The Christian Defense Coalition’s scheduled protest and prayer vigil cane as Thubten Samphel, spokesman for the Dalai Lama’s government-in-exile, told reporters that several sources inside Lhasa have counted at least 80 corpses since the violence broke out. At least 72 more people were apparently injured. Chinese authorities so far spoke of 10 deaths.
Samphel did not know how many of the bodies were protesters. Of those killed, 26 alone were killed Saturday, March 15, next to the notorious Drapchi prison in Lhasa, three more bodies were found near a Muslim mosque, at least two were killed near the Ramoche temple and five girls were killed in the town’s central Tibetan neighborhood, added Tenzin Taklha, the senior aide to the Dalai Lama, quoted by the Associated Press news agency.
While earlier reports said as many as 100 people had died, Sunday’s report was by far the most detailed. The protests, launched by Buddhist monks, are the region’s most serious and prolonged demonstrations against Chinese rule since 1989, observers say. Chinese President Hu Jintao was then serving as Tibet’s Communist Party boss and imposed martial law to halt protests.
TIBETAN UPRISING
The demonstrations began earlier this week, as Tibetans across the globe rallied to mark the 49th anniversary of the Tibetan uprising. China has controlled Tibet since 1951. The Dalai Lama and thousands of his followers fled to India from Tibet in 1959 during a failed revolt against Chinese rule.
In Washington, the Christian Defense Coalition said it would lay roses at the Chinese Embassy on "to honor and remember those who have been brutally killed over the past several days and to pray for peace and justice in that country." It said its supporters "would be fasting all
of Holy Week" ahead of Easter, "asking God to intervene" for the crisis in Tibet.
"The free nations of the world must passionately and clearly speak out against the violence and tyranny by the Chinese government against the people of Tibet," said Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney, Director of the Christian Defense Coalition in comments monitored by BosNewsLife.
BOYCOT OLYMPICS?
"We call upon the administration [of President George W. Bush] to quickly address these tragic human rights abuses and bring pressure upon the Chinese government to end the killing. We will also be asking, if the violence continues, for the United States to consider boycotting the
Beijing Olympics this summer."
His group suggested the reported crackdown in Tibet was part of a wider attempt by the Communist-run government to control people’s lives, saying it would therefore also pray, "for religious freedom throughout China and standing in solidarity for all of those who have been brutalized because of their faith."
Besides Buddhist monks, Christian house churches seen increased persecution in recent months, groups say, with reports of fresh raids and arrests across the country. In addition, "We will also be asking God to bring an end to the forced abortion policy in China," the group explained.
