This past Saturday was an important day in Tibetan history, 48 years ago on March 10, 1959, thousands of Tibetans stood up and protested the illegal occupation of their country. And as a result, they were brutally killed by the Chinese military. This day has now come to be remembered as, Tibetan Uprising Day. On March 10th, Tibetans and its supporters from around the world gather to commemorate the lives of the over 87,000 who died voicing their opposition to Chinese forced assimilation. On this day, we remember the brutal atrocities of the past, while protesting the ongoing human rights violations and cultural genocide of the present. Over 1.2 million Tibetans have died as a direct result of China's illegal occupation. With massive government assisted Chinese migration into Tibet, Tibetans have become a minority in many parts of their own country today. There continues to be restrictions on freedom of speech, assembly, press and religion. Tibetan opposition to Chinese authority today, results in imprisonment and torture. There are over 250 known Tibetan political prisoners in China today, many of whom were detained for simply having a picture of the Dalai Lama. The reality today is China has yet to take any responsibility for its atrocities of the past and continues to past judgment on free democratic nations such as Japan.

Living in Japan, I have to come learn firsthand about the strained relationship between China and Japan as result of its second war between 1937-1945. The 1937 events in Nanking is where the Chinese have taken particular issue with. Japan's occupation of Nanking, resulted in several war-time atrocities that continues to be a point of contention and controversy in relations between the two countries. I understand the brutality which occurred in Nanking cannot be dismissed just to make a point, it was no doubt tragic and sad. However, the Japanese have paid dearly for its war time aggressions and I believe have taken appropriate responsibility for its actions of the past. In 1995, Prime Minister Murayama of Japan apologized for Japan's war-time aggressions and in 2005, Prime Minister Koizumi also conveyed Japan's deep remorse. However, China continues to demand apologies year after year, with no intent of ever accepting any of them. For over 48 years, China has never once apologized to Tibetans for its atrocities of the past while continuing to fabricate lies covering up the killing of innocent Tibetans today. To me this is the absolute height of hypocrisy and the basis for a presentation I recently did commemorating Tibetan Uprising Day in Japan.