Second Sichuan protest results in more Tibetan deaths

By Shanghaiist on Jan 26, 2012

By Cal Widdall

tibet_protests.bmp The activist group Free Tibet reported on Monday that a Tibetan man had been killed, and thirty others wounded, after police opened fire on protesters in the Sichuan county of Luhuo (also known as Drango or Draggo to Tibetans). It has now been revealed that the following day a separate protest in neighbouring county Seda (Serthar) resulted in at least one fatality, with as many as five claimed by various Tibetan media organisations.

The Chinese government has confirmed the death but dispute the circumstances. Whilst Tibetan groups have alleged that security forces open fired on a peaceful protest, local officials have stated that the death was a result of armed mob forces attacking a police station. According to Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei, 'overseas secessionist groups' have been distorting the truth in order to discredit the government. Foreign media have been barred from the area so claims have been difficult to verify.

Free Tibet has posted an update regarding the Luhuo incident, announcing that a second man has also been confirmed dead, with twelve others in a 'serious condition'. These events are the latest evidence of Tibetan unrest in a year that has seen numerous protests and 16 self-immolations.

Archival photo from 2008.


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Comments [rss]

  • Hugo_B
    Those who denounce China's role over Tibet will also denounce the role of the Western countries coming to their past of colonialism and robbery of lands from the actual owners as in the case of the Aborigines of Australia?

    So sad to realize that the same who are so occupy denouncing Chinese cruelty toward Tibetans do not have the very same attitude toward the suffering of the Aborigines, and that the Western mainstream media do not concede the same room to show their actual fate under the Westerners' rule.

    Or was it some shocking surprise for those who claim themselves backers of "democracy" and "freedom" the Aborigines' reaction in Australia's Day, aka Invasion Day?

    Maybe the lack of indignation toward the Aborigine's cause observed in those who usually take part on protests against China has something to do with a blood "issue" unlike the strong will to denounce the Chinese's role on Tibet.

    Conclusion: what drive those people to protest against the Chinese is not humanitarianism toward Tibetans but a simply ideological statement regardless what they've stated.
  • LSD2012
    "Tibetan groups have alleged that security forces open fired on a peaceful protest"? 
    Sure we have already known how  peaceful some Tibetens could be, before 2008 Olympic, as a well-organized PR.
  • joel_bee
    Unless I see thrid-party reports on these events, I won't believe either. The last Tibetan riots showed
    the violence of pro-Tibet rioters, but I wouldn't use the term
    "restraint" when it comes to gov security management (see chengguan).
    Why don't Chinese authorities let the press in (even just decent Chinese
    press) and let them document what's happening? If they don't, they must be guilty.
  • BBC_Redux
    Chenguan don't shoot protesters, do they? Like what the Kashmiris and Palestians have to go through. Yes, they shud let the press in, like what they did in Urumqi, that will clear this up.
  • joel_bee
    They don't shoot people, but Tibetans are not "supervised" by chengguan, but by the army. However, I agree. Not saying Tibet is worst than Gaza, just that this secrecy is just fuelling rumors and propaganda. Those who are pro-Tibetan will continue to be, a priori, and those who are pro-gov the same. But Tibetans have no power to let the free press in. The gov have. So it's up to them to open up, if they have nothing to fear. I'm sick of the victimism from both sides, tired of Han racist-tainted jingoism, and tired of seeing Tibetan terrorists painted as peaceful protesters.
  • Move them to the restricted zone in the Gobi desert.   The Government is just too soft with unnecessary provocation from some uncivlized Tibetans.
  • LSD2012
    I'd suggest government stop giving them rioting lamas salaries but instead to move them to Hongkong. You know, they absolutely dont eat in subway, though they might do something else, which would be treated as natural, romantic and fascinating by westerners.
  • BBC_Redux
    You must be a troll.

    But by the way, I guess China will have to introduce the Inner Mongolia solution, or the Kosovo solution. Inner Mongolia is 75 percent Han, so Inner Mongolia Independence is finished. In Kosovo, a traditional Serb Land, the Albanians have procreated so much they became a majority. China could perhaps flood the TAR with Huis, Bai, Naxi, Dongxiang and Yis or other Han friendly ethnic groups. Kham and Amdo is already majority Han/Hui and Tibetan people in Gyarong speak Sichanese. And another suggestion is to just make Tibet a province, instead of an Autonomous Region. All these Soviet style nationality policies won't work will only buttress regional identity.
  • A troll understands who is a troll.   Beautiful !

    Tell us how the natives are treated in America and we will debate further.
  • BBC_Redux
    What natives in North America? Are there still natives? They were wiped out by a massive genocide. Read up on the Tasmanian Genocide, the worst evil that could be committed against a native people. Or why do you think Gillard had to be hustled out of a restaurant by aborigine protesters recently. Tibetans are not uncivilized, they have a great culture, so stop trolling.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?...
  • BBC_Redux
    After reading a few more articles from the wires, it appears that mobs had attacked police stations with lethal weapons, given this situation, the police is entirely justified to fire back. I am not saying the government's version is the right version, but I will withhold my verdict unless the facts come out. Also, it would be very stupid of Chinese security to fire on peaceful unarmed protesters. India shoots Kashmiri protesters armed with stones only, so Chinese security is actually more restrained.
  • I would totally believe the government's comment of this incident. Look at the recent Apple Shop running out of Iphone 4 news. Some Chinese are violent and uncivil. Even Apple Shop got attacked with eggs, it's not hard to imagine the activitist in Tibet using violence.People, be fair!
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