Media Releases
25 October 2011 - Australia Silent as Tibetans Set Fire to Themselves in Protests Print E-mail

The Australia Tibet Council has called on Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd to publicly express the Australian government’s concern about the recent self-immolations by Tibetans in Ngaba in China’s Sichuan province.

Paul Bourke, the Tibet Council’s Executive Officer said: “These desperate acts clearly show the anger and frustration towards Chinese government policies which deprive Tibetans of their human rights and religious freedom. China has responded with a heavy security crackdown. Australia remains silent.”

Last week, a 20-year-old Tibetan nun became the first woman and the seventh person in a month to set themselves on fire [1]. A recent report by AFP, filmed in secret, shows Ngaba under a military-like occupation with armed riot and paramilitary police lined up along the main street [2].

“Australia’s silence on the escalating situation in Ngaba strengthens the hand of the repressive, hardline elements in the Chinese government. We must call on China to show restraint and to address the legitimate concerns of the Tibetan people” said Paul Bourke.

Australia Tibet Council first wrote to Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd on 27 September [3] requesting he act on the situation by publicly expressing Australia’s concern and send a representative from Australia’s embassy in Beijing to assess the situation in Ngaba. Mr Rudd has remained silent and today we have renewed that call. [4]

At a press conference on Saturday, Greens Leader Senator Bob Brown said that the self-immolation of nine Tibetan monks and nuns this year, requires a response from Australia and other nations doing business with China. “Both Australia’s major parties have leaders who want a free trade agreement with Beijing. Both should say how they will tackle the Tibetan people’s agony.” [5]

For further information:
Paul Bourke: 02 9283 3466
Tsering Kyinzom: 02 9283 3466

Notes to Editors

[1] Tibetan nun dies in protest near China monastery
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-15347106

[2] A secret video by AFP, the only media outlet to be able to travel to Ngaba in the wake of the immolations
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWNQJTPpkxo&feature=youtu.be

[3] Australia Tibet Council’s letter to Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd on 27 September
http://www.atc.org.au/news-mainmenu-28/1-latest/1781-atcs-letter-to-fm-kevin-rudd

[4] Australia Tibet Council’s letter to Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd on 24 October
http://www.atc.org.au/component/option,com_docman/task,doc_download/gid,83/

[5] Tibet tragedies Australian business
http://greensmps.org.au/content/media-release/tibet-tragedies-australias-business

Summary of the escalating trend of self-immolation in Tibet

Self-immolation is not a traditional form of protest in Tibet and appears to have evolved out of Tibetans’ desperation to draw international attention to persistent and brutal violations of Tibetans’ human rights by the Chinese government.

All those who have self-immolated this year are Buddhist monks, former monks and now, one nun. Five of those who set fire to themselves have died; the well-being and whereabouts of the other four remain unknown.

Eight of the nine self-immolations have taken place in Ngaba Town, eastern Tibet (Chinese: Aba Town, Aba County, Aba Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province), an area that has regularly seen tensions between local Tibetans and occupying Chinese state actors. In March 2008, 13 Tibetans were shot dead by Chinese security personnel. The first self-immolation this year took place on the third anniversary of that massacre.

China’s disproportionate response to that first self-immolation in March this year has included the deployment of large numbers of paramilitary People’s Armed Police to the area, arbitrary arrests, armed road blocks, house searches, interruption of internet, mobile and telephone communications. An estimated three hundred monks were forcibly removed from Kirti monastery, an enforced programme of ‘patriotic re-education’ ran at the monastery from March until August. Six monks have been sentenced in connection to the self-immolations in unfair trials. The number of monks in the monastery has fallen from an estimated 2,500 in March to an estimated 600 in October.

In Ngaba, internet cafes have been closed and SMS services remain cut. The area is closed to foreign journalists and human rights monitors, and Tibetans risk severe penalties, including life imprisonment for passing information to external contacts.
 
1 July 2011 - Tibet Closed To Tourists As China Today Celebrates 90th Year Of The Founding Of The Communist Party Print E-mail

Australia Tibet Council condemns the closure of Tibet to tourists in the latest propaganda drive of the Chinese government, driven by two highly sensitive anniversaries: the 90th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party on 1 July and the 60th anniversary of what China calls the “peaceful liberation” of Tibet, the takeover marked by the signing of the 17 Point Agreement of 1951.(1)

Reports suggest that senior Chinese leaders and perhaps some foreign guests will travel to Lhasa in mid-July for events to mark the 60th Anniversary of the signing of the 17 Point Agreement. Starting from 25 June, China sealed off the Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR) to foreign tourists for a month to prepare for and choreograph the events for these anniversaries.

“If China is confident about its developments in Tibet, why doesn’t it open Tibet for the world to see? China has had 60 years to win Tibetan hearts and minds, and has utterly failed,” said Paul Bourke, Executive Officer of Australia Tibet Council. Read more
 
8 June 2011 - Dalai Lama’s Devolution of Power Opens Doorway to Greater Australian Support for Tibet Print E-mail

The Dalai Lama, who begins his 11-day tour of Australia tomorrow, is making his first overseas trip since handing over political power to a democratically elected Tibetan leadership (1).

Australia Tibet Council (ATC) today called on Prime Minister Julia Gillard to commit to meeting the Dalai Lama during his visit and to strengthening support for a peaceful resolution of the Tibetan situation.

The Chinese leadership has refused to engage directly with the Dalai Lama, often citing his role as political leader as a barrier to substantive talks. ATC is urging the Australian Government to see the Dalai Lama’s devolution of political power as an opportunity to encourage the Chinese leadership to talk directly with him. Read more
 
6 April 2011 - Rudd Asked To Pressure Visiting Chinese Leader On Tibet Print E-mail

Australia Tibet Council (ATC) has called on Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd to raise the Tibet issue with Jia Qinglin, China’s fourth-ranked leader, visiting Australia from 5-11 April.

As head of the United Front Work Department, Jia has direct responsibility for the stalled dialogue process with the Dalai Lama’s representatives.

The ATC has urged the foreign minister to encourage Jia to revive the dialogue process and to demonstrate a real commitment to reaching a resolution.

Paul Bourke, ATC’s Executive Officer, said, “The current harassment of Chinese writers, lawyers and activists reflects the everyday reality for Tibetans. Jia’s visit offers an opportunity for the Australian government to speak up for Tibetans and encourage China to get serious about working with the Tibetans to achieve a workable outcome”.

Jia is a member of the all-powerful Politburo Standing Committee and the chairman of parliamentary-style People’s Political Consultative Conference. As chair of the government’s Tibet Work Leading Group and head of the United Front Work Department, he is a key player in Tibet affairs. The dialogue between the Chinese government and representatives of the Dalai Lama, beginning in 2002, is in limbo as the Tibetans’ proposal on a genuine autonomy was flatly rejected at their last meeting in January 2010.

Tibet today has over 700 political prisoners and the past three years have seen a targeted crackdown on Tibetan cultural and intellectual figures. A new report by a US government delegation finds that despite massive economic investment in Tibet, the growing Chinese influx, income equalities and restrictions on religious practices are fuelling discontent and unhappiness among Tibetans. It notes the high growth boom in Tibet has come at the cost of its fragile environment, ancient culture and social ills from drugs to prostitution.

The ATC wants Rudd to put the ongoing repression on political and religious freedom, environmental damage and marginalisation of culture in Tibet on the agenda for discussions with Jia.

For further information and comment:
Paul Bourke 02 9283 3466
 
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