{"id":1884,"date":"2012-12-11T00:12:22","date_gmt":"2012-12-11T00:12:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/americanbuddhist\/?p=1884"},"modified":"2012-12-11T00:43:40","modified_gmt":"2012-12-11T00:43:40","slug":"global-day-of-solidarity-for-tibet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/americanbuddhist\/2012\/12\/global-day-of-solidarity-for-tibet.html","title":{"rendered":"Global day of Solidarity for Tibet"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\"Tibet<\/a>
Views from a recent Tibetan festival (via www.facebook.com\/TibetanTsampaRevolution<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Today, December 10, is Global Human Rights Day<\/a>. Activists around the world are reaching out and stepping up their efforts. And with over 100 self-immolations now in Tibet, this region, currently occupied by China, is a chief area of focus. The latest such immolation is a 16 year old girl<\/a>\u00a0in the Tibetan province of Amdo, currently ruled as\u00a0China\u2019s northwestern province of Qinghai (click here<\/a> for a map and pre-1959 history).<\/p>\n

According to news reports, China\u2019s only response has been to tighten its already suffocating grip<\/a> on the region.<\/p>\n

I think it\u2019s safe to say that this is the most pressing global issue facing Buddhists today. Burma is not perfect, especially for several ethnic minority groups, worst off among them being the Muslim Rohingyas<\/a>. Sri Lanka still has its troubles with corruption and ongoing, though less severe, repression of ethnic Tamils<\/a>. But no situation in the world seems so acute and so tragic as Tibet today.<\/p>\n

A particular call to action has come from Tibetans around the world, recording a message for their particular head of state. For a pull at the heart-strings, watch 13 year-old Tenzin Tsundue make her plea to President Obama:<\/strong><\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=QUDKTAiwR8c<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0Here, Tenzin Lobsang of Canada and Tibet explains her desire for Tibetan autonomy, based on what is happening today in Tibet:<\/p>\n