Outrage at killing of Tibetan monk and refugees in China
-01/11/06
Civil rights, devel
Outrage at killing of Tibetan monk and refugees in China
-01/11/06
Civil rights, development and faith groups have expressed horror at the news that a number of Tibetan refugees ñ including Kelsang Namtso, a 17-year-old nun ñ have been killed, apparently by Chinese soldiers, near the 6,000-metre-high Nangpa Pass on the border between China and Nepal.
The Tibetans were among hundreds who will make what is, as far as the Chinese government is concerned, an illegal journey to seek the blessing of their spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama.
A government foreign affairs spokesperson in Beijing responded to an ITV reporter at a press conference yesterday by saying that the military were simply ëmaintaining peace and tranquillityí against those who would disturb it. But Chinaís critics accuse them of shooting unarmed civilians without direct provocation.
The young Buddhist nunís body was reportedly left in the snow for almost 24 hours after the column of refugees was scattered by shots from Chinese border police. Another victim has been named as Kunsang Namgyal, a 23-year-old man who was shot twice and then taken away by the police. He has not been seen since and survivors believe that he is dead.
Details of the border killings on 30 September 2006 remain sketchy, says the Guardian newspaper. But the huge discrepancy between official reports and video images captured by a foreign mountaineer has prompted growing demands for an independent enquiry.
NGOs are now calling on the government in Beijing to permit a full investigation by the United Nations. They also want to clarify the rules of engagement for border troops. The governments in the United States, Europe and Canada have added their voices to the international chorus of disapproval.
The incident, which highlights the plight of minority, dissenting and some religious groups in China, comes not long after the high-profile visit of the Archbishop of Canterbury to the country and its recognised churches.
Dr Rowan Williams said at a press conference in Beijing last week: ìI was aware before coming that the Dalai Lamaís position was not one arguing for the total political independence of Tibet but for a rather heightened form of autonomy, not quite the autonomy of regions. The Chinese government takes the line that a region is a region, and an autonomous region is an autonomous region, so they have not been particularly welcoming to the idea of a special status for Tibet in China. And the Dalai Lama has been trying to argue that something rather like the Hong Kong arrangement ought to be possible.î
He added: ìMy question to the minister that I spoke with about this was about what the exact nature of that disagreement was, and I think that has helped to clarify that question. Informal talks of course continue, but I suspect that weíre not really near any resolution on that. The opening up of the railway link to Tibet is going to be an important economic factor in changing the face of Tibet and it remains to be seen whether that strengthens or weakens Tibetan aspirations for a higher level of autonomy, thatís the nature of the discussion.î
Outrage at killing of Tibetan monk and refugees in China
-01/11/06
Civil rights, development and faith groups have expressed horror at the news that a number of Tibetan refugees ñ including Kelsang Namtso, a 17-year-old nun ñ have been killed, apparently by Chinese soldiers, near the 6,000-metre-high Nangpa Pass on the border between China and Nepal.
The Tibetans were among hundreds who will make what is, as far as the Chinese government is concerned, an illegal journey to seek the blessing of their spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama.
A government foreign affairs spokesperson in Beijing responded to an ITV reporter at a press conference yesterday by saying that the military were simply ëmaintaining peace and tranquillityí against those who would disturb it. But Chinaís critics accuse them of shooting unarmed civilians without direct provocation.
The young Buddhist nunís body was reportedly left in the snow for almost 24 hours after the column of refugees was scattered by shots from Chinese border police. Another victim has been named as Kunsang Namgyal, a 23-year-old man who was shot twice and then taken away by the police. He has not been seen since and survivors believe that he is dead.
Details of the border killings on 30 September 2006 remain sketchy, says the Guardian newspaper. But the huge discrepancy between official reports and video images captured by a foreign mountaineer has prompted growing demands for an independent enquiry.
NGOs are now calling on the government in Beijing to permit a full investigation by the United Nations. They also want to clarify the rules of engagement for border troops. The governments in the United States, Europe and Canada have added their voices to the international chorus of disapproval.
The incident, which highlights the plight of minority, dissenting and some religious groups in China, comes not long after the high-profile visit of the Archbishop of Canterbury to the country and its recognised churches.
Dr Rowan Williams said at a press conference in Beijing last week: ìI was aware before coming that the Dalai Lamaís position was not one arguing for the total political independence of Tibet but for a rather heightened form of autonomy, not quite the autonomy of regions. The Chinese government takes the line that a region is a region, and an autonomous region is an autonomous region, so they have not been particularly welcoming to the idea of a special status for Tibet in China. And the Dalai Lama has been trying to argue that something rather like the Hong Kong arrangement ought to be possible.î
He added: ìMy question to the minister that I spoke with about this was about what the exact nature of that disagreement was, and I think that has helped to clarify that question. Informal talks of course continue, but I suspect that weíre not really near any resolution on that. The opening up of the railway link to Tibet is going to be an important economic factor in changing the face of Tibet and it remains to be seen whether that strengthens or weakens Tibetan aspirations for a higher level of autonomy, thatís the nature of the discussion.î