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" The Chinese government is already failing to deliver on its pledge to fully lift restrictions for foreign journalists ahead of the Beijing Games. "
Sophie Richardson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch.

It is eighteen years since we watched in disbelief as the tanks of the Chinese PLA rolled into Tiananmen Square, and Chinese troops opened fire on their own citizens, killing hundreds, and injuring thousands of innocent, peaceful protesters. Now, as China prepares for the Olympic Games next year, all its promises of greater openness, freedom and accessibility for journalists are increasingly seen to be hedged. Tibet's true Panchen Lama remains in custody, no-one knows where, no journalists are permitted access to him or his family. Falun Gong followers continue to be ruthlessly hunted down and imprisoned for their belief in Truth, Forebearance and Compassion. Chinese AIDS activists continue to be persecuted, as recently reported by Human Rights Watch;
          
" When 10 policemen barged into the Beijing apartment of Hu Jia and Zeng
Jinyan last Friday morning and told them that they were under house
arrest and prohibited from leaving the country, it was more than just
the latest incident in a long-standing crackdown against human-rights
activists. It was also an indication of how China intends to handle
dissent between now and the Olympic games that will open in Beijing in
August 2008."

Meanwhile, we continue to kowtow and smile and carry on with "business as usual."

BEIJING, China (Reuters) -- Eighteen years after the crushing of the Tiananmen Square protests, at least 13 little-known Chinese are still behind bars for their roles in the pro-democracy movement, a human-rights group said.
People's Liberation Army troops and tanks put down the student-led demonstrations on June 4, 1989, killing hundreds, possibly thousands.
Then Communist Party chief Zhao Ziyang was toppled for opposing the massacre and the government labeled the protests "counter-revolutionary" or subversive.
"I want to tell those who claim that Tiananmen 'belongs to another era' that, behind the high, barbed-wire-ringed walls of the Chinese prisons, Tiananmen prisoners are still suffering and forced to engage in hard labor day and night today," the Chinese Human Rights Defenders said in an e-mailed statement, quoting an unnamed former prisoner of conscience.
Few details were known about the 13, beyond their names, the group added.
At least three were convicted of "counter-revolutionary sabotage" and one of "counter-revolutionary assault." Seven are serving suspended death sentences and six are serving life, it said.
The group said those still in jail, whom it termed "political prisoners", should be released at once.
"The government should allow open and independent investigation of the massacre, of cases in which people were allegedly tortured into confessions and of cases of wrongful imprisonment," it added.
The square was quiet on Monday, full of the usual tour groups and people flying kites, but also some plainclothes security.
In Hong Kong, tens of thousands of people were expected to turn out for a candle-lit vigil in the evening as they do every year.
More than 120 members of a Hong Kong group supporting democracy in China did an 18-km (11-mile) run on Sunday to mark the anniversary.
Key figures have been silenced at home or forced into exile abroad since 1989, but voices for reforms have mutated into a crusade involving a new generation of civil rights campaigners who have taken up the cudgels for the downtrodden.

Beijing to Evict 1.5 Million For Olympics: Group

By REUTERS

Published: June 5, 2007

BEIJING (Reuters) - Some 1.5 million residents of Beijing will be displaced by the time it hosts the 2008 Olympics, many of them evicted against their will, a rights group said on Tuesday, prompting a sharp denial by China.

The Geneva-based Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions (COHRE) said residents were often forced from their homes with little notice and little compensation, as the government embarks on a massive city redevelopment to accommodate the Games.

"In Beijing, and in China more generally, the process of demolition and eviction is characterized by arbitrariness and lack of due process," the group said in a report.

After demolition, inhabitants were often "forced to relocate far from their communities and workplaces, with inadequate transportation networks adding significantly to their cost of living," the group said.

Beijing's Olympic organizing committee and China's Foreign Ministry said the report was groundless and the figures vastly inflated, with only 6,037 people displaced since 2002 for the construction of Olympic stadiums.

"During the process, the citizens have had their compensation property settled. No single person was forced to move out of Beijing," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu told a regular news conference.

