Update on 13 March Urgent Campaign:
(See images of dead bodies here: note, graphic images, discretion advised)

According to the Tibetan Government in Exile hundreds of Tibetans have been killed in the clashes with Chinese forces. This in contrast to Chinese claims of 13 dead, all ethnic Chinese. The Chinese government denies firing on the crowds or any Tibetan fatalities. Free Tibet Campaign has received eye witness reports of dozens of Tibetans shot dead in protests.

Demonstrations began on March 10 when hundreds of Buddhist monks marched in Lhasa calling for an end to religious restrictions and the release previously imprisoned fellow monks. The date marked the anniversary of the failed Tibetan uprising against Chinese rule in 1959. The Chinese government defended its crackdown and repeatedly stated that the protests were masterminded by the Dalai [Lama] clique.

Over the weekend protests have spread outside the Tibet Autonomous region to the Tibetan areas of Amdo and Kham. The Dalai Lama accused the Chinese government of cultural genocide and has called for an independent international investigation into the crackdown in Tibet.

Here is summary of the protests, please bear in mind that the situation is changing minute by minute.

1. Machu town in Gansu Province

According to an eyewitness 5000 people gathered in Machu Town on 17 March (Machu County, Ganan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Gansu Province). Crowds shouted slogans "we want freedom" and "long live His Holiness The Dalai Lama". Tibetan protestors waved Tibetan flags and some carried a very large photo of the Dalai Lama. Angered by heavy military presence, the protestors broke windows and doors of the Machu county government department building, attacked a police station. The eyewitness did not report the presence of Chinese security officials in Machu town. Thousands of paramilitary forces have dispersed the crowds.

2. North West Minority University, in Lanzhou, Gansu Province

According to a student who was involved and contacted Free Tibet Campaign in Dharamsala, around 100 Tibetan students started a protest on 16 March. The students sat in the main playing area of the campus to protest the killing of Tibetans in Lhasa. Dorshi Lama, a senior professor at the university, tried to persuade the students to return to their dormitories, but they refused to move. Latest reports said authorities were not allowing the students to leave the campus.

3. Kirti Monastery, Ngaba County, Sichuan Province

One eyewitness reported seeing Chinese security forces shooting dead thirteen Tibetans. A photo of dead bodies was released today. Eyewitnesses quoted seeing 30 people including monks, nuns and lay people shot dead. Three of the dead were named as Lobsang Tashi, Tsering and Norbu. The eyewitness reported that the protest was started by three monks from Kirti monastery and was joined by hundreds of monks and lay people. The protest took place 2km from Kirti monastery in Ngawa County. The protestors called for the release of the Panchen Lama. Protestors demanded the release of two monks from Kirti monastery who got arrested yesterday. According to the eyewitness police shot tear gas into the crowd and beat many of the protestors. The police then shot live round of ammunition into the crowd. Many more Tibetans were injured. The eyewitness then reported that the protestors reacted and burned down several police vehicles and the Public Security Bureau HQ. At 3pm Beijing time the monk told our contact that he had seen eight Tibetan bodies arrive at the monastery. Two were monks, one a lay female and five were lay people. The eyewitness told our contact that a further two bodies arrived at the monastery half an hour later.

4. Lithang Monastery in Lithang County.

Where Runggye Adak's protest took place last year, is sealed off. There are reports of arrests.

5. Rebkong (Rebkong County in Tsongon (Ch: Qinghai) Province):

Small protest were reported in Rebkong despite the area being under heavy surveillance after protests that erupted in February.

6. Labrang (Ch.: Xiahe) Sangchu County, Gansu Province

4000-5000 demonstrators gathered in Labrang on 15 March. The demonstration was started by monks of Labrang Tashikyil Monastery and was later joined lay people at a place known as Choeten Karpo (White Stupa) where people offered Sangsol Prayer (incense burning ritual). After the prayer session, people shouting "pro-independence" and "Long live the Dalai Lama'" slogans while heading towards the Sangchu County Government headquarters. The People Armed Police (PAP) fired tear gas and live ammunition into the air to disperse the demonstrators.

Five protesters have been reported killed according to information received by Free Tibet Campaign. Newsweek reported "Lindsay Hilsum of UK's Channel 4, said she and a colleague had been barred from travelling to Labrang today by riot police who banged their batons against their shields in "quite a menacing" manner".

7. Lhasa.

Witnesses report bodies lying in the streets and tanks were patrolling the Tibetan capital Lhasa amid heavy security lockdown. According to Tibet Centre for Human Rights and Democracy house to house searches are going on in Lhasa and former political prisoners are being rounded up. The Times reports on 17th March that dozens of handcuffed Tibetan protesters are paraded on tanks on the streets of Lhasa.

China has given protesters until midnight on 17 March to give themselves up. A directive from the Tibet Autonomous Region High People's Court stated that those who "submit themselves to the police 'shall be punished lightly', criminal elements who do not submit themselves in time shall be punished severely according to law."

It is extremely hard to get information out of Tibet since all foreigners have been ordered to leave the region although this is denied by TAR officials. Western media have been barred from entering regions where protests are taking place making it impossible to get independent footage out. James Miles of the Economist is, as far as we know, is the only western journalist in Lhasa.

Richard Gere has called for a boycott of the Beijing Games and the International Olympics Committee has admitted that some top athletes are considering a boycott.

Free Tibet Campaign is demanding China to halt its crackdown, withdraw military and security forces, release those detained and allow peaceful protest. China must halt house-to-house searches; and authorities must refrain from any further arrests of Tibetan protesters even after its so-called surrender deadline has passed on Monday at midnight. We call on our Governments to support these demands.

TAKE ACTION!

1. URGENT!

Please write to Gordon Brown and tell him to urge China to allow Western media and independent observers into Tibet before the 17 March midnight deadline. (If you receive this message after the deadline please urge him to push China to allow independent investigators into Tibetan areas.)

Fax: 020 7925 0918
Or you can send an e-mail message via the website: http://www.number10.gov.uk

Rt Hon Gordon Brown MP
10 Downing Street
London SW1A 2AA

- also urge Gordon Brown to call for a UN team of investigators into Tibet as soon as possible.

2. Write to the International Olympic Committee

The IOC must withdraw all Tibetan areas (TAR and Tibetan areas of Gansu, Qinghai and Sichuan) from the planned Olympic torch relay route. This includes the planned torch ascent of Mount Everest

Name: Dr Jacques Rogge
Position: President International Olympic Committee
Address: Chateau De Vidy
Case Postale 356
1007 Lausanne
Switzerland
Fax: +41-21-621-6216 Email: pressoffice@olympic.org
and cc your emails to solidarity@olympic.org and info@ioc.olympic.org


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