Immediate release:  October 9, 2013

 

Contacts: 
Carole Samdup (English):  514-512-4665

Eva Cirnu (Francais):  514-632-6635

 

 

Shooting of unarmed Tibetans in Central Tibet further damages China’s reputation as Universal Periodic Review approaches

Canada Tibet Committee joins International Tibet Network in condemning China’s violent suppression of peaceful protesters

The International Tibet Network [1], a global coalition of 185 Tibet Groups, condemns the shooting and injuring of at least 60 Tibetans, some seriously, by Chinese security forces in Driru, Nagchu, Central Tibet (Ch: Biru, Naqu Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region) on 6 October [2].

 

Chinese troops opened fire on Tibetans who had gathered to call for the release of a villager, named as Dorje Dragtsel. Dragtsel had been detained on 3 October after objecting to orders from a visiting ‘patriotic education’ work team, which was attempting to force Tibetans to raise the Chinese flag and show loyalty to the Communist Party. The previous week, dozens of Tibetans in Driru were beaten and injured, and more than 40 detained by security forces, after the authorities failed to compel locals to raise the Chinese flag for China’s National Day [3].

These outright state-perpetrated human rights violations come just two weeks before China’s human rights performance is to be reviewed by the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva (22 October).

“The Canada Tibet Committee and its partner organizations around the world, call upon governments, including the Government of Canada which prioritises human rights, to publicly condemn China’s use of force against unarmed Tibetan protesters, said Carole Samdup, Executive Director of the Canada Tibet Committee.  “China’s actions in Tibet need to be scrutinized during China’s Universal Periodic Review in Geneva.” she added.

SIGNED International Tibet Network Member Groups

 

Western Europe:

Aide aux Refugies Tibetains

Association Dorje

Association Drôme Ardèche-Tibet

Association Rencontres Tibetaines - C.S.P.T. Midi-Pyrenees

Associazione Italia - Tibet

Austrian Committee for Tibet

Briancon05 Urgence Tibet

Caisse d'Aide aux Prisonniers Tibetains

Casa del Tibet - Spain

Comite de Apoyo al Tibet (CAT)

Comite de Soutien au Peuple Tibetain (Les Lilas)

Corse - Tibet

Eco-Tibet France

EcoTibet Ireland

France-Tibet

Groupe Non-Violent Louis Lecoin, France

Grupo de Apoio ao Tibete, Portugal

International Campaign for Tibet Deutschland

International Campaign for Tibet Europe

International Society of Human Rights, Munich Chapter (IGFM)

Jamtse Thundel Association

La Porte du Tibet, Geneva

Les Amis du Tibet - Belgium

Les Amis du Tibet Luxembourg

Lions Des Neiges Mont Blanc, France

Maison des Himalayas

Maison du Tibet - Tibet Info

Nice Tibet

Nos Amis de l'Himalaya

Objectif Tibet

Passeport Tibetain

Phagma Drolma-Arya Tara

Reseau International des Femmes pour le Tibet

Save Tibet, Austria

Society for Threatened Peoples International

Solidarite Tibet

Students for a Free Tibet - France

Students for a Free Tibet - UK

Swiss Tibetan Friendship Association (GSTF)

Tibet 59 / 62  

Tibet Democratie

Tibet Initiative Deutschland

Tibets Kinder im Exile V.

Tibet Liberte Solidarite

Tibet Libertes, France  

Tibet Society, U.K.

Tibet Support Group - Ireland

Tibet Support Group - Netherlands

Tibet Unterstutzung Liechtenstein

Tibetan Association of Germany

Tibetan Community Austria

Tibetan Community in Britain

Tibetan Community in Ireland

Tibetan Youth Association in Europe

Tibetan Youth UK

Tibetisches Zentrum Hamburg

TSG Free Tibet And You

Tsowa-Maintenir la Vie, France  

Vrienden Van Tibet

Autodétermination-Tibet 09/31

Tibetan Community of Italy

Tibetaanse-Vlaamse Vriendenkring vzw

Lungta Association Belgium

 

Northern Europe:

Association of Free Tibet  

Friends of Tibet in Finland

Swedish Tibet Committee

The Norwegian Tibet Committee

Tibet Support Committee Denmark

Tibetan Community in Denmark  

Tibetan Community Sweden

SFT Denmark

 

Central & Eastern Europe:

Fair Society o.s.

