13. Sep 2011
TAR draws over 6 million tourists in 2011
(IANS) According to government figures, tourism in the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) hit record highs for both arrivals and revenue during the first eight months of 2011. 6.21 million tourists arrived in the TAR from January to August, up 22.1 per cent from the same period in 2010 and tourism revenue grew 42.7 per cent year on year to hit 6.34 billion Yuan (UK£603.5m; US$993m; EUR€691m). Wang Songping, deputy head of the TAR tourism administration, said festival trips in Tibet have become a trend. The TAR received 906,400 tourists for the seven-day Shoton festival, up 15 percent from 2010.
13. Sep 2011
Tibetan monk dies after serving 10 Years in chinese prison
(TPI) The Tibet Post International (TPI) reports that a former Tibetan political prisoner from Sog (Chin:Suo) county, in eastern Tibet, Yeshe Tenzin who served a 10-year jail term, died recently due to an illness brought about as a result of torture during his imprisonment. A monk from Sog Tsandhan monastery, he was sentenced for his involvement in distributing pamphlets calling for freedom in Tibet with friends in 2001. He was released in December 2010. His family and relatives reportedly took him to different hospitals for treatment in his last 10 months but to no avail. He passed away at his home on 07 September 2011, according to TPI.
14. Sep 2011
US report expresses concern over religious rights
(US Department of State; Xinhua) The US State Department, in its annual report on International Religious Freedom, covering the period between July and December 2010, expressed continued concern over the protection of fundamental human rights in Tibet. The report highlighted the ongoing social discrimination and restrictions that Tibetans face from government authorities and the majority Han Chinese. It also states: "Control over religious practice and the day-to-day management of monasteries and other religious institutions continued to be extraordinarily tight". "Although China's constitution protects religious freedom for all citizens but, in practice, the government generally enforced other laws and policies that restrict religious freedom", the US State Department noted under the Tibet section of its report. The Chinese authorities responded by saying that the US document was full of distorted facts and warned the State Department to stop interfering in China's domestic affairs.
14. Sep 2011
China to spend $47bn into TAR to 2015
(Reuters; Xinhua) Beijing will spend 300 billion yuan (UK£30.4bn; US$47bn; EUR€34.8bn) in the TAR over the next five years, with plans to finance roads, railways, hydropower stations and other infrastructure. The 226 projects the money will support are "aimed at achieving rapid development in Tibet", deputy governor Hao Peng said at an internal meeting according to Xinhua. Key transport schemes will include an extension of the railway from Lhasa to Shigatse, and highways to Mainland China, the report added. Other spending will target housing (largely the settlement of nomads and reconstruction of villages), environmental protection and health care. About 8 per cent of the investment will be used to foster the development of local industries, including tourism, mining, agriculture and stockbreeding.
16. Sep 2011
First liquefied natural gas station opens in Tibet
(Xinhua) The first liquefied natural gas (LNG) station in the TAR began trial operations in Lhasa to provide energy for the region, according to Xinhua. The gas station in the western suburbs of Lhasa has a storage capacity of 15,000 cubic meters and can fuel 150 buses and 400 taxis, PetroChina's Tibet subsidiary said in a press release. It is the first phase of a project that carries LNG to Tibet from the neighbouring Qinghai province. The entire project, consisting of a LNG terminal that receives 1,560 cubic meters of gas daily and two gas stations, will be completed in November 2011, the report said.
19. Sep 2011
Three more Kirti monks sentenced
(Phayul) A Chinese court has sentenced three more monks from Kirti monastery to varying prison terms, according to Phayul. Lobsang Dhargye, brother of Phuntsok, who died after setting himself alight in an anti-China protest in March 2011, and Tsekho, were both sentenced to two and half years in prison. The two were arrested in April 2011. Another monk named Dorjee has been sentenced to three years' imprisonment. "All of them were believed to have been sentenced for their role in assisting Phuntsok", a Phayul source said. According to the source, the Chinese government has introduced a policy of emptying the monastery as protests calling for the Dalai Lama's return and religious freedom continue following Phuntsok's self-immolation in March. "If a monk decides to quit the monastery and disrobe, the Chinese government gives 10,000 Yuan (UK£1,012; US$1,565; EUR€1,159) and a loan of 50,000 Yuan (UK£5,060; US$7,825; EUR€5,795) loan for three years", the source said, adding that no monk has accepted the offer thus far.
19. Sep 2011
Tibet's first private banking service opens in Lhasa
(Xinhua) The China Construction Bank (CCB), one of the four leading commercial banks in the People's Republic of China (PRC), opened a private banking service in Lhasa, the first in the TAR, said authorities with the bank. It will provide financial services and other personalised products and services to high-end customers with personal assets under management (AUM) of over 3 million Yuan (UK£303,706; US$469,500; EUR€347,880).
20. Sep 2011
(2 comments)
Chinese mining officials open fire on Tibetan workers
(VOT) Four Tibetan labourers have been injured after Chinese mining officials opened fire on them over a wage payment clash in the Tibetan area of Chatreng (Chin: Xiangcheng) in Kardze, a newly arrived Tibetan told the Voice of Tibet (VOT) radio. Mining in Chatreng began four ago. "Tibetan workers and their Chinese bosses initially had an argument over a wage payment issue", he said. "Later on, the Chinese officials called the police who opened fire on the Tibetan workers". Another VOT source said that local Tibetans tried to contact Chinese media to highlight the issue but no one turned up. "Local Tibetans were helpless, and they started protesting against the Chinese authorities but the Chinese police beat up the Tibetans severely", said the same source.
