomous Region" ("TAR") convened meetings to begin the trial of Tibetan arrestees. In the meetings, it was pointed out the procuratoracy courts will have to take immediate steps to solve the cases and to hand down necessary sentences to those who will be found guilty of violating the law and order. law enforcement and vigilance has been stepped up in the Lhasa and over 1000 Tibetans arrested in various detention centres across Tibet.Meanwhile in an explicit sign of renewed vigour to quell the protests, "TAR" Public Security Bureau (PSB) Headquarters issued a wanted list of 79 Tibetans involved in recent protest on 13 different occasions since 15 March.The Chinese authorities also stated that by 1 May 2008, the Lhasa law enforcement bodies will hand over the cases of 1000 Tibetan arrestees to all the three levels of courts in "TAR" for formal trials and convictions. In the backdrop of China's past record, TCHRD expresses its fears and doubts whether the arrestees will be subjected to free and fair trials in courts. Considering the closed nature of trials under the Chinese legal system and the absence of due legal processes, TCHRD expresses its grave concern over the fate of Tibetan arrestees whether they will be tried according to the domestic and international laws,press release said.