05. Mar 2009
Boycott of official events during Losar
Radio Free Asia (RFA) reports that Tibetans in Kardze (Chin: Ganzi) have boycotted government-sanctioned performances during the Tibetan new year festival (Losar). During the Losar festival, authorities in the Kardze area ordered performance groups to tour different towns and villages putting on shows. Each group was escorted by People's Armed Police (PAP) officers and official reporters, a RFA source said, describing the response by local Tibetans as "very cold". One group was sent to the Rongpa Tsal sub-district of Kardze. "Before the performance group arrived, hundreds of posters were put up urging Tibetans not to attend the shows", the RFA source said. In Lopa subdistrict, they were also met with posters and leaflets urging resistance and calling for Tibetan independence. "In some of the posters, the Chinese authorities were threatened with violent retaliation for their crackdowns on peaceful Tibetans", the source said. "Even government employees at the subdistrict and township levels were warned not to attend the shows. They were told that if they did, they would pay with their lives", he said.