9th June 2012
HONG KONG: Today, Members of United Nations For a Free Tibet (UNFFT) Hong Kong, local citizens and Tibetan supporters go to the streets to join a PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATION (1) for Tibet in front of the CHINESE LIAISON OFFICE in Hong Kong to draw attention to the human rights crisis in Tibet, where thousands of Tibetans stand up against China’s repressive policies which have provoked an unprecedented wave of self-immolations by Tibetan monks, nuns and laypeople. In Hong Kong, a group of people are hand in hand marching the streets, waving the Tibetan flags and shouting “SAY NO TO CCP ‘S ETHNIC CLEANSING OF TIBETANS” during the demonstration.
Obviously, the situation in Lhasa remains tense. Since 2009, 39 Tibetans self-immolated in various cities in Tibet, resulting in 30 people dying from complications of the immolations. “This action is aimed to call on all the citizens in Hong Kong to be aware of the urgency of the human rights crisis in Tibet, and to stand in solidarity with Tibetans in Tibet to stop China’s repression in Tibet” said Dorothy Hui, United Nations For a Free Tibet, Hong Kong.
Since last week, after the self-immolations in the Tibetan capital Lhasa, the PRC government not only conducted mass arrests of innocent Tibetans, increased deployment of armed police, and stepped up interrogations of travelers in hostels, it also prohibited foreigners from entering Tibet. A local source informed us that over 600 Tibetans have been detained in Lhasa and those from outside the Tibetan Autonomous Region are expelled. Ever since the PRC invaded and occupied Tibet in 1950, it has been discriminating, oppressing, and physically torturing Tibetans, destroying their culture and property, and ethnically cleansing their people. In the 1953 uprising, 10% of the Tibetan population were slaughtered. Their spiritual leader the Dalai Lama was forced into exile.
“The oppression continues unabated today. It has reached the point that no decent human being can stand by and do nothing. In Hong Kong, we are governed by the same regime. The PRC could very well use the same economic and colonization tactics against the Hong Kong citizens. Can we be totally unconcerned about the future of Tibet and Hong Kong? We urge the citizens in Hong Kong to be concerned about Tibet, and join our protest against the PRC’s ethnic cleansing of the Tibetan people.” said Dorothy.
“There will be no Free Tibet without a Free China. Tibet will only get free when China achieves democracy and the Chinese Communist Party is no more. Hong Kong people longing for full democracy and liberty should stand hand in hand, side by side and shoulder to shoulder marching in streets to Free China, Free Tibet! ” said Chin Jin of the Federation for a Democratic China.
