April 22, 2008 report
April 22, 2008:
Nepal –
Shabrim recital for 19th April, 2008
No. of Participants: 600
Dolma gyepa 97,894
Dolma Dhuepa 2,38,705
Dolma Zung-ngag 1,64,656
Mani 37,42,248
Vajra Guru 7,59,195
Tamdin Zung 3,77,781
Shabrim recital for 20th April, 2008
No. of Participants: 1000
Dolma gyepa 9,84,932
Dolma Dhuepa 6,93,596
Dolma Zung-ngag 1,49,303
Mani 6,75,251
Vajra Guru 675,251
Tamdin Zung 1,64,508
Update from Sunday April 20, 2008
8th day of 24 hours Relay Fasting in Solidarity with Tibetans in Tibet:
The Relay fasting in Kathmandu entered its 8th day with 43 participants taking over from the previous batch. Out of the participants, two were Sherpas who joined the fasting in Solidarity to Tibetans. Chithue Yungdrung Gyaltsen addressed the new group and also read out the TSC press release for the day.
Candlelight Vigil at Boudha: About 2800 Tibetans gathered at Boudha to participate in a candlelight vigil organized by NTSF. Unlike the previous vigil in Boudha, this time the vigil covered a larger area starting from the Boudha Welfare office to Phulbari, Tinchuli, Mahankal, Chuchepati, turning to the Main road, crossing Hyatt Hotel, right down to the Baudha Stupa’s main gate, entering into the Stupa area, returning through Phulbari to Baudha Welfare Office. The vigil must have covered a distance of about 7 kms in two hours. Before the vigil commenced, Chithue Yungdrung Gyaltsen la followed by Guest - Mr. Sudip Pathak, Former member of National Human Rights Commission and current President of Human Rights Forum of Nepal (HURON) addressed the large gathering of Tibetans (about 700 monks & nuns, 500 Tibetan school students and the rest comprised of lay Tibetan people). Mr. Pathak also led the vigil the whole way through. Tibetans from all over Kathmandu and Lalitpur had come to join the vigil. The vigil ended with singing the National Anthem and Dentsig Monlam. Despite such a large gathering, no untoward incident occurred. Many media persons were present. Flyers of His Holiness’ Address to Chinese people (English and Nepali) and general appeal in English and Nepali were also distributed in very large numbers and effectively.
Update from Monday April 21, 2008:
9th Day of the 24 hour Relay Fasting in Solidarity:
57 new participants participated in the ninth day of the relay fasting in Solidarity. Chithue Yungdrung Gyaltsen la greeted and addressed the new participants. 22 nuns from Kopan Ani Gonpa also participated.
Protests and new arrests were made during the weekend:
129 Tibetans were arrested at the crossing outside the UN House (a complex which houses all the United Nations Agencies and that of the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator). The protestors shouted slogans for about 20 minutes. While the police took time to make the arrests which jammed the traffic, Nepal Solidarity Forum took the opportunity to distribute flyers to the watching crowd and traffic jam. It is estimated that about 1500 flyers were able to be distributed. While 59 of the arrestees were nuns and lay women, the rest were all monks and lay Tibetan men. All of them were arrested and detained at the Jawlakhel Police station. All arrestees were released late at night. Two female protestors who had suffered minor injuries were attended at the Patan hospital. In a separate incident a Tibetan woman was arrested outside the Chinese visa section and detained at the Kamal Pokhari police station. She was released by Kahsel rukha too.
28 Tibetans from Pokhara will arrive today to also participate in a 24 hour fasting in Solidarity tomorrow. Arrangements have been made for them to put up at the Boudha Welfare Office tonight.
Dharamsala -
- 22nd April 2008: Around 200 people gathered at Lhabsoeri for sangsol (burning incense and flour offering).
- Relay hunger strike continued.
- Photo exhibition on recent killings in Tibet continued.
- Around 1500 people participated in the candle light peace procession.
- Continued to offer thousand butter lamps for all those who died in the recent killings in Tibet.