China: Three Tibetan nuns jailed

July 18th, 2011

Three nuns have each been jailed for three year after they staged a peaceful street protest, chanting “Free Tibet” and “long live His Holiness the Dalai Lama”, on 15 June. The women, aged between 21 and 31, are part of the Gyemadrak Nunnery in Tibet and were arrested by Chinese authorites hours after the protest began. The nuns have been named as Jampa Choedon, Sheh Lhamo and Tashi Choetso.

Tibetan monks sidelined in earthquake disaster

April 26th, 2010

Tibetan monks were amongst the first to reach remote areas such as Yu Shu after the Qinghai earthquake. Their role in the massive relief effort has gone unrecognised by Chinese media and now they have been told to leave the area by the Chinese authorities. A statement issued by the Chinese State Council recommends the monks “return to their monasteries to ensure the high effectiveness and order of quake relief work.” The Dalai Lama, denied access to visit the disaster area has posted a message of mourning on his Facebook page.

Chinese government to intervene in Dalai Lama succession

March 10th, 2010

The new Governor of Tibet has said that the Dalai Lama does not have a right to choose his successor and must instead must abide by the “requirements” of Tibetan Buddhist tradition, according to the Xinhua news agency. The government’s stance on the issue seems to be hardening after its ruling that the next Dalai Lama must be approved by the government. The Governor’s comments on Sunday made it even more likely that the current Dalai Lama will be succeeded by two new Dalai Lamas, one chosen by Tibetan religious leaders in exile and another by the Chinese government. “It is unreasonable to do whatever he wants,” Governor Padma Choling said of the Dalai Lama’s ideas. “There’s no way for him to do so.”

Tibet: two jailed over Dalai Lama pictures

December 10th, 2009

Two Tibetan web users have been sentenced to three-year jail terms after posting pictures of the exiled Dalai Lama on the Internet. Gyaltsen and Nyima Wangdu were given three-year sentences after being convicted of “communicating information to contacts outside China,” Reporters Without Borders said. Three other Internet users were also arrested for similar reasons on December 1 but have not yet been tried. Read more here

YouTube blocked in China

March 25th, 2009

Google said that its YouTube video-sharing website had been blocked in China. (more…)

University apologises to China for Dalai Lama honour

July 8th, 2008

London Metropolitan University has expressed ‘regret’ at offence caused to China by its recent award of an honorary doctorate to Tibetan religious leader the Dalai Lama in May. A report on state-run China Daily said that the university’s vice-chancellor, Brian Roper, had sent a letter to China’s embassy in London on 16 June to apologise for any upset felt by the Chinese people over the award. A spokeswoman for London Metropolitan said the move came after the university’s media monitoring service had noticed negative comment about the decision on Chinese websites. However, a representative of the Chinese embassy in London confirmed to Index on Censorship that the letter of apology had come after the embassy had demanded it from the university. Britain’s universities now hosts over 49,000 Chinese students.