"We've hardly got any photos of the repression"

Photo taken in Lhasa today

Photos of the chaos in Lhasa are slowly finding their way to us. We asked a young Tibetan activist to explain how the Chinese government is managing to restrict information from leaving the country.

UPDATE (13 March 7.30pm): We published the first amateur images of events on the Observers site. Press agencies have now distributed new photos of the events, finally managing to get their documents out of the country.

"The media asks for evidence of the repression going on in Lhasa. And it’s impossible to give any"

Lhadon Tethong, a young Tibetan brought up in Canada, is the director of the "Students for a Free Tibet" association. Right now she's in Dharamsala, north India, where the leader of Tibet is in exile.

We couldn't get hold of our contacts in Tibet this morning. The Chinese authorities have blocked all information from getting out. It looks as thought they've brought down all internet connections and cut the phone lines, or at least mobile services. This is how they start controlling information.

Firstly, they play on fear. The Tibetan people know that to release a photo, or even make a call abroad, can get them thrown straight into jail. Even under normal circumstances they can be arrested for owning a picture of the Dalai Lama.

Then, they take complete control over the internet and telephones. To enter a cybercafé in Tibet you have to hand over proof of identity. Same to buy a phone card. And in any case the lines are tapped. It's happened to me sometimes- I've heard Chinese police in the background when I'm phoning a contact. They wouldn't hide it; they want to intimidate you.

The most depressing thing is when the media asks for evidence of the repression going on in Lhasa. And it's impossible to give any. There are loads of rumours. Particularly about the police firing at the demonstrators. Also about a 16-year-old girl that was killed. But we've got nothing to prove it."

Commentaires

Tibet

Soumis par Richard Pilgrim (non vérifié) le lun, 17/03/2008 - 10:31.

I read the comment that said the Olympic Games couldn't have come at a better time. While it's true that the games shouldn't be cancelled or boycotted, the international community will probably waste the opportunity by failing to use the games to bring pressure to bear on the Chinese government. Every democratic country should unite and threaten to boycott the games unless Tibet is made free but instead, we know that foreign dignitaries will be queuing up for their free lunches, fawning and heaping obsequious praise on the Chinese authorities. I, for one, will be sickened.

Utilisateur non inscrit

Tiber

Soumis par Anonyme (non vérifié) le lun, 17/03/2008 - 06:00.

Hi, I live in China for 8 months now and I do support the Tibetan activists. This situation is far from being normal and more freedom should be given to the region of Tibet especially regarding it's culture and it's religion.

Unfortunately,China demonstrates an imperialist attitude and do not play the full card of democracy. This seems to coincide with the Olympic games which could not happen at a better time.

Best of luck to Tibet.

Utilisateur non inscrit

What have China done to

Soumis par Anonyme (non vérifié) le mer, 19/03/2008 - 00:46.

What have China done to cause the wide spread criticism and threat of a mini boycott? This is totally outrageous. All this seems a orchastrated political plot with the innocent people getting hurt while the politicians rushing for moral high grounds. What I have seen is the tibetans holigans rioting and looting. If the tibetan freedom movement relies on these holigans and this kind of tactics to achieve their goal, then good luck. My answer to this is: hold those holigans against the law.

Utilisateur non inscrit