— Initiatives for China (@CitizenPowerIFC) March 10, 2019
Both
Cubans and Tibetans looked to 1959 as an opportunity for democratic
restoration and liberation. Instead tyranny entrenched itself. The Cuban
nightmare began amidst the hope on January 1, 1959 that the departure
of Fulgencio Batista into exile would mean a democratic restoration and
an end to authoritarian tyranny instead it was the beginning of a new
totalitarian communist tyranny headed by Fidel Castro.
Free Tibet!
Tibetan's hoped that a national
uprising that erupted in Lhasa on March 10, 1959 would drive the Chinese
occupiers out of their homeland. Instead His Holiness the Dalai Lama
had to flee to India to avoid imprisonment or assassination as the
Chinese communists crushed the uprising.
Six decades later we share something in common with the year 1959: a year of dashed hopes. A terrible year, when communism came to our countries, and even worse for Tibet - it is the year Communist China's occupation was consolidated and His Holiness the Dalai Lama went into exile.
We Free Cubans remain in solidarity with Tibetans and the cause of a Free Tibet. We will stand with you. For China to get out of Tibet and for human rights and liberty to return to Tibet.
Today my thoughts and prayers are with the brave people of Tibet who
have spent decades resisting the occupation of Communist China over
their homeland. While at the same time showing their solidarity with
other captive peoples, including Cubans and for that I will be eternally
grateful and in solidarity with their freedom struggle. Today I also joined with Free Tibetans in protest to demand an end to the occupation of their homeland.
60 years ago today
a rebellion began in Tibet against the Chinese communist occupation of
their homeland. Tens of thousands were slaughtered and this tragic episode is now recognized as
Tibetan National Uprising Day. Below is
today's statement by Tibet's President.
Statement of the President of the Central Tibetan Administration on the 60th Anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising Day
When the People’s Liberation Army
(PLA) of China first marched into Tibet, they promised to build “One
Road” which would bring “peace and prosperity” for the Tibetan
people. However, once the Road was completed, the PLA’s tanks, guns and
more soldiers came and occupied the entire Tibetan Plateau.
Sixty years ago, on this very day in
1959, the Tibetan people rose up against the occupying Chinese army.
With their fists raised in the air, our brothers and sisters marched
together to make it clear that the Land of Snow is a Tibetan territory.
“Tibet belongs to Tibetans,” they shouted. Standing steadfast in unity,
they protected and ensured the safety of our root guru, our tsawai lama, His Holiness the Great 14th Dalai Lama.
Over the last six decades, the
government in Beijing has brutally repressed the Tibetan people, denied
us our basic rights and has consistently pursued systematic policies to
crackdown on Tibetan language, culture, unique identity, and spiritual
practices. In essence, China has deliberately aimed to eradicate Tibet’s
civilization from the face of this earth.
In this year’s annual report, Human
Rights Watch states that the Chinese authorities have used a “nationwide
anti-crime campaign to encourage people to denounce members of their
communities on the slightestsuspicion of sympathy” for His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
Furthermore, crackdown on human
rights defenders has intensified in recent years. Language advocate
Tashi Wangchuk is currently serving an arbitrary five-year jail
sentence. His only crime was advocating for the Tibetan people’s
cultural and linguistic rights as enshrined in the PRC’s own
Constitution. Recently, China has also banned Tibetan children from
attending informal language classes held at their local monasteries.
As a prelude to its ambition to
control the global surveillance network, China uses Tibet as a testing
ground for high-tech surveillance methods. Using a “grid system of
social management,” the Communist Party strengthens its Orwellian
control over both the electronic and physical surveillance of Tibet.
Additionally, since 2008, road blocks and check points have increasingly
dotted all major roads in urban areas as well as in remote areas of the
Tibetan Plateau. Chinese authorities have assigned at least one officer
for every 20 Tibetans in the so-called Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR).
In a dystopian world it has created, often a son is pitted against his
father, a daughter against her mother, and sibling against sibling.
Commonly known as the “Third Pole”,
the Tibetan Plateau holds the world’s largest reservoir of glaciers
apart from the two poles. Tibet, therefore, is the source of some of the
largest rivers in Asia with over one billion people depending on these
waters. Consequently, rising temperatures on the high plateau endangers
the livelihood of hundreds of millions of people in Asia and also
negatively amplifies global climate change. China’s deeply flawed
environmental policies have already turned the Tibetan Plateau into
destructive mining hubs, and the unbridled damming of rivers makes the
situation even more dangerous.
The assaults on Tibet and her people
have always been multi-pronged. Over two million Tibetans, particularly
nomads, have been forcibly removed from their ancestral land and
relocated into large-scale ghettos without any alternative opportunities
to lead a dignified and traditional life.
As a resentment to these harsh and
repressive policies, 153 Tibetans have self-immolated since 2009 with
the most recent one committed by a 23-year-old man named Dopo on
November 4, 2018. While committing self-immolation, the protestors have
called to restore freedom for Tibetans and the return of His Holiness to
Tibet.
Freedom House has listed Tibet as the
world’s second least free region for the last four consecutive years.
Likewise, Reporters Without Borders expressed “outrage over the
systematic violation of press freedom” and has stated that it is harder
for journalists to get access to Tibet than to North Korea.
My Tibetan brothers and sisters
around the world, in spite of living through the darkest period in our
history, we have stood together in unity and achieved a great many
things against all odds. Our journey over the past six decades has also
been that of hope, resilience, and resistance.
Beginning in the early 1950s in
Eastern Tibet, each of China’s tyrannical policy has been met with
resolute defiance. The Tibetan National Uprising in March 1959; brave
resistance in prisons and concentration camps in the 1960s and 1970s;
and the large-scale demonstrations in the 1980s have all shown that the
Tibetan people have consistently and collectively fought for their
rights, freedom, and justice.
In 2008, the whole world witnessed a
new generation of Tibetans in a nationwide uprising against the Chinese
occupation and ignited a spark of unwavering courage to assert for their
identity and dignity. They declared: “Our voices will not
be suppressed; our commitment will not falter.” This resolute resistance
continues.
Similarly, in exile, we have not only
rebuilt ourselves but also become a successful and thriving community.
When our grandfathers and grandmothers first arrived in India 60 years
ago, their fate was uncertain and their future unknown. But under the
guidance of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, they re-established themselves.
Shovel by shovel and brick by brick, they built schools, monasteries,
nunneries, and settlements. Families formed communities to sow seeds of
hope in their corn fields. Men and women renewed their skills to weave
carpets and pave a better future for their children.
Through these institutions and
communities, we have managed to restore and revive our language, culture
and most importantly, our identity. The depth of our history,
traditions, spirituality and determination enabled us to transform our
narrative from that of victims to survivors. The strength of our cause
and our ability to efficiently implement development programmes over the
decades have won us continued support and admiration from our friends,
supporters, and aid groups around the globe.
Under His Holiness’ leadership, the
Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) has evolved into a robust democracy
in exile based on the rule of law, gender equality and universal
suffrage. In 2011, His Holiness devolved his political authority to a
democratically-elected leader. The CTA today represents the aspirations
of Tibetans inside Tibet and Tibetans-in-exile scattered over 40
countries around the world. It oversees 71 Tibetan settlements; 276
monasteries and nunneries, 68 schools – having a literacy rate higher
than many countries in South-and Southeast Asia – hospitals, clinics,
and old age homes. All of these institutions and centres cater to the
needs of Tibetan refugees in India, Nepal, and Bhutan. Our thirteen
Offices of Tibet serve as official liaison channels in as many
countries.
However, our success is not confined
to our communities alone. The Tibetan freedom movement has garnered
insurmountable international support with Tibet Support Groups (TSGs) in
54 different countries and 40 countries hosting Parliamentary Support
Groups. Today, Japan hosts the largest All-Party Parliamentary TSG
comprising of 90 members. Similarly, the Czech Parliamentary Group for
Tibet is the largest in Europe with over 50 representatives from both
the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate.
In 2018, some of the most powerful
Member States at the UN Human Rights Council called upon China to stop
the gross human rights violations in Tibet. We are both inspired and
encouraged by support for Tibet from countries like Australia, Austria,
Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Sweden,
Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States at China’s Third
Cycle of Universal Periodic Review.
Just as importantly, in December last year the United States took an unprecedented step by passing the Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act. This bi-partisan law denies
entry to America to Chinese officials deemed responsible for
restricting American officials’ and journalists’ access to Tibet. The
President of the United States further strengthened support for Tibet
with the Asia Reassurance Initiative Act, which
secures special economic support to promote and preserve Tibetan
culture, education, and environmental conservation as well as
sustainable development.
We are aware that the
Chinese government pays only lip service to words like “co-operation”
and “dialogue”. If indeed it earnestly believes that “co-operation can
bring world peace,” it should renew its dialogues
with the envoys of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. As we have stated
repeatedly, the envoys are ready to talk and peacefully resolve the
issue of Tibet through the Middle Way Approach.
Instead of looking to end the 60
years of repression in Tibet, the Chinese government has come out with a
“Zero and 100 strategy.” Under
this new strategy, zero news from international media and exile Tibetans
will be allowed into Tibet and projects 100 percent official propaganda
about Tibet to the outside world and the Tibetan community in exile.
Hence, we must remain vigilant.
The Chinese government assumes that
the issue of Tibet will fade with time. But our experience of over
half-a-century makes us believe otherwise. The young Tibetans in Tibet
experience repression and resistance, whereas, young Tibetans live in
exile and learn about freedom and democracy.
Together, the young
generation in Tibet and in exile are determined in seeking truth and
justice. This new generation of Tibetans is committed to preserving
their unique identity and pursuing their dignity. They are prepared to
carry forward the baton of the struggle until the Tibet issue is
resolved.
Ultimately, it is for the Tibetan people to decide their own
destiny and that of Tibet.
