A Personal Account of Tibetan Uprising Day in Toronto

March 10, 2011

10:40 am I look around and see familiar faces. With umbrellas in one hand and placards and flags in the other, most of Toronto’s Tibetans are braving the cold damp weather to mark the 52nd anniversary of the Tibetan people’s uprising of 1959. Less than a week ago we were dressed in our chubas and sipping chhang at the Exhibition Place celebrating the first day of Losar. Today the chubas are less festive and we are all gathered to mark a more solemn and historic moment in Tibet’s past. Fifty-two years ago on this day over 300,000 Tibetans converged around the Norbulingka palace forming a barrier between His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Chinese unit stationed on the outskirts of the city. The people rose up to protect their leader and to protest the presence of Chinese troops on their land.

Tibetans and Tibet supporters gather in front of Queen's Park

11:15 am I’m walking behind a couple with a baby in the stroller. The parents have a small Tibetan flag attached to the stroller. Many school age children are marching alongside their parents and grandparents. Every year I see more babies and elderly folk- the former are born Canadian, the latter come from Nepal and India to be reunited with their sons and daughters. Parkdale has turned into Little Tibet. Not surprisingly, Tenzin is the most popular name for boys and girls in Parkdale. The young Tibetan Canadians around me are passionate and articulate. If China thinks the passing of His Holiness the Dalai Lama will signal the end of the resistance, it is gravely mistaken. There is a new generation of Tibetans both inside Tibet and in exile ready and waiting to take charge of the struggle. We are shouting slogans for freedom, justice and demanding an end to China’s illegal occupation of Tibet. The boys behind me start chanting shame shame, China shame. The woman in front of me mutters that she thought we weren’t doing that particular slogan anymore. Apparently no one else got that memo.

Marching to the Chinese Consulate from Queen's Park

11:35 am We are marching up Yonge St. past numerous adult novelty stores. Passing strangers and cars honk and give us the universal gesture of approval- thumbs up. I can’t help but notice the occasional smirks we get from a few people. I have no way of knowing they are Chinese so I won’t make that assumption.

12:15 pm Three cops rush over to a young Chinese man on the sidewalk across Bloor street near St. George. A fellow marcher tells me the man threw a small bottle of Billy Bee honey into the marching line a few rows ahead. This sour moment is quickly forgotten as we near the Chinese Embassy. Our chants grow louder as we get closer to the Embassy. Once there, we hear words of encouragement from longtime Tibet supporter Cheri Di Novo, former MP of Parkdale-High Park Peggy Nash, and Toronto City Councilor Gord Perks among others. Cheri puts things in perspective by reminding us that we are “one year closer to a free Tibet.”

MPP for Parkdale-High Park and long-time Tibet supporter Cheri DiNovo

Former MP and long-time Tibet supporter Peggy Nash

12:50 pm I think about the not-so-sweet billy bee incident from earlier. I have in the past been confronted by people who believe in the far left’s version of a feudal Tibet devoid of any of the rights Tibetans are now fighting for. When the owner of the local French patisserie learned I was Tibetan he told me he was happy for me because Tibetans were no longer shackled by ‘old Tibet’s’ brutal feudalism. I find it hard to have meaningful discussions with people who have already made up their minds about Tibet instead of doing a bit of research. What’s tragic is that Chinese citizens believe their government’s propaganda. When a family friend visited Tibet in the late nineties, she found the treatment of Tibetan people by Chinese settlers in Lhasa quite unsettling. While at Norbulingka, the summer palace of His Holiness the Dalai Lamas, she saw a minor scuffle between a Tibetan and a Chinese. It ended with the Chinese person remarking something to the effect of “After all we have done for these barbarians, they treat us with such contempt.” It is hard to even begin engaging with people with this mentality. I wonder if the honey jar thrower had the same thought when he saw us marching on Bloor St.

Cheuk Kwan, Toronto Association for Democracy in China

I push these thoughts out of my mind and focus on the now. It’s still drizzling but the chanting hasn’t stopped. We sing the Gyallu, the Tibetan national anthem, followed by O Canada. Then comes a prayer I have heard sung numerous times but do not know the words to: Tseme Yonten. The full translation can be found here. One verse is especially apt for the day:

Those unrelentingly cruel ones, objects of compassion,

maddened by delusion’s evils,

want only destroy themselves and others;

May they achieve the eye of wisdom, knowing what must

be done and undone, and abide in the glory of friendship

and love.

