DHARAMSHALA: As the tragic self-immolation of Tibetans continue in Tibet, three leading political parties in South Africa yesterday made statements in the parliament calling on the Chinese government to end its repressive policies which are pushing Tibetans to set themselves on fire.

Ms G MacKenzie, a Member of Parliament from Congress of the People (COPE), tabled a motion in the House for debate on the continued oppression of the Tibetan people by the Chinese government.

In its statement in the parliament, COPE members urged all political parties to call on the Chinese government to ensure freedom of culture, religion and expression for Tibetans inside Tibet.

Manchester and Leeds, 15th June 2012

His Holiness the Dalai Lama arrived for his second visit to Manchester yesterday after a smooth flight from India. He was met at his hotel by the Mayor of Salford Ian Stewart and his wife.

This morning he began the day by meeting the press, who he greeted as follows,

“I’m very happy to be in England once more, a country with historic links to Tibet. I want to tell you that as human beings we are all essentially the same in our physical, emotional and mental make-up, we all want to find happiness and avoid suffering, so I consider it one of my purposes to talk about how this might be achieved. Secondly, as a Buddhist monk I recognise that all our religious traditions carry similar messages about compassion, forgiveness and so forth, so I’d like to do what I can to foster respect among them. My third purpose, until I retired last year, was to inform people about what is going on in Tibet.”

DHARAMSHALA: The 8th annual conference of the Tibetan settlement officers organised by the Central Tibetan Administration’s Department of Home began today. 41 settlement officers and 3 co-ordinators from Tibetan settlements in India and Nepal are attending the four-day conference in Dharamsala.

Home Secretary Sonam Topgyal Khorlatsang said the conference would take up discussions on a wide-range of issues, which include how to sustain Tibetan community in exile; make Tibetan settlements self-reliant; protect and preserve lands legally-owned by the settlements; formulate an all-round sustainable development projects; and promote harmonious relationship with the Indian community.

DHARAMSHALA, June 14: Kalon Tripa Dr Lobsang Sangay today emphasised on the need to overcome attempts by hostile forces aimed at undermining the unity of the Tibetan people.

“Following the major political changes in our system, outside hostile forces are trying to destabilise our society,” Dr Sangay said. “We must, at all times, remain alert and overcome such challenges.”

Kalon Tripa was speaking at the 8th annual conference of the Tibetan Settlement Officers in Dharamshala, organised by the Department of Home under the Central Tibetan Administration. 41 settlement officers and 3 coordinators representing Tibetan settlements in India and Nepal are attending the four-day meeting which began today.

DHARAMSHALA, June 14: China has threatened to pull its Olympic athletes out of their training camp in Leeds, UK due to a scheduled visit by the Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama to the city.

BBC has reported that Chinese officials asked Leeds City Council to put pressure on the organisers to cancel the Dalai Lama’s Friday visit to attend the Yorkshire International Business Convention as its keynote speaker.

Fabian Hamilton, Labour MP for Leeds North East and chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Tibet, described the reported demand as “reprehensible and disgraceful” and accused China of employing "bully-boy tactics."

Source: phayul.com

June 13: European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security, Lady Catherine Ashton said that the EU is concerned over the deteriorating human rights situation inside Tibet.

“The European Union is concerned by the deterioration of the situation in Tibet, as illustrated by the wave of self-immolations and clashes between the Chinese police and local Tibetans since the beginning of the year,” Ashton said in a speech on the situation in Tibet yesterday.