Remembering Tibetan Uprising Day

SHAKESPEAR:
Following up on the 50th anniversary of Tibetan Uprising Day yesterday, Tibetan supporters and victims of the persecution by the Chinese regime reflect on how to bring about peace. Heres more on the story.
STORY:
On March 10th, 1959 thousands of Tibetans protested against the invasion of the People's Liberation Army who marched into the autonomous region in 1950. Concerned for the safety of the Dalai Lama, Tibetans surrounded his compound to protect him. Seven days later the Dalai Lama escaped into exile in India. As the crowds refused to leave the compound, the Chinese regime launched a military attack against Tibet, killing thousands of innocent civilians.

Today, 50 years later descendants of persecuted victims and also sympathizers of Tibetans commemorated this day around the world, known as Tibetan Uprising Day.

[Gyaltsen Drolkar, Victim of Persecution]: (female, Tibetan):
I was arrested, as I took part in a peaceful demonstration in 1990. I just shouted some slogans. I shouted Free Tibet. I was detained in a detention center for four months, and during those four months, I was interrogated and tortured. I was subjected to all kinds of torture — mental torture, physical torture. I lost consciousness regularly from being electro-shocked.

[Sither Tsering, Tibetan]: (SOUNDBITE male, English)
They are brutally killing, they are destroying everything, but still we have a compassionate heart If you want to live in harmony with the world, we have to be compassionate in our hearts. Not like, you know, if I hate you, you hate me back — this is not an answer today in this generation. If we want to live in a peaceful way, we have to share something, sorrow and happiness — together.

And its not just Tibetans who are marking this day.

[Michael Perlman, Tibet Supporter]: (SOUNDBITE male, English)
I believe, that the struggle for democracy is a universal one, and within China particularly the struggle for democracy of the Chinese people is also the struggle for democracy for Tibetan people.

NTD, Israel and the Czech Republic.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• ntd
• tibet
• china
• exile
• mainland china
• Dharamshala
• Free Tibet
• Chinese Communist Party
• tibet uprising day

[RivaSays]

@xNimueh: Tibet was tricked unjustly. Know your history, you ignorant kid.

[xNimueh]

You ignorant people think about the Tibet people as victims today, but their rivalry with China dates back to the earliest dynasties, before Christ. Do you think about how the Tibetans would always invade China back then and try to dominate its lands? Now China gained the upper leverage and would like some revenge for they people they lost, duh.

[mcbdpb]

free tibet

[dorje168]

Why is the Tibet question so intractable that no leader in Beijing has managed to resolve it so far?

1) Beijing is confronted with the Tibetan people whose sense of a united nationhood stretches back at least as far as the seventh century.

2) This is a religious issue for them, even after 50 years the devotion to His Holiness The Dalai Lama is as strong as ever. He is not only their King but he is also their Spiritual Guru.

[DrPork4freedom]

Free Tibet from Evil CCP occupation. Tibet is exploited and suppressed and murdered - must act

[custno08]

when we think of vietnam, we think of "boat people"

[dondean55]

Any nation sharing borders with china would have a good chance to face the same Tibet's fate. If Vietnames was weak unable to stand up against china's invasion in 1979 and throughout 1980s, Vietnam would not be existing now. Strong china is a threat for world peace.

[HerryBond007]

before abolishing the serf system, only few people can live in comfort, just like Dalailama and his underling. but the most (as serf) have to work for serf owner, no right.

[ConjugateGradient]

orly?

[20097sam]

Fact Tibet gone from bad to terrible, Tibet is like a gigantic prison camp & "hell on earth"