Across China, battles between residents and property developers have become commonplace as breakneck development swallows up swathes of rural land and as cities raze sections to make way for skyscrapers and shopping malls.

LIVELIHOODS LOST

Recourse to adequate compensation varied widely, the housing rights watchdog said, adding that those who suffer a significant decline in their living conditions as a result of their relocation could be as high as 20 percent.

"As soon as you are evicted, you lose part of your livelihood," the group cited one resident as saying.

In one neighborhood, many who were relocated complained that even if they received compensation they could not afford to pay management fees and unsubsidized electricity and water charges.

While dislocations were common among cities around the world hosting major events, the group noted that in China, where the Communist Party keeps a tight rein on dissent, there was only a limited role for the media or grassroots groups to publicize abuses or advocate change.

Residents who spoke to COHRE's researchers also alleged corruption on the part of local governments, which they said accepted illegal payments from developers.

The group noted several cases of housing rights lawyers and activists who were imprisoned, including Ye Guozhu, who was sentenced to four years in jail in December 2004 for organizing protests against forced evictions.

Particularly vulnerable to abuses were Beijing's population of poor, rural migrants, who often live in urban villages on the city's outskirts.

The International Olympic Committee said it was seeking a better understanding of how mega-events like the Olympics impact displacement through a meeting with the U.N. Special Rapporteur for Adequate Housing.

"As a matter of principle, how the Olympic Games impact people's lives is an important matter for the IOC," its communications director, Giselle Davies, said in an e-mail.

HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH
China: Tibetan Herders� Livelihood in Jeopardy
Government Must Halt Forced Resettlement of Herders, Provide Redress for Abuses

(Washington, DC, June 11, 2007) � The Chinese government is forcibly relocating Tibetan herders to urban areas and farmland, destroying their livelihoods and way of life, and denying them access to justice for violations of their rights, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today.

Since 2000, the Chinese government's campaign to move Tibetan herders to urban areas has put traditional lifestyles and livelihoods at risk for the approximately 700,000 people who have been resettled in western China. Many herders have been required to slaughter their livestock and move into newly built housing colonies without consultation or compensation.

The 79-page report, "No One Has the Liberty to Refuse: Tibetan Herders Forcibly Relocated in Gansu, Qinghai, Sichuan and the Tibet Autonomous Region,"  documents how the government's policy of forced resettlement has violated the economic and social rights of Tibetan herders. It draws on interviews conducted between July 2004 and December 2006 with some 150 Tibetans from the areas directly affected.

"Some Chinese authorities claim that their forced urbanization of Tibetan herders is an enlightened form of modernization," said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. "But those same authorities didn't bother to find out what Tibetans want, and have been heavy handed with those who have complained."

The Chinese government explains forced relocations as a necessary policy to protect the environment and to "develop," "civilize," and "modernize" both these areas and the people living there. Some Chinese officials have promoted the concentration of herders in urban areas as a way to improve the herders' access to social and medical services, and also stimulate the growth of urban economies in the poorer, western regions of China. But others arguably have less lofty motives of wanting to suppress Tibetan culture and forcibly assimilate Tibetans into Han Chinese society.

The report documents how Tibetan herders forcibly resettled in urban areas are frequently unable to secure anything other than temporary or menial labor, partly as a result of their inability to speak Chinese or their lack of capital to start small businesses. Some Tibetan herders have been resettled on farmland, despite the fact that these pastoralists have little or no experience in farming.

It is clear that the government faces serious environmental problems in western China, and that poverty remains significantly higher in that region. But the causes of these problems and the validity of official measures taken to address them remain highly questionable, such as the government's enthusiasm for large infrastructure development projects in areas supposedly in need of environmental protection.

A study in 2006 by Chinese scholars concluded that, "If we cannot find an effective method for solving these problems, then the disputes over grassland brought by the worsening of the environment may redouble, and could severely influence the social and political stability of Qinghai and even of the entire Northwest regions."

"Several Chinese studies acknowledge that the loss of land rights has harmed the Tibetan herders' interests, but the policy persists," said Adams. "These studies also point out how this policy is increasing the possibility of social conflict in western China."

