Taiwan Church News 3241 Edition April 7 - April 13, 2014 Church Ministry News Tashi Tsering Share The Tibetans' Pursuit For Independence And Freedom Reported by Simon Lin On April 7th, in order to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the self-immolation of Chen Nan-jung, a very famoushuman rights activist and thinker, Tashi Tsering - Chairman of Regional Tibetan Youth Congress Taiwan - was invited by Taiwan Association for Human Rights(TAHR) to share the story of Tibetans' struggles and dreams after the validation of "Seventeen Point Agreement for the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet": how China sent into the troops and occupy Tibet? how the authoritarian ruling was set up? and etc. Tashi Tsering remarked that, before China's bloody invasion, Tibet is an independent country over 2,000 years in human history. Now through continuous military oppression and large volume immigrants, China wishes to subordinate the Tibetans with population and educational brain-wash. In order to get a stricter control, the Tibetans are requested to waive their nomadic style and adapt themselves to apartment life. People are not free to travel or relocate, unless with documents to prove. Especially, to censor the thought of the common people, the religious freedom is severely restricted: the picture of the world-reputed Dalai Lama is forbidden to hang out publicly, the incarnation inheritance of Renpoche and Lama is intervened, and etc. Tashi Tsering, who has come and lived in Taiwan for 15 years, said he does not hate the Chinese who love freedom and democracy. But he dislike the regime of China Communist, because they are against human rights. He wishes some day his dream of Tibetan independence could came true and he could go back home. He also expresses his appreciation for the assistance from Taiwan's NGO, helping the Tibetan exiles to organize and develop on this island. He felt very much encouraged and inspired by the democratic Sunflower Student Movement. Finally, he apprises the wonderful democratic legacy bequeathed from the freedom fighters, like Cheng Nan-jung, that we could learn and treasure such precious gift! Translated by Peter Wolfe |