A number of human rights groups — including the Taiwan Tibetan Welfare Association and the Regional Tibetan Youth Congress Taiwan — yesterday announced a series of events to commemorate the 56th anniversary of the 1959 Tibetan uprising, while advocating for the Tibetan cause to the world.
“It’s been more than half a century, and we Tibetans living in exile are still waiting for the opportunity to go home, while as many as 130 Tibetans living in Tibet and five living abroad self-immolated between 2009 and 2014 to protest the Chinese occupation of Tibet,” association president Tashi Tsering, a Tibetan, told a news conference at the Legislative Yuan.
“We would like to invite all Taiwanese to stand with us to remember those Tibetans who have been sacrificed, and to voice our call for a free Tibet,” Tashi said.
Tashi explained that on March 10, 1959, a demonstration by Tibetans in Lhasa to stop the Dalai Lama from accepting an invitation to see a drama performance in a Chinese military camp turned into an uprising against Chinese rule.
“The Dalai Lama was therefore forced to go into exile until today, while more than 1.2 million Tibetans inside Tibet were killed, and over 6,000 Buddhist monasteries were destroyed,” he said.
“Since then, we Tibetans have never ceased in our pursuit for a free Tibet, for the freedom of religion in Tibet and for the preservation of Tibetan culture,” Tashi said.
Chiu E-ling (邱伊翎), secretary-general of the Taiwan Association for Human Rights, said that as members of the global community who have shown much concern for human rights issues in the past few years, “We Taiwanese should not hesitate to join people around the world to speak out for the Tibetans.”
This year, events to commemorate the Tibetan uprising include a march that starts from MRT Zhongxiao Fuxing Station in Taipei at 2pm tomorrow, and another march in Kaohsiung that begins from Central Park (中央公園) at 6pm on Tuesday.
In addition, a candlelit vigil is planned to take place in Taipei’s Liberty Square at 7pm on Tuesday.
The Chinese military has built landing bridge ships designed to expand its amphibious options for a potential assault on Taiwan, but their combat effectiveness is limited due to their high vulnerability, a defense expert said in an analysis published on Monday. Shen Ming-shih (沈明室), a research fellow at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said that the deployment of such vessels as part of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy’s East Sea Fleet signals a strong focus on Taiwan. However, the ships are highly vulnerable to precision strikes, which means they could be destroyed before they achieve their intended
The first two F-16V Bock 70 jets purchased from the US are expected to arrive in Taiwan around Double Ten National Day, which is on Oct. 10, a military source said yesterday. Of the 66 F-16V Block 70 jets purchased from the US, the first completed production in March, the source said, adding that since then three jets have been produced per month. Although there were reports of engine defects, the issue has been resolved, they said. After the jets arrive in Taiwan, they must first pass testing by the air force before they would officially become Taiwan’s property, they said. The air force
GLOBAL: Although Matsu has limited capacity for large numbers of domestic tourists, it would be a great high-end destination for international travelers, an official said Lienchiang County’s (Matsu) unique landscape and Cold War history give it great potential to be marketed as a destination for international travelers, Tourism Administration Director General Chen Yu-hsiu (陳玉秀) said at the weekend. Tourism officials traveled to the outlying island for the Matsu Biennial, an art festival that started on Friday to celebrate Matsu’s culture, history and landscape. Travelers to Matsu, which lies about 190km northwest of Taipei, must fly or take the state-run New Taima passenger ship. However, flights are often canceled during fog season from April to June. Chen spoke about her vision to promote Matsu as a tourist attraction in
PAWSITIVE IMPACT: A shop owner said that while he adopted cats to take care of rodents, they have also attracted younger visitors who also buy his dried goods In Taipei’s Dadaocheng (大稻埕), cats lounging in shops along Dihua Street do more than nap amid the scent of dried seafood. Many have become beloved fixtures who double as photography models, attracting visitors and helping boost sales in one of the capital’s most historic quarters. A recent photo contest featuring more than a dozen shop cats drew more than 2,200 submissions, turning everyday cat-spotting into a friendly competition that attracted amateur and professional photographers. “It’s rare to see cats standing, so when it suddenly did, it felt like a lucky cat,” said Sabrina Hsu (徐淳蔚), who won the NT$10,000 top prize in
RSS