The Solidarity actions around the world in the support of present crisis in Tibet.

Date: April 1, 2008

EMERGENCY TIBETAN SOLIDARITY COMMITTEE BASEL, SWITZERLAND
MAHNWACHE FÜR TIBET
 JEDEN MITTWOCH 18:00 AT BARFUSSPLATZ

Ausgangslage

Am 10. März 2008, dem 49. Jahrestag des tibetischen Volksaufstandes in Lhasa, protestierten Mönche aus dem Kloster Drepung gewaltlos für die Einhaltung der Menschenrechte in Tibet, insbesondere für das Recht auf Selbstbestimmung. Sie wurden von chinesischen Sicherheitskräften ins Kloster zurückgetrieben.

  • 140 friedlich demonstrierende Tibeter wurden bisher in Tibet getötet
  • Über 500 Tibeter wurden schwer verletzt
  • Mehr als 1,300 unschuldige Tibeter sind verhaftet worden und werden gefoltert
  • Es finden willkürliche Tür-zu-Tür Verhaftungen statt
  • Tibet untersteht dem Kriegsrecht
  • Tausende Truppen der Chinesischen Volksarmee sind in Tibet aufmarschiert, weitere sind geplant
  • Trotz der angespannten Lage finden täglich neue Demonstrationen statt
  • Die gesamte ