Sing For Tibet

In 1911, a revolution overtook China. The movement went across the country. By the next year, they had moved into neighbouring countries, such as Tibet. By 1913, Tibet had sent the Chinese back to their own country and His Holiness the 13th Dalai Lama returned to Lhasa. For the next 30 years, Tibet enjoyed freedom.

But since China entered Tibet in 1949, the situation got worse. The Tibetan population became oppressed by the invading Chinese. Residents have been fleeing into neighboring India for over 50 years now, claiming repressive policies and severe human ownership abuses. The total amount of refugees has now topped 80,000.

News From Bhutan

Around 1983, China targeted Tibet for mass immigration gift Han Chinese extra money if they were willing to emigrate. In 1984 more than 100,000 Han Chinese took benefit of the incentives. But no money was given to Tibetans, so they were more concerned in following the Dalai Lama to India, even if development the trip was perilous to them. Mountaineers would article finding bodies of unprepared Tibetan refugees, frozen to death while trying to escape the Chinese.

In 1986 Tibet was opened to foreign visitors. So when the Chinese attacked demonstrators in 1987, tourists were able to explore for themselves the tragic situation there. China learned from this and now does not let much data about the abuses leave Tibet. But now that the truth has been exposed to the world, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama had come to be a leading international figure, working tirelessly from his government in exile's base in India to win back their free time from China.

Working through their government-in-exile in Dharamsala, high in the Indian Himalaya mountains, Tibetan Buddhists across India are fighting to be able to return to a free Tibet. Meanwhile, they are also working to keep their own unique identity while being surrounded by much larger Indian Hindu communities.

Within that remote government, the agency of Religion and Culture is trying to support Tibetan identity through religious education. For example, they contribute Buddhist teachers to schools operating covering Tibet. This way, the younger generation learns about their religion, language and traditions from well trained experts. Over 200 monasteries now operate in India, Nepal, and Bhutan.

Lobsang Wangyal uses his position as an independent photojournalist to help educate the world about the reality in Tibet. In addition to his writings and images, Wangyal also works on artistic and cultural events within the Tibetan community. Art projects help connect the population with their culture and even demonstrate their quest for freedom. According to Wangyal, "Tibetan artists through their art form show that... They want to go back to their own country, which is now busy by China.... They display all this through their media."

Now he is planning a new event called "Sing For Tibet" to keep the issue high in the collective view. This is an international performance, to be held on October 10, 2010 in Brussels and New York. There are no celebrities or speeches planned - the audience will accomplish the "Sing For Tibet" song together, without any kind of amplification. Wangyal hopes that population in Europe and the United States who say they care about the Tibet will take this occasion to come out and show the world how much they want free time for the Tibetan people.

Sing For Tibet

Friends Link : todays world news headlines