At the China Human Rights Forum in Ottawa organized by the Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, held on November 20, Chemi Lhamo, a member of the "Free Tibet Student Movement," and Dr. Gyal Lo, a Tibetan educational sociologist, provided gripping testimony shedding light on Chinese transnational repression.
Chemi Lhamo recounted her ordeal during a protest in San Francisco against attacks by individuals waving the "red flag" during Xi Jinping's visit to the United States. She revealed the harrowing experience of being targeted by individuals affiliated with the Communist Party of China. Chemi expressed the traumatic impact of the transnational repression orchestrated by the CCP.
During Xi Jinping's visit, protesters faced aggression from pro-Chinese groups. Chemi Lhamo, among the victims, detailed the attack she endured near the airport. She highlighted the assault she faced, including injury to her chin and the deliberate destruction of her phone, which contained crucial evidence of the attackers' actions.
In response to these events, the "China Human Rights" organization in the U.S. issued a statement, pointing out the numerous witness testimonies that indicated these attackers were backed by the Communist Party of China. The victims, including Tibetans, Hong Kong residents, and Chinese dissidents, suffered injuries, with some requiring hospitalization.
Dr. Gyal Lo brought attention to the Chinese colonial boarding schools he witnessed in Tibet during the forum. He emphasized the forced separation of around 800,000 Tibetan children from their families and communities for indoctrination in CCP's ideology—a matter of concern highlighted to the Canadian government.
The forum, attended by over 40 individuals, included Sophie Richardson, former director of the Chinese Department of Human Rights Watch. Richardson analyzed the broader human rights situation in China, discussing forced labor in Tibet and Xinjiang, as well as issues surrounding press freedom and democracy under the Communist Party of China's rule.
The testimony and analysis provided by Tibetan exiles at the forum have sparked a crucial conversation about the extent of Chinese transnational repression and its impact on various minority groups. The forum aimed to shape Canada's policy stance toward China while shedding light on human rights abuses faced by these communities under CCP's rule.
Edited and collated by Team TRC