To honour and offer our deep
gratitude for the support we have received for the last 60 years, the
Kashag dedicated 2018 as the “Year of Gratitude.” Accordingly, we began
with “Thank You, India” and ended with “Thank You, America” with
programmes in many other countries in between to express our profound
appreciation to old and new friends of Tibet. I once again want to
convey our sincere thank you to our dear friends in India and all around
the world.
My friends, the tragic case of Tibet
is a stark reminder of how much work is left to be done. Sixty years of
the occupation of Tibet and the repression of Tibetans is far too long.
To ensure that Tibet’s freedom
struggle marches forward, the Kashag today officially declares 2019 as
the “Year of Commitment.” I want to call upon freedom-loving people of
the world to commit to end oppression in Tibet and to commit to fight
against impunity. To Tibetan people everywhere, let us continue our
commitment to struggle for justice. Let us continue to strengthen our
resilience so we can be united with our brothers and sisters in Tibet in
freedom. Let us commit to the return of His Holiness the Great 14th
Dalai Lama to the Potala Palace in Lhasa – where he rightfully belongs.
Where was the outrage when President Obama whitewashed the murder of Americans?
Obama went farther to whitewash the murder of three Americans and a US resident by the Castro brothers
There is justifiable outrage today in the media over how President Donald Trump gave a pass to the North Korean dictator for the murder of Otto Warmbier, an American citizen. According to Trump, Kim Jong Un "felt badly
about it,” and he continued: “In those prisons and camps, you have a lot of people, and
some really bad things happened to Otto.” ... “Some
really, really bad things. But [Kim] tells me that he didn’t know about
it, and I will take him at his word.” Otto's parents pushed back and the media gave broad coverage to their statement.
Otto Warmbier was systematically tortured by the North Korean
dictatorship, and was released brain damaged, howling in pain and died
days later from his injuries.
Otto Warmbier during his show trial in North Korea
Where was the outrage in 2014 when President Obama not only gave a pass to the murder of three American citizens and a U.S. resident by Fidel and Raul Castro, but took it a step further by misrepresenting a premeditated and well documented act of state terrorism? President Barack Obama on December 19, 2014 during a year end press conference said:
"So, with respect to sabotage, I mean, my understanding of the history,
for example, of the plane being shot down, it’s not clear that that was
the Cuban government purposely trying to undermine overtures by the
Clinton administration. It was a tragic circumstance that ended up
collapsing talks that had begun to take place. I haven't seen a
historical record that suggests that they shot the plane down
specifically in order to undermine overtures by the Clinton government."
Worse yet he commuted the sentence of the Cuban spy who was serving a double life sentence for murder conspiracy in the Brothers to the Rescue shoot down and espionage who also planned terrorist acts on U.S. soil.
The events surrounding the February 24, 1996 shoot down
began weeks in advance with the Cuban dictatorship planning the shoot down
and using their spy network to obtain information to advance the
conspiracy.
Four victims of the Brothers to the Rescue shootdown
It is true that the shoot down was not meant to undermine
overtures by the Clinton administration and although it paused the
process by the end of 2000 President Clinton had shaken Fidel Castro's hand and a few months later opened cash and carry trade with the dictatorship.
1) Radio communications between the MiG29 and the military base
clearly show that the fighter planes were sent out before the Brothers
to the Rescue aircraft arrived at the 24th parallel level, that they
were searching for a specific target, and that they even decided not to
attempt any warning maneuvers to make the shoot down easier for the
Cuban MiG pilots.
From the circumstances surrounding the events of 24 February 1996, from
the disproportionate and indiscriminate use of lethal force applied to
the civilian aircraft, from the intensity of that force, and from the
way in which the authorities at the Havana military control tower
congratulated the MiG-29 pilots after they had carried out their orders,
the Commission finds sufficient evidence that Carlos Costa, Pablo
Morales, Mario De La Peña, and Armando Alejandre were arbitrarily or
extrajudicially executed at the hands of agents of the Cuban State. [34]
Consequently, the Cuban State is responsible for violating the right to
life, as enshrined in Article I of the American Declaration of the
Rights and Duties of Man.
3) U.S. courts have also found the Castro regime guilty of premeditation in this shoot down.
U.S. District Judge James Lawrence King found Cuba guilty in civil court
of planning the shoot down before the actual attack, and noted that
there had been ample time to issue warnings to the Brothers to the
Rescue aircraft if these had been needed.
A jury in criminal court presided by U.S. District Judge Joan Lenard found Miami-based Cuban spy Gerardo Hernandez guilty of conspiracy to commit murder because of his role in providing information to the Cuban government on the flight plans of Brothers to the Rescue.
On August 21, 2003 a U.S. grand jury indicted the two fighter pilots and their commanding general on murder charges for the 1996 shoot down.
"MX instructs that under no circumstances should German nor Castor fly
with Brothers to the Rescue or another organization on days 24, 25, 26
and 27, coinciding with celebration of Concilio Cubano [a planned
national conference of dissident groups in Havana], in order to avoid
any incident of provocation that they may carry out and our response to
it."
