Unntakstilstand i Lhithang , Øst Tibet

Lithang under siege days after the protest
According to the latest information received by the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD), Chinese authorities in Lithang County have significantly beefed up security measures by bringing more forces amidst severe restriction imposed on the movement of the people in Lithang following days of protests.

According to sources, "hundreds of People's Armed Police (PAP) -a paramilitary force- in full combat gears has arrived in Lithang County in the past couple of days following protest by Tibetans in the area. Severe restrictions are being put on the movement of the people in Lithang. People from villages and monasteries were told not to move out of their houses and warn of serious consequences if they come out in the street. All the shops, and restaurants remain closed with streets bearing complete deserted look except for the hundreds of security forces in full combat gears. The situation is very tense in Lithang at the moment."

The residents of neighboring nomadic villages like Othok and Youtru were completely barred from venturing into Lithang town. The telecommunication lines in the area is said to be temporarily cut off that it remains difficult to stay connected with the outside world. According to sources, "Yesterday (18 February) a meeting was called among the monastic clergies, committee members and high lamas of the monasteries in Lithang, where monks were warned by authorities of dire consequences if anyone participates in any of the secessionist activities. They were also told that government would firmly crush the savage aggression of the Dalai clique, defeat separatism, and wage people's war to maintain stability." At the moment, movement of the monks was severely restricted that neither could they come out of the monastery nor the visitors could pay visits to the monastery.

Of the 21 Tibetans detained since 15 February protest in Lithang, three people were known to have been released; two nomad ladies, Yanglo, Dolma and Damdul Gonpo (earlier reported as only Damdul) were released in the evening of 16 February 2009 from Tsagha PSB Detention Centre. Damdul Gonpo, a former monk of Drepung Gomang Monastery, was a unit leader of Derge Village, Unit no.1, Lithang County, Kardze "TAP"

As an indication of possible unrest in Tibet in the run-up to major event and anniversary, China has ordered government and security forces to crush any sign of allegiance and loyalty to the Dalai Lama. Many Tibetan areas are now out of bounds for foreigners.

Recently, a conference of Chinese Communist leaders in Lhasa ordered authorities to "mobilize and fully deploy" to maintain stability, the Tibet Daily, official mouthpiece reportedly said. The security meeting in Tibet said the overarching task for Tibetan authorities this year was to "resolutely go toe-to-toe in a battle against all destructive separatist activities to maintain stability." AFP reported a Chinese state media in Tibet as saying Thursday. "The meeting called on the party, government, military, police and public in all areas... to firmly crush the savage aggression of the Dalai clique, defeat separatism, and wage people's war to maintain stability," the paper said of the meeting in Lhasa.

In recent days, the security beef up has been witnessed in at least four areas of the Tibetan region; Lhasa, the capital; Labrang (Ch: Xiahe), a town in Gansu Province that witnessed a persistent and large scale protest last year; Rebkong (Ch:Tongren), a monastery town in Qinghai Province; and Lithang, a town in Kardze "TAP" Sichuan Province that has been locked down this week.

Den norske TIBET-komité

Den norske Tibet-komité er en partipolitisk uavhengig, landsomfattende organisasjon som er dannet for å arbeide for tibetanernes rettigheter. Tibet-komitéen ble stiftet våren 1989 og har ca 1500 medlemmer. Det finnes tilsvarende støtte-organisasjoner for Tibet over hele verden. Den norske Tibet-komité er en av de største og mest aktive. Våren 1994 arrangerte vi i Norge en konferanse for de europeiske støttegruppene.

Norge og nordmenn har fått en spesiell stilling blant tibetanere etter at deres religiøse og politiske leder, Dalai Lama, i 1989 mottok Nobels fredspris. Flere av de tibetanerne som kom til Norge på 60-tallet, bor her fortsatt, og de er aktive i komitéen. Våren 1996 begynte radiostasjonen Voice of Tibet med sendinger til Tibet, og Norge har igjen styrket sin posisjon i tibetanernes bevissthet.

Tibet ble okkupert av Kina i 1950, og tibetanernes situasjon blir stadig forverret. Fundamentale menneskerettigheter brytes, og den rike tibetanske kulturen står nå i fare for å bli utslettet.

Den norske Tibet-komité har som formål å:

• Få norske myndigheter til anerkjenne Tibet som et okkupert land
  
• Informere om brudd på menneskerettigheter, økonomisk utbytting og diskriminering av tibetanere
  
• Gjøre Tibets rike kultur kjent i Norge