Sunday, January 31, 2010

Abitrary Detention

China detains two brothers
The brothers from a Tibetan family in Markham County, in Eastern Tibet were whisked way by Chinese police and held for interrogation for months.

According reliable information received from Tibet, “a convoy of police vehicles descended on the house of the two brothers, Tsejor Gonpo (43) alias Zhangxi and his younger brother Choenga Tsering (41, alias Zhongtok) on December 12, 2010, in Markham county, Gagtok city, Chamdo Perfecture in eastern Tibet” .

Peoples armed polices entered their house on the morning of that day, while the family were eating breakfast and demanded the two brothers to accompany them for interrogations. The blaring of siren and police presence attracted a large number of onlookers, who saw the brothers were handcuffed and taken away.

Thursday, January 28, 2010

State of Union

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jp26YZvK1f0&feature=popularhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jp26YZvK1f0&feature=popular

Monday, January 25, 2010

Dentention

China detains Relatives of Radio Free Asia reporter over unconfirmed charges.





Two Tibetan brothers were detained over allegation of hosting an eminent Tibetan lama.



Two brothers from a family in Eastern Tibet were whisked way by Chinese police and be held for interrogation.

When

According reliable information received from Tibet, on December 12, 2010, a convoy of police vehicles descended on the house the two brothers, Tsejor Gonpo (43) alias Zhangxi and his younger brother Choenga Tsering (41, alias Zhongtok) . Peoples armed polices entered the house of the two brothers on the morning of December 12, 2010, while they family were eating breakfast and asked the two brothers to accompany them for interrogations. The blaring of siren and police presence attracted a large number of onlookers, who saw the brothers were handcuffed and taken away.



For about a half month, the duo brothers were kept incommunicado, and then learnt lately that they weld in a detention Centre in Pashoe county, under Chamdo prefecture. In prison the two brothers were kept in separate cells are interrogated.

During interrogation, the brothers were accused of the following three things

1 “possession of arms’

2. Contact with outside

3. Host of Woeser Lama, an eminent Tibetan lama from abroad

The brothers responded to the charges in the following way.

That they never possess any arms, nor do they like it and the Chinese were welcome to search their family members for any traces of arms in their household.

To the allegation that they have contacted outside, the two brothers denied of any contact with outside that leaked national security or anything politically sensitive. They urged the Chinese police to produce concrete evidence of their wrongdoings to that effect.

As for hosting Woeser Lama, they responded that Woser lama of their Monastery visited relatives in Tibet with authorization of the Chinese government. And his trip was lawful and he did not infringe any rules and regulation of the government. This information was conveyed to the brothers’ mother by an unnamed person.

Ransack shops and other establishment.

Subsequently, after a month half on Jan 22, 2010. Under the supervision of Chamdo prefecture vice deputies of police force in collaboration with Markham county polices, (approximately 40 police personnel) in a convey of ten police vehicles swooped down to search homes and business entities that owed by the two brothers.

The hotel and the disco theatre that the two brothers runs in Markham Gangtok city and their home were ransacked and even kids shoes were thoroughly investigated. The search resulted with the confiscation all the video cassettes/ including children’s DVD in their household.

Despite of numerous incidents of blasts and distribution of Free Tibetan pamphlets in the recent past in Markham, such a scale of thorough search and investigation of the individual homes and establishment were unknown.



Tsering Gonpon (alias Zhangxin) and Chonga Tsering (alias Zhangdou) have several relatives abroad, include their youngest brother Lobsang yeshi , who is a monk at Gyomey monastery in South India, and one of the sons sons studies at Sera Mey monastery in South India. The two detainees’ uncle Lobsang Choephel is a reporter for the Washington D.C based U.S government funded Radio Free Asia’s Tibetan services.

The 60 year old mother of the two detained brothers denied her sons of any wrong doing. With tears in her eyes, she said that her sons have not engaged in any political activities, nor they have ever shown any interest in such, so the charges brought against them were unfounded and baseless. Such false accusation against her sons, including the search and their arrest by police is an indicative of the Chinese official’s deliberate poke in the eyes of their relatives in abroad.

The two brothers are being held in Pashoe county, and their fate still unknown even after one and half months detention.

Red poppies

This morning, I chatted with JN, one of the foremost Tibetan English writer and political commentator on Tibet issue. I was to ask him his view and opinion on the ongoing Tibetan delegations' planned talk with Chinese contemporary. JN's view and stand is pretty clear, he contends that no negotiation is taking place at all. The Chinese side's arrogant attitude and Tibetan delegate's begging mentality is a gulf too big to be bridged. I don’t necessarily agree with JN's argument, but giving his immense research, reading and knowledge on the issue of Tibet, he is a voice to be listened and paid heed to at the least. He gave an analogy of the present negotiation status as to that of a cat playing with a maimed mouse. The robust, evil and playful cat played game with this crippling mouse. Letting go for a while, and then catch it, and then again letting it go and recatch. It induces a kind of illusionary optimism for the dying mouse and in reality the victim had no way out.


