- Title: CHINA / TAIWAN: Hundreds protest in Taiwan on failed Tibetan uprising anniversary
- Date: 11th March 2012
- Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) LEADER OF TAIWAN STUDENTS FOR A FREE TIBET, 31-YEAR-OLD FONG CHUN-SHAN SAYING: "I am here mostly because in the past year there were already more than 20 Tibetans burning themselves. They chose such a strong method to protest against China's rule, and this makes us, who lives in the free world, realize how brutal the human rights situation is in Tibe
- Embargoed: 26th March 2012 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Taiwan, Province of China, China
- City:
- Country: Taiwan
- Topics: Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA8JHYWSD73LJFIQIXCKHH66UZO
- Story Text: Hundreds of exiled Tibetans and their supporters gathered in downtown Taipei on Saturday (March 10) to mark the 53rd anniversary of a Tibetan uprising against Chinese rule that lead to the Dalai Lama's flight into exile.
Protesters gave speeches and sung the Tibetan anthem, before chanting Buddhish prayers.
Others acted out scenes of what they described as Chinese military oppression against Tibetans, and carried 18 imitation coffins in a street parade to symbolize the 18 confirmed deaths in a series of self-immolations over the past year.
In a statement, one of the organising groups, Taiwan's Friends of Tibet, said the demonstration was not only for the lives lost during the 1959 uprising, but also to show support to six million Tibetans they say have lost their rights or homes under Chinese rule.
Thirty-one-year-old leader of Taiwan Students for a Free Tibet, Fong Chun-shan, said he had come to show his support.
"I am here mostly because in the past year there were already more than 20 Tibetans burning themselves. They chose such a strong method to protest against China's rule, and this makes us, who lives in the free world, realize how brutal the human rights situation is in Tibet and that it has not improved as it should. I think people living in the free world should come out and speak up for Tibetans," he said.
China sees self-ruled Taiwan as a renegade province and vows to take it back by force if necessary.
"China's oppression is probably similar to Taiwan's situation 20-30 years ago under Marshal law. I think we should support them, especially if China shows a hostile attitude towards us, because if they can oppress Tibet they can also oppress Taiwan. That's why I think I should support them," said 20-year-old student Yang Hui-li.
On March 6, a Tibetan youth became the 25th Tibetan to self-immolate in the past year, with at least 18 believed to have died from their injuries, rights groups said.
Three recent deaths were all lay people and not, as is often the case, Buddhist monks or former clergy.
Rights groups said this reflects a wider frustration among ethnic Tibetans at China's tightening security measures in Tibetan areas.
Road blocks have been set up and have made many Tibetan areas all but inaccessible to foreign reporters.
Khedroob Thondup, a member of the Tibetan parliament in exile and the Dalai Lama's nephew, said only the Dalai Lama could calm the situation.
"Yes I think there is a way to stop this, one as I told you earlier, they have to diffuse this situation, they have to take out all the military from these areas. And two, the only person in the whole world who can stop this situation is His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and the Tibetan people will listen to him, so they have to talk to His Holiness and say ok, we turn to you for a solution, they can turn to nobody else," he said.
Chinese President Hu Jintao urged for ethnic unity and stability in Tibet on Friday (March 9) when he met with delegates from the region at China's annual parliament session in Beijing, state broadcaster CCTV said.
Hu said a sustained education program should be carried out to promote ethnic unity and more should be done to promote 'leapfrog' development in the region, CCTV reported.
China has ruled what it calls the Tibet Autonomous Region since Communist troops marched in in 1950.
It rejects criticism that it is eroding Tibetan culture and faith, saying its rule has ended serfdom and brought development to a backward region.
The Dalai Lama fled Tibet to India in 1959 after the failed uprising that started on March 10. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None