Dramatic Photos: Tibetans Detained After Anti-Mining Protest in Shigatse

Dramatic new photos obtained by RFA show Chinese security forces detaining up to 30 Tibetans in Shigatse after an anti-mining protest. On May 21st, local Tibetans in the U Yuk Sogchen sub-district of Namling Shigatse protested environmentally destructive gold mining activities which have affected their only sources of drinking water, grazing ground for cattle, and have brought an increasing number of Chinese miners to the region.

The protest took place after repeated appeals by Tibetans in Namling to the local authorities for an end to the hazardous gold mining.

View the high resolution photos on SFT’s flickr or below.

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TAKE ACTION: Chinese Police Open Fire On Tibetans Over Cement Factory Protest

On Saturday, May 15th, Chinese police opened fire on a group of Tibetans outside a cement factory in Madang Township, Labrang County, Amdo in eastern Tibet (Ch: Xiahe, Gansu province). At least 15 people were injured from gun wounds or beatings by the police. Tibetans in the area have been campaigning to stop the pollution caused by the factory, which, sources say, spews out so much dust that it is “difficult to open one’s eyes.”

TAKE ACTION: Send a letter to the Chinese authorities condemning this violent attack: http://actionnetwork.org/campaign/madang

Call on the Chinese government to close the factory until the demands of the local Tibetans have been met. (We will also fax your letter to the county and provincial government offices).

Please also call the Xiahe County People’s Government Office to register your concern over this violent attack by Chinese police: +86 941 712 1818 (Please note: China is 12 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time).

Read the International Campaign for Tibet’s report (in English): http://is.gd/cgDoj
Read the Tibet Times report (in Tibetan): http://is.gd/cgDmP

This incident is part of a growing crackdown by Chinese authorities against Tibetans advocating for environmental protection. Just last week, Radio Free Asia reported that five Tibetans were injured when police moved in to stop protests against mine operations in Markham, another part of eastern Tibet. Learn more: http://is.gd/cgDlm

Help ensure the Chinese government hears from people worldwide. Global pressure does make a difference and helps protect Tibetans inside Tibet who are risking everything to preserve their fragile homeland: http://actionnetwork.org/campaign/madang

Thank you for all that you do for Tibet,

Tendor, Kate, TenDolkar, Schuyler, Mary Kate, Annie and the rest of the SFT HQ crew

MORE WAYS TO TAKE ACTION:

1) Call the Xiahe County People’s Government Office and register your concern over this violent attack against Tibetans: +86 941 712 1818 (please note: China is 12 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time). You can also call the Gansu Provincial Government at: +86 931 460 9000

2) Print & fax a letter to the Gansu Provincial Government. Contact information can be found here.

Sample letter to the Chinese authorities:

Dear Secretary Lu Hao,

I am outraged to hear that Chinese police opened fire on unarmed Tibetans in Madang Township, Labrang County in Amdo, eastern Tibet (Ch: Xiahe, Gansu province) who were protesting pollution caused by the Amdo Cement Factory. I understand that 15 people were injured by the attack.

Tibetans in Madang have petitioned the Chinese government to stop the company from polluting the local environment, the preservation of which is crucial to their livelihood. The factory is also damaging religious sites in the area.

Instead of addressing these legitimate concerns, Chinese authorities sent armed police into the area who then opened fire on the Tibetans.

I join people worldwide in condemning this violent assault against peaceful protesters. This is a blatant violation of Chinese law and shows the extent to which Chinese authorities will go to silence Tibetans who dare protest the degradation of Tibet’s environment caused by Chinese or other foreign owned companies.

I call on you to immediately shut down the Amdo Cement Factory until the company agrees to address the concerns of the Tibetans in Madang Township and to order an investigation into the shooting incident. I further call on you to ensure those injured receive medical treatment and that no Tibetan is detained or harassed as a result of this incident. I will continue to monitor this situation closely and urge my elected representatives to do the same.

Sincerely,

Tibet Earthquake Update: More Ways You Can Help

Thank you to everyone who has taken action to support the relief efforts in Kyegundo (spoken Jyekundo). It is heartbreaking to hear the news and watch footage from the quake zone and our thoughts and prayers remain with those in the region.

SFT has posted a list of organizations that work in the region and have set-up emergency relief funds: http://www.studentsforafreetibet.org/article.php?id=2189
You can find updates on the relief efforts here: http://www.tibetanvillageproject.org/yer.html and here: http://yushuearthquakerelief.com/

We’re also working to educate the international community that the earthquake struck in Chinese-occupied Tibet (as opposed to “Western China” or “Qinghai province bordering Tibet”) and indeed, in a region with strong Tibetan resistance roots. Read SFT’s statement on the quake: http://www.studentsforafreetibet.org/article.php?id=2192

Ways that you can help:

1) Write a thank you note to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

In her statement of condolences issued yesterday, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (a long-time Tibet supporter) acknowledges the impact of the quake on the people of China and Tibet.

Read her statement here: http://www.speaker.gov/newsroom/pressreleases?id=1629

You can send her a message here: http://www.speaker.gov/contact/

2) Call on Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to acknowledge the Tibetan victims of the quake.

In glaring contrast to Pelosi’s statement, Secretary Clinton does not once mention Tibet or Tibetans in her brief statement issued yesterday. Instead she expresses her support for all the people of China: http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2010/04/140218.htm

Read SFT’s response here: http://www.studentsforafreetibet.org/article.php?id=2193

Help ensure she hears from Tibetans and Americans from across the country urging her to acknowledge that the earthquake took place in Tibet and its victims are overwhelmingly Tibetan. You can send her a message here: http://is.gd/buyXO

3) Call out CNN for not once referring to Tibet in its quake coverage.

While most of the major news networks include some mention of the quake victims being Tibetan or refer to Yushu as a Tibetan area of China, we are shocked by CNN’s omission of any references to Tibet in its quake coverage. Watch Errol Barnnett’s coverage from CNN’s China Quake Desk: http://www.cnn.com/video/?/video/world/2010/04/14/barnett.china.quake.update.cnn

Even CCTV, China’s state television network, recognizes Yushu as an overwhelmingly Tibetan area: http://english.cctv.com/program/worldwidewatch/20100415/105559.shtml

You can post comments directly to Errol on his Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/ErrolCNN) and by tweeting @errolcnn.

Please also send your comments to CNN’s headquarters in Atlanta: http://www.cnn.com/feedback/forms/form4.html?133

4. Read and share Josh Schrei’s Huffington post article on the quake: “To Die with Dignity in your Own Land: Tibet, China, and the Politics of Disaster.” http://www.huffingtonpost.com/josh-schrei/to-die-with-dignity-in-yo_b_538840.html (Josh is a long-time Tibet activist and former SFT Board Chair.)
Thank you for taking action at this difficult time,

TenDolkar and all of us here at SFT HQ

Sample message to CNN:

I am writing to express my concern about your Tibet earthquake coverage. The earthquake struck in the Tibetan area of Kyegundo (spoken: Jyekundo), in Tibet’s traditional Kham province. The Chinese government, which occupied Tibet in 1949, refers to the region as the Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Qinghai Province. Even CCTV, China’s state television network, recognizes Yushu as an overwhelmingly Tibetan area. I call on you to, at a minimum, recognize that the earthquake struck a Tibetan area and that its victims are overwhelmingly Tibetan.

Devastating earthquake hits eastern Tibet – Please Help

Early this morning local time, a 6.9 magnitude earthquake followed by a number of powerful aftershocks struck in Kyegundo སྐྱེ་རྒུ་མདོ།  (spoken as Jyekundo) in Kham, eastern Tibet (Ch: Jieguduo or Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province). At least 600 people are reported dead and more than 10,000 injured by Chinese & Western media, but Tibetans with contacts in the area have heard the death toll may be as high as 4,000. We will continue to post updates on SFT’s facebook page and twitter feed.

All of us at SFT send our heartfelt condolences to the families who have lost loved ones in the earthquake. Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone in Kyegundo and the surrounding area.

How you can help:

1) Donate to organizations working in the region and help support emergency relief efforts:

Tibetan Village Project:  http://www.tibetanvillageproject.org/ (Note: you can also donate via Causes at:
http://www.causes.com/causes/472609)

Tibetan Relief Fund: http://www.tibetrelieffund.co.uk/

Machik: http://www.machik.org/index.ph

Tibet Foundation: http://www.tibet-foundation.org/news/urgent_emergency_appeal_-_kyekudo_yushu_earthquake/

Thrangu Rinpoche Trust: http://www.thranguemergency.org/

2) Help spread the word that this awful tragedy occurred in Tibet not in Western China as the media is reporting:

• Change your Facebook status and tweet: Quake in Tibet. Please help. Donate here: http://www.causes.com/causes/472609(Please RT)

• Read and share a moving blog post about the earthquake with reactions from Tibetans in Tibet on High Peaks Pure Earth
  
• Read and share the statement issued by the five leading Tibetans exile organizations in Dharamsala (including SFT India).
  

• Write to the editor of your local newspaper to educate him/her that the earthquake struck Chinese occupied Tibet, which is at a minimum disputed territory. Kyegundo is in the Tibetan province of Kham, annexed into China’s present day Qinghai Province..

From High Peaks Pure Earth: Chinese media refers to the affected area as the Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Yushu (玉树) in Qinghai province, Western media has been calling it Western or South Western China inhabited by “ethnic Tibetans” or part of the “Tibetan plateau”.

Although spelled Kyegundo, when spoken it sounds more like Jyekundo. This Google map shows the position of Kyegundo in relation both to Lhasa and also to the provincial capitals of Qinghai and Gansu, Xining and Lanzhou, to the north east.  Here is the link to the map on the website of Tibetan and Himalayan Library, an excellent resource site.

Fears over potential dam burst:

The BBC has  reported that a massive dam at the headwaters of three rivers in the area has been damaged and that people have fled for higher ground in fear that the dam might burst.  A crack in the dam wall has prompted Chinese officials to drain the reservoir.  The Chinese government has plans to build several more dams in this earthquake prone area.  View a map posted on the Tibetan Plateau blog: http://tibetanplateau.blogspot.com/2010/02/dams-on-upper-reaches-of-yangtze-mekong.html

Also, according to an NPR report 85% of the buildings in the town have collapsed and the Red Cross is reporting that 70% of schools have been destroyed. The area is home to Tibetan nomads and farmers who traditionally live on the grasslands of the plateau.  A Newsweek blog post from April 14th documents the Chinese government’s massive push to forcibly settle Tibetan nomads into concrete housing projects like the kind we see lining the streets of Kyegundo. China plans to settle all of the nomads in Qinghai Province within 5 years.

The media is reporting that relief efforts by the Chinese army are underway, but we’re also hearing that many people in the surrounding areas are without food and water. A Tibetan was able to send word out that:  people as far away as Denma (5-6 hrs drive from jyeku) sleeping outside right now. People don’t have food and troops are apparently only going in by road, so it could take 2-3 days for relief to get here.

Please check back for updates and more ways that you can help the people of Kyegundo.

Read more:

His Holiness the Dalai Lama sends his condolences to the earthquake victims: http://www.dalailama.com/news/post/520-his-holiness-offers-his-condolences-to-the-victims-of-the-earthquake-in-kyigudo

Statement by U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi: http://www.speaker.gov/newsroom/pressreleases?id=1629

Free Tibet (UK based Tibet Support Group): http://www.freetibet.org/newsmedia/earthquake-eastern-tibet

International Campaign for Tibet (Washington, D.C. based Tibet Support Group): http://savetibet.org/

World News Blog (The sensitivity behind the latest Chinese earthquake): http://blogs.channel4.com/snowblog/2010/04/14/the-sensitivity-behind-the-latest-chinese-earthquake/

BBC (China earthquake kills hundreds in Qinghai): http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8619593.stm

NPR (Earthquake In China Kills 400; Thousands Injured): http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=125930694

Free Tibet (UK based Tibet Support Group): http://www.freetibet.org/newsmedia/earthquake-eastern-tibet

New York Times (Strong Quake Kills Hundreds in Western China): http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/15/world/asia/15quake.html

Losar Pledge: Because I am Tibetan

This Losar, Tibetans are making a pledge to do something once a week – or once a day – to strengthen Tibetan identity and to weaken China’s control over Tibet.

Fill out the pledge form or add as a comment below and your pledge will be added.

“I pledge to translate inspiring quotes from other freedom movements to share with Tibetans once a week on Facebook, Twitter, and blogs.”
- Tenzin (Tendor) Dorjee

“Because I am Tibetan, this Losar I pledge to study/practice Tibetan 1 hr per day.”
- Lhadon Tethong

“This Losar 2137, I pledge to honor my Tibetan heritage and wear chuba once every week. It will be my Tibetan Wednesday, my day of remembrance of my culture, my people, and our struggle.”
- Tenzin Dolkar

I pledge to support any effort for a FREE TIBET till the last breath of my life.
- Nawang Lhautara

I will speak in Tibetan at home and with my friends!
- Tenzin Dechen (Berkely, CA)

This Losar, I pledge to make more of an effort to learn and speak my language, Tibetan, so that when we return to Tibet, I’ll be able to communicate with my fellow brothers and sisters.
- Tenzin Lobsang (Toronto, Canada)

This Losar I pledge to write at least one persuasive letter to a government official, informing them on the macabre situation taking place in Tibet, and encouraging them to take action to support Tibet.
- Tenzin Lhanze (United States)

Because I am a Tibetan, I pledge to do my “shandon” (Reciting tibetan prayer books) everyday.
- Jigme Namgyal (United Kingdom)

This losar, I pledge to pray every morning for my country TIBET to get our rangzen back soon and will read more books about Tibet.
BOD GYAL LO!
- Tenzin Dolma

I am sorry to say that as Tibetan, I don’t even know Tibetan. This Losar, I pledge to learn the language.
- Namgyal

I plan to try to speak in Tibetan to all my Tibetan friends.
Also, I will/am having a soup and discussion on Tibet at my college.
I am going to a class to talk about Tibet.
Bhod Gyalo!
- Ngawang Gonsar (Duluth, MN)

PLEASE IF YOU ARE TIBETAN, PLEASE DON’T CELEBERATE THIS NEW YEAR AGAIN,PLEASE TELL ALL YOUR FRIENDS & FAMILY NOT TO CELEBERATE THIS IS A TIME TO STAND TOGETHER & MAKE OUR COUNTRY FREE, DON’T GIVE UP, EVERY THING IS POSSIBLE, YES WE CAN MAKE OUR COUNTRY FREE ONEDAY, LOVE YOU ALL….LONG LIVE H H THE DALAI LAMA….
- Norbu Samdup (New York, USA)

This Losar, as a family, we pledge to practise the rich traditions of Tibet every day.  We pledge to always be mindful of being  Tibetan and to become ambassadors of Tibet.  We pledge never to bring harm to the Tibetan name.
We will celebrate Losar because we are Tibetans.
- Nyima Gyaltsen (Canada)

I pledge to make sure my daughter learns to read and speak Tibetan, and I will continue to Tibet work for always.
- Jordhen (Canada)

Being a tibetan,pledge to learn the language more effectively and all prayers to those BRAVO who have laid their lives for all the tibetans.
- Tenzin Donsal (Bylakuppe)

I pledge to speak only in Tibetan to those who understand Tibetan.
- Tenzin Jigme

This Losar I pledge to spread and inform the sufferings of Tibetan inside Tibet  from cruel chinese regime.
- Tenzin C Woesung

BECAUSE I AM TIBETAN…This Losar 2137, I pledge to speak Tibetan as much as possible with my Tibetan fellow brothers and sisters and continue to learn about the rich history of my beautiful home,Tibet.
- Nawa Dolker (Madison, WI, USA)

This Losar I pledge to celebrate by honoring my father who always tried to make me read his books, listen to his songs, and play various Tibetan instruments; for the first time in my life I see why he did so.
- Tsetan Dolqar (Madison)

this losar i pledge to honor great tibetan culture and pray daily specially for tibetans inside tibet who are mistreated by red chinese every single day.                                                                                                                                                    – Tsering (Delhi)

I will say ” bod gyalo” every morning when I wake up and pray for the eternal peace of the Tibetans living under Chinese pressure without any freedom when I go to sleep.
- Ugen

This Tibetan Losar, being a Tibetan, I pledge to study and practice Tibetan atleast Twice a week.
- Lobsang Topgyal (Bangalore India)

My Losar Pledge is to keep our national struggle to continue and to remember myself those Tibetan lost their lives under Chinese rule. I am not going to Celebrate this Losar because to known so many our people got killed under Chinese rule and many of them staying under suffering day and night in Chinese prison. We know people in Tibet given their lives for freedom, we tibetan living in free country not celebrating Losar for two years nothing. I feel this is one way to show our solidarity.

I really appreciated all your good works for our struggle.
- Lobsang Rabsel (India)

i will keep my identity of being a tibetan and lets fire at the Chinese authority to know that i am a tibetan….
- younten phuntsok (bangalore)

Because I am Tibetan, I will learn to have more tolerance and compassion for others every day. Peace to the world!
- Chodak Hunter (England)

this year losar, i pledge to study Japanese two hours per day and will present how much our brothers and sisters are struggling under Chinese rule.
- Nima Bhuti

I pledge to study very hard for the cause of Tibet.
- Dega (Class V Dharamsala, India)

To remind students under my guidance and care the tragedy that is TIBET and motivate them that Pen is truly mightier than sword 24*12.
- Tenzin Tsultrim

Display the Tibetan flag where ever i can, house, car, work and on my bag. Study and learn my prayer to vanquish all suffering and ignorance.
- Rapten Chhoyang (Toronto, Canada)

I have pledged with my family members, five of us ( two boys and a girl all over 20yrs, self and my wife) that we will speak in Tibetan within the family and to other Tibetans hence forth.
- Ngodup Tsering (Albany, CA)

My family is participating in a clothing drive instead of buying new clothes for Losar
- Theresa Dhondup

Because I am Tibetan I pledge to embrace my culture to the fullest once a week.
-Tenzin Tsangyang

Because i am a Tibetan I wil let my children watch Tibet related movies/ documentaries on every Fridays instead of going out for a Hollywood movie.
- Norbu (Olympia, WA)

This Losar I pledge to do more for the people inside Tibet!
- Leda Nornang (New York)

i pledge to honor my Tibetan heritage and wear chuba, eat tsampa, never lie like chinese ccp leader. you know like who? hu jintao. correctttttttt…free tibet. tibet will never die..down with ccp.
- sonam tsering (astoria new york)

I Pledge to spread the Tibetan culture and heritage to my International friends more often.
- kunzang (Monterey, CA)

This Losar, I pledge to work towards representing my country in all aspects. Firstly, As a member of the Tibetan Volunteers for Animals (New York) i will make every effort to strengthen our cause and uphold the name of Tibet. Secondly, i will continue to learn more about what the tibetan buddhism has to offer. Lastly, i will make an effort to speak in tibetan with all my fellow tibetans.
- tenzin kunsang (new york)

This year, I pledge to share stories of Tibetans through my writing. I pledge to study, trace and experience the exile’s trek my grandparents and parents made. I pledge to continue learning my language and never give up on Rangzen.
- Tsering Lama (New York)

I’ve always thought of reading and writing more in Tibetan, but always the thought slipped away. This Losar, I pledge that I will make this happen. Bhod Gyalo!
Tenzin Choedon (India)

I pledge to keep the Tibetan Freedom Movement alive by doing it on the daily basis not every March 10th and eat momos at the Tibetan restaurants.
- Tenzin Jampa Samdo (Cambridge, MA)

My resolution for the coming Losar is to restart reading old school prayer book once in month as i am afraid if i ever forget those.
- Kyipa (Milano, Italy)

Because I am Tibetan, this losar I pledge to learn Tibetan an hour a day.
- Dolma Lhamo

Losar – Because I am Tibetan, I pledge to study and deepen my knowledge about Tibet’s Political History, which is very much needed for Tibetans, struggling for their independence. …. Bodh Gyalo
- kunchok Sangpo (Delhi-SFT)

Losar – Because I am Tibetan, I pledge to study and deepen my knowledge about TIbet’s Political History, which is very much needed for Tibetans struggling for their independence. Bodh Gyalo.
-kunchok sangpo (Delhi-SFT)

i pledge to do what ever i can in the smallest sense for my country TIBET.
- karma (cheannai, india)

I pledge to prostrate 13 times every day.
3 for Lord Buddha and 10 for our struggle.
- Tseten Anak

i pledge i shall talk in pure tibetan,no hindi,english,
urdu,marathi,nepali,french in between when i talk in
tibetan.
but for those word there is no translation in tibetan.
i am not going to create new of my own.
with our permission i am going to use as it is.
- tenzin chokdup (india)

i pledge to read more books written in Tibetan languages,so that i can preserve my precious mother language.And gonna pray for free Tibet whenever i visit Boudhanath  stupa.
- tenzin tenpa (kathmandu)

Always always Speak Tibetan at home. Obsewrve Tibetans festvals and any kind of tibetan ceremonies. Wear Chupa during the gathers or when we go to stupas.                                                                                                                                                           – lhakpa Dolma (USA)

Whenever and where ever i get the opportunity to introduce myself, I am going to mention clearly that i am a Tibetan because there are still many people who have not even heard of Tibet. And it hurts.
- Sonam Diki

I pledge I shall talk in pure Tibetan, no Hindi, English, Urdu, Marathi, Nepali or French in between when I talk in Tibetan. For those words that there is no translation in Tibetan, I am not going to create my own, with our permission I am going to use as it is.
- Tenzin Chokdup (India)

I pledge to read more books written in Tibetan languages, so that i can preserve my precious mother language. And gonna pray for free Tibet whenever i visit Boudhanath stupa.
- Tenzin Tenpa (Kathmandu)

Always always speak Tibetan at home. Observe Tibetan’s festivals and any kind of Tibetan ceremonies. Wear Chupa during the gathers or when we go to stupas.
- Ihakpa Dolma (USA)

I will try to spread the word.
- Hala

Whenever and where ever i get the opportunity to introduce myself, I am going to mention clearly that i am a Tibetan because there are still many people who have not even heard of Tibet. And it hurts.
- Sonam Diki

I love Tibet. I love my land. I am Tibetan because I love my Tibetan sisters and brothers. I never forget Tibet.
- Maria Dobrucka

I pledge not to mix English with my spoken Tibetan.
-Tenzin Dhongyal

I will seat and meditate one hour per day, follow practice.
- Rafael

བོད་རྒྱལ་ལོ།2137   ལོ་གསར་པའི་དམ་བཅའ།
My Pledge for Losar 2137:-
ལོ་འདི་ནས་བཟུང། ངས་རང་ཉིད་དང་རང་གི་ཁྱིམ་ཚང་གི་དོན་དུ་ཇི་ཙམ་བསམ་པ་དེ་ཙམ་དུ་ངས་རང་གི་རྒྱལ་ཁབ་”བོད་”འདིའི་དོན་དུ་སེམས་འཁུར་བྱ་རྒྱུའི་དམ་བཅའ་བཞག་ཡོད།
I pledge to think about our Country “TIBET” as much as I think and thought for my Family and Myself.
འདི་ལོ་ནས་བཟུང། ངས་རང་ཉིད་ཀྱི་ཉིན་རེའི་ཕྱག་ཚོད་24 ལས་ཉུང་མཐར་ཕྱག་ཚོད་1  ནས་2   བར་རང་གི་རྒྱལ་ཁབ་”བོད་”དང༌བོད་ཀྱི་རིག་གཞུང་། རང་གི་ཤ་ཁྲག་གཅིག་པའི་བོད་མི་རིགས་ཀྱི་ཆེད་དུ་གཏོང་རྒྱུའི་དམ་བཅའ་བཞག་ཡོད།
I pledge to spend atlest 1-2 hrs of 24 hrs of day working for TIBE & TIBETAN.
རང་ཉིད་རང་དབང་དང་རང་བཙན་མེད་པའི་མི་རིགས་གཅིག་ཡིན་ནའང་། ད་བར་བདེ་སྐྱིད་ངང་འགྲོ་བ་མིའི་ཐོབ་ཐང་དང༌། རང་ངོ་རང་ཤེས། རང་འགན་རང་འཁུར་བཅས་གྱི་བསམ་ཤེས་ཐུབ་པ་ཙམ་མ་ཟད། དངོས་སུ་ལོངས་སུ་སྤྱོད་རྒྱུའི་གོ་སྐབས་བཟང་པོ་རག་པ་འདི། གོང་ས་ཐམས་ཅད་མཁྱེན་པ་སྐྱབས་མགོན་རིན་པོ་ཆེ་མཆོག་དང༌བོད་གཞུང་གི་བཀའ་དྲིན་དང༌། བོད་ཀྱི་རིག་གཞུང་བཟང་པོ་དང་ལྷག་བསམ་ལྡན་པའི་བོད་མི་རིགས་ཀྱིས་སྨོན་ལམ་ཉག་ཅིག་ལས་བྱུང་བ་ཡིན་པས། ངས། ལོ་ནས་བཟུང་རང་ཉིད་ཀྱི་མ་འོངས་པའི་མི་ཚེ་གང་པོ་དེ་རང་གི་རྒྱབ་”བོད་”དང་བོད་ཀྱི་རིག་གཞུང༌། མི་རིགས་བཅས་ཀྱི་མདུན་ལམ་བཟང་པོའི་ཆེད་དུ་ཞབས་ཞུ་བྱ་རྒྱུའི་དམ་བཅའ་བཞག་ཡོད།

I pledge to serve/dedicate my future-life for TIBET & TIBETS CULTURE & TIBETAN community, because I am borne as TIBEATN and I believe, what I am now is by the grace of His Holiness the Dalai and Tibetan Exile in Government. རེས་གཟའ་ཉི་མ།  ཕྱི་ལོ།2010   ཟླ།02  ཚེས།14    ལོ་གསར་ཚེས་1    ཉིན།   Date: Sunday, 14th Feb 2010 (Losar 1st Day)
- Dr. Dranyi Dawa Tsering

I pledge to read and learn on Tibetan history once in week.
- Kunchok (USA)

Click here for more suggested actions to take in the lead up to and on Losar. Tibet supporters are also pledging to take action for Tibet this coming year, view pledges here.

Chinese citizens share their thoughts about Google

The French website Aujourd’hui la Chine has posted candid interviews with two Chinese citizens who joined a group of Google supporters outside of the company’s headquarters in Beijing.

The interviews are in French but we’ve translated them below. It is quite striking how openly they speak about the significance of Google’s decision and the lack of freedom of expression in China.

Woman:
Today, I brought flowers to thank Google. I support them. I thank them for having spoken the truth and for having shown the reality of censorship. There are so many sites that we don’t have access to; the web is not free and this, no company ever says publicly. All the companies that are here make compromises with the government…either to access the Chinese market or to negotiate under the table. Google has spoken the truth.

Man:
Me, I’m a fan of Google. It helps me a lot with my work and my every day life. Baidu provides mostly the Chinese version of info, but because we now live in a global village, we also need international info…which isn’t the same as Chinese info. Frankly, Baidu isn’t the best.

Woman:
Baidu isn’t useful. It cooperates with the Chinese government and I don’t want this corporation to influence my day-to-day life. There’s no point in negotiating with the government. Freedom of expression isn’t negotiable, it’s a human right.

SFT Canada’s Tsering Confronts HDI/Continental Minerals’ Executives

Footage from HDI/Continental Minerals Shareholders’ meeting in Vancouver, Canada on June 24th. Tibetans and their supporters protested at the meeting to intenisfy pressure on the company to Stop Mining Tibet.

Smurf Emancipation Day – SFT UK’s response to China’s propaganda

SFT UK’s response to China’s new propaganda holiday:

The smurfs also held a protest outside the Chinese Embassy in London on Saturday.