The Comment Factory

Dechen Pemba is a British Tibetan with a degree in English and German Literature from University College London and (soon) an MA in Chinese Studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies. She has a track record of campaigning and lobbying for human rights and Tibet that made her very unpopular when she moved to Beijing in 2006. She was accused of crimes as a Tibetan separatist and deported from China in July 2008 by over 30 members of the secret police. According to Chinese bloggers, she is "an idiot for thinking she could practice free speech and have other rights in China." They are probably right.

dechenpemba@thecommentfactory.com
Subscribe To My Articles

Dhondup Wangchen’s trial reportedly started behind closed doors in September this year. According to Amnesty International he is being charged for “subversion and incitement to separatism” and has contracted Hepatitis B in prison for which he has received no treatment. After his Beijing lawyer was forced by the Chinese government to stop representing Dhondup Wangchen, local lawyers were appointed, leaving little hope of a fair trial

Next week, on March 10th, it’s the 50th anniversary of the Dalai Lama’s flight from Tibet. Here Denchen Pemba evaluates the aesthetic and political contributions of Woeser, one of Tibet’s most celebrated artists and freethinkers, who’s works were recently bought out in English translation under the title, “Tibet’s True Heart”.