 U.S. GOVERNMENT
US Government celebrates the Tibetan New Year for the first time
On February 23, 2015, the State Department hosted a
reception to celebrate Losar, the Tibetan New Year, to an invited
gathering of Tibetan Americans, diplomats, State Department officials
and other dignitaries. The first day of Losar fell on February 19 this
year.
“This is the first time that such an event has been
organized by the State Department and it can be seen as a recognition of
Tibetan American culture and its contribution to American society. We
are pleased to see the US Government taking this initiative,” said
Bhuchung Tsering, Vice President of the International Campaign for
Tibet. For more please see our full report.
You can also watch a clip of the reception put together by Voice of America:
ICT's WORK
Supporters located in the U.S.- please participate in Tibet Lobby Day from wherever you are!
 The
Seventh Annual Tibet Lobby Day is next week on March 2nd and 3rd, 2015!
While many Tibetan-Americans and friends of Tibet as will gather in
Washington, DC to remind our Members of Congress of the importance of
continuing their longstanding commitment to Tibet, we are asking all of our U.S. based members to participate virtually
by writing to your Representatives online. The success of Tibet Lobby
Day depends on the participation and efforts of Tibet supporters like
you. This is your opportunity to communicate directly with your elected
representatives and let them know that they have constituents who care
deeply about Tibet.
It only takes a couple of minutes to add your voice to this
effort. We’ve made it easy- just use our online form to enter your zip
code and an editable message will be provided directed specifically to
your Senators and Representatives. Please take action by writing today!
This event is a collaboration of Tibet Support Groups and Tibetan Associations in the United States.
INSIDE TIBET
Images from Tibet on the first day of Losar
Images of Tibetans celebrating Losar, Tibetan New Year,
despite intensified security, emerged from across Tibet last week. Losar
this year is significant, particularly in the Tibetan area of Amdo,
because it is the Dalai Lama’s 80th birthday on July 6, according to the
Western calendar.
A photograph from Ngaba showed Tibetans in a bold
celebration offering khatags (white blessing scarves) to an image of the
Dalai Lama at a shrine bearing the words ‘Welcome to the 80th birthday
of His Holiness’. According to tradition in the Tibetan area of Amdo,
80th birthday celebrations are particularly important. Meanwhile,
Chinese authorities deployed large numbers of troops in Tibetan areas of
Sichuan and Qinghai prior to Tibetan New Year, and declared the
importance of ‘stability’ at Losar.
New Chinese laws in Rebgong, northern Tibet, institute wide-ranging restrictions
The rules, enacted in Rebgong County in the northern Tibetan
region of Amdo, forbid 20 “illegal” activities, including “associations
formed in the name of the Tibetan language, the environment, and
education,” and playing music which “implies support for Tibetan
independence.” Rebgong is an important cultural and religious center
for Tibetans, and it has been the site of multiple protests and a number
of self-immolations over the last few years. For a full translated
list of the restrictions, please see this Tibet Post report.
Crackdown on young monks in Tsonub region of Tibet
Authorities
in Tsonub, the area west of Tso Ngonpo lake, have prevented young monks
who returned home for the Tibetan New Year from returning to their
monasteries. This move, reported here
by Radio Free Asia, is seen as an attempt to cut down on the size of
Tibetan monasteries. Local parents are concerned that the Chinese
government-run schools these children will have to attend instead don’t
teach the Tibetan language, and their attempts to organize
extra-curricular Tibetan language schools have also been stymied by the
authorities: “To compensate for this, an educated local Tibetan had
organized special classes to teach the language, but these have now been
shut down,” a local Tibetan told RFA. “If we disobey the government’s
directive, this could create problems for us. And if we comply, this
could hurt the future of our children.” The full story is available here.
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DISCUSSION
ICT's Blog:
Ideas, Advocacy & Dialogue on Tibet
Please join the conversation and stay updated by subscribing to the ICT blog's RSS feed.
  
» Losar in the State Department Heralds the New Year for Tibetan Americans, in more sense than one
By: Bhuchung K. Tsering
» Make the US Congress hear the voice of Tibet – Join Tibet Lobby Day in Washington DC
By: Tencho Gyatso
» Sheep, the White Haired Treasure
By: Rinchen Tashi
THANK YOU
We
are grateful to everyone who has renewed their ICT membership for 2015.
Every action ICT takes to help Tibetans shape a better future depends
on contributions from our members. Your support truly makes a
difference!
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