SFT Taiwan Represents at Tibetan Uprising Day march

SFT Taiwan members join Tibetans and their supporters in Taipei on March 14th to commemorate the 51st Anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising.

Become a friend of SFT Taiwan’s on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SFTTW.Fans
Visit SFT Taiwan’s blog: http://sft-taiwan.blogspot.com/

March 10th: I am Tibetan because

Tibetans in NYC on March 10th express their Tibetan pride. Since the “I am Tibetan” video from Amdo, Tibet uploaded to YouTube, Tibetans around the world have been responding with similar videos and messages. Watch SFT India’s video.

Press Release: Global Demonstrations Mark Tibetan Uprising Day; New Resistance Movement Takes Root In Tibet Despite Continued Repression

STUDENTS FOR A FREE TIBET

For Immediate Release:
March 10th, 2010

Contact: Tenzin Dorjee, +1 646-724-0748
Kate Woznow, +1 917-601-0069

GLOBAL DEMONSTRATIONS MARK TIBETAN UPRISING DAY; NEW RESISTANCE MOVEMENT TAKES ROOT IN TIBET DESPITE CONTINUED REPRESSION

New York – Thousands of Tibetans and Tibet supporters in dozens of countries will take to the streets today, March 10th, to commemorate the 51st anniversary of Tibetan National Uprising Day and to show solidarity with a new nonviolent resistance movement gaining momentum in Tibet. Today also marks two years since monks began protest marches in Lhasa, Tibet’s capital, that sparked the largest uprising against Chinese rule in Tibet since 1959. Chinese security forces are now a permanent presence in Tibetan towns and villages and a new “Strike Hard” campaign was launched in Lhasa in advance of this sensitive anniversary with hundreds of Tibetans being interrogated and harassed in recent days.

Tibetans and Tibet supporters in at least 100 cities worldwide, including in the USA, Belgium, Poland, UK, France, Germany, India, Australia, and Taiwan are marking the historic day fifty-one years ago – when Tibetans rose against Chinese rule – with protests, marches, candle light vigils, and government lobbying initiatives. In response to a new “I am Tibetan” campaign originating from Tibet, Tibetans in exile will also be recording messages of support dedicated to Tibetans living inside Tibet as part of their Tibetan National Uprising Day activities (1).

“In spite of China’s repression, there is a powerful new movement being led by the young generation inside Tibet. They are using creative, non-violent tactics to empower themselves and their communities and to challenge Chinese rule,” said Tenzin Dorjee, Executive Director of Students for a Free Tibet. “March 10th is a day for Tibetans everywhere to be proud of being Tibetan – proud of our ancestors who died protecting our homeland, proud of our brothers and sisters inside Tibet who continue to resist Chinese oppression, and proud of the new generation of Tibetans who are raising the flag of Tibetan freedom around the world.”

China has heightened security in Tibet in advance of today’s anniversary with journalists and most foreigners effectively barred from the region. Tibet advocates have also noted increased efforts by the Chinese government to silence international support for Tibet in recent days. Tibetan refugees have been preemptively arrested in Nepal, and in the United States, Chinese officials have attempted without success to pressure municipal governments to revoke annual proclamations of support for Tibet.

“As the Chinese government continues its brutal repression inside Tibet, we call on leaders of free countries to take new, bold and coordinated approaches to help secure a just and fair resolution for the Tibetan people,” said Kate Woznow, Deputy Director of Students for a Free Tibet.”

Note to editors
(1) Examples of the “I am Tibetan” movement include a homemade video from eastern Tibet posted to YouTube in late December, 2009 titled “I am Tibetan” as well as poems and a hip hop music video posted online by Tibetans that have been translated here: http://www.highpeakspureearth.com/2010/03/new-generation-hip-hop-music-video-from.html and here: http://www.highpeakspureearth.com/2010/02/i-am-tibetan-by-woeser.html

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Let’s Send 3,000 Faxes to the White House by Thursday!

Since 1pm yesterday, more than 1760 faxes have been sent to the White House about Tibet. Our goal is to send 3,000 by tomorrow when President Obama will meet with His Holiness the Dalai Lama – their first meeting since the President took office.

Please personalize and fax a letter now to President Obama urging him to help broker a resolution for Tibet.

TAKE ACTION: http://actionnetwork.org/campaign/obama_dalailama

President Obama reads 10 messages from the public each day and we want to make sure this week, he reads about Tibet. If we send 3,000 faxes by Thursday we will more than double the number of faxes he would normally receive (an average 1000 per day) showing that Tibet is a priority for the American public, and indeed for the world.

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.

Losar 2010: Because I am Tibetan

Dear friends and supporters of Tibet,

Tibetans will mark Losar – the Tibetan New Year – on February 14th, 2010. In the Tibetan lunar calendar, this day marks the beginning of the Iron Tiger Year 2137, a time for change, hope, and renewal. On this day, we celebrate our history, our culture, our religion, and our future – because our history is great, our culture beautiful, our religion profound, and – in spite of our present suffering – our future is bright.

Since 2008, following the Tibetan uprising in all three historical provinces of Tibet, we witnessed an escalation in the imprisonment, torture and death of our fellow countrymen and women under Chinese rule. Because of this, last year, Tibetans united around the world and did not celebrate Losar.

This year, many Tibetans are planning to observe Losar for one reason only: because we are Tibetan. We will speak Tibetan language, wear Tibetan dress, and observe Tibetan customs, thus strengthening our identity and our spirit. Through this observance we will find new courage and opportunities to advance our struggle. In observing Losar with family and friends, Tibetans will reach for happiness, which, as much as suffering, is an integral part of a freedom movement.

Through all these years of occupation one thing is clear: the oppressor envies the spirit of the Tibetan people, which cannot be crushed by violence. This year Tibetans worldwide will nourish this spirit with the observance of Losar.

While observing this important cultural tradition, we ask Tibetans and supporters to light butter lamps and candles on their altars and in their windows on February 14th to honor the courage of the Tibetan people in Tibet who continue to resist the Chinese government’s illegal occupation of their homeland.

Tibet will be free.

With hope,

Tenzin Dorjee,                              Lhadon Tethong,
Executive Director,  SFT            Director, Tibet Action Institute

Please watch this inspiring video from Amdo, Eastern Tibet, where Tibetans, young and old, declare the myriad ways they are Tibetan.

Included in the video are these statements:
I am Tibetan because I love Tibet.
I am Tibetan because I learn Tibetan.
I am Tibetan because I love my culture.
I am Tibetan because I wear only Tibetan dress.
I am Tibetan because Tibetan blood flows in me.
I am Tibetan because my mother is Tibetan.
I am Tibetan because I sing Tibetan.
I am Tibetan because I am a Tibetan nomad.
I am Tibetan because I love my land.
I am Tibetan because I am a herder on the plateau.
I am Tibetan because I never forget Tibet.
I am Tibetan because I love my Tibetan brothers and sisters.

New Petition for the Release of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche

Sign the new petition from www.freetibetanheroes.org for the immidate release of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche.

In June 2009, Tenzin Delek Rinpoche told a community member who visited him in prison, “I am not guilty, please appeal for justice for me….call all people together and do everything possible to help me overturn the verdict”. In a remarkable act of support, 40,000 Tibetans in his community signed petitions – many signatures being in the form of thumbprints – demanding justice for their leader.  Members of Tenzin Delek’s family attempted to deliver the petitions to the Chinese central government in Beijing and Tibetans in the Lithang area gathered in town centres to appeal for his release.

The petition will be sent to Zhou Yongkang (pictured right), one of the highest ranking members of the Chinese Communist Party. In 2002, Zhou was Party Secretary in Sichuan Province, where Tenzin Delek Rinpoche was detained, and he is currently the Secretary of the Central Politics and Law Committee, the main Party instrument for overseeing implementation of the law throughout the People’s Republic of China.

Please sign the petition calling for the case against Tenzin Delek to be re-opened and, if no credible evidence is presented, for his release.

CLICK HERE to add your name to the new petition on www.FreeTibetanHeros.org

SFTers join Tibetans, Supporters in March for Climate Justice

After a grueling bus ride from London, SFT UK finally arrives in Copenhagen to join the Tibet delegation for the December 12th Climate Justice March, attended by an estimated 50,000 participants from around the world, who have gathered in Copenhagen to demand solutions to the growing global climate change crisis.

About an hour into the March, Pema from SFT UK gives an update:

Join the Global Call: Record your own video message calling for the release of Dhondup Wangchen

SFT has joined other Tibet organizations to press President Obama to raise Dhondup Wangchen’s case with Chinese President Hu Jintao this week. Add your voice to the international call for his immediate release from Chinese prison at FreeTibetanHeroes.org

Record your own video message and upload to the  Gallery of Voices: http://www.freetibetanheroes.org/gallery/submit-your-words-photos-or-videos

Watch TenDolkar’s video here: