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A search is being conducted for six employees who vanished when a lift cage collapsed at a Chinese-backed copper mine in Tibet, stopping operations, while it was being constructed for an open-pit mine drainage system.

On May 14, an accident took place at the Julong Copper and Polymetallic Mine site, which is run by Tibet Julong Copper Co. Ltd. in the copper-rich Gyama township of Meldrogunkar county in the Lhasa prefecture. 50.1% of the subsidiary is owned by China’s Zijin Mining Group Co. Ltd.

The six missing miners are employed by Fujian Xingwanxiang Construction Group Co., Ltd., a Zijin Mining Group affiliate that was subcontracted by Tibet Julong Copper Co., Ltd. to complete the project’s construction. They haven’t revealed their names or ethnic backgrounds.

According to a statement Zijin Mining Group filed with the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and put on the company’s website on Monday, Julong Copper started an emergency and rescue plan after the accident and informed the appropriate government offices of the issue.

Julong Copper also halted operations as it looked into the incident, which “led to the loss of contact with six Xingwanxiang staff members,” according to the company.

The statement said, “The Company will continue to monitor the Incident and promptly fulfill its information disclosure obligations.”

Zijin Mining Group has not provided any updates and has not answered inquiries for further details.

According to Dhondup Wangmo, a research fellow at the Tibet Policy Institute in Dharamsala, India, the corporation has three locations in Tibet, which account for approximately half of its earnings.

increase in mining

Following the opening of the Golmud-Lhasa railway connection and Chinese government initiatives and promotion, mining and mineral prospecting have substantially risen on the Tibetan Plateau since 2006.

Tibetan demonstrations about the damage done to the environment and local animals have been sparked by the rise in pollution and the degradation of grazing area that has gone along with it.

According to a Tibetan who now lives in exile, the Chinese government’s mining operations in Meldrogunkar’s Gyama Valley have increased significantly since the 1980s and have produced important minerals like gold and copper for items that help China’s economy.

The person who requested that his name remain anonymous said, “But it has come at the expense of environmental degradation and the relocation of Tibetan nomads who grazed their animals there.”

The Chinese Communist Party has been promoting the forcible settlement of nomads in Tibet for years, he said.

In addition to pollution and tainted water sources that killed animals that drank from them, the increasing mining activity, he said, also caused these problems.

The Tibetan added, “Tibetans in the area have protested over the years; many have been detained and many have also been imprisoned.”

In March 2013, a devastating landslide at one of the Gyama copper and gold mines killed 83 people, largely migrant Chinese workers, bringing attention to the toll that mining and industrialisation were taking in Tibet.

Leh Ladakh has a special appeal for tourists that draws visitors from all over the globe. But because of its particular environment, this place goes through dramatic changes, spending a few days every year covered in immaculate snow. It is thus recommended to go to Leh Ladakh during certain seasons when the weather is more agreeable. Please allow us to advise you on the ideal season and time to visit this amazing place.
The warm months of April to July are the ideal time to explore Ladakh. Ladakh’s temperature stays between 15 and 30 degrees Celsius at this period. In addition, you may visit this location between September and October 1. Lake Pangong

The Pangong Lake is well-known. It stretches to Tibet for 12 kilometers. The splendor of nature makes this lake well-known around the globe. These hills are home to a variety of lovely vegetation, birds, and animals.

Leh Palace 2.

Leh Palace is a nine-story structure. The whole city knows about this castle. Sengge Namgyal constructed it, and he now lives there with his whole family. From this vantage point, the whole city is visible.

Gurdwara Patthar Sahib, third

The Gurdwara Patthar Sahib is well known among soldiers. Here is a stone that cannot be moved; it is said to be the likeness of Guru Nanak Ji. Since this location is said to be very fortunate, visitors should surely go there. Khardungla Pass 4. The Siachen Glacier is located not far from the Khardungla Pass. It is well-known for its stunning scenery. You can feel as if you have traveled to a distant part of the planet after arriving here. Therefore, you must go to these areas if you want to visit Leh Ladakh.

The 11th Panchen Lama has been missing since 1995. On Wednesday, the Tibetan Women’s Association (TWA) organized a demonstration against the Chinese government in New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar to demand his immediate release and details on his whereabouts. Additionally, they pushed for the immediate release of all Tibetan political detainees.

TWA is an organization for Indian women that was first established in 1984 by Rinchen Khando Choegyal, a former Tibetan Youth Congress leader. Its headquarters are in McLeodGanj, Dharamshala.

“Raise public awareness of the critical situation in Tibet and exert international pressure to strengthen Tibetans’ access to human rights. Their mission statement reads, “Promote equality for Tibetan women in occupied Tibet and exile communities, address gender discrimination and violations of human rights, ensure that those in need have access to education, protect Tibetan culture, and join with women around the world to advance peace and justice.”

For the members of the Local Tibetan Assemblies, Settlement Officers, and members of the Regional Tibetan Freedom Movements of Dalhousie Phuntsokling, Shimla, and Dolanji Bon Tibetan Settlement in Dalhousie, Himachal Pradesh, the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile organized a five-day workshop with the goal of strengthening democracy at the grassroots level.

The workshop’s resource people include lawmakers Dorjee Tseten and Geshe Atong Rinchen Gyaltsen.

Before the workshop began on May 15, there was a brief opening ceremony at which Dalhousie’s Tibetan Settlement Officer Phurbu Tsering gave his welcome address. This was followed by addresses from the resource people, a thank-you note from the LTA Chairperson at Dalhousie, Phurbu Dratul, and an introduction of the agenda by TSO Secretary Passang Choekyi.

Speaking to the attendees of the workshop, legislator Dorjee Tseten emphasized the crucial role that His Holiness the Dalai Lama played in creating the Central Tibetan Administration, one of the most distinctive democratic exile systems in the world. Additional information on how the Central Tibetan Administration evolved into a legal system after the 11th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile adopted the Charter of Tibetans in Exile.

The MP briefed the group on the current situation inside Tibet, including the increased restrictions, the absence of fundamental human rights like the right to assemble, among other things, and informed them of the growing number of international parliamentarians who support the Central Tibetan Administration and its position.

The legislator urged the attendees, in particular the younger ones, to take advantage of this chance to learn about Tibet’s history and the present political situations in other democratic nations as Tibetans living in a free nation.

In his closing remarks, parliamentarian Dorjee Tseten encouraged the attendees to use this training to strengthen the operations of their local Tibetan assemblies and their capacity to comprehend and handle problems affecting the broader population.

Geshe Atong Rinchen Gyaltsen, a member of parliament, then outlined the goals and purposes of the workshop’s planning and thanked everyone for attending. He discussed the value of collaboration between a settlement officer and an LTA chair for the success of the settlement and gave a quick rundown of the workshop’s five-day program.

He encouraged the audience to ask as many questions as they could as he talked on the development of democracy in the Tibetan community, a gift from His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and he counseled them to work in accordance with his guidance and objectives.

He emphasized the significance of the general public being aware of how the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile operates and the functions of MPs, who serve as representatives of the populace and a link between them and the executive (kashag).

Geshe Atong Rinchen Gyaltsen, a politician, shared the procedures and business conduct for the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile on the first day of the program.

On the second day of the course, MP Dorjee Tseten gave a detailed explanation of the budget laws.

There are 18 people registered for the five-day session from May 15 to May 19.

Since its founding, the 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile has had six LTA workshops, with the first five taking place in Dharamshala (Himachal Pradesh), the sixth in Phuntsokling (Odisha), the seventh in Sonamling (Ladakh UT), the eighth in Gangtok (Sikkim), and the ninth in Salugara (West Bengal).

By providing participants with in-depth knowledge of the Central Tibetan Administrative, the Budget Policy, the proceedings of the Parliamentary session, and other topics, the LTA workshops seek to strengthen democracy at the grassroots level so they can make informed decisions and hold public officials accountable.

The National Democratic Institute and USAID are providing funding for this session.

Jimmy Lai, a well-known character who represents press freedom in Hong Kong, has joined forces with Reporters Without Borders (RSF), the global organization that monitors press freedom and has its headquarters in Paris, to call for his immediate release. Jimmy Lai is a prominent figure who represents press freedom in Hong Kong.

