DHARAMSHALA: The Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile has condemned the police firing on Tibetans celebrating His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s birthday in Tawu region of eastern Tibet on 6 July, calling the world governments and human rights organisations to urge the Chinese government to refrain from using force on Tibetans.

Despite severe restrictions imposed by the Chinese government, Tibetans celebrated the 78th birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in different Tibetan areas incorporated to into China’s Sichuan and Qinghai provinces, such as Tawu, Karze, and Drakgo in Sichuan, and Golok, Tawo, Labrang, Chabcha, and Kumbum in Qinghai.

In Tawu, hundreds of local Tibetans joined monks of Nyisto monastery and nuns of Geden nunnery for a grand prayer ceremony on Machen Pomra, a sacred hill in their region, to celebrate the auspicious day. A large number of Chinese armed police arrived there to disrupt the prayer service. The Tibetans told the police that it is their tradition to hold such prayer ceremony. But the police opened fire on them and pelted stones on a car, which left several Tibetans severely injured. Those injured include Jangchup Dorjee, brother of Palden Choetso, the nun of Geden Choeling nunnery who self-immolated in November 2011; Tsering Dhondup and Tashi, monks of Nyitso monastery; Urgyen Tashi from Dakchu town; Nyendak from Mikya town and Tashi from Geden Choeling nunnery. Tashi Sonam sustained fatal head wound, while Urgyen Tashi is in critical condition in a hospital in Chengdu.

In letters sent to over 55 countries, UN Secretary General and High Commissioner for Human Rights and human rights groups such as Human Rights Watch on 22 July, Khenpo Sonam Tenphel, the deputy speaker of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile,  said: “Brutal reprisal of the armed Chinese police forces on the Tawu people was completely unjustified.

“We strongly condemn the repressive measures adopted by the police and therefore we call upon you and your organization to urge the Chinese leadership to desist from such inhuman acts and respect the aspiration and fundamental rights of the Tibetan people,” the deputy speaker said.

The Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile urged the world governments and the UN to send fact-finding delegations to the Tibetan areas to ascertain the ground realities.