Chinese gangs preventing Tibetan protests in Taiwan, says human rights activist

reported by, Siddhanta Mishra

edited by: Pathikrit Sen Gupta

Last Update: March 15, 2023, 00:54 IST

In the past few years, Tibetans say some Chinese-backed gangs have been attacking protesters in Taiwan.  Photo/Tashi Tsering

In the past few years, Tibetans say some Chinese-backed gangs have been attacking protesters in Taiwan. Photo/Tashi Tsering

In a telephonic conversation with CNN-News18, Tashi Tsering, founder of the Human Rights Network for Tibet and Taiwan, said that over the past few years, Chinese-backed groups have been trying to create trouble during the peaceful protests held on March 10 every year . Mark Tibetan Uprising Day

Tibetans around the world organize protests every year on 10 March mainly in democratic countries to mark the Tibetan Uprising Day against China. An estimated 1.2 million Tibetans have been executed by Beijing, thousands have been imprisoned, and more than 6,000 monasteries have been destroyed.

Like India, on this day the Tibetan community in the United States and many other countries protest peacefully. But in the past few years, Tibetans say some pro-China gangs have been attacking protesters. In a telephonic conversation with CNN-News18, Tashi Tsering, founder of the Human Rights Network for Tibet and Taiwan, said, “The past few years have been really difficult for us as Chinese-backed groups try to disturb our peaceful protests. We do. ,

While the Tibetan community was protesting peacefully in Taipei earlier this year, Tsering said a bicyclist came up to them and tried to jump on the protesters.

Images/Tashi Tsering

India-born Tsering said, “The boy was caught and when the police interrogated them, they found that he had been following me for a long time.”

He also recalled that a similar incident happened a year ago when around 20 people went to the protest site and even asked Tsering to go back to India and said that Taiwan belongs to China.

“We only protest outside China Bank because China has no other office in Taipei and our protest is peaceful to make people aware of the suffering of the Tibetan people and the oppression by Beijing,” Tsering said.

saving grace

Tibetans in Taipei say they are grateful to the police for providing adequate security to protesters and preventing Chinese gangs from turning violent.

About 150 people of Tibetan descent live in Taiwan as citizens, others travel on visas, and a large number of monks come to teach at Buddhist monasteries.

Many critics of China believe that Taiwan has a sizeable population that believes in the rule of the communist government and that Beijing uses them to drive its agenda. Tibetans point to the possibility of China using criminal gangs in Taiwan to intimidate protesters.

background

The Kuomintang (KMT) government initially re-established the Mongolian and Tibetan Affairs Commission and the constitutional provision to claim sovereignty over Tibet. Tibet’s government-in-exile criticized the Taiwan government’s association with the Tibetan group Chushi Gangdruk and the establishment of another Tibetan Cabinet Office in 1969. Both the government-in-exile and the Taiwan government have had hostile relations for the longest time. Time. Only in 1992, when Taiwan extended its first invitation to the Dalai Lama to visit the island nation, and again in 1997 when the spiritual leader made his first visit, was there the beginning of a new friendship. After this, Taiwan recognized the government of Tibet and an office of Tibet was also established in Taiwan.

Since then the relations between Taiwan and Tibet have seen many ups and downs, influenced by the prevailing global scenarios. Recent developments indicate that external forces influence relations between Taiwan and the Tibetan government-in-exile. Since Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, the situation has changed dramatically and US-China relations have also seen a deterioration. Taiwan is buying more arms from the US and engagement between them has also increased. In a follow-up development, the US is also sending some troops to train Taiwan’s military, which has created more drama.

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