Chinese Power Monsters Go Ballistic--55 More Tibetans Go To Jail

China sentenced 55 Tibetans as the 8th round of talks began
The Tibet Post International
6/11/08
China sentenced fifty-five Tibetans who took part in the March protests against Chinese rule in Lhasa, Tibet on 5 November 2008 as representatives of the estranged Tibetan leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama took part in the eighth round of talks with China in Beijing.
Pema Tsewang, Chinese-appointed vice chairman of the regional government for Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), announced the sentencing during a meeting with Michael Andrew Johnson, visiting member of the Australian House of Representatives.
"Following the violence, police detained 1,317 people, of whom 1,115 were subsequently released. The rest stood trial,” said Tsewang, according to the official Xinhua news agency reported 5 November 2008.
This is the overall number given since the government began sentencing people for their roles in the peaceful demonstrations in Lhasa Tibetan capital, on March 14.
The Chinese government ruthlessly cracked down on peaceful Tibetan demonstrators across Tibet leaving 218 Tibetans dead, 1290 injured and 6705 arrested or detained since 10 March 2008.
According to state-controlled Chinese media, "rioters torched 120 houses and 84 vehicles and looted 1,367 shops, causing a direct economic loss of about USD 47 million. 18 civilians and one police officer died and 382 civilians and 241 police were injured."
Previous reports from the Chinese government said 30 people had been convicted of arson, robbery, disrupting public order and attacking government offices, among other crimes, as of April 29. Their sentences ranged from three years to life. [my bold] [This reminds me that not so long ago some America citizens were so frustrated and outraged by the murder of Rev. Martin Luther King that they took it out on their own communities.]
Chinese official news agency "Xinhua" did not elaborate on the length of prison terms awarded to the fifty-five or on what charges their convictions took place. It is unknown if they had legal representation. The sentences of the other 147 people who stood trial are also unknown.
Civil rights groups and international communities condemned the arbitrary detention of Tibetans for peacefully exercising their right to freedom of expression and opinion to voice their grievances with China.
http://www.tibetpost.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=840&Itemid=26

More Arrests of Peaceful Tibetans

It hurts my fingers to type the words "People's Republic of China" because there is no such thing. The greedy power-crazed dictators have infected too many Chinese, (as well as many European/Americans) with their twisted version of the truth, and if the leaders of countries which have some semblance of free speech don't do something, I shudder to think of the consequences.
Imagine being imprisoned for ONE YEAR for simply asking, over a cell phone, about Tibetan independence.
New cases of arbitrary conviction to Tibetans in Tibet
The Tibet Post International
15/11/08
Ever since peaceful protests erupted in Tibet, starting from 10th March 2008, the Chinese government used the state's full force on the peaceful demonstrators through varies means and ways such as: arbitrary arrests, detentions, brutal tortures and conviction of many to imprisonment without due process of law.
According to a reliable Tibetan from inside Tibet, who broke out and explained emphasized that only above a mere fifty percent of news reach out to the Free world. New cases of arbitrary convictions are as follows:
1) On 11th November, Three monks from Thangkor Sogtsang Monastery namely: Tsultrim Gyatso aged 35, Tsultrim Jungney aged 29 and Thubten alias Lobsang Thubten aged 25 were sentenced 2 years of imprisonment for taking part in the Peaceful Demonstration in March this year by Dzod-ge District People's Court of Ngaba Autonomous Region were decided to shift to Men-Young in Sichuan Province.
2) On 5th November, a group of security personals of Dzod-ge district came to Thangkor Sogtsang Monastery and interrogated the recently released group of 16 monks. They also took a picture with them. Indication of surveillance and restrictions on the monks still continues as quarters for the district police and some of its related employees are being built in the monastery premises.
3) In our press release dated11th November, we have stated that on 6th November Dartsedo People's Court sentenced a nun whose name is still unknown from Karze region and Pema Choetso from Badhe Gang Drongpa of Karze Region were given 4 years each of imprisonment and an announcement to pass similar judgment were circulated and put on the walls for public notice. Their detailed names are nun Lhatruk alias Lhakpa Choetso aged 24 from Drak-kar Nunnery of Karze District and Richen Dorjee's daughter Pema Choetso alias Paepae who was previously a nun of the same nunnery were sentenced 2 years of imprisonment on 7th April for taking part in the recent Peaceful Demonstration.
4) Around 5th November, monk Tsewang Drakpa from Jangdha of Drag-go district was sentenced 5 years, monk Thubten Gyatso from Tawu was sentenced 4 years and monk Jangsem Nyima alias Karma Choephel from Zatoe district of Yulshul region,Tso-Ngon province was sentenced 3 years by the court of Dartsedo for taking part in Peaceful Demonstration on 6th June this in Drag-go District. They have distributed a number of documents on the paper with national emblem snow lion picture.
5) On 14th May, Bumgha from Kham Ghojo of Serta district was sentenced 6 years of imprisonment from Dhartsedo court for taking part in the peaceful demonstration recently.
6) Tashi Woeser from Chamdo was sentenced 1 year for allegedly asking when Tibet is getting Independence to his relative in Lhasa through phone. [my bold] The call was heard by the security personal.
http://www.tibetpost.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=852&Itemid=1

Bogus People's Court in Sichuan!