In an unprecedented joint statement, prominent media figures from across the globe joined forces with Reporters Without Borders (RSF) to support the arrested Apple Daily editor and founder Jimmy Lai in Hong Kong and call for his immediate release. Aiming to call attention to the declining situation of press freedom in Hong Kong, the joint statement was signed by publishers, editors-in-chief, and senior editors from 42 nations, including two Nobel Peace Prize laureates.

The declaration, which was signed by 116 media figures from countries as diverse as Egypt, Turkey, India, Myanmar, the Gambia, and Mongolia, highlights Jimmy Lai’s importance in the struggle for press freedom on a worldwide scale. Through his independent media site, Apple Daily, Lai, a recipient of the RSF Press Freedom Prize, has devoted the last 25 years to defending the principles of free speech and the press. He has been held in a maximum-security facility since December 2020 after being repeatedly refused bail. Lai is presently incarcerated on accusations relating to participating in “unauthorized” pro-democracy demonstrations as well as fraud-related offenses. More troublingly, with his trial set to start on September 25, he now risks receiving a life sentence under the harsh national security statute.

We support Jimmy Lai. We reject all allegations against him because we think he has been singled out for prosecution for publishing unbiased news. The undersigned said, “We ask for his immediate release. We also call for the release of the 13 journalists now held in Hong Kong and the dismissal of all charges against the 28 journalists who have been the targets of national security and other legislation during the last three years.

The 2021 Nobel Peace Prize laureates Dmitry Muratov (Novaya Gazeta, Russia) and Maria Ressa (Rappler, the Philippines) are among the signatories, as well as notable individuals like A.G. Sulzberger, publisher of The New York Times; Fred Ryan, publisher of The Washington Post; Goli Sheikholeslami, CEO of The Washington Post; Matthew Kaminski, editor-in-chief of Politico; and numerous editors from major Leaders in the media from France, Germany, Sweden, and other nations have further shown their support.

“We have gathered these strong voices to demonstrate that the worldwide media community will not stand by while one publisher is being targeted. Everywhere that journalistic freedom is attacked, it is threatened globally. Before it is too late, the terrible harm that has been done to Hong Kong’s press freedom atmosphere over the last three years must be repaired, said RSF Secretary-General Christophe Deloire, along with the immediate release of Jimmy Lai and all 13 incarcerated journalists.

Jimmy Lai’s son Sebastien Lai thanked everyone for their help and said, “Hong Kong is today a city enveloped in a blanket of terror. Threats, legal action, and imprisonment are taken against those who criticize the government. Since 2020, my father has been incarcerated for speaking out against CCP authority. owing to the fact that he defended his beliefs. It is very heartwarming to hear him being supported by so many influential voices, including Nobel laureates and many of the top newspapers and media outlets worldwide.

China has used the national security law and other legal provisions over the last three years to prosecute at least 28 journalists, supporters of press freedom, and collaborators in Hong Kong. 13 people, including Jimmy Lai and six Apple Daily employees, are still being held while the publication has been forced shut down. The press freedom in Hong Kong has reportedly suffered its fatal blow as a result of this shutdown.

RSF’s 2023 World Press Freedom Index places Hong Kong at a worrying 140th position out of 180 nations, a significant drop from its 18th place standing only two decades earlier. China, which is in charge of Hong Kong, is placed 175th out of the 180 nations and territories considered.

More than 100 prominent media figures signed the joint statement that RSF produced, underscoring the urgent need to address the catastrophic situation in Hong Kong. Jimmy Lai has the unshakable support of the whole worldwide media community, which calls for the release of all incarcerated journalists as well. Along with this, the signatories demand a halt to the ongoing persecution of journalists under national security and other legislation, which has severely restricted press freedom in the area.

The joint statement and the remarkable number of signatories serve as a potent reminder that media professionals throughout the globe are concerned about the restriction of press freedom in Hong Kong, which is not an isolated problem. It makes it quite apparent that the world’s media organizations do not support the repression of independent journalism and will defend press freedom wherever it is in danger.

The world will be keenly monitoring the proceedings as Jimmy Lai’s trial draws near, hoping for a fair and reasonable verdict. The leaders of the foreign media who have banded together in favor of Lai and press freedom in Hong Kong are hoping that their combined voices will be heard louder in the territory’s calls for justice, freedom, and the return of a thriving and independent press.

Downloadable versions of the joint statement’s whole text and the list of signatories provide a detailed breakdown of the important people and groups who have backed Jimmy Lai’s cause. Their steadfast support is evidence of the lasting significance of a free press and the critical function it performs in defending democratic principles and promoting social responsibility.

In a recent protest against China’s colonial boarding school system in occupied Tibet, which has split up nearly 1 million Tibetan children between the ages of 6 and 18, the National Congress, US-Tibet Committee, Students for Free Tibet (SFT), Chushi Gangdruk NYNJ, and other non-governmental organizations participated, according to media reports.

According to Phayul, the protesters demanded that the Chinese Communist Party close the state-run colonial boarding schools in occupied Tibet.

When explaining the differences between boarding schools in occupied Tibet and those in the free world, including those run by Tibetan exiles, Pema Gyal, a researcher at Tibet Watch, said, “The boarding schools in exile set-up differ in many ways than the ones in occupied Tibet.”

Tibetan students studying in exile boarding schools enjoy both freedom and the right to education and language, but Tibetan children in occupied Tibet are compelled to attend a vast network of colonial boarding schools where they are subjected to harsh restrictions and regulations.

Pema Gyal said, “The Chinese party-state seeks to brainwash innocent Tibetan students by imposing party propaganda via China’s coercive boarding school system with an ultimate goal to eliminate all that makes Tibetans a Tibetan.

According to Nyima Woeser, a researcher at the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD), “Under the Chinese colonial boarding school, children as young as 4 to 5 are separated from their parents or family members by reducing contact,” he expressed similar concerns. Putonghua (Mandarin Chinese) is the primary language of instruction in these institutions, therefore both public and private schools use it.

The situation of women in Tibet has drawn the attention of the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).

China was questioned by the body as well.

According to Tibet Rights Collective, the committee in charge of overseeing the application of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women takes a deep interest in the rights and well-being of Tibetan women.

In a recent meeting, CEDAW members focused on China’s treatment of Tibetan women and asked for clarity on a number of concerns, according to the news site.

The majority of the committee’s inquiries focused on gender equality, healthcare and educational access, political engagement, and the protection of religious and cultural rights for Tibetan women living in Tibet.

During a UN public briefing on May 8, 2023, the Tibet Bureau and the Tibetan Women’s Association jointly made a statement on the plight of Tibetan women in Tibet.

Reviewing China’s implementation of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women was the goal of the briefing, which was arranged as part of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination’s (CEDAW) 85th session.

China has been questioned about the predicament of Tibetan women in Tibet by the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).

According to Tibet Rights Collective, China has been questioned by the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) about the state of Tibetan women in Tibet.

The rights and welfare of Tibetan women are of special importance to the Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, which is in charge of directing the Convention’s implementation. Recently, CEDAW members requested clarity on a number of problems with regard to China’s treatment of Tibetan women.

The bulk of the committee’s enquiries, according to Tibet Rights Collective, were on gender equality, access to healthcare and education, political participation, and the preservation of religious and cultural rights for Tibetan women living in Tibet.

At a UN public briefing on May 8, 2023, the Tibet Bureau and the Tibetan Women’s Association jointly released a statement about the situation of Tibetan women in Tibet. Examining China’s implementation of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women was the main objective of the briefing. The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CEDAW)’s 85th session included the briefing.

Attending the conference, representative Thinlay Chukki gave an outline of the circumstances of Tibetan women living under Chinese administration in Tibet. She attended the conference together with Tenzing Dolma, President of the Tibetan Women’s Association (Central), and UN Advocacy Officer Kalden Tsomo.

Due to charges of discrimination against its Tibetan community and human rights abuses, Tibet has attracted attention from throughout the world. The CEDAW committee’s investigations, according to Tibet Rights Collective, were mainly designed to shed light on the challenges encountered by Tibetan women and evaluate the effectiveness of China’s attempts to address these concerns.

Fears for Tibetan women
Concerns were raised by the committee over allegations of gender-based violence, women’s restricted access to healthcare and education, their economic opportunities, and their difficulty integrating into new cultures. The Chinese delegation was questioned over the measures taken to solve these problems, guarantee equality, and protect the rights of Tibetan women.

Assuring the committee that China was dedicated to developing gender equality and bettering the position of Tibetan women, its delegate recognized the committee’s concerns. The delegation claims that several legislation and programs have been implemented to improve women’s rights and give them greater influence in Tibetan society.
According to Tibet Rights Collective, they emphasized programs in the fields of education, healthcare, poverty reduction, and job possibilities in an attempt to address the problems brought up.

The CEDAW committee will now examine China’s remarks and the information shared at the meeting. The review will assist the committee in formulating its final findings and recommendations, which it will share with China to guide future efforts to enhance gender equality and defend the rights of Tibetan women.

This development shows how the world is concerned about the rights and welfare of Tibetan women. The CEDAW committee’s involvement shows how committed it is to fulfilling states’ responsibilities under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and ensuring Tibet’s women’s rights are protected and respected.

In order to address the challenges encountered by Tibetan women and strive toward a more inclusive and fair society in Tibet, the UN and other pertinent parties may hold more discussions and take other steps as the situation evolves, according to Tibet Rights Collective.

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) 2023 Annual Report released on May 15 showed a marked rise in religious repression in the People’s Republic of China over the previous year and noted that under Xi Jinping, who advocates a Marxist atheist state ideology, the situation had gotten progressively worse.

The annual report observed that reports by official and non-governmental groups had shown the imprisonment and torture of Tibetans, Catholics, Protestants, and Buddhists, as well as the placement of almost one million Muslims in detention facilities and the organ harvesting of Falun Gong followers. It further said that clergy appointments and worship services were now entirely under the supervision of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

The study details charges of “forced disappearances, arrests, physical abuse, and prolonged detentions without trial of monks, nuns, and other persons due to their religious practices” about the situation in Tibet.

According to the report, China has continued to refuse to engage in negotiations with the Dalai Lama’s representatives in order to address and resolve the situation in Tibet.

It alluded to the fact that China demanded that members of the church and representatives of the Tibetan administration repudiate the Dalai Lama.

According to the study, China “continued to place restrictions on the size of Buddhist monasteries and other institutions and to implement a campaign begun in 2016 to evict monks and nuns from monasteries.” This included evicting thousands to tens of thousands of monks and nuns from their homes.

Authorities forbade kids from traveling on pilgrimages or attending traditional religious festivals during school breaks, according to the article, and warned parents and monks that continuing with monk-led lessons may result in the suspension or detention of their social security payments.

The following was specifically mentioned in the report: “Authorities also continued to force monasteries to display portraits of [CCP] leaders and required Tibetans to replace images of the Dalai Lama and other lamas in their homes with portraits of CCP leaders, including former chairman Mao Zedong and General Secretary and President Xi Jinping.”

“The Dalai Lama’s images were outlawed, and there were severe penalties for owning or displaying his image.”

The report claimed that authorities also required clergy and government workers to swear allegiance to Gyaltsen Norbu, whom Chinese leaders appointed as their own Panchen Lama after kidnapping Gedhun Choekyi Nyima—the 6-year-old recognized as Panchen Lama by the Dalai Lama—on May 17, 1995. This is one of the most pressing issues for Tibetan Buddhists.

The report repeated the US stance and rejected China’s desire to choose its own reincarnate as the next Dalai Lama, stating that “Decisions on the succession of the Dalai Lama should be made solely by the Tibetan people, free from interference.”

A danger to the very survival of the Tibetan language and culture, according to the research, is China’s forced separation of over one million Tibetan children from their families and enrollment in separate boarding schools where they are taught Mandarin Chinese via a curriculum centered on Chinese culture.

A number of Tibetans self-immolated last year, and the study also said that there were more over 700 political detainees in Tibet as of November 2022, according to the International Tibet Network.

During a ceremony at the State Department, the report was presented by Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Rashad Hussain.

The Tibet Autonomous Region’s southeast is home to marshes, meadows, woods, snow ranges, glaciers, and lakes. The southeastern region of Tibet is an area of warmth and greenery because the water vapor and heat from the Indian Ocean move through gorges until they reach Tibet’s interior land. Lhegu Glacier is a collection of glaciers in Tibet that are close to Lhegu Village. Up to this point, it is the largest and broadest glacier on the Tibet Plateau. Watch the aerial video to explore this enigmatic and stunning glacier.

(Screenshot of the cover photo. designed by Li Jingjie of CGTN.)