Sfidando gli ordini da parte delle autorità cinesi, oltre 5.000 monaci tibetani, suore e laici si sono riuniti la scorsa settimana in un monastero nella contea di Lithang per promuovere i valori nazionali e culturali del popolo tibetano.

Segue articolo in inglese:

Defying orders from Chinese authorities, more than 5,000 Tibetan monks, nuns, and laypeople gathered last week at a monastery for talks to promote Tibetan cultural values and national unity.The gathering—the fourth in a series of annual regional meetings—ran from July 15-24 and was held at Lithang Gonchen, the main monastery of Lithang county, in Sichuan’s Kardze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture.Chinese authorities had at first attempted to limit the numbers of those attending, but finally declined to interfere, though security forces remained camped nearby throughout the event.Along with religious discussions, participants heard talks relating to social and cultural issues, including the importance of preserving the Tibetan language and the unity of Tibetans living in Tibet’s traditional three provinces of U-Tsang, Kham, and Amdo—all now ruled by China. This had a great impact on the younger Tibetans attending, and helped to uphold their identity as Tibetans. At the beginning of the meeting, monastery officials instructed Tibetan laypeople attending to speak only in Tibetan and to wear traditional Tibetan dress, and levied fines on those heard using Chinese words in conversation. Meeting organizers also discouraged civilian officials in the Lithang county seat from entering the monastery grounds, saying, ‘We will be doing some things you won’t like and if you do come, wear proper Tibetan clothing, and speak only in Tibetan or keep quiet’. Lithang Gonchen, the monastery hosting this year’s meeting, had sent invitations to over 100 other monasteries—both in Kardze and in neighboring prefectures—to take part, and that from 40 to 50 of these had sent participants. Told by Chinese authorities that “no more than 1,000” Tibetans would be allowed to gather, Lithang monastery organizers replied that the invitations had already been sent and that no one would be turned away. And though authorities sought to prevent participation by monks from restive Kirti monastery, also in Kardze, a delegation from that monastery also attended.

Fonte: Dossier Tibet, 29 luglio 2011