Dharamshala: - A Tibetan writer-activist monk, Lhaden appeals to the UN Human Rights Council to seriously listen to voices of the oppressed people instead of being a platform for trumpeting by the seat holders or a platform for discussions amongst the free people only. He wrote poetically "while putting on mortgage my life, I offer this book as a voice of the oppressed and as an appeal" for the UNHRC to take actions in Tibet.
According to a report released on Thursday (25 March) by the Dharamshala based Tibetan Center for Human Rights and Democaracy, Lhaden has released his book in Tibetan language titled Tse Sok Le Trun Pe Kecha (rough translation: Words Uttered With Life On Risk) this month timed at the third anniversary of 2008 Mass Uprising in Tibet and the ongoing 16th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, Switzerland.
Lhaden has meticulously written the book for over three years on his observations and arguments regarding causes and consequences of the mass uprising by Tibetans in 2008. The 255 pages book with five chapters also covers commentaries on the Jyekundo (Ch: Yushu) earthquake, leaders in Tibet and religion etc. The first chapter of the book exclusively covers 2008 mass uprising with a timeline of protest events, causes, scope, clamp down, analysis by Chinese scholars, police brutality and government propaganda against His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
Lhaden was born in 1980 at Dida Village, Pema County, Golog "Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture", Qinghai. Originally named as Lhaden (popularly called Di Lhaden), he was also known by his ordained name Thubten Lobsang Lhundup. At eleven years old he was admitted to his local monastery and four years later joined Serthar Buddhist Institute. When he became 28 years old, he went to Lhasa to study at Drepung and Sera Monasteries, however, he had to return to his native place shortly. Lhaden takes a keen interest in writing and has been doing active writing since he was 22 and won many accolades. Since 2008, he has been visiting various places in Tibet to experience and record observations for his book Tse Sok Le Trun Pe Kecha.
Since 2008, about 70 Tibetan writers, bloggers and cultural figures have been harassed, beaten, detained and arrested over the content of their work by the Chinese authorities in Tibet. There has been an escalating attack on freedom of expression and information in Tibet since the mass uprising. State authorities are using the recent political unrest in Tibet as justification to further suffocate Tibetans' free speech rights. The authorities routinely exploit vague domestic legal provisions to criminalize the peaceful expression of Tibetan intellectuals regarded as "politically dangerous".
The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) appeals to members of the UNHRC to take actions against the gross human rights violations taking place in Tibet and request the UN human rights mandates to take preemptive measures to protect Lhaden.
