Tibetan Man Self-Immolates Near Lhasa
JULY 9, 2012— A Tibetan man from a village outside of Lhasa set himself on fire at the weekend in protest against Chinese rule, sources told RFA, in a rare self-immolation in the Tibet Autonomous Region.
The man, in his 20’s, shouted slogans in support of Tibet’s spiritual leader the Dalai Lama as he staged the fiery protest in the seat of Damshung county (in Chinese, Dangxiong) in Lhasa prefecture on Saturday.
“He did it around 1 p.m. on July 7 in front of an old community hall in Damshung. He was able to walk about 100 meters (110 yards) with his body on fire before falling down,” a source in Lhasa city told RFA, speaking on condition of anonymity.
“He called for the long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama,” the source said.
Police took him away from the scene to get him medical treatment, the source said.
Condition unknown
His identity and condition could not be confirmed, though he is believed to be 22 or 23 years old and a resident of Damshung’s Chode village.
“The police arrived and took him to a local hospital in Damshung but they could not treat him there, so he was rushed to a hospital in Lhasa city,” one source said.
“Ninety percent of his body was reported to be burnt.”
A Tibetan in exile with contacts in Damshung said police had prevented others from seeing the protestor and telling others about his condition.
“No one was allowed to see him after he was rushed to the [Damshung] hospital and at the same time some were warned not to give information to outside sources,” the source said.
“At this point, we don't know where he is and dead or alive.”
An officer at the Damshung police station contacted by RFA denied the incident.
Authorities have tightened security in Damshung since the incident, the exile source said, citing contacts in the region.
“Right now the security is extremely tight in Damshung. All phone lines are cut off and those in Lhasa city cannot reach their contacts in Damshung,” he said on Sunday.
43 self-immolations
The Damshung incident brings to 43 the total number of self-immolations reported since February 2009 as Tibetans challenge Chinese policies which they say have robbed them of their rights.
Of the 43, the Damshung man is the fourth to self-immolate in the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR).
All of the other self-immolations have occurred in Tibetan-populated areas of the Chinese provinces of Sichuan, Qinghai, and Gansu.
The burnings have intensified over the past year and resulted in a Chinese security clampdown across the region.
The authorities have detained hundreds of monks from monasteries and jailed scores of Tibetan writers, artists, singers, and educators for asserting Tibetan national identity and civil rights, exile sources say.
Previous self-immolator
Meanwhile, the condition one of the two men who self-immolated in central Lhasa in May—in the only incident reported in Tibet’s capital city—remains unclear.
RFA previously reported that Thargyal, who self-immolated along with another young man sources identified as Tseten Dorjee in front of the Jokhang Temple on May 27, had died Saturday evening after succumbing to his injuries.
But subsequent information indicated that he remains under intensive care.
“On July 7, Thargyal … had all the indications that he died. However the medical team at the police hospital in Lhasa conducted three hours of emergency recovery treatment and he recovered,” a source in Lhasa told RFA Sunday, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Since the two men self-immolated in Lhasa, authorities have tightened security in the city, closing down a hotel where the two men had stayed and a restaurant where they had worked, another source there said.
"Security restrictions in Lhasa were increased after the incident and now the level of surveillance and restriction is still intense,” he said.
He added that the restrictions had been tightened ahead of the Dalai Lama’s 77th birthday on July 6 and targeted those from the Tibetan-populated areas neighboring the TAR.
“Tibetans who are not residents of Lhasa need five different permits to stay there and the restrictions are more intense on those Tibetans who come from the Kham and Amdo regions,” the source said.
Reported by RFA’s Tibetan Service. Translated by Karma Dorjee. Written in English by Rachel Vandenbrink.
View this story online at: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/self-immolation-07092012190739.html
Radio Free Asia is a private, nonprofit corporation broadcasting and publishing online news, information, and commentary in nine East Asian languages to listeners who do not have access to full and free news media. RFA’s broadcasts seek to promote the rights of freedom of opinion and expression, including the freedom to “seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” RFA is funded by an annual grant from the Broadcasting Board of Governors.
