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Book on 2008 Tibetan protests released

By Lobsang Wangyal | Tibet Sun

Prime Minister of the Tibetan government-in-exile Samdhong Rinpoche releases a new book covering Tibetan protests in Tehor, Kham province in eastern Tibet, since spring 2008, and the subsequent Chinese crackdown there, in Dharamshala, India, on 19 February 2010.Tibet Sun/Lobsang Wangyal/India

A new book covering Tibetan protests in part of eastern Tibet since spring 2008, and the subsequent Chinese crackdown there, was released on Friday.

The book: The Great Peaceful Protests — the never-ending wave of courage, testifies as to the number of protests, and the number of people killed and arrested in the Chinese crackdown, between 10 March 2008 to 11 June 2009 in Tehor region of Kham province in eastern Tibet.

More than 240 peaceful protests had taken place during that time in Tehor. At least 25 protesters have been reportedly killed by the Chinese forces, and 140 people have been given prison terms, according to the book.

The 400-plus page book was authored by Ven Beri Jigme Wangyal, a sitting member of the Tibetan parliament-in-exile, Ven Rinchen Ngodup, and Ven Phuntsok Norbu. It has been illustrated with photos of protest scenes, and of people killed, injured and beaten. Tehor Committee published the book with funds donated by various individuals.

Violent anti-China protests swept across the Tibetan plateau starting in March 2008, and the Chinese crackdown left more than 200 protesters dead, hundreds imprisoned and many missing.

Prime Minister of the Tibetan government-in-exile Samdhong Rinpoche launched the book at a modest function, attended by the Speaker Penpa Tsering and the Deputy Speaker Dolma Gyari of the Tibetan parliament-in-exile, other guests and around 200 people in the audience.

Rinpoche, while commending the initiative of recording the history while it is fresh, urged the authors and the publishers to continue to document such events in the future.

The Dalai Lama has written the foreword to the book. He has said that recording the history and the experiences of the suppression in Tibet will help in understanding the real situation there.

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