It just goes to show how completely useless language is when dealing with adversaries whose intentions are not good. The so-called "People's Court" has convicted four young men to YEARS in prison for demonstrating. How unbelievably fragile China's government must be to not be able to absorb any form of dissent! After all, monks, nuns and people just out of their teens can't just go out into the street to shout slogans against the tanks and guns of the poor old People's Republic [sic]! That might start a revolution--wait, didn't that..., oh, never mind.
Sichuan Court Jails Tibetans
2008-11-20
KATHMANDU--Authorities in the southwestern Chinese province of Sichuan, which is home to large populations of nomadic Tibetans, have jailed four Tibetan men for their part in an attempted uprising against Chinese rule earlier this year.
Sources in Dartsedo (in Chinese, Kangding) said Thubten Gyaltsen, 19, from Minyak, Tsewang Dragpa, 21, and Tenpa Choephel from Yulshul were handed jail terms of three, four and five years respectively by the Dartsedo People's Court for their role in June protests.
Meanwhile, a fourth man, a monk from the Golog Serthar Buddhist Center (in a town known as Seda in Chinese), was sentenced to six years' imprisonment after taking part in protests May 14.[…] "The family members of those Tibetans who were sentenced were neither informed [of the trial] nor offered a chance to find lawyers to defend the cases," a source in Draggo county (in Chinese, Luhuo) said.
Kardze (in Chinese, Ganzi) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture and other Tibetan regions of Sichuan saw fierce fighting and also non-violent protests between Tibetan nomads and Chinese security forces in the wake of the Lhasa protests, which turned to riots on March 14.
[…] "A woman that I know was recently detained for calling outside Tibet. A young man named Tashi Oser, who is in his 20s, was detained for making a call to Lhasa. The phone lines from the Kardze area are completely blocked."
Since it is difficult to communicate, we have information [on only some] of the Tibetans who have been detained, sentenced, or killed. Many cases are not known," he added.
The Chinese authorities have also continued a wave of detentions and sentencings within the Tibetan Autonomous Region since the protests and ensuing violence.
Continuing restrictions
[…] The authorities had stepped up a "re-education" program for Tibetans with mass SMS broadcasts, residents said.
"Chinese officials are sending out text messages over the phone saying that they will never accept self-rule for Tibet, [my bold] [Shouldn't they be spending more time prosecuting the contractors of those school buildings that collapsed a few months ago and poison baby formula. dog food, whatever?] and that independence is out of the question," the Lhasa source said.
[…]
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/tibet/dartsedo-11202008090026.html

Missing a Limb

Other than my compulsive daily trolling of the Internets for signs of peace and justice, I have a few real world things to sort out.
Like death.

Ron "Doc" Rosen was buried on July 23 at Crow Dog's Paradise on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota. I know the overwhelming grief I feel is shared by many others.

Ron was so much to so many people. It's astonishing to think how much we packed into the 3+ years of nearly constant togetherness. In the decades after that, it was a rare two days when I didn't get a message about some action, some outrage, and finally but most fortunately, of finding love in Carol and his desire to devote himself to her.

We were true comrades who bonded over kung fu movies in the old Chinatown theaters, sneaking sushi in. My little slice of life with him was like an “everything” pizza. We met near the end of 1969. Bored and lonely, I spent much of that year going to The Alternate U on 14^th Street, corner of 6th Ave. (Anyone with more info on it? I can’t find much on the web.) I floated through Astrology for Socialists, Consciousness Raising classes (FOR WOMEN ONLY), and a terrific class run by Murray Bookchin on Anarcho-Communism.

A very motley group usually assembled just as I was leaving, wearing weird uniforms with tight belts, shouting at each other as they practiced punches and kicks. The leader of the pack had flashing black eyes and long black, curly hair. He walked like a cowboy but often wore black slacks with a black business shirt. (I later learned there was a white collar inside so he could effectively transform into The Reverend Ron Rosen.) I decided to practice whatever it was to have my consciousness raised by other liberated women, and finally introduced myself.

My life was never the same.

I joined the Self-Defense for Activists class and became a dedicated member. As the class grew and The Alternate U imploded from infighting and provocateurs, it seemed clear our class would have to find another place to continue working out. A carpenter friend of Ron's named Stephen Barnett knew of a loft on Broome Street for a whopping $300 a month, 1,200 sq. ft. Yup!

