TV Show Videos: Peace Ride for Human Rights in Tibet Videos

Added: Dec 4, 2008

From: RIGZING

Duration: 6:48

Peace Ride for Human Rights in TibetVeteran Tibetan cyclist Rinpo Tenzin will lead a "Peace Ride for Human Rights inTibet" from April 7th to April 25th from Sacramento City Hall to the People'sRepublic of China Embassy in Los Angeles. The Los Angeles arrival date coincideswith the nineteenth birthday of Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, recognized by the DalaiLama as Tibet's 11th Panchen Lama -- a boy who was spirited away by Chineseauthorities shortly after this title was bestowed on him, and who has now spent almostthirteen years in captivity.The Panchen Lama, regarded as one of Tibet's most important religious figures, wasabducted by the Chinese state in May 1995 at the age of six and became the world'syoungest political prisoner. Despite their repeated attempts to gain access to the boy,no international agencies or human rights organizations -- including the UnitedNations -- have been allowed to visit Nyima or his family, and their condition remainsuncertain. Human rights conditions in Tibet remain dismal; under the Chineseoccupation, the Tibetan people are denied most rights guaranteed in the UniversalDeclaration of Human Rights, including the rights to self-determination, freedom ofspeech, assembly, movement, expression and travel. Last Year, Ruggye Adak, aTibetan nomad and 52-year old father of eleven children, was sentenced to eightyears imprisonment simply for calling for the Dalai Lama to return to Tibet.China's consistent use of excessive military force to stifle dissent has resulted inwidespread human rights abuses including multiple cases of arbitrary arrests, politicalimprisonment, torture and execution. Human rights groups have documented at least60 deaths of peaceful demonstrators since 1987; the groups have also confirmed, byname, over 700 Tibetan political prisoners in Tibet, although there are likely to behundreds more whose names are not confirmed. Many are detained without charge ortrial for up to four years through administrative regulations entitled "re-educationthrough labor".The Peace Ride protest is also directed at the International Olympic Committee forfailing to fulfill its commitment to hold the Chinese government accountable for itscurrent human rights record. In 2002, IOC President Jacques Rogge said, "If humanrights are not acted upon by China to our satisfaction then we will act." Instead, wehave seen the opposite: a hardening of China's position in Tibet, a sustainedgovernment-sponsored resettlement program of Tibetan nomads, increased social andeconomic marginalization of Tibetans following the launch of the China-Tibetrailway, and the closing off of Tibet to journalists and media scrutiny -- with noresponse from the IOC. According to Human Rights Watch, "the Chinesegovernment shows no substantive progress in addressing long-standing human rightsconcerns."The Peace Ride is designed to expand public awareness of the Tibetan cause, and --through significant media coverage -- to evoke direct public criticism of Chineseactions and focus attention on the silence of the IOC.For further information -- or to join the Peace Ride for Human Rights in Tibet -- pleasecontact Rinpo Tenzin at (612) 205-0026 or Rabten at (612) 978-4128.

Channel: People

Tags: amdo  jigdo  kunga  lama  panchen  phurb  songs  tibetan  yadon 

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