Testimonies gathered from across the whole Tibet area, including the regions known to Tibetans as U-Tsang, Kham and Amdo, describe widespread celebrations marking the awarding of the US Congressional Gold Medal to the Dalai Lama on 17 October 2007. These events underline the futility of the Chinese authorities’ efforts to prevent Tibetans from honouring their exiled leader. Anticipating the celebrations, the Chinese authorities stepped up security and surveillance and issued orders in several areas forbidding any form of religious or festive display. However, many Tibetans ignored official instructions and observed the occasion by burning incense, hoisting prayer flags and holding parties all over Tibet, further confirming the influence the Tibetan leader still holds over hearts and minds after more than four decades of exile.
In Lhasa, where security was heightened well before the award ceremony, monks in Drepung monastery repainted their walls as a symbolic gesture of loyalty to the Dalai Lama. As a result, three thousand armed police surrounded the monastery. Details are still unclear as to what action has been taken against the dissenting monks.
Chinese authorities routinely heighten security and surveillance in major cities such as Lhasa and Shigatse ahead of sensitive dates. In the present case, however, the same high levels of security were also introduced in more remote and less high-profile Tibetan areas. In Amdo, north-eastern Tibet (now included in Qinghai and Gansu provinces), county and prefecture-level authorities issued directives to locals forbidding them from buying celebratory fireworks or performing religious rituals. However, a Tibetan student from Machu joyfully reported to TibetInfoNet that the authorities had failed to prevent Tibetans from partying into the small hours.
On the day of the award ceremony in Washington DC, many soldiers and police were patrolling the streets of Machu town. Local Tibetans thronged the shops in search of firecrackers, the sale of which had been banned by the authorities. In one shop, police beat back the Tibetan customers and a fight ensued. Two local Tibetans were detained overnight but were released the following day. The heavy military and police presence prevented public celebrations but it was unable to stop other activities such as incense burning carried out by individual families and groups of friends in their homes or, as is customary, on the tops of the surrounding mountains.
A source from Golok informed TibetInfoNet that security was similarly tightened in Golok prefecture town with the police and the army patrolling the streets. Internet cafes were also shut down. However, many people celebrated the occasion privately by burning incense and reciting prayers for the long life of the Dalai Lama. Tibetans travelled in their hundreds to the sacred site of Amnye Machen Mountain, one of the most sacred mountains of Tibet, where Tibetans believe the powerful Amnye Machen deity resides. Here they made incense offerings and erected prayer flags in homage to their exiled leader.
According to information from a local trader, which was further confirmed by a schoolteacher and highly respected senior monk, some of the most enthusiastic celebrations took place in Labrang, Amdo (Chin: Xiahe, Gansu). In Labrang town itself the sale of fireworks was banned two days before the award ceremony and, on 17 October, shops and restaurants were ordered to close by 10pm. Monks from Labrang monastery had planned to mark the event and had stockpiled fireworks for days in advance. Some of the monks had collected around 7000 Yuan in contributions to purchase more fireworks in Kachu (Chin: Linxia), but police later confiscated these as the monks made their way back to Labrang. Initially the monks planned to start the fireworks at around 12:40am in order to synchronise the celebrations with the exact timing of the ceremony in Washington. But, as they came to learn about a planned police crackdown, they started celebrating earlier than intended by letting off fireworks around 9pm. Local lay people joined the monks in their celebration as everyone shouted: “Lha Gyalo” [“Victory to the gods”] and “Long Live the Dalai Lama”. Occasional calls for Tibetan independence were also heard.
Later, exhilarated Tibetans clashed with the police as they attempted to call a halt to the celebrations. Sources described truckloads of soldiers being brought into the town and a water cannon was deployed to disperse the crowd. Tibetans threw stones and other missiles at the soldiers and police and about five or six people from both sides were reportedly injured. Twenty five Tibetans were arrested and detained overnight but released the following day.
One monk, who was reportedly deaf and dumb, was subjected to a severe beating. Local students from the Tibetan Middle School were prevented from joining the celebrations and the ensuing demonstrations although many tried to leave the school compound. Claims that two students were arrested could not be verified. Celebrations also took place in Rebkong, Siling (Chin: Xining) and other areas in Amdo and Kham (Sichuan province). Even in Lithang, where severe restrictions and a repressive atmosphere still prevails following the arrest of Runggye Adak in August 2007, local sources reported that many people celebrated privately by burning incense both at home and on mountain tops.
The widespread and spontaneous celebrations indicate an increasing political awareness amongst Tibetans inside Tibet and a strong sense of common national consciousness. They were partly made possible by the use of modern technology such as electronic and satellite communication and the internet, which the authorities attempted to control by closing down Tibetan websites and jamming foreign radio and TV stations.
Somewhere in Amdo/Qinghai (Summer 2007) |