Tibetan communities hit hard by quake

Updated April 15, 2010 10:52:15

Many aid agencies have joined the International Red Cross in appealing for aid for the local communities.Tibet's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama has sent a message to the local communities, expressing his sadness at the loss of life and property. A special prayer service has been held in the Indian Himalayan town of Dharamsala.

Presenter: Sen Lam
Speakers: Kate Saunders, International Campaign for Tibet

SAUNDERS: Yes, this area is not only on the border of Tibet. This is in the heart of the Tibetan area, the eastern Tibetan area of Kham and the Chinese authorities do recognise it as the Tibetan autonomous prefecture of Yushu, which is in present day Quinghai, in eastern Tibet. That is about 800 kilometres of southwest of Xining, the provincial capital. Now the epicentre of the earthquake was a sparsely populated rural area, about 50 kilometres west of a town called Jyeku, which is the government's seat of the prefecture, the provincial capital.

And the quake was also felt as far as away as Szechuan and Chamdo in the Tibetan autonomous area. And I think not only has the loss of life been devastating, but also the impact on Tibetan religious life, cultural life, a famous 13th Century monastery in the area was completely destroyed. Also, 25 monks there were killed and some more are missing, so it is a very bleak picture indeed.

LAM: So this cultural loss that you speak of, will it impact very heavily on local communities?

SAUNDERS: Yes, absolutely, absolutely. The immediate problems have been outlined very well by your previous interviewees. I have just been hearing in the last few hours that dead bodies are being carried up to one of the monasteries. People are also moving up to the higher areas, the higher altitude areas, the mountainous areas, including an area where they held a major horse festival. The medical access is inadequate. I hear that people are literally dying on the street and temperatures are minus-zero, very, very cold, but everybody is sleeping outdoors. Nobody wants to go inside at the moment. I understand that several hundred monks from a monastery nearby are planning to go to the region to help with the relief efforts.

LAM: Mmm. It's a very challenging situation at the moment. But from your understanding of the region, do you think the local communities' Buddhist faith, might provide survivors some comfort at least?

SAUNDERS: Well certainly, the Tibetan people and the culture are very robust. And that may well provide some solace, which is going to be greatly needed in the days ahead.

LAM: And you have been keeping in touch with the region, of course. Do you know whether aid and help is slowly filtering through?

SAUNDERS: Well, there was quite a strong military presence in Yushu already. There was a major military base in the county town already, so we understand that People's Liberation Army troops have been actively working in the area, pulling people out of the rubble. I have heard that the airport is closed. It's not yet clear how supplies are going to be brought into the region, but certainly the military troops are very active.
I have also heard in the last couple of hours, that one foreign NGO may be allowed access. I hope that there will be more in the days to come.