Despite the freezing cold weather with snow and temperatures dropping to minus 10C, the Tibetan Women’s Organization of Toronto, Ontario held a Candle Light Vigil outside the Chinese Consulate to commemorate the 4th anniversary of the unjust execution of Lobsang Dhondup in Tibet on January 26, 2003 by China.
Members of the Tibetan Women’s Association gathered along with Tibetans and Canadian supporters offered prayers for Lobsang Dhondup and for the well being of Trulku Tenzin Deleck who remains in jail inside Tibet. Supporters lit candles, held banners, placards and distributed copies of the press statement to the press and passers-by. People passing the vigil expressed their support by honking their cars.
Ms.Tsering Norzom Thonsur, President of the Tibetan Women’s Association stated, “We are here to remind the Chinese government that we have not forgotten China’s execution of Lobsang Dhondup. We will continue our struggle until people inside Tibet achieve freedom and peace. We would like to let the world know of China’s atrocities in Tibet”.
Ms.Tsewang Lhadon, General Secretary of TWA briefed the people gathered on the events leading up to the execution of Lobsang Dhondup and Tenzin Deleck Rinpoche’s unjust imprisonment with specific focus on China’s human rights violations in Tibet.
Michael Craig from Amnesty International, Toronto, Canada stated, “Amnesty International believes China to be one of the most oppressive regimes in the world today and the Chinese government must be held accountable to the human rights violations committed in Tibet”. He also called upon the Chinese government to respect the human rights of the Tibetan people. He asked the Tibetan people to stay strong in their fight for justice.
TWA Ontario submitted a petition to the UN calling on called China for the immediate release of Tenzin Deleck Rinpoche, Gendun Choekyi Nyima and all other political prisoners inside Tibet. Members of the TWA thanked the supporters for their solidarity. The evening concluded with religious prayers and the Tibetan National Anthem.
Tibetan Women’s Association of Toronto, Ontario.
January 26, 2007
Press Statement
January 26, 2007
Tibetans in Ontario, Canada hold Candle Light Vigil to Observe 4th Anniversary of the Execution of a young Tibetan by China in 2003
Four years on since the brutal execution of a young Tibetan, Lobsang Dhondup by Chinese authorities in Tibet on January 26th 2003, the government of China remains one of the greatest violators of human rights.
Amnesty International in its press release on 27th January 2003 called the execution “a breach of international fair trail standards, a miscarriage of justice” and called upon the authorities “to make public a full account of the trail proceedings”. The Chinese government till date has not made public the reasons and justification for the execution citing “state secrets”.
Lobsang Dhondup’s co-defendant, a widely respected religious leader, Tenzin Deleck Rinpoche was given a death sentence with a two-year suspension of execution in connection with the same case. In January of 2005 Tenzin Deleck’s sentence was commuted to life imprisonment.
Both men were arrested and charged with alleged involvement in bomb blast incidents on 3rd April 2002 in the city’s main square (Tianfu) in Chengdu, Sichuan Province. Some of the other charges labeled against them were “illegal possession of arms” and “engaging in splittist activities”. The men claimed their innocence and appealed for legal representation but were denied that raised serious concerns about the apparent lack of transparency and the independence of judicial process in China. To this day the Chinese government has not come out with any evidence against Tenzin Deleck Rinpoche. He continues to remain behind bars.
Many Tibetans in Tibet continue to remain in jail for their political belief and opinion. Those outside live in constant fear of persecution. Despite China’s claims of economic prosperity and better life for the Tibetans in Tibet, many hundreds continue to flee Tibet in search of freedom and better education, risking their lives through the treacherous Himalayan mountains, often at times becoming victims of Chinese border patrol guards bullets. Allegiance to the Dalai Lama, Tibet’s spiritual and temporal leader is unacceptable and considered a political offence by China.
Through the Candle Light Vigil on this day, the Tibetan Women’s Association, Ontario (TWAO) sends a strong message to the Chinese government, that it stands as a testimony to the brutalities committed by China in Tibet. TWAO expresses deep concern over China’s continued human rights violations in Tibet. It calls upon China to respect the rights and freedoms of the Tibetan people in Tibet in the true spirit of the Olympics, which China is to host in 2008. It calls for the release all political prisoners unconditionally.
The Tibetan Women’s Association of Ontario appeals to the Canadian government to raise the issue of human rights situation in Tibet during its bilateral discussions with China.
