Humanosphere

To mark the start of the Tibetan New Year, Losar, some of Seattle’s Tibetan community demonstrated downtown against China with colorful flags, angry chants and coffins.

Seattle Tibetans protest against China, Westlake Park

“The situation in Tibet right now is very, very bad,” said Jampa Jorkhang, president of Tibetan Association of Washington and one of the organizers of the protest yesterday.

The Chinese government has severely clamped down on Tibet, not allowing in media and increasing the threat of “radical struggle,” according to the AP.

NPR’s Louisa Lim has a dramatic report on her attempt to sneak in and out with a story of the Chinese government’s activities, the protests and suicides.

Demonstrators at Seattle’s Westlake Park gathered to denounce the Chinese government’s crackdown on Tibet, which has gained some media attention lately due to the dramatic and tragic self-immolation of a two dozen monks, nuns and others in Tibet. As CNN reported, Tibetans all over the U.S. have decided to cancel portions of their New Year celebrations to try to put pressure on China.

Jorkhang, a local business who represents the 300-plus member Tibetan association, said Seattle and Washington state could play an influential role in putting pressure on China to cease its draconian measures in Tibet:

“Washington state is one of China’s biggest trading partners,” he said. “The governor recently visited China as part of trade delegation but refused to raise the issue of human rights concerns, saying it needs to be raised at the central government level.”

Here’s KPLU’s story on that episode. Recently, former Washington governor and now U.S. Ambassador to China Gary Locke did say the Obama Administration has “concerns” about deteriorating human rights in China.

But from Jorkhang and other local Tibetans’ perspectives, Locke’s statement is way too little, if not too late.

“There is great suffering in Tibet right now,” he said. “We should be much stronger in our condemnations. We should not put our economic concerns ahead of human rights.”

The demonstrations are aimed at trying to raise awareness, and more media attention, on what is happening right now in Tibet. “And they are to show our solidarity to grieve their losses.”