The Tibetan community of Sydney, Australia and its supporters have been shocked and horrified by the recent cold blooded murder of two innocent Tibetans and the detention of further thirty Tibetans whilst trying to escape to freedom on foot over the Himalaya, which are only passable at one time of year. Emotions and tears were running high among the many ex-political prisoners and their many supporters during their protest in front of the Chinese Consulate in Sydney, condemning the Chinese Army killings at Nangpa La Pass. Ironically, this protest falls on the week following the Amnesty International Refugee Week program in Sydney.
If Western climbers had not witnessed the event to their own shock and horror, perhaps the world would have not been aware of what happened. The climbers did see it, and they did report it along with video footage to authorities immediately, before reports could be suppressed or denied by the perpetrators. It is now up the conscience of the leaders of each individual country to decide what course of action to take regarding this abuse of human rights.
Tibetan community president, Mr Jigme Dorjee, is still in shock over the killings, and is one of the key people behind the protest. “Tibetans are still being killed by the Chinese Army every year in Tibet and we are very angry that the killing continues with no acceptable explanation or apology, particularly to the families of 17 year old nun Kelsang Namtso and 23 year old Kunsang Namgyal”.
Like Mr Jigme, many Tibetans at the protest were ex-political prisoners and have personal experience of treatment and non-humanitarian conditions at the hands of the Chinese Government.
Banner signs read “Let us live peacefully”, “Stop murdering innocent Tibetans”, “Tibet belongs to Tibetans” and a few others signs written in Chinese. Tibetans all took a day off work and travelled for up to an hour by bus to attend.
Tashi Dawa, who was an ex-political prisoner in Tibet, and who is currently studying English at college, has had an incredibly large tattoo on his right arm which reads “Free Tibet” as a personal gesture to ensure that he raises awareness of what is happening in Tibet.
A Tibetan, who does not wish to be named, says that sympathy from Australians is greatly appreciated, but unfortunately sympathy does not deter or stop the Chinese from killing innocent Tibetan people. It takes action by large numbers of people to let them know they are being observed by the world as they inflict death and destruction upon a peaceful and gentle culture.
Mr Jigme has advised that the Tibetan community members have signed a petition to Mr Downer, Australian foreign minister, to raise the Tibetan issue in Parliament. A petition is also heading to the Chinese Embassy in Canberra, the Olympic Committee, UN and local human rights groups. He added that Green Party Senator Bob Brown has already raised this issue in the Australian Parliament.
The protest attempted to deliver a letter of protestation to the Chinese consulate. However, they would not open the gates to accept the letter. The protesters attempted to ask the Western security guard to deliver the letter, but he declined. We can only assume he had been instructed to ignore the protest.
A message was read out by Tenpa Dugdak at the protest, which he shouted out towards the Chinese embassy. The message to the Chinese Government was ‘You have killed over 1.2 Millions Tibetans, haven’t you had enough now?’, pointing out that the Government is disgraceful and should be ashamed of what had happened on Nangpala pass. Adding insult to injury was the subsequent claim from the Government that Tibetans attacked army soldiers first and it was a self-defense one has to ask what they had to attack the soldier’s with? SHAME ON YOU’, SHAME ON YOU’
Some Chinese visitors were paying close attention to the protest and reading the placard signs which were written in Chinese.
The peaceful protest was brought to a close by the playing of the Tibetan National Anthem, leaving hardly a dry eye. Heading back to the bus, a young Tibetan shouts “I don’t want to die as a refugee”.