Friends of Tibet Slovakia

Friends of Tibet Society St. Petersburg, Russia

Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights - Tibet Desk

International Youth Human Rights Group - Human Rights in Tibet

Lithuanian Tibet Culture Foundation

Polish Movement for a Free Tibet

Save Tibet Foundation

Society for Croatia-Tibet Friendship

Students for a Free Tibet, Poland

The Foundation for Civil Society, Russia

Tibet cesky (Tibet in Czech)

Tibet Support Association - Hungary

Tibet Support Group - Krasnodar Region, Russia

Tibet Support Group - Romania

Tibet Support Group - Sochi Region, Russia

Tibetan Community in Poland

Tibetan Programme of The Other Space Foundation

TSG - Slovenia

Union Latvija Tibetai (Latvia for Tibet )

Zida Cels, Latvia

Tibetan Association of Slovakia

 

North America:

Association Cognizance Tibet, North Carolina

Bay Area Friends of Tibet

Boston Tibet Network

Canada Tibet Committee

Colorado Friends of Tibet

Committee of 100 for Tibet

Dhokam Chushi Gangdruk

International Campaign for Tibet

International Tibet Independence Movement

Los Angeles Friends of Tibet

Northwest Tibetan Cultural Association

San Diego Friends of Tibet

Santa Barbara Friends of Tibet

Sierra Friends of Tibet

Snow Lion Foundation

Students for a Free Tibet

Students for a Free Tibet – Canada

The Tibetan Alliance of Chicago

The World Tibet Day Foundation

Tibet Committee of Fairbanks

Tibet Justice Center

Tibetan Association of Ithaca

Tibetan Association of Northern California

Tibetan Association of Philadelphia

Tibetan Association of Santa Fe

Tibetan Association of Southern California

Tibetan Cultural Association - Quebec

TIBETmichigan

Tibet Oral History Project

Toronto Tibet Youth Congress

U.S. Tibet Committee

Western Colorado Friends of Tibet

Wisconsin Tibetan Association

United Nations for a Free Tibet (UNFFT)

 

Central and South America

Amigos del Tibet, El Salvador

Asociación Cultural Peruano Tibetana *

Asociación Cultural Tibetano - Costarricense

Casa Tibet Mexico

Centro De Cultura Tibetana - Brazil *

Grupo De Apoyo a Tibet Chile *

Grupo Pro-Cultura Tibetana, Chile *

Le Club Francais - Paraguay

Pensando En Tibet - Mexico

Tibet Group-Panama

Tíbet Patria Libre, Uruguay

Fundación Pro Tibet - Argentina

Friends of Tibet in Costa Rica

World League for Freedom and Democracy

 

Asia

Bharrat Tibbat Sahyog Manch, India

Core Group for Tibetan Cause, India

Foundation for Universal Responsibility of H. H. the Dalai Lama

Gannasamannay

Gu-Chu-Sum Movement of Tibet

Himalayan Committee for Action on Tibet

India Tibet Friendship Society

Japan Association of Monks for Tibet (Super Sangha)

Lung-Ta Project

Mahatma Gandhi Tibet Freedom Movement

National Campaign for Tibetan Support, India

National Democratic Party of Tibet

Raise Tibetan Flag Campaign

Roof of the World Foundation, Indonesia

SFT Japan

SFT India

Students for a Free Tibet - Bangladesh

Taiwan Friends of Tibet

Taiwan Tibet Exchange Foundation

The Youth Liberation Front of Tibet, Mongolia and Turkestan

Think Tibet

Tibet Lives, India

Tibet Philippines Support Network

Tibet Solidarity Forum, Bangladesh

Tibet Support Group Kiku, Japan

Tibet Support Network Japan

Tibetan Student Association, Madras (TSAM)

Tibetan Parliamentary and Policy Research Centre

Tibetan Rights and Freedom Committee (TRFRC)

Tibetan Women's Association (Central)

Tibetan Youth Congress

Japan Committee of 100 for TIbet

Ns3 Rigpa Community Builder’s Foundation

Anterrashtriya Bharat - Tibbat Sahyog Samiti

 

Australasia

A.C.T. Tibet Support Group

Australia Tibet Council

Friends of Tibet New Zealand

Students for a Free Tibet New Zealand

Tibet Action Group of Western Australia

Tibet Support Group Adelaide - Australia

Tibetan Community of Australia (Victoria)

Tibetan Women Association and Friends Australia (TWAFA)

Sakya Trinley Ling

Australian Tibet House Inc.

 

Africa and Middle East

Friends of Tibet - Ismailia (Egypt)

Israeli Friends of the Tibetan People

Tibet Support Group Kenya

 

Notes:

The International Tibet Network is a global coalition of more than 185 Tibet organisations dedicated to campaigning to end human rights violations in Tibet and restoring rights to the Tibetan people. www.tibetnetwork.org
2. For detailed reports of this and related incidents, see International Campaign for Tibet http://www.savetibet.org/troops-open-fire-on-tibetans-in-escalating-crisis-in-nagchu/, Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy http://www.tchrd.org/2013/10/diru-under-lockdown-one-tibetan-sentenced-more-injured-by-gunshots-and-disappeared/, and Free Tibet http://www.freetibet.org/news-media/na/tibetans-shot-and-beaten-protest 
3. Ibid. China’s National Day is 1 October
4. See http://tibetnetwork.org/media-news/ or http://bit.ly/1a9KG5Z 
5. Member Groups of the International Tibet Network issued a joint UPR submission and recommendations to China, a summary of which can be viewed at http://bit.ly/1gxOQYK
6. In its first cycle UPR in 2009, China rejected, without a single exception, every recommendation specifically representing Tibet or pertaining to freedom of expression, freedom of association, and independence of the judiciary See http://bit.ly/1gCs4z3