Out LOOK Tibet

Dharamshala: A Tibetan organisation has meticulously compiled and published a book detailing comprehensive account of events backed with credible evidences of Tibetan people's peaceful demonstrations against five decades of wrong policies of the Chinese government in Tibet in 2008.

It clearly details the deaths of hundreds of Tibetans, arrests and torture of thousands following the Chinese government's brutal clampdown throughout Tibet in general, and in the Tehor region in particular.

Based on factual accounts told by different sources in Tibet to the Central Tibetan Administration, the Tibetan Solidarity Committee, and news reports of world media, the book contains lucid description of protesters' background and their participation in the peaceful protests.

The book said: “Between 10 March 2008 to 11 June 2009 more than 240 peaceful protests were witnessed in different areas of Tehor, located in Karze in Tibet's Kham Province. More than 3,000 Tibetans took part in these demonstrations. During the same period, substantive evidences proved brutal killing of 25 Tibetans by the Chinese authorities in Tehor. More than 140 Tibetans were sentenced to prison in Tehor alone. An uncountable number of Tibetans were arrested arbitrarily, while hundreds were maimed and thousands severely beaten".

In the forward to the book His Holiness the Dalai Lama applauded the initiative of Tehor Welfare Association and said “accounts based on real experience witnessed and heard by ones' own eyes and ears would help in realising the truth of Tibetan people's cause".

His Holiness offered his prayers to all those Tibetans who sacrificed their lives for Tibet with unflinching sincerity and courage.

Kalon Tripa Prof Samdhong Rinpoche was invited as the chief guest to launch the book at a function here this morning. Praising the team of the book,  Kalon Tripa underlined the "paramountcy of keeping a written record of Tibetan people's peaceful struggle to preserve their unique identity and cultural heritage in Tibet".

Kalon Tripa described the "region of Tehor as an origin of Tibet's religious and cultural tradition, and its people as indomitably courageous"..

He emphasised that "compiling a written record of gallant acts of Tibetans living inside at regular intervals would prove meaning to our struggle for the just cause of Tibet".

On behalf of Tehor association, the editor of the book expressed deep appreciation to the sponsors, and pledged to continuously stand united and in solidarity with the people inside Tibet in their peaceful struggle.

According to the information received by the Central Tibetan Administration, as of 31 August 2009, about 223 Tibetans have died and over 1,294 were seriously injured since the Chinese authorities brutally clamped down on the peaceful demonstrations in Tibet since 10 March 2008. Over 4,657 were arrested, 371 sentenced and more than 990 have simply disappeared. Four Tibetans were executed in Lhasa 20 October 2009 for their alleged role in the peaceful protest.