Bombardier was once again reminded of the destructive impact their involvement in the China-Tibet railway will have on the Tibetan people and Tibet’s natural environment. We had a strong presence both inside and outside the company’s annual general meeting yesterday, including the support of Tibetans from Toronto who drove through the night to join fellow […]
The 29th april, we organized a demonstration near the Chinese embassy (once again!) with the Tibetan community of France, and others TSGs like France-Tibet, to demand the Panchen Lama’s release.
Something tell me that our action 4 days ago put the embassy in a bad position, maybe that’s why policemen provided us to come just in front of the embassy, to put a letter, as planned with the prefecture…
… Chinese embassy definitely don’t want to hear about the Panchen Lama !
Two of SFT’s friends, Tenzin Samchok and Warren Woods, have created a fantastic website about Tibet for a web design competition they have entered themselves in. Tenzin and Warren are 6th graders at P.S. 315, the East Village Community School - which is right around the corner from SFT HQ.
Warren and Samchok came to the […]
We thank that a 17th birthday must be celebrated, even if you’ve been a
prisoner in an unknown place since you’re 6!
To « make this moment unforgettable » we decided to organize a surprise party for the Panchen Lama in front of the Chinese Embassy. It looks strange to have a party for this tragic event, but we wanted something ironic, absurd and definitely fun!
And it was. Let us summarize:
- Genghun Choekyi Nyima was kidnapped by the Chinese government when he was 6 (in 1995), because he had been recognized as the 11th Panchen Lama (2e religious authority of Tibet after Dalaï Lama). He became the youngest political prisoner of the world!
- 04/ 25/06: Panchen’s birthday in spite of years of big international support campaign for this little boy (now a teenager), we still do not have any news since his disappearance!
- Some SFTers arrived in front of the embassy of China with a cake, candles, candies, gifts, and saxophone for atmosphere (as well a banner saying "release Panchen Lama" and T-shirts). From the street, we asked the Ambassador and his employees from the street to transmit this birthday message to Gendun. We sang "happy birthday" in French and in Tibetan ("Tchékar–la tashi delek" according to a friend, tell me, ifit is something else!).
- And there came the police force. "Hello-hello…yes, we’re here because today it is the birthday of the youngest political prisoner of the world…no, we do not have no any authorization, we know that we wouldn’t have got one anyway…yeah-yeah we will go away, one is not there to degrade or disturb anybody…"
- And this guy came out of the embassy, (looking furious) and started to take two large dustbins which were beside us back inside the embassy (very logical the dustbins were still full…), and violently passing, knocked over the cake, bags and Leila’s saxophone’s box. Everybody, including policemen, was surprised by this sudden violence (without any words, explanation or consideration). Is this Chinese diplomacy? In fact, we didn’t expect a positive reaction from the embassy, but this was simply ridiculous.
But this action worked: Let’s remember Gandhi: "Initially they ignore you, then they scoff you, then they fight you and finally, you win."
Happy birthday Gendun.
I’m here working with SFT India in the heart of Dharamsala, or “Little Tibet” in India, and wishing you all could be with me in this beautiful and bustling little town. The hills are green, there’s fresh snow high on the mountains and there’s a calmness here that’s indescribable.
There’s a lot to see and do […]
I can’t believe I’ve been in India for over 3 weeks now! Time is flying by but we’ve accomplished a lot. I came for the International Tibet Support Network (ITSN) meetings on the Olympics campaign and am now working with SFT India staff, board and volunteers on a 5-year plan. The ITSN meeting went really […]
Two years ago, i was in Lhasa on May 1st - May Day - The Workers Day. It is a widely celebrated holiday in Tibet, with lots of Chinese Communist Party propaganda touting their “appreciation” for the common worker. Everyone goes to the Norbulingka, the Summer Palace of the Dalai Lama, to enjoy music, picnics […]
Robert Kagan of The Washington Post has written an interesting column that challenges the notion that China is moving towards becoming a liberal society. Kagan’s piece is directed primarily towards addressing how the Western, liberal world should relate to post-communist autocracies in China and Russia in the global community. Most relevant to China watchers, though, […]
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SFT's Executive Director
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