Open up Tibet to media: Tibetan journalists group to ChinaThursday, 2 April 2009, 11:11 a.m.
Dharamshala: The
Association of Tibetan Journalists (ATJ) based in Dharamsala, India, on
Wednesday appealed to the Chinese government to allow independent
journalists to visit Tibet. The call from the group came few days after the Chinese government said it will reopen Tibet to foreign tourists on 5 April.The
Chinese government has sealed off Tibet to the outside world following
Tibetan people’s unprecedented peaceful demonstrations against China’s
wrong policies in Tibet. China’s brutal crackdown on Tibetan
protesters since 10 March 2008, left 220 Tibetans dead, 1,294 injured
and 290 sentenced. More than 5,600 were arrested or detained and over
1,000 disappeared. “We hope that China will also allow Tibetan
journalists from overseas and the foreign journalists to do independent
reporting in Tibet including the areas that have witnessed sporadic
protests since March 2008,” Tashi Wangchuk, president of the ATJ, said
in a statement.He said China has allowed only a handful of
journalists to Tibet under some strictly monitored tours since last
March when Tibet reeled under heavy military crackdown following
protests across the plateau which has been virtually under martial law
since then. “Through strict control on telephone, internet and
cellular services China tries to block the flow of information to the
outside world. Yet, stories of brutalities, protests and arrests reach
the outside world through undisclosed channels. It is difficult to
obtain information and verify them.” The group also condemned
China’s recent censorship of video-sharing network ‘YouTube’ which
carried video footages of police beating unarmed Tibetans. It
demanded immediate release of Tibetan detainees, including Kunga
Tsangyang, Golok Jigme, Kunchok Tsephel, Dhodup Wangchen, Jamyang Kyi,
who have just exercised their literary freedom through blogs, poems,
articles and essays.Related reports:China’s Brutality in Tibet ExposedFACT SHEET: Tibetan Deaths Under China’s Crackdown since March 2008His Holiness the Dalai Lama Urges China to Allow Media into Tibet