Human Rights Watch called on the Chinese government to impose a moratorium on all resettlements until it establishes an effective mechanism to review the resettlement policy and its negative impact on the rights of herders. The government should also take all appropriate steps, including the ability to return to a herding livelihood, to ensure that adequate alternatives are available to those who have been resettled and can no longer provide for themselves. In instances in which consultation and compensation have been inadequate, local authorities should offer herders the opportunity to return, to be resettled in an area nearby or like the one from which they were moved, and provide appropriate compensation as dictated by new Chinese law.

"Chinese officials claim to be promoting economic development and protecting the environment, but it is hard to see those goals actually being achieved or benefiting Tibetan herders," said Adams. "If the Chinese government won't review this policy, its justifications have to be called into question.�"

Selected testimony from Tibetans interviewed for the report:



"They are destroying our Tibetan [herder] communities by not letting us live in our area and thus wiping out our livelihood completely, making it difficult for us to survive in this world, as we have been [herders] for generations. The Chinese are not letting us carry on our occupation and forcing us to live in Chinese-built towns, which will leave us with no livestock and we won't be able to do any other work, so we will surely be beggars."
 
F.R., Tibetan from Machen (Maqin), Qinghai province, November 2004

"Land suitable for forest should be planted with trees and land suitable for grass should be planted with grass, and the policy of giving up farming for forest and giving up animal husbandry for grass should be diligently continued and carried forward. The traditional livelihood of the [herders] should be exchanged for market economy and prosperity should be embraced."
F.H., from Pema (Banma) county, Golok prefecture, describing Chinese policy in his home district, January 2006

"Because there are no Chinese living in the remote pastoral areas of Tibet, many of our local people believe that the policy of putting Tibetan herders in the towns is in order to control those areas, and after the older generation passes away, we will gradually be assimilated into the towns..."
A.M., from Machen county, Qinghai Province, September 2005

"No new houses have been built, they have just put new doors and windows in the old prison buildings. The government made a lot of publicity about bringing electric and water facilities, but those who moved there say there is no such facility. The government talks about providing food subsidy eventually, but so far they got nothing..."
Z.R., from Chabcha county, Qinghai province, January 2005

VOICE OF AMERICA:
CHINA FACED WITH CREEPING DESERTIFICATION
By Luis Ramirez
Beijing
11 June 2007

The Chinese capital has been battered by several sandstorms over the past two months, prompting the communist government to step up efforts to combat desertification. China is losing thousands of square kilometers of arable land to the deserts each year - the fastest rate in the world. VOA's Luis Ramirez reports from Beijing.


Sand is gradually replacing topsoil in large areas of China
Springtime in Beijing means sandstorms -- a reminder that the desert is advancing. Scientists say the deserts of northern and western China are expanding by several hundred thousand square kilometers a year.

They estimate that in just a few years, the Chinese capital could be covered with silt. Officials fear much of the nation could look like that unless they speed up efforts to stop the advance of the deserts. The cause: centuries of overgrazing and forest clearing.

The government has spent billions of dollars and mobilized thousands of rural residents over the past decade in tree-planting campaigns.

Government officials are keen to show off their efforts, which have been intensified after international criticism. South Korea and Japan have blasted Beijing for not doing enough to control the dust clouds that foul the air over their territories.
Cao Qingyao, a spokesman for China's State Forestry Administration, took journalists to desert areas in Hebei province, just 100 kilometers northwest of Beijing. He says Japan and South Korea should not blame China for their dust problems. The official says Beijing has made great strides in combating desertification and he says China is, in fact, a victim of the problem.

But critics say the Chinese government is relying too much on highly visible methods, like planting trees. Grass, they say, is more effective in holding the topsoil in place, but is not as likely to be noticed by officials who approve the funding for anti-desertification projects.
Christopher Flavin, head of the Worldwatch Institute, was recently in China to talk about the country's environmental challenges. He says Beijing will have no choice but to come up with a more effective approach. "Environmental damage is going to become a major threat to economic development," says Flavin.

