Tibet News:

Tibetans defy Chinese restrictions to mark Dalai Lama’s birthday

(TibetanReview.net, Jul10, 2011)  

Last updated on Jul 10, 2011 13:40:21

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Despite an intense ongoing military crackdown as a result of continuing sporadic protests, Tibetans still defied the Chinese repression by celebrating the Dalai Lama’s 76th birthday on Jul 6, releasing plumes of smoke from incense burning ceremonies at their homes and elsewhere. Reports from Tibet speak of thousands of Tibetans having been prevented from holding ceremonies and celebrations to mark the occasion.

One report, aired by Oslo-based Voice of Tibet radio news serviced Jul 7, said more than 10,000 lay Tibetans had joined an early morning incense burning ceremony on the Machen Pomra hill in Tawu (Chinese: Daofu) County of  Kardze Prefecture in Sichuan Province. The report cited an exile monk with contacts in the area as saying a force of more than 500 paramilitary People’s Armed Police arrived on the scene and moved to stop the ceremony. But the Tibetans, carrying their national flags, shouted slogans against the disruption.

The report said the protest continued for some five hours and came to an after the head of the nunnery arrived and spoke to both the sides.

An elaborate ceremony was also reported to have been held also in Draggo (Chinese: Luhuo) County of Kardze Prefecture, with no reports yet of any Chinese disruption.

Two monks of Dhargey monastery in Kardze County were reported to have been held in the morning of Jul 5 for allegedly carrying out secessionist activities. There were no further reports.

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