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opinion:
revelations
Tibetan situation
a concern for all
Saru Dawa, 27, a Tibetan
monk, died in February under mysterious circumstances while
in the custody of Chinese police.
Ngawang Lochoe,
a 28-year-old Tibetan nun, died earlier that same month just
a year before the completion of her 10-year prison sentence.
Lochoe and five other nuns were arrested for a peaceful demonstration
in Lhasa, Tibet, in 1992 and sentenced to five years in Drapchi
Prison in China.
These two symbolize
the ongoing severe abuse of human rights in China.
Organizations including
Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and various pro-Tibetan
groups, have made several pleas to the international community
to help end these abuses, but their pleas have fallen on deaf
ears.
This Saturday is
the 42nd annual Tibetan Uprising Day.
Tibetan Uprising
Day is a day of remembrance for the millions of Tibetans who
have fallen prey to human rights abuses since the 1950's,
when Tibet was invaded by the Chinese and of their peaceful
rebellion in 1959 when they decided to take action.
Currently there
are 451 known Tibetan political prisoners being held in Chinese
prisons in Tibet. Many have died from the torture and abuses
suffered while in custody.
In his book "The
Autobiography of a Tibetan Monk," the Venerable Palden
Gyatso, a Chinese prisoner for 33 years, tells of some of
the abuses that he endured and witnessed. Among the abuses
he saw were beatings and the use of various torture items,
including electric cattle prods that were placed inside of
his mouth and also used to rape and sterilize Tibetan women.
The importance
of Tibetan Uprising Day is to show solidarity for the Tibetans
who have suffered and died while fighting to maintain or retain
their rights. More importantly, it is in remembrance of the
1959 protests and the subsequent demonstrations since China's
occupation.
So why should this
affect us here in the United States?
Well, it is simple
really. Tibetan Uprising Day should remind the millions who
go through life taking freedoms for granted to stop doing
so.
While countries
like Tibet are struggling for their very existence every day,
we seem to sleepwalk through life taking every right and freedom
we do have for granted.
Perhaps this could
be a day where we can reflect on the freedoms we do have.
Think about the freedoms we do not have and realize that together
we can make a change.
The situation in
Tibet has not died because the Tibetans have not let it. I
am sure somewhere in the back of your mind you can think of
plenty of rights and freedoms that have been won through demonstration,
protest and solidarity.
On Saturday, many
Tibetans and pro-Tibetan supporters will march and demonstrate
for an end to the human rights abuses in Tibet. Maybe we here
in the United States should realize that countries are still
fighting for certain rights that they do not have and realize
there are many causes here at home which still need to be
focused on as well.
Alex Roman is
a print journalism major at Cal State Long Beach.
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