TIBET UPDATE

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The Tibet Update eNewsletter is a bimonthly summary of news and governmental actions related to Tibet. Past issues in PDF format are located at http://www.savetibet.org/media-center/tibet-weekly-updates/.

INSIDE TIBET:

ICT Report - Promotions among Tibet military leaders signal Party approval

Recent promotions among military personnel in Tibet indicate the Chinese Government's satisfaction with the handling of the situation in Tibet. The commander of the Tibet Military District, Lieutenant General Shu Yutai, who only served in that position since July 2008, was quietly promoted to the Chengdu Military Region as Deputy Commander. Read the complete report . . .

ICT Report - Tibetans mark Uprising anniversaries despite crackdown

Lhasa like a "war zone": Despite intensive security and a stepped-up military presence, Tibetans in Tibet marked two significant anniversaries on March 10 and 14, with protests. In Lhasa, the atmosphere was tense with one Tibetan in the city describing it as "like a war-zone." On March 14, around 20-30 middle school students in Machu County, Gansu Province, began a peaceful demonstration protesting the intensified security. They were joined by about 100 local Tibetans before they were surrounded by riot police and soldiers. Sources say at least 40 Tibetans were detained. Read the complete report . . .

U.S. GOVERNMENT:

ICT Report - U.S. State Department finds "Severe Repression" in Tibet

In a clear rebuke of official Chinese claims, the U.S. Department of State has provided a catalogue of human rights abuses and economic, social and cultural discrimination faced by Tibetans under Chinese rule. The findings are contained in the Tibet section of the State Department's "County Report on Human Rights Practices for 2009," released on March 11, 2010. The report describes the "blunt censorship" of Tibetan language web content, minimal Tibetan-language schooling for children, the absence of Tibetan-language instruction in higher education, severe restrictions placed on freedom of movement for Tibetans - at the local, national and international levels - and the exclusion of Tibetans from much of Tibet's commercial opportunity. Read the complete report . . .

CHINA:

Google stops censoring search results in China

On March 22, Google announced that it would stop censoring search results on its site in China. In the past two months, Google had been negotiating with Chinese authorities to determine whether it could operate an unfiltered search engine in China under the country's law and on March 22, the company announced that Chinese officials had made it "crystal clear ... that self-censorship is a non-negotiable legal requirement." Read the complete article . . .

NEPAL:

Nepal Supreme Court orders release of three detained Tibetans

On March 22, the Supreme Court of Nepal ordered government authorities to release three Tibetans detained for their alleged involvement in anti-China activities in Nepal. The police had arrested them on March 9, a day before the sensitive Tibetan national uprising day of March 10. They were charged them for 'posing a threat to Nepal-China relations.' The division bench of Justices observed that the order of Kathmandu District Administration Office and their detention was illegal. Read the complete article . . .

From the ICT Blog:

The Interesting Issue of "Cross-Pass Relations" Between Tibetans - March 26, 2010

No more Google in China - March 26, 2010

Debate on Tibet in the European Parliament - March 25, 2010

Tibet Lobby Day 2010 - Onward to 2011! - March 24, 2010

Obama is black. Pelosi is female. - March 22, 1010

Is the Dalai Lama becoming less relevant worldwide? - March 18, 2010

China's meddling in our internal affairs - March 12, 2010