Tears in Tibet | stop Chinese imperial repression of Tibet, its cultural and religious identity

"Repression continues to increase with numerous, unimaginable and gross violations of human rights, denial of religious freedom and politicisation of religious issues" - Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, speaking from his exiled home Dharamshala in India, on China's heavy handling of recent protest in Lhasa, Tibet.

Riots escalate in the Tibetan capital of Lhasa as lay Tibetans join in the protests which began on March 10th, anniversary of the Tibetan uprising of 1959. Unconfirmed reports that soldiers are firing on Tibetans in the streets. 300 monks from Drepung monastery and 100 nuns from Chutsang nunnery marched toward the center of Lhasa, stopped by armed police. Arrest of around 500 students from Tibet University, according to CNN. Chinese authorities sealed off three monasteries in Tibet, shops and vehicles were burned, and deaths were reported as a wave of rare street protests continued in the remote Buddhist region.

Violence erupted Friday in a busy market area of the Tibetan capital, Lhasa, as Buddhist monks and other ethnic Tibetans clashed with Chinese security forces. Witnesses say angry Tibetan crowds burned shops, cars, military vehicles and at least one tourist bus. anti China protests erupt in Tibet. Many police officers were badly injured in the clashes, Chinese state media said, while also reporting that a mosque and other buildings had been set on fire.

About the timing of the Tibetan Protest | The Tibetan monks who marched defiantly through Lhasa chose the 49th anniversary of the uprising against China for their protest.

They had good reason not to wait for the 50th. This summer’s Olympic Games have turned the world’s spotlight on China as never before, a fact not missed even on the remote Himalayan plateau. The past year has seen a sharp increase in protests across Tibet, by monks, nuns and ordinary Tibetans, risking imprisonment and torture to call for human rights, freedom of religion, autonomy and the return of the Dalai Lama, their leader-in-exile. (credit)

Call for Boycott of Olympic in China | Hollywood actor and Tibet activist Richard Gere Saturday called for a boycott of the Beijing Olympic Games if China "does not act in the proper way" in handling protests in the Himalayan region.

Gere, an outspoken supporter of the Tibetan cause and a follower of the Dalai Lama, said there "absolutely" should be a worldwide boycott of the Games if Beijing mishandled protests that official Chinese media say have left seven dead. (credit)

Prayer | may we join in to send our prayers and light to brother and sisters of Tibet and may their aspirations for their land, culture, religion and language be sanctified. may all repression, persecution come to and end. may the holy land of Tibet remain blessed, so be blessed its people. amen.

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