Environmentalists say the only real solution is to ease pressure on the land, a monumental task for a nation that is struggling to feed itself. In the past decade, China has gone from being an exporter of grain to an importer.

NEPAL PRO-CHINA

INTERVIEW WITH CHINESE AMBASSADOR ZHENG XIANGLIN

Excerpts of an interview with His Excellency Zheng Xianglin, the newly appointed Chinese Ambassador to Nepal by Sudheer Sharma, editor of Nepal magazine.

Q. We can see some "free Tibet" activities here. Is this really a threat to Chinese security?

Zheng Xianglin: The Nepali government has already made the sincere commitment that Nepalese territory will not be used by the Tibet separatist forces against China. We are a little bit worried about the activities done by the separatist forces here. We will work closely with the Nepali government to oppose this kind of separatist activities in Nepal against China. We hope that the Nepal government upholds its commitments. China cannot compromise with the Tibetan issue, because this is related to the territorial integrity and sovereignty of our country. The Nepal government has understood our sensitivities quite well.

Read full visit here : http://www.kantipuronline.com/interview.php?&nid=112467

High and low, good, bad,
pornography and puja-
we make them from void.




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APPEAL TO HIGHLIGHT AND PROTEST CHINESE JAMMING AND CENSORSHIP

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For 11 years Voice of Tibet (VOT) has produced and broadcasted news and information to Tibet and China through daily short wave radio broadcasts (in Tibetan and Mandarin languages). For 11 years Chinese (PRC) authorities has attempted to block/deny access for millions of listeners by broadcasting noise and distorted music on top of our exclusively registered and internationally “protected” frequencies.
What the PRC is doing is called “jamming”: “the intentional transmission of radio signals in order to interfere with the reception of signals from another station.”



On behalf of VOT we appeal because you can make a difference to achieve our objective:
To make China stop “jamming” VOT (RFA, VOA and other “foreign” broadcasts), and thus allow the Tibetans and Chinese access to uncensored news and information.

THE CONTEXT IN BRIEF:
The UN General Assembly has stated:
”Jamming of radio broadcasts is condemned as a denial of the right of all persons to be fully informed concerning news, opinions, and ideas regardless of frontiers.”
”Freedom of information is a fundamental human right and is the touchstone of all the freedoms to which the United Nations is consecrated.”

The Chinese Constitution “guarantees”:
”Citizens of the People's Republic of China (shall) enjoy freedom of speech, of the press, of assembly, of association, of procession and of demonstration.”

Still the PRC authorities define listening to “foreign” broadcasts like VOT?s as illegal “splittist” acts. Those caught listening or informing others how to tune in are prosecuted or sent to “reform-through-labour” camps.

The Chinese jamming transmissions not only interferes listening in Tibet and China. It also denies access for listeners in countries like Nepal, India, Taiwan and most parts of Europe as well. This fact makes the Chinese “jamming” a violation towards the rights of people worldwide, systematically carried out by a permanent member country of the UN Security Council.

Demand that Chinese jamming must stop immediately
On behalf of our listeners, and also referring to the Brussels action plan, VOT calls for action and support from TSG’s worldwide in highlighting and protesting the Chinese jamming, demanding that the PRC immediately must stop:

1. Jamming Tibetan and Mandarin language radio broadcasts of VOT, RFA & VOA
2. End the blocking/filtering of VOT’s and other NGO’s web-sites

What you can do:
1. Use the (above presented) information and documentation (as your own material) to inform and lobby Governments, Politicians (Parliament Groups etc.), Journalists/Media and institutions/NGOs in your country/region

2. Make the issue of VOT/Chinese jamming of foreign broadcasts part of your TSG’s national or international campaign(s)

3. Give presentations highlighting the ongoing repression and censorship in Tibet & China, based on your own and the above mentioned material

4. Inform us of politicians, institutions and/or media in your country which might be interested in more information/documentation directly from us

Own savings and financial support from private individuals allows no charges except postage.


