Today is March 10th- For those of you that don't know it is Tibetan Uprising Day. It commemorates an uprising in the capital city of Tibet, that was brutally broken up by Chinese soldiers.
Tibet has a long history as an independent country. It was invaded by China in 1959. Since the beginning of the occupation, over 1 million Tibetans have died from execution or imprisonment in Chinese jails. 1 million is 1/6 of the population.
Some quickfacts:
1)Tibetan monks and nuns are being expelled from their monasteries by the Chinese government.
2)There used to be 6,000 monasteries and nunneries in Tibet. The Chinese Army destroyed all but 100 of them.
3)Tibetan women are forcibly sterilized. \
4)ORdained monks and nuns who take vows of celibacy are routinely forced to fornicate in the streets for the amusement of Chinese soldiers.
5) Tibetan children are forbidden to speak there own language in Chinese schools.
6)People can be put in prison simply for owning a photograph of the Dalai Lama, Tibet's spiritual leader.
7)In Chinese jails, Tibetans are routinely tortured with cattle prods, starved and many die due to lack of food and horrendous manual labour.
8)Due to forced population transfer, Tibetans are becoming a minority in their own country
9) Tibetan people are restricted from practising their religion. Important ceremonies have been reduced to tourist attractions for Chinese and overseas visitors.
The Dalai Lama has won the Nobel Peace Prize for his non-violent and peaceful struggle for Tibetan autonomy.
Unfortunately, due to the economic clout of the Chinese government, world leaders have turned a blind eye to what Amnesty International has called "One of the gravest and longest existing situations of serious human rights violations."
You can write to your MP demanding that Canada pressure China to enter into a peaceful, meaningful dialogue with the Dalai Lama and the democratically elected representatives of the Tibetan government in exile. Or at least that our PM mention TIbet and HUman rights while he is racking up Chinese trade dolllars.
We cannot afford to lose Tibet's unique Buddhist culture and teachings. They have much to offer the world. So please, increase your awareness about Tibet!
Love,
Rory
Tibet has a long history as an independent country. It was invaded by China in 1959. Since the beginning of the occupation, over 1 million Tibetans have died from execution or imprisonment in Chinese jails. 1 million is 1/6 of the population.
Some quickfacts:
1)Tibetan monks and nuns are being expelled from their monasteries by the Chinese government.
2)There used to be 6,000 monasteries and nunneries in Tibet. The Chinese Army destroyed all but 100 of them.
3)Tibetan women are forcibly sterilized. \
4)ORdained monks and nuns who take vows of celibacy are routinely forced to fornicate in the streets for the amusement of Chinese soldiers.
5) Tibetan children are forbidden to speak there own language in Chinese schools.
6)People can be put in prison simply for owning a photograph of the Dalai Lama, Tibet's spiritual leader.
7)In Chinese jails, Tibetans are routinely tortured with cattle prods, starved and many die due to lack of food and horrendous manual labour.
8)Due to forced population transfer, Tibetans are becoming a minority in their own country
9) Tibetan people are restricted from practising their religion. Important ceremonies have been reduced to tourist attractions for Chinese and overseas visitors.
The Dalai Lama has won the Nobel Peace Prize for his non-violent and peaceful struggle for Tibetan autonomy.
Unfortunately, due to the economic clout of the Chinese government, world leaders have turned a blind eye to what Amnesty International has called "One of the gravest and longest existing situations of serious human rights violations."
You can write to your MP demanding that Canada pressure China to enter into a peaceful, meaningful dialogue with the Dalai Lama and the democratically elected representatives of the Tibetan government in exile. Or at least that our PM mention TIbet and HUman rights while he is racking up Chinese trade dolllars.
We cannot afford to lose Tibet's unique Buddhist culture and teachings. They have much to offer the world. So please, increase your awareness about Tibet!
Love,
Rory