2013: Tibetan courage in the face of repression
Tuesday, 24 December 2013
Tibetan man and military forces at religious festival, Rebkong 2013
China's rule opposed inside Tibet as Free Tibet campaigns make impact outside Tibet
Tibet has been occupied by China for more than sixty years.
Although 2013 has seen the Chinese government attempt to tighten its grip on Tibet, Tibetans still refuse to bow to China's force.
Shootings, beatings, mass arrests and deaths in custody
Hundreds of Tibetans have been arrested and jailed for acts China sees as threatening this year. Many Tibetans have faced brutal violence.
In July, a gathering of Tibetans celebrating the birthday of the Dalai Lama was fired on by security forces
A mining protest just a few weeks later in was broken up with tear gas and beatings and shocking exclusive footage obtained by Free Tibet shows the panic among Tibetans as police fired machine guns into the air.
In September and October, Tibetans protesting against being forced to fly the Chinese flags on their homes were shot by security forces while seeking the release of arrested villagers. More than sixty protesters were injured in the incident.
At least three Tibetans were killed in jail in 2013. Many others reported torture.
Singers have been jailed for simply singing songs of freedom – others jailed just for having those songs or the Tibetan flag on their phones.
A report this year by a US government commission found suppression of Tibetan Buddhism at a “ten year high”.
Tibetan resistance continues
Despite the brutality, Tibetans have never stopped standing up for their nation, their land and their fellow Tibetans.
Tibetans have also braved the wrath of the Chinese state by sharing information about human rights abuses and protests with Free Tibet and the world outside Tibet, overcoming China’s ban on foreign media and independent human rights organisations. If convicted of transmitting information outside Tibet, they could face years in prison.
In 2012, more than 80 Tibetans set themselves alight in protest against China’s occupation. Most died. 2013 has seen far fewer such protests – 27 were confirmed – but they have continued into December, despitesevere sentences for anyone accused of any involvement in organising or spreading news about them.
See our interactive map of Tibetan resistance and timeline of protests for more information.
Free Tibet in action
Free Tibet has brought news of repression and resistance to the world’s media in 2013, with our information featured in the New York Times, BBC, Guardian, CNN and countless other news outlets.
Our campaigns have helped keep Tibet's plight in the public eye. When UK Prime Minister David Cameron visited China in December, a Free Tibet opinion poll showed that the majority of British people wanted him to raise Tibet on his visit and made headlines in the national media.
Earlier this year, the United Nations took up Free Tibet's concerns about the treatment of children in Tibet after we and our research partner Tibet Watch gave evidence to a UN committee.
New campaigns for Tibet
InterContinental Hotels Group’s plan to open a luxury hotel in Lhasa in 2014 is just what China wants.
When Intercontinental sells the image of a happy, peaceful Tibet to the world while ignoring human rights abuses anddismissing the concerns of Tibet campaigners it is effectively colluding with the Chinese occupation.
The company has quickly learned that Tibet campaigners will not stand by and ignore its cynical deal.
From blocking the entrance to Intercontinental's London Westminster hotel with a bed to demonstrationsacross the world, the campaign against Intercontinental continues to grow.
In December, we also launched our campaign to free nine musicians imprisoned in 2012 and 2013. Attracting the support of major music stars, our petition calling for their release has already received more than 1,000 signatures.
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