hunger strike

Pains Of Hunger Hit One Tibetan Protester As Pressure Mounts Upon The UN

Graphic via @tibettruth/original photo:TYC

With Ms Tsewang Dolma, one of three Tibetan Youth Congress activists on hunger-strike having earlier today been taken to hospital, the protest continues to demand action on Tibet from the United Nations. Yesterday the Regional Tibetan Youth Congress Wisconsin launched a campaign to phone bomb (September 30) the UN with the demands being pressed by the #TYC3.

These are:

1. Urge the United Nations to raise the issue of Tibet at its General Assembly and Human Rights Council Session.

2. Urge China to address the demands of the Self Immolations in Tibet.

3. Urge China to give evidence that the 11th Panchen Lama Gendun Choekyi Nyima is alive.

4. Send a fact finding UN delegation to assess the current critical situation in Tibet.

5. Urge China to release all political prisoners.
Anyone wishing to telephone their support please call:

(212) 963-1234 – UN Headquarters
(212) 963-4475 – UN Headquarters

Anonymous’ Operation Tibet Issues Video Statement On TYC Hunger-Strike

A video statement supporting the Tibetan hunger-strike currently on its seventeenth day, taking place in Delhi, India has today been released by ‘Operation Tibet’ an anonymous activist’s collective. The group has been targeting Chinese government websites as an action of solidarity with Tibetan Youth Congress demands for intervention on Tibet  from the United Nations. Thanks to @AnonymousTibet for sharing news of this release.

Tibetan Youth Congress Launches Hunger-Strike Demanding UN Action

Image:TYC

The Tibetan Youth Congress has today launched an indefinite hunger strike in protest at China’s oppression of Tibet and to demand action from the United Nations. Three of its Executives, Tenzin Wangchuk, Tamding Hrichoe and Ms Tsewang Dolma are staging their action at at Jantar Mantar in Delhi the capital of India.

Tibetan Hunger-Strikers Begin Their Action

Tibetan Hunger-Strikers Begin Their Action

Image: DorjeeTashiRangzen

Subscribers to our Blog may recall similar demands made by courageous Tibetans to the United Nations, including a hunger-strike outside the very doors of the UN’s New York headquarters. That protest resulted in a number of assurances being made by officials to Tibetans, although the follow-up and subsequent action was woefully absent. it is hoped that the Tibetan Youth Congress will be as determined as ever to ensure that any assurances offered by UN officials are not simply empty gestures.

Tibetans gather in Delhi to sow solidarity with the hunger-strikers

Tibetans gather in Delhi to sow solidarity with the hunger-strikers

Image:RTYCDelhi

Shameful! Delhi Police Force Hunger-Strikers Into Medical Custody

TYC Organizational Secretary Dragged Into Medical Custody By Indian Police

Image:tibetanyouthcongress

There’s wealth of questions and arguments regarding the ethics of self-harm, as applying to political protest, yet actions such as self-immolation or a hunger-strike remain a powerful individual expression and whatever the moral aspects of such protest, demand to be respected and responded to with understanding and awareness. Unfortunately the politics of the state often tramples over such considerations to realize short-term aims in bringing an end to such actions, take the troubling case of Irish political prisoners under the tender care of British rule being forcibly fed via stomach pumps!

Well looks like history is set to repeat itself, as on September 22 India sent in the police to close down the Tibetan hunger-strike, that has for twenty days been taking place in New Delhi in protest at the indifference of the United Nations and European Union to the plight of the Tibetan people under China’s tyranny. Clearly the courageous efforts of the three Tibetan involved and the global attention it attracted has become something of a political difficulty and the order was given to shut it down.

The scenes which took place today were deeply troubling and distressing, Tibetans who have for nearly a month denied themselves food, exhausted and in pain roughly man-handled by policemen who showed not an ounce of respect or consideration for the condition or peaceful action of these brave Tibetans.

Witnessing events, which seemed to take place in slow-motion was very difficult, even writing this brings tears flowing, recalling the efforts of the hunger-strikers to resist arrest, utterly drained yet still crying out to be allowed to continue their action. It was heartbreaking to see such patriotism and courage. There was also anger in being informed that the Indian authorities, in a gross violation of individual rights, then forcibly injected the Tibetans with glucose solutions, clearly desperate to prevent any loss of life not in terms of compassion or medical grounds (the excuse released by the authorities) but as a political response. No doubt the bloody tyrants of Beijing would be most pleased with the odious behavior of the Indian police.

Tibetan Hunger-Strikers Pledge To Carry On Their Action

Image:archivenet

Statement From Tibetan Youth Congress, Dharamshala, September 21.

The three activists of the Tibetan Youth Congress who are sitting for the hunger-strike protest against Beijing has completed 19 days and despite warning from Indian authorities and doctors examining their health to cut short the fast, the trio says they are firmly resolved to carry on until “their demands and appeals are acted upon.”

The hunger-strike, which the organizer says is indefinite, started September 3 in light of the current crisis in Tibet where 51 Tibetans have resorted to setting their bodies on fire since 2009 to protest against what exile groups say is Beijing’s repression and to demand the return of Dalai Lama, Tibet’s spiritual leader.

The strike is seeking immediate international intervention into the Tibet crisis and independent access to understand the ground reality inside Tibet which is restricted to international media and fact-finding missions.

Tenzin Norsang, joint Secretary of the Tibetan Youth Congress, said the health of the three activists is fast deteriorating and pressure from Indian authorities are mounting to call off the strike.

“We have received a notice letter from the Indian police on Tuesday asking us to terminate the strike in view of medical reports stating deteriorating health condition of the three activists,” Norsang said.

The three strikers Dhondup Lhadar, Penpa Tsering and Jigme have reportedly lost 11.30Kgs, 10.30Kgs and 9.30Kgs respectively.

Apart from the strike, Norsang said online and signature campaigns are being carried out simultaneously at the protest site Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. He also said peaceful vigils are held every evening since the start of the strike.Meanwhile, the three strikers are being visited by Tibetans and non Tibetan supporters from various corners to express their solidarity many of whom gets emotional and break down, Norsang said.