London, October 11, 2006: Tibetans in UK staged a candle light vigil and demonstrate in front of the Chinese Embassy to protest against the recent fatal shooting of unarmed Tibetans as they tried to escape across the Himalayas from Chinese occupied Tibet into neighbouring Nepal.
Shocking eyewitness reports from members of the party that successfully crossed into Nepal have confirmed that Chinese forces opened fire on the party on 30 September 2006, killing a 17-year-old nun. Up to five more Tibetans are feared dead after the soldiers, stationed at the Nangpa Pass between Tibet and Nepal, opened fire on the caravan of more than 70 escaping Tibetans, which included children as young as seven. The news first broke on the popular mountaineering website www.mounteverest.net. Foreign mountaineers at the nearby Cho Oyu advance base camp witnessed the incident and described how the soldiers took careful aim and fired repeatedly on the defenceless Tibetans, even as they attempted to escape uphill.
Forty-three people from the group have successfully crossed into Nepal and have now reached the United Nations sponsored Tibetan Refugee Reception Centre in Kathmandu. The fate of the other Tibetans, including at least 14 children, remains unknown. There is concern that many of them may have been injured during the shooting and apprehended by the security forces.
Pema Yoko of Tibetan youth UK said “The killings expose the true nature of China ’s brutal rule in Tibet and contradict recent Chinese propaganda reports touting China ’s benevolent policies towards Tibetans. As a Tibetan living in the UK , it is important for me to voice my protest to the Chinese government on behalf of Tibetans in Tibet who face this persecution and cannot speak out for fear of government reprisal.”
Tibetans and its supporters strongly protests against the China’s inhuman act against innocent Tibetans in Tibet shouted slogans of “Stop killing in Tibet”; “Stop torture in Tibet” and “Free Tibet”. Lighting of candles and recitation of prayer pays tribute to the brave Tibetans who have lost their lives.
There are frequent reports of Tibetan refugees being shot at on both sides of the Nepal-Tibet border but this is the most serious known attack in recent years. The fact that many Tibetan traders frequently cross the Nangpa Pass to sell goods in a nearby market without attracting the attention of the border patrol suggests that this was a calculated attack.
“Every year, 3,000 Tibetans attempt to escape into Nepal and India to seek freedom and education in Tibetan culture and Buddhist studies. If the situation in Tibet is fine as claimed by the official Chinese propaganda, then there would not be any need for Tibetans to risk their lives to cross over into Nepal and India. We condemn this atrocity and call on the Chinese government to immediately halt their oppression and violence against the Tibetan people.” Metok Sither, a spokesperson from the Tibetan Youth in the UK stated.
Tibetans and their supporters call on the Chinese government to immediately release the detained children and other refugees and to halt their persistent violence against the Tibetan people.
Chinese guards 'kill Tibetans'
BBC
At least two Tibetans were killed and seven others wounded when Chinese border guards opened fire on them, a refugee support group has said.
The head of the UN-sponsored Tibet Refugee Reception Centre in Nepal, Loudhup Dorjee, said the alleged incident happened on Saturday.
He said about 70 Tibetan men, women and children had been trying to cross the Nangpa La pass from China into Nepal. Forty-two managed to enter. He had no information on the fate of the others.
'Two people down'
Earlier, mountaineering website MountEverest.net carried what it said was an eyewitness report of the shooting from an unnamed climber in the area.
"Without warning, shots rang out. Over, and over and over. Then the line of people started to run uphill," the climber said.
"We saw two shapes fall. The binoculars confirmed it: two people were down, and they weren't getting up. Then more Chinese army swarmed through Advanced Base Camp."
Within sight of horrified climbers preparing an assault on Everest, Chinese troops stationed on the Tibet-Nepal border have shot dead at least two Tibetan refugees trying to cross the border.
The refugees were trying to reach Nangpa La pass last Saturday and the Everest advance base camp was swarmed by Chinese troops after the shootout. Climbers regularly see caravans of traders and refugees crossing out of Tibet, but this is the first witness report by western climbers of the People's Liberation Army shooting refugees.