I urge all Tibetans and supporters to continue fighting for what is right. Take your Lhakar pledge today and join the growing strategic nonviolent movement that started inside Tibet. For Dhondup Wangchen, Norzin Wangmo, Jigme Gyatso, and the countless other political prisoners suffering in Chinese prisons. Bhod Gyalo!

Nawang, SFT Toronto

SFT Canada hosts Activist Training for Tibet at York University

SFT Canada hosted our SFT Activist Training for Tibet at York University this past Saturday, February 12, 2011, the first time we’ve ever hosted it at York. We had a great crew of participants from all over Toronto and even London!

Throughout the day, participants learned about non-violent direct action, and peeled away at the true meaning of non-violence, which proved to be quite interesting and thought-provoking for everyone.

Participants were also given training on grassroots organizing to ensure the longevity and success of their individual chapters and were given the chance to creatively organize mock events for their chapter work.

The day consisted of several other workshops, but as always, the thing that I really took away from the training was a renewed promise to continue working for Tibet. Seeing these young people so passionate about Tibetan freedom and independence who were so insistent that China’s brutal rule and occupation of Tibet has to end was extremely inspirational.

I think Nyinjee, one of SFT Toronto’s newest members, said it best on Saturday when he said, “We are born refugees, we will die as free Tibetans.”

Thanks to SFT York and all the facilitators for all their work in helping make this SFT Training for Tibet possible!

It’s Happening: Tibetans are Rising Up

Jigme Gyatso, a Tibetan hero and political prisoner profiled by SFT

Things have changed in Tibet. Really changed. Since last spring, Tibetans have been in the midst of reclaiming their nation in a way that has never been seen. They are risking everything simply to shout out the words “long live his holiness” or “human rights;” they are mobilizing in the hundreds, sometimes thousands with nothing more than home-made flags and their unyielding desire for freedom.

In response, entire towns have been militarized, monasteries emptied out to prevent monks from organizing, and foreigners have been once again barred from entering Tibet. In its effort keep an illegal and shameful occupation going, China has shown everyone that for all of its talk of democratization and progress, it is a totalitarian state through and through, buying its way into the rest of the civilized world with promises of profit.

Yet the more the Chinese government attempts to quash the resistance, the more determined Tibetan people become. (Apparently the Chinese government has been too busy torturing and killing Tibetans to realize this). Since China began their crackdowns and terror campaigns after last year’s March protests, the Tibetan revolution has continued – peaceful protests have been reported all over traditional Tibetan areas and continue to this day.

On February 15th, a 37 year old man named Lobsang Lhundup staged an impromptu protest in Lithang shouting “No Losar (Tibetan new year celebrations) this year” and “Long live his holiness the Dalai Lama.” He was quickly joined by between 100-200 Tibetans. The Chinese police and Public Security Bureau officials came and beat the protesters and detained Lobsang.

Lobsang was later told he’d be released if he signed a letter calling on Tibetans to celebrate Losar and also criticizing the Tibetan government in exile for not encouraging Losar celebrations. He refused and remains in detention today.

The next day, along with Lobsang’s relatives, 300-400 Tibetans gathered to protest in the same place. The shouted “free Tibet” and “don’t celebrate Losar.” The officials brutally beat the protesters and detained 23 of them. All shops were ordered to close on the following day and armed police set about patrolling and identifying protesters who got away.

Though this is a tragic time for Tibetans, it also an inspiring and defining moment. Tibetans inside Tibet are taking the lead and they’re not giving up. They are organizing boycotts, blogging, refusing bribes despite their poverty, and protesting no matter the consequences.

Somewhere deep inside the Chinese officials’ minds, they must be scratching their heads and wondering why they are in Tibet in the first place and how they can possibly get rid of this massive thorn in their side.

Let the Games begin!

The Beijing Olympics’ opening ceremonies are tomorrow, and already, Tibet has been on the tongue of many reporters covering the Games. As one CBC reporter put it last night, “Tibet has come back to haunt China.”

