Toronto Tibetan Woman Injured by Police in Protest–hopes unfortunate incident draws attention to pending execution of Tenzin Delek
By Jordhen Chazotsang
Toronto, December 8 – Almost 200 Toronto area Tibetans and other peaceful supporters braved frigid winds on Monday, December 6 evening to rally outside a meeting of the Canada China Business Council in downtown Toronto. Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin delivered a speech to the business crowd inside about the future of Sino Canadian relations.
While Martin¹s entourage entered a side entrance, beyond the view of the crowd, loud protests could be heard in the front of the Convention Center, where the meeting was held inside. Demonstrators used bullhorns, and held placards and flags demanding an end to the China’s brutal occupation of Tibet, urging Canada to put human rights ahead of business interests, and to pressure the leaders in Beijing to release of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, an important Tibetan leader who could be executed as early as January 2005 by China.
Around 7pm in the evening, several demonstrators crossed the street, moving away from the main demonstration group towards the Convention Centre to make sure that their non-violent pleas for Tenzin Delek were being heard. Dawa Chozom Badheytsang, a 47 year old Tibetan woman was pushed onto the street by police and then when she got up and moved towards the police to ask why she was pushed so hard, was punched in the face and forced to the ground, suffering injury as a result and loss of a lot of blood. She was later taken to hospital by police and has since been released.
Dawa said today: “though I am in pain, all I wish and pray for is that this incident, though unfortunate, in some small way helps save the life of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, as we weren’t able to help Lobsang Dhondup before”. Lobsang Dhondup, was wrongfully executed by China in January 2003.
Although the police used exessive force on her, Dawa hopes that the media’s focus will remain on saving the life of Tenzin Delek.
Another Tibetan man was also arrested at the demonstration, but was later released without charge.
Camera crews and photographers covered a significant portion of the demonstration which appeared on TV and print media last night and today.
Toronto Tibetans will cap off the week with a joint demonstration at the Chinese Consulate with the Uyighur Canada Association this Friday, December 10th to commemorate International Human Rights day.