Free information material (only postage charged):
1. Free books (postage charged): “Silenced – China’s Great Wall of Censorship” including documenttion on Voice of Tibet’s experiences with the Chinese censorship and “Open Letters” to institutions, politicians, journalists, tourists etc.
2. A Free CD-ROM which follows the book with video, audio and more pictures on the present situation
3. A “ready-made” presentation (in English) in PowerPoint & Flash: “Media repression and censorship in China and Tibet”, containing text, pictures and audio on the ongoing censorship schemes. The presentation will also be arranged the option of translating into different languages (to keep layout/structure/text/picture – but change text).

You or your organisation can order the above mentioned material separately or the complete “package” (up to 25 pieces per organization/group).



A brief video presentation of VOT?s activities (from 2006) can be seen at:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=oJd1lljj0Bc (English language)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=anC8x1RvbKw (Mandarin language)


Contact/order information:
The Foundation Voice of Tibet - St. Olavsgt. 24 - 0166 Oslo - Norway
Tel: +47 22111209 –

E-mail: voti@online.no

URL: www.vot.org / www.diantai.org

Contact person: Mr. Oystein Alme, VOT director mobile: +47 99378097

YUNGCHEN LHAMO’S NEPHEW IN NEW YORK HIT AND RUN

In 2003, when she first came to the United States, Nyiga Tenzin Nordon, Yungchen Lhamo’s sister, began working with immigration officials to have her son, Gonpo join her in New York. She was granted political asylum in 2005. She said Gonpo's father was murdered because of his political beliefs in Tibet, which the Chinese have occupied since the 1950s. Gonpo never knew his father because when he was only 3 weeks old when his father was killed.

Gonpo, a native of Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, had been in New York close to two weeks when he and his mother went for a walk on the morning of June 8 near their home in Sunnyside, Queens. They had planned to go shopping. At a traffic light on Queens Boulevard at 47th Street, they stood on the sidewalk, waiting to cross the wide, busy boulevard.

His mother, Nyiga Tenzin Nordon, told him to be cautious. "I said: 'This is Queens Boulevard. It's a very dangerous place, so anytime you cross this street you have to be careful,' " she said.

Seconds later, before they even tried to cross, she heard a loud boom. In this city of collisions, everything — car frames, healthy bones, peace of mind — can shatter in an instant.

A red Jeep Cherokee with Florida license plates collided with a silver Honda Civic, and the impact sent the Honda over the curb and into a pole, striking Gonpo, Ms. Nordon and two other pedestrians.

Gonpo's right leg was crushed below the knee, and he was taken to Bellevue. The driver of the Jeep sped away. Gonpo remains at Bellevue, in his room on the eighth floor, on his bed, not saying much, not even to his mother. The police say the driver of the Jeep caused the accident.

Ms. Nordon, 35, says she often thinks about the driver. The police have yet to capture him. "He just left like that," she said. "He's not a human being. No matter what, he should have stopped."

She sleeps next to her son, her only child, and knows the hospital well. Her mother was recently found to have liver cancer and had been hospitalized off and on at Bellevue. For nearly a week in June, her son recuperated on the eighth floor while her mother was treated on the 15th.

Gonpo comes from a family of Tibetan immigrants who have known both success and struggle. Ms. Nordon's sister is Yungchen Lhamo, one of the world's most popular Tibetan singers. Ms. Lhamo, who shares an apartment with Ms. Nordon in Sunnyside, records for Real World Records. Ms. Nordon cleans hotel rooms at the Hilton Garden Inn Times Square on Eighth Avenue, but she has not returned to work since her son was injured. Gonpo cannot walk. He is in stable condition as he waits for both plastic and orthopedic surgeries next week, said Dr. Lori Legano, one of Gonpo's doctors.

Ms. Nordon worries about the bills and health insurance. She said she is unsure, since her son just arrived in New York, if her health insurance will cover his medical bills. Her mother, she said, does not have insurance. A fund has been established in Gonpo's name to help the family with medical and other expenses (The Gonpo Dorjee Fund, P.O. Box 716,  Lake Katrine, N.Y. 12449).