Tibetan protesters defy police crackdown in western China
- added April 19, 2008
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- mischabarrett
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Around 2,000 police officers will guard the Olympic torch flame as it travels through the Thai capital today. Police vans will also ride alongside the procession in case the torch carriers need to jump inside for safety. More protests have broken out in western China today, defying the heavy-handed security presence. Activist groups and locals said that police had beaten and detained monks and others who were calling for the release of protesters held after demonstrations last month.
The Tibetan Center for Human Rights and Democracy - based in north India, at the seat of the Tibetan government-in-exile - claimed that more than 100 lamas, and others from Tongren were detained on Thursday. Protests are thought to have broken out in Tongren in February, a month before the riots in Lhasa. They reignited on March 16 as protests spread across Tibetan areas following the actions of about 100 monks who climbed a hillside above the monastery, burned incense and set off fireworks, while riot police assembled outside.
Yesterday, Yasuo Fukuda, Japan's prime minister, urged the Chinese foreign minister, Yang Jiechi - who was on a visit to Tokyo - to start a dialogue with Tibetans and to be more open about the crackdown. Yang said Tibet was a domestic matter. A major Japanese Buddhist temple also withdrew from hosting the Olympic torch relay next week, citing both safety concerns and sympathy. One of its officials, Shinsho Wakaomi, told a press conference: "Zenkoji is a Buddhist temple. Naturally, we are concerned about Tibet."
Samak Sundaravej, the prime minister, said protesters had no reason to disrupt the relay. Officials warned that any foreign activists would be deported. A coalition of human rights groups and other activists have said they will protest outside the UN headquarters in Bangkok.
The Tibetan Center for Human Rights and Democracy - based in north India, at the seat of the Tibetan government-in-exile - claimed that more than 100 lamas, and others from Tongren were detained on Thursday. Protests are thought to have broken out in Tongren in February, a month before the riots in Lhasa. They reignited on March 16 as protests spread across Tibetan areas following the actions of about 100 monks who climbed a hillside above the monastery, burned incense and set off fireworks, while riot police assembled outside.
Yesterday, Yasuo Fukuda, Japan's prime minister, urged the Chinese foreign minister, Yang Jiechi - who was on a visit to Tokyo - to start a dialogue with Tibetans and to be more open about the crackdown. Yang said Tibet was a domestic matter. A major Japanese Buddhist temple also withdrew from hosting the Olympic torch relay next week, citing both safety concerns and sympathy. One of its officials, Shinsho Wakaomi, told a press conference: "Zenkoji is a Buddhist temple. Naturally, we are concerned about Tibet."
Samak Sundaravej, the prime minister, said protesters had no reason to disrupt the relay. Officials warned that any foreign activists would be deported. A coalition of human rights groups and other activists have said they will protest outside the UN headquarters in Bangkok.
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- mischabarrett
- 4 months ago
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It seems that the world over people are coming together over this issue.
It's a heartening to see, but some protesters still manage to get it wrong...-
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- phillyharper
- 4 months ago
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