A group of advocates calling for the protection of Tibetans’ rights and freedoms yesterday said it would hold a large demonstration in Taipei on Saturday.
The group told a news conference in front of the Legislative Yuan that the human rights situation in areas controlled by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has been worsening, citing conditions in Tibet, Xinjiang and Hong Kong, where it said the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is engaged in “genocide.”
The group called for people from those regions to join Saturday’s demonstration to “speak up for the protection of human rights and freedoms.”
Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei Times
The rally would mark Tibetan Uprising Day, which is commemorated annually on March 10, Tibetan government-in-exile representative Kelsang Gyaltsen Bawa said.
Kelsang compared Tibet’s plight to that of Ukraine, saying that former PRC leader Mao Zedong (毛澤東) had ordered the invasion of Tibet after issuing a statement that the region was “an inalienable part of China,” just as Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered Ukraine’s invasion after claiming it to “share a historical unity” with Russia.
“The CCP says the same about Taiwan. History will repeat itself if we do not learn from its lessons. Taiwanese must learn from what Tibet’s experience has taught us,” he said.
Despite Tibet being forced into the Seventeen Point Agreement by Beijing, innumerable Tibetans died in continued aggression in the region by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and PLA-backed militias, he said, adding that Taiwan could suffer the same fate at the hands of the CCP.
“The Tibetan government has been stuck in exile for 63 years due to Chinese oppression. Taiwan is a beacon of democracy in Asia, so it must bravely stand up to CCP aggression,” he said.
“Even during this year’s winter Olympics in Beijing, CCP officials were arresting dissidents in Tibet,” Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Hung Sun-han (洪申翰) said. “Meanwhile, Tibetans who communicate with others abroad have been monitored and punished, even when the content of their discussions does not touch on sensitive topics.”
The experiences of Ukraine and Tibet show that agreements signed with autocracies do not guarantee peace, DPP Legislator Lin Ching-yi (林靜儀) said.
“Not only will an agreement with a dictatorship not guarantee that tanks will not roll in, it might even serve as an excuse for invasion,” she said.
FUKUOKA SITUATION: Japanese media reported that the pathogen is expected to be identified by the summer, while the CDC downplayed the idea that it was hMPV A “mysterious cold-like illness” reported in Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture does not seem to be a new disease, but Japanese authorities have been asked about the situation, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. The Fukuoka Prefectural Medical Association on Wednesday told a news conference that a “mystery cold” that has become a hot topic on social media is “highly likely to be caused by some kind of viral infection,” Japan’s KBC News reported. “Many people are experiencing symptoms starting with a sore throat, followed by a runny nose, phlegm and a severe cough,” KBC News reported, citing association officials. Health authorities are
Nvidia Corp CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) arrived in Taiwan yesterday ahead of upcoming AI and technology events, saying he plans to meet with clients and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) during his visit. After landing at Taipei Songshan Airport, Huang posed for photos with fans and handed out Yakult drinks to reporters and supporters waiting at the scene, saying he has “a lot to do” during the trip. Asked about reports that Nvidia’s planned headquarters site in Taipei’s Beitou Shilin Technology Park could break ground on May 27, Huang said that if the company holds an event, he would
The Ministry of Finance this afternoon announced the winning numbers for the March-April uniform invoice lottery. The winning number for the NT$10 million (US$318,060) special prize is 19531471, and the winning number for the NT$2 million grand prize is 85941329. Three numbers were drawn for the NT$200,000 first prize: 07225810, 20231230 and 83518781. Those with receipts matching the last seven digits of any of the first-prize numbers will win the NT$40,000 second prize, while those matching the last six digits will win the NT$10,000 third prize. Those whose receipts match the last five digits of the first-prize numbers can claim the NT$4,000 fourth prize,
Taiwan Travelogue (臺灣漫遊錄), which earlier this week became the first Taiwanese novel to win the International Booker Prize, is to be adapted into a television series through a Taiwan-Japan coproduction, producer Chang Chen-yu (張辰漁) said yesterday. Chang, a producer at World Softest Production Film Co, wrote on Facebook that the company had been searching for projects with international appeal that retain a strong Taiwanese identity after colleagues and Japanese partners strongly recommended the novel. After reading the book, Chang said he immediately decided to pursue the screen rights. “A great story has the power to transcend time and borders, and connect countless people,”
RSS