Mostrando entradas con la etiqueta rfa. Mostrar todas las entradas
Mostrando entradas con la etiqueta rfa. Mostrar todas las entradas
miércoles, 11 de julio de 2012
domingo, 2 de octubre de 2011
ardio Free Asia Release
Contact: Rohit Mahajan 202 530 4976 mahajanr@rfa.org
WASHINGTON, DC – Radio Free Asia (RFA) today commemorated the 15th anniversary of its first broadcast on this date in 1996. RFA President Libby Liu stressed RFA’s critical role of “bringing free press to closed societies” through its nine language services that provide accurate, objective news and information for people living in six Asian countries that restrict free speech and media freedoms.
“Since our first broadcast 15 years ago, Radio Free Asia has risen from a small band of broadcasters to become an award-winning global media organization operating in some of the world’s most challenging media environments,” Liu said. “Built on a rock-solid foundation of objective journalism, RFA prides itself on bringing free press to closed societies through our dedicated, professional team of reporters.”
Michael Meehan, the chair of RFA’s corporate board and a member of the Broadcasting Board of Governors, added, “RFA’s mission is more important than ever in this age of revolutionary communication changes that drive the global hunger for trustworthy, timely news and information. Audiences in Asia consistently turn to RFA as a credible news source and to express opinions and ideas without fear on the airwaves and online.”
RFA’s many highlights over the years include interviewing high-ranking North Korean defectors, breaking the news to the world about the Tibetan uprising in March 2008, launching the first weekly listener Q&A program with Burmese democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi after her release from house arrest last year, obtaining exclusive interviews from Chinese artist Ai Weiwei about his recent imprisonment, covering the landmark Khmer Rouge trial, and first reporting the incident that led to the Uyghur ethnic unrest in China’s Xinjiang region in the summer of 2009.
In addition to providing exclusives, RFA hosts call-in shows and discussions with experts on technology, health, human rights, and politics. This engages audiences on interesting, timely issues and perspectives to which they would otherwise have little, if any, access. Over the years, this multifaceted programming has earned numerous prestigious awards for RFA’s Mandarin, Cantonese, Tibetan, Uyghur, Burmese, Korean, Lao, Cambodian, and Vietnamese language services, as well as RFA’s online multimedia team. These include multiple Edward R. Murrow and Gracie Allen awards, in addition to top prizes from respected organizations such as Amnesty International, the Hong Kong Journalists Association, the Society of Environmental Journalists, and the International Women’s Foundation, among others. In 2009, New York Festivals Radio Program and Promotion Awards, in an international competition, declared RFA “Broadcaster of the Year” and bestowed seven medals to its broadcasters and services.
Accolades have also come from opinion leaders in Asia, including the Dalai Lama (who recently visited RFA’s Washington headquarters), Aung San Suu Kyi, and Uyghur exile leader Rebiya Kadeer, among many others. Earlier this year, RFA launched its multimedia 15th anniversary website, which provides the behind-the-scenes story of its origins to the present (including the audio of its maiden broadcast by RFA’s Mandarin service).
“We at RFA are encouraged by the high praise and awards won since we began. But there is no greater validation of our work’s importance than the trust earned daily from our growing audiences,” Liu said.
# # #
Rohit Mahajan
Media Relations Manager
Radio Free Asia
Email: mahajanr@rfa.org
Desk: (202) 530-4976
Cell: (202) 489-8021
martes, 22 de febrero de 2011
China ignora la protesta del Jazmin
China ignora la "protesta del jazmín" e inicia una ola de detenciones
ANÁLISIS
Fuente: Andreas Landwehr (dpa) | 22/02/2011
Pekín, (dpa) - La cúpula china se ve legitimada por el éxito económico del país. Grupos defensores de los derechos humanos condenaron hoy una "ola de detenciones" y la represión a los críticos del régimen, después de que los últimos llamamientos de protesta no pudieran sacudir el poder.
El gobierno chino restó importancia a las últimas protestas y llamamientos a una "revolución del jazmín" siguiendo el modelo árabe. Y el portavoz del Ministerio del Exterior, Ma Zhaoxu, insistió hoy en resaltar en Pekín los éxitos económicos del país.