We had a home and took on a Chinese name to distance ourselves from the more macho karate and judo practitioners. Ron came up with Wo Ping Kuen Kwoon, or Peaceful Harmonious Fist School. Those were the days before SoHo, and I really needed to use self-defense on several occasions coming or going from the place late at night.

In addition to the Kwoon, Ron & I spent the bulk of our free time (rent was only $47 a month!) either in Village hangouts or doing political work at the Washington Square Methodist Church on W. 4th St. The guy who usually held court at the Kettle of Fish or Feenjon's, Walter Teague, had an office in the back of the church which was called the submarine. Although it covered the entire width of the church, it was only about 10 feet wide, however the clearance was wayyyy up there, so submarine it was for the Asian American Information Committee (also known as the US Committee to Aid the NLF, or USCANLF, to us & the FBI).

Walter's mission was to educate the American people to the Vietnamese. He wanted to put a face on the "gooks" and press more people to resist fighting. To advance this mission, on Saturday nights we'd have film showings in the church. These were often a mix of a radical Hollywood movie, like Marlon Brando's "Burn," with films from Vietnam, showing what every day life was like for these incredibly vulnerable people. Their beauty inspired the desire to live, no matter how horrible the conditions, and after shows we'd ramble into the neighborhood bars to eat, drink and live like the revolution was coming tomorrow.

Ron was a great mentor, in fact became better over time. He was ever patient and never rude. He never criticized directly but instead would smile and ask if the person had read a particular book or heard a song, then he'd smile again and eventually, the argument would dissipate. Of course, Ron had zero tolerance if someone was out looking for a rumble.

As the police were directed to use more force and violence toward all protesters, Ron took the lead as an organizer of "cadres" of street medics. Those of us in the Kwoon were his first class but I now understand he was looking forward to what he ultimately became, the people's healer.

Thanks to Ron I got to march in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade! The Young Lords had been getting a lot of press coverage and decided they would participate. Ron “volunteered” us and we wore armband crosses with red berets, as was the Young Lord’s fashion.

Ron was brilliantly self-taught, even if you don’t count all the amazing people in his family. His Grandfather, Joseph Greenstein was well known in the carnival circuit as “The Mighty Atom.” See

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Greenstein for more info.

Here’s an excerpt:

Greenstein continued performing his strongman feats well into his eighties, giving his last performance at his great-grandchilds first birthday on May 11th, 1977. (Was that you, Ari?)

Zeidy taught Ron basic martial arts skills which he acquired while escaping Russia through Asia. Sifu Greenstein also practiced Judaism with the same dedication it took to survive the immigration.

Ron’s entire family lived with the openness I characterized as one of Ron’s best qualities. There was always time to talk. Aunts and Uncles came and went or stayed, as Desde did. What some might have seen as an unorthodox household seems to have been a perfectly tended garden.

Ron absorbed highly technical information with barely a high school education. He learned about the barefoot doctors in China and how acupuncture affected health. During the battle of Wounded Knee in 1973, the Native American Tribal Leaders fully accepted him because he brought medicine and stood with them during the siege. I don't know if Wounded Knee was the first time Ron almost died from being in the wrong place at the right time, but it certainly changed his life. He packed up NYC and made Denver his home. He stopped teaching people how to fight and instead taught them how to heal. He became so good at it that his name is known all over the world by indigenous people, people who fight oppression and humanitarian aid workers. Whether it was Guatemala, Ache, New Orleans or New York City, if people were needy, Doc was tireless.

HE HATED WAR, INJUSTICE, INTOLERANCE

Ron was one of the first to learn of my impending marriage to our mutual cohort, Bert Lee, and if things had been different, he'd have been the one to marry us. I will always regret that we were not able to attend Ron and Carol's wedding this past June. It would have been one last beautiful time to share together.

Of course, Ron was going to live forever and didn't have insurance or savings. If you have the ability to contribute to Ron's family for the hospital and burial, plus help keep the clinic going, here are contact addresses:

The StreetMedics
1529 York Street
Denver, CO 80206

Denver-Training-Collective@streetmedic.org
Medic.Trainers@aimmedics.org

The address I have for Carol is:

1590 S. Dahlia Street
Denver, CO 80222

If this information is incorrect, please let me know. Carol and their extended family need our help getting through this awful time, so please do what you can.

If there's interest, I'll post other items regarding Ron, Doc, Sifu, …

Here is a quote from Doc's Own site:

"Traditionally in every tribal society, medicine sprang from and was the property of the tribe and the people as a whole. In the middle ages, the church based medical establishment deliberately and methodically substituted a patriarchal, hierarchical medical paradigm. It is my goal with the projects I've been helping to set up around the world to return medicine to the hands of the people from which it sprang." - Doc Rosen