Essential Spirit

A blog about Buddhism and Buddhadharma, Human Rights, Tibetan Freedom, and a Sprinking of Politics

Global Reaction to the Tibet Crisis Continues to Grow

Filed Under Tibet, Human Rights, China | Posted on March 28, 2008

Calls for a boycott of the Beijing Olympic games and/or its opening cermony continue to be heard.
EU foreign ministers to debate response to Chinese crackdown in Tibet:

Foreign ministers from the European Union’s 27 countries were to debate ideas for an EU response to China’s crackdown in Tibet during talks starting Friday [March 28], amid […]

“Olympic Spirit Killed in the Streets of Tibet by the Most Repressive Regime on Earth”

Filed Under Tibet, Human Rights, China | Posted on March 26, 2008

REUTERS reports that the Dalai Lama has been invited to address the European Union Parliament on events in Tibet, and that the idea of a boycott of the games or, at least, of the opening cermony was the subject of an emergency debate on the Tibet issue.
I genuinely say that all politicians must ask […]

Monasteries Starve, Death Toll Increases, China Alarmed

Filed Under Tibet, Human Rights, China | Posted on March 26, 2008

Agam’s Gecko posts an extraordinarily comprehensive update of the current situation in Tibet.
Read it here.

Amnesty International: Human Rights in China and the Beijing Olympics

Filed Under Human Rights, China | Posted on March 25, 2008

Amnesty International has produced this graphic poster challenging China’s record on human rights. The caption reads:

CHINA IS GETTING READY
In the name of ensuring stability and harmony in the country during the 2008 Olympic Games, the Chinese government continues to detain and harass political activists, journalists, lawyers, and human rights workers.
In an article […]

To Boycott or not to Boycott?

Filed Under Human Rights, China | Posted on March 25, 2008

Poor China. They’d hoped the Beijing Olympics would propel the PRC into reputability as a world leader; instead, their continued human rights abuses direct the spotlight on the darker side of Chinese communism.
Tricycle Editors Blog points out that “Olympic boycotts hurt young athletes who spend years training for these events” and suggests […]

“Flame of Shame”: Protests Disrupt Olympic Torch Lighting Ceremony

Filed Under Tibet, Human Rights, China | Posted on March 24, 2008

From CNN:
Three protesters charged onto the field of an ancient Greek stadium to unfurl a banner calling for a boycott to the Beijing Summer Games. The brief disruption unnerved thousands of spectators, dignitaries and Olympic officials who packed into the sprawling ancient stadium to watch actresses posing as priestesses light the Olympic flame from […]

Chinese Military don Monks’ Robes?

Filed Under Tibet, Human Rights, China | Posted on March 22, 2008

Apparently, members of the Communist Chinese People’s Liberation Army enjoy playing dress-up.
Phayul.com reports that the riots that began in Lhasa on March 10 were actually incited by agents of the PLA dressed in monk’s robes.
Britain’s GCHQ, the government communications agency that electronically monitors half the world from space, has confirmed the claim by the […]

Germany’s Example

Filed Under Tibet, Human Rights, China | Posted on March 20, 2008

Germany demonstrates to the world that morality and justice can still outweigh political and economic interests in framing governmental foreign policy. Here’s hoping that other countries follow Germany’s example.
From Phayul.com:

In a fresh blow to Berlin-Beijing relations, Germany has said it is freezing aid talks with the Chinese government as a result of China’s […]

Stand with Tibet

Filed Under Tibet, Human Rights, China | Posted on March 20, 2008

Avaaz.org is collecting online signatures on a petition to Chinese president Hu Jintao, urging him to end the violence in Tibet.
After decades of repression, Tibetans are crying out to the world for change. China’s leaders are right now making a crucial choice between escalating brutality or dialogue that could determine the future of Tibet, […]