Yesterday, a group of us protested outside the Chinese embassy in Ottawa. Five people chained themselves to the front gate while two climbed light posts to hang banners reading “One World, One Dream: Free Tibet” in English and French.

It all happened so fast: the troop of reporters, cameramen and photographers arrived, followed by car after car of police and RCMP. The blockaders were quickly surrounded by media as the climbers hung their banners on the nearby light posts. The nervousness I originally felt had subsided because I knew we were all in this together and that people around the world were also protesting. We knew we were doing the right thing by standing in solidarity with Tibetans and their supporters who were protesting in Beijing, Vancouver, San Francisco, and London.

Watching the news back at home last night, I saw my new friends sitting resolutely in front of the Chinese embassy gate. For so many years, we respected the police barricades and peacefully protested across the street from this embassy. But with the Beijing Olympics starting tomorrow and China trying to cover up its human rights violations in Tibet, I am so glad that we took the personal risk to scale up our regular protests. It was a small one in comparison to Tibetans inside of Tibet who risk their lives to speak out against China’s brutal occupation of Tibet. But it showed us all that we can accomplish a lot when we stand up for truth and justice.

Biggest Tibetan Demo Ever in Toronto – March 23, 2008

On the first Sunday of spring, in Toronto where the streets were relatively quiet because of the Easter long-weekend, thousands of Tibetans and Tibetan supporters rallied through the heart of downtown Toronto to protest China’s brutal crackdown on the uprisings inside Tibet, and to call on Canadians everywhere to be aware of and support the Tibetan cause.

The crowd gathered first in front of the local high school in Parkdale, which has the highest concentration of Tibetans outside of India and Nepal. The Tibetan Joint Action Committee was yet again the main organizer of the event, and the response from the Tibetan community towards the call of action was overwhelming in all aspects.

Funds were raised, volunteers signed up, refreshments donated, transportation loaned… the Tibetans in Toronto has stepped up tremendously in light of the recent unrest inside Tibet. “To see all of us collectively coming together with such determination to make rallies like these successful, not just from the various organizations, but also the ordinary Tibetans, is just truly inspiring and emboldening,” said Lobsang Khedup, one of the organizers behind this event.

“I hope and I do believe that we can sustain this energy all the way to the opening ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics. And ultimately till the day comes that we no longer have to suffer under the tyranny of the Chinese government.”

Stretching for more than three blocks, the loud and colourful procession of protesters made their way along Queen St., Yonge St., and Wellesley St., eventually ending up in front of the Ontario Parliament building. The route, specifically chosen to get exposed to as many Torontonians as possible, took a little under three hours to complete, with the organizers managing to conduct three dramatic die-ins during the rally.

“What’s happening here?” asked one curious bystander who marveled at the long line of protesters fully lying down on the streets and chanting slogans. When she was told of the reason behind this action: to signify the brutal suppression tactics of the Chinese govt. on protesters inside Tibet, she shook her head ruefully and pledged to support the Tibetan cause in any way that she can.

Heavy media presence followed the rally from start to finish. All of the local networks covered the event, with some live broadcasts of the rally and the die-ins.

After reaching the Parliament building on Queen’s Park, a number of prominent speakers addressed the protesters and voiced their outrage at the Chinese govt., calling on the Canadian parliament to put more pressure on behalf of the Tibetans who were suppressed immensely by the recent buildups of troops everywhere inside Tibet. MP Peggy Nash (NDP), Michael Craig of Amnesty International, and Rukiye from the East Turkistan community of Canada all spoke passionately, from their own unique perspectives, on the issue of Tibet’s independence.

The rally concluded at around 3 in the afternoon, and everyone was reminded of the hunger strike in front of the Chinese consulate starting from Tuesday, March 25 till Friday, March 28. It begins from 10 am and goes on till 4 in the afternoon.

There is also a protest rally planned on Monday, March 31 for the “International Day of Action for Tibet.” So far, the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of Toronto has organized more than four actions since the uprisings in Tibet began on March 10, 2008. The JAC comprises of Students for a Free Tibet Canada, Regional Tibetan Youth Congress, Tibetan Women’s Association Ontario and Dokham Chushi Gangdruk. The committee was formed to collectively challenge China in the lead-up to the Beijing Olympics.