The killings highlight the yawning gap between China's state propaganda, which cast it as the friend and protector of the Tibetan people and the harsh reality of a brutal military occupation as experienced by three million Tibetans. The shootings also revive concerns about Beijing's human rights record as it prepares to host the Olympic Games in two years.
Every year, hundreds of Tibetan refugees escape from Chinese occupation. They try to cross at more isolated passes which are usually unguarded. About 70 Tibetan men, women and children were trying to cross the Nangpa La pass from China into Nepal within sight of the advance base camp at Cho Oyu, which was teeming with climbers preparing for Everest.
An unnamed climber, writing on the website mounteverest.net, said that the Chinese troops opened fire on the defenceless column and that the refugees panicked as the soldiers moved in.
"Early morning of 30 September, I walked out of our dining tent to gaze over towards the Nangpa La pass. I saw a line of Tibetans heading towards the start of the pass, a common sight, as the trade routes are open this time of year.
"Then, without warning, shots rang out. Over, and over and over. Then the line of people started to run uphill; they were at 19,000ft. Apparently the Chinese army was tipped off about their attempted escape, and had showed up with guns.
"Watching the line snake off through the snow, as the shots rang out, we saw two shapes fall. The binoculars confirmed it: two people were down, and they weren't getting up. Then more Chinese army swarmed through ABC (advance base camp)."
Refugees have been shot at along the border before, but this was the first time in recent years that Chinese troops had killed any.
The wide Nangpa La pass, between Tibet and Nepal, has been a common traders' route for centuries.Many Tibetans cross the pass to sell their traditional craft and Chinese goods in Namche Bazaar's Saturday market then return home, but some seek refuge in Nepal or India.
A 25-year-old who survived the shooting escaped to Nepal. He told activists in Kathmandu: "When the machine-gun fire started hitting around us, we ran in all directions. We ran back where we came from just trying to avoid the army. After hiding from the gun blasts for many hours, we climbed over Nangpa La in the middle of the night and walked the entire day on the Nepal side because we were so scared."
Lhundup Dorjee, of the Kathmandu-based Tibet Refugee Centre, said that 42 people had managed to enter Nepal but there was no information about the others. The refugee centre is in contact with the survivors.
Tibet's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, has been in exile in India since the Chinese invasion of 1959. He has repeatedly said he was willing to engage "reasonable talks" with Beijing to protect those Tibetans who have stayed behind in their homeland. But the Chinese government has always rejected his offer and continues to treat harshly those who flee Communist repression in their country.
There has been no comment by the Chinese authorities on the shootings.
Tibetan refugees shot dead as Everest Climbers watch
By Leonard Doyle, Independent News
Within sight of horrified climbers preparing an assault on Everest, Chinese troops stationed on the Tibet-Nepal border have shot dead at least two Tibetan refugees trying to cross the bordre.
The refugees were trying to reach Nangpa La pass last Saturday and the Everest advance base camp was swarmed by Chinese troops after the shootout. Climbers regularly see caravans of traders and refugees crossing out of Tibet, but this is the first witness report by western climbers of the People's Liberation Army shooting refugees. Click More...Chinese 'Kill nun' in Tibet refugee attack
by Jeremy page, Timesonline.co.uk
Chinese border guards who fired on Tibetan refugees heading for the border near Mount Everest killed a Buddhist nun and possilbly one other person.
However, several climbers reported watching in horror from Everest's advance Base Camp as the border guards started shooting early last Saturday morning. Click More...
by Mounteverest.net
Five days back, people including children were shot at right before the eyes of a large international community of mountaineers. At least one young nun lost her life. A couple of climbers made sure the world knew.
An American climber reported straight from Cho Oyu to ExploresWeb, "There is a story that happend here on 30th and the 1st that is not being told," he reported on October 2nd. His email was a horrible eye-witness report of climbers on summit push spotting Tibetan refugees getting shot while crossing Nangpa La. "Watching the line snake off thru the snow, as the shots rang out, we saw two shapes fall. The binoculars confirmed it, 2 people were down, and they weren't getting up." More click
Chinese guards 'kill Tibetans'