Es una "voluntad común" continuar la senda del "socialismo de tinte chino" y garantizar la estabilidad, señaló. "Nadie puede hacer tambalear nuestra determinación", dijo Zhaoxu, que rechazó sin embargo responder a preguntas concretas sobre las protestas.
Tras la intervención masiva de las fuerzas de seguridad el fin de semana, grupos internacionales defensores de los derechos humanos criticaron los encarcelamientos y la perseución de activistas de los derechos civiles.
"Esa ola de detenciones es muy intranquilizadora y parece una reacción temerosa a los sucesos en el norte de África y Cercano Oriente", dijo el director de Amnistía Internacional, Sam Zarifi. El gobierno chino cree sencillamente que puede encerrar a todos sólo por pensar en hacer alguna crítica, añadió.
En Pekín, Shanghai y otras ciudades, numerosas personas siguieron el domingo una convocatoria en Internet para manifestarse en 13 ciudades del país emulando las revueltas árabes. El llamamiento a una "revolución del jazmín" fue acompañada de exigencias de libertad y reformas. La cúpula china reaccionó con un gran despligue de las fuerzas de seguridad e incrementó la persecución de los activistas.
Más de una docena de conocidos abogados defensores de los derechos humanos fueron detenidos, puestos bajo arresto domiciliario o bajo una estricta vigilancia, informó Amnistía Internacional. En total, más de 100 personas fueron interrogadas, intimidadas o vieron limitada su libertad de movimiento, informó la organización Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD).
"La rápida reacción del gobierno para ahogar estas protestas desde su germen muestra una vez más lo que teme a sus propios ciudadanos", señaló el director del CHRD, Renee Xia.
Además de los conocidos abogados defensores de los derechos civiles Teng Biao, Tang Jitian y Jiang Tianyong, así como los activistas Gu Chuan, Chen Wei y Ran Yunfei fueron puestos bajo custodia policial. El abogado Liu Shihui fue golpeado brutalmente y heridos con un arma blanca en las piernas el domingo en la ciudad sureña de Guangzhou cuando se encontraba de camino a las protestas, según CHRD.
En Pekín, el conocido activista Liu Anjun fue atacado y secuestrado el sábado en un pequeño autobús sin matrícula, informó la emisora estadounidense Free Asia (RFA). Se trató de miembros de la policía, aseguró un conocido que pudo hablar con él por teléfono. Dos compañeros y un viandante que intentaron intervenir fueron también golpeados, aunque no llevados con el activista, informó RFA.
Internet sufrió también hoy una fuerte censura, con la desaparición de palabras de búsqueda como "revolución del jazmín", "Egipto" o "Mubarak". A las preguntas sobre el bloqueo en Internet, el portavoz del ministerio aseguró no saber nada. Internet es un servicio "abierto" en China y se administra según la ley, señaló.
ANÁLISIS
Fuente: Andreas Landwehr (dpa) | 22/02/2011
Pekín, (dpa) - La cúpula china se ve legitimada por el éxito económico del país. Grupos defensores de los derechos humanos condenaron hoy una "ola de detenciones" y la represión a los críticos del régimen, después de que los últimos llamamientos de protesta no pudieran sacudir el poder.
El gobierno chino restó importancia a las últimas protestas y llamamientos a una "revolución del jazmín" siguiendo el modelo árabe. Y el portavoz del Ministerio del Exterior, Ma Zhaoxu, insistió hoy en resaltar en Pekín los éxitos económicos del país.
Es una "voluntad común" continuar la senda del "socialismo de tinte chino" y garantizar la estabilidad, señaló. "Nadie puede hacer tambalear nuestra determinación", dijo Zhaoxu, que rechazó sin embargo responder a preguntas concretas sobre las protestas.
Tras la intervención masiva de las fuerzas de seguridad el fin de semana, grupos internacionales defensores de los derechos humanos criticaron los encarcelamientos y la perseución de activistas de los derechos civiles.
"Esa ola de detenciones es muy intranquilizadora y parece una reacción temerosa a los sucesos en el norte de África y Cercano Oriente", dijo el director de Amnistía Internacional, Sam Zarifi. El gobierno chino cree sencillamente que puede encerrar a todos sólo por pensar en hacer alguna crítica, añadió.
En Pekín, Shanghai y otras ciudades, numerosas personas siguieron el domingo una convocatoria en Internet para manifestarse en 13 ciudades del país emulando las revueltas árabes. El llamamiento a una "revolución del jazmín" fue acompañada de exigencias de libertad y reformas. La cúpula china reaccionó con un gran despligue de las fuerzas de seguridad e incrementó la persecución de los activistas.
Más de una docena de conocidos abogados defensores de los derechos humanos fueron detenidos, puestos bajo arresto domiciliario o bajo una estricta vigilancia, informó Amnistía Internacional. En total, más de 100 personas fueron interrogadas, intimidadas o vieron limitada su libertad de movimiento, informó la organización Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD).
"La rápida reacción del gobierno para ahogar estas protestas desde su germen muestra una vez más lo que teme a sus propios ciudadanos", señaló el director del CHRD, Renee Xia.
Además de los conocidos abogados defensores de los derechos civiles Teng Biao, Tang Jitian y Jiang Tianyong, así como los activistas Gu Chuan, Chen Wei y Ran Yunfei fueron puestos bajo custodia policial. El abogado Liu Shihui fue golpeado brutalmente y heridos con un arma blanca en las piernas el domingo en la ciudad sureña de Guangzhou cuando se encontraba de camino a las protestas, según CHRD.
En Pekín, el conocido activista Liu Anjun fue atacado y secuestrado el sábado en un pequeño autobús sin matrícula, informó la emisora estadounidense Free Asia (RFA). Se trató de miembros de la policía, aseguró un conocido que pudo hablar con él por teléfono. Dos compañeros y un viandante que intentaron intervenir fueron también golpeados, aunque no llevados con el activista, informó RFA.
Internet sufrió también hoy una fuerte censura, con la desaparición de palabras de búsqueda como "revolución del jazmín", "Egipto" o "Mubarak". A las preguntas sobre el bloqueo en Internet, el portavoz del ministerio aseguró no saber nada. Internet es un servicio "abierto" en China y se administra según la ley, señaló.
domingo, 25 de abril de 2010
domingo, 11 de abril de 2010
miércoles, 31 de marzo de 2010
Radio Free Asia Responds to China Blocking Google Searches with the Letters ‘RFA’
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 30, 2010
Contact: John Estrella 202 530 4900 estrellaj@rfa.org
Rohit Mahajan 202 530 4976 mahajanr@rfa.org
Radio Free Asia Responds to China Blocking Google Searches with the Letters ‘RFA’
Washington, DC – Radio Free Asia President Libby Liu issued the following statement today in response to the news that China’s Great Firewall temporarily blocked all Google searches in China, due to an unintentional association with the long-censored term “rfa.” According to Google, the phrase “gs_rfai,” which began appearing in the URL’s of Google searches globally, triggered the problem. Google’s statement went on to explain that in China these search results are being blocked due to the presence of the letters “rfa,” because they are associated with Radio Free Asia.
“This development is a stark reminder to the world of China’s repressive control of the Internet and free speech for its citizens,” Liu said. “The sensitivity of China’s Great Firewall to filter any searches with the letters ‘rfa’ shows the extent to which online censors will go to restrict the Internet.
“It’s time for China to stop exerting draconian control of its cyberspace, and allow accurate and objective information to flow freely within its society.”
# # #
Radio Free Asia is a private, nonprofit corporation broadcasting and publishing online news, information, and commentary in nine East Asian languages to listeners who do not have access to full and free news media. RFA’s broadcasts seek to promote the rights of freedom of opinion and expression, including the freedom to “seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” RFA is funded by an annual grant from the Broadcasting Board of Governors.
Rohit Mahajan
Media Relations Manager
Radio Free Asia
Desk: (202) 530-4976
Cell: (202) 489-8021
Email: mahajanr@rfa.org
sábado, 27 de marzo de 2010
sábado, 20 de marzo de 2010
viernes, 8 de enero de 2010
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