Sunday, January 24, 2010

Bulging Belly

"Those who commit the Sin of Gluttony are punished in Hell by being forced to eat rats, toads, and snakes". And I am  just worried about getting fat? A sumptuous feast was prepared this evening by my sister.The steaming snow white meat Momo is irressitable.  I gobbled down a dozen of these juicy and meat Momo,and I feel its effect now in my belly.  My stomache is bulging, and making my movement difficult, leaving along to sleep soundly. The only way to pass away and kill the time is to blog. Blog what has happened recently at ICT during a talk.

Last Thursday's talk by Robert Bernett at ICT was an eyeopenner for me to the origin of the Tibetan cinema and its development over the years up to date. Bernett is known to be an expert on contemporary Tibetan history. He is  the persona to be posed questions about Tibet issues by the mainstream media on every issues on Tibet. Giving his long engagement with the Tibetan movement, he is very well informed about it. Besides he has good access to informations inside Tibet.  As an academician and research scholar, he has earned quite a reputation and over all crediability as an authority on Tibet issue.

In his last Thursday talk, he traces the history of Tibetan cinema prior and post occupation. His research and collection of Tibetan films both by Chinese director and Tibetan director was very remarkable, and his thematic analysis of the genre and their phases was outstanding. The advantage of the following his lecture was the critical analysis of few scene from the various clips he showed. I felt his assessent were thourough and very detailed with sharp eyes and intelligent thoughts.Usually, most people watch movie for its entertainment and esthetic value. But following his lecture, one is empowered with the rationale and logic of such film.  The social, and economic under current of the soceity was a huge influence on the cinema. Each of the films in the three phases bringhts out the reality of the time.  His presentation was very professional and well researched and prepared one. I was not only struck by the power of his knolwedge and sharing, but also how friendly, and approachalbe he was.  It was one of my luck to befriended with this Tibetan scholar, who runs a Tibetan studies at a prestigious U.S university, in Newyork.

After basking under the illuminating knowledge of  his presention on art of Tibetan film, as usual, the social time and the afterward reception was most adoreable at ICT. A great presentation, followed by a great socializing moment. Sipping a glass of wine and snacking on a plate of fruit, assorted cheese, I rubbed shoulder with expert and scholar and influentional. I enjoyed hobnobing with people.   it was also here, I conversed with an interesing Taiwanese lady, who showed much interest on Tibet issue. 
The scene of the hall, is more like a ball party in a restaurant.  Everyone of the participants, mingling among the crows and chatting away pleasantly.  It was a great evening, and great learning.  A good choice and good judgment. i would have done something completely different for the night, rather than going to talk.  But I was overjoyed, that I could make it.

By now, even my bulging belly, starts to cooperate with me. After shoving down gallows of hot water, my belly has contracted and it feels little better.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

A Lesson Before Dying

A Lesson Before Dying, by Ernest J, Gaines is an interesting reading. I watched the movie and then read this novel, which is marked as ALL FAIRFAX READS. My expectation of the novel  and what it turned out to me after I read stands  far apart. It is an easy reading and nothing sophisticated. Not much of suspence and not thrill,. There is nothing extraordinatry about this book. So I am pretty curious why this book was selected to be a "ALL FAIRFAX READ". I have read many books that are far superior than this one. The other reason that I feel in this way, might be because of the way  I treated  the subject. However, eventually I realized the strength of the book lies in its message.

The story in a nutshell is about a black young man who was sentenced to  death for his part in a shoot out broad daylight burglary. Even though he was at wrong place, at the wrong time, but not guilty of the all charges, still the juries passed down capital punishment on him. This black young man's godmother couldnt stand when the defedant called Jefferson a 'hog'. It was  most humiliating and insulting remarks that cut to the consciousness of the Godmother.  Thus she entrusted the black teacher to change Jefferson  into a man and "on his final day, he would walk up to the chair as a man".  The strength of the story lies in its ability to project human spirit , endurance and redemption. At the teacher's insistance and instruction, Jefferson finally came to a sense. And he has changed the way the  white people would ever look at a blackman.

The black teacher and Jefferson teamed up to challenge the notion that black people are pathetic and they are no less than an animal. Finally, Jefferson was a changed man. he has restored his black dignity. and he was executed as a man, "He was strongest  man  in that crowded room"? Maybe  the story means a lot to black people, who have experienced racial discrimination in the hand of white men.

 In the end 'two men forge a bond as they both come to understand the simple heroism of resisting  defying, the expected".

What I have learnt is that even when people know that  they are going to die  on a specified day, they still could do something on the remaining days of their lives.  That is very inspiritional and encouraging. This novel is acclaimed because it projects the juxtapostion of two extrem human characters, that is cruelty and kindess. The novel also exposes the sham of American justice system and its capital punishment, when an innocent person is put to death on charge of murder.

Friday, January 8, 2010

Rhetorical Devices

Glossary of Rhetorical Devices with examples.




Alliteration: repetition of the same sound beginning several words in sequence.

*Let us go forth to lead the land we love. J. F. Kennedy, Inaugural

Quotations

"One who forms a judgement on any point but cannot explain it, 'clearly' might as well have never thought at all on the subjects"

                                                                        ----------Greek leader Pericle.

"Reading maketh a full man, conference a ready man, and writing an exact man."

                                                                                 --- Francise Bacon

"Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested."
                                                                        -----Francise Bacon

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Forever,

FOREVER


The hardest stone on earth,

That glitter with sparkling luster

The best friend of all women,

A symbol of eternity and everlasting love.