Friday, March 14, 2008

Uprising in Tibet

Stories from friends and families inside Tibet are filtering out. The army has surrounded the three largest monasteries near Lhasa: Drepung, Sera and Ganden. There are monks on hunger strikes, refusing to sleep, trying to commit suicide.

The people have begun to join in. They are burning police cars and businesses and buildings owned by Chinese. In some places, the police are running away because there are not enough of them to handle the crowds! Times Online published a photo of the smoke that can be seen over the central part of Lhasa. There are reports of gun shots and bomb blasts. One 16 year old girl has been shot and killed. In Amdo (near Labrang) there are reportedly 5,000 protesters and 10,000 in Lhasa. Some are even carrying Tibetan flags!

Here in Dharamsala, there will be a candle light vigil to support the protesters inside Tibet and the marchers who remain under detention. We've hear that last night's check stops have become a full-fledged shut-down of the town. Only those with foreign passports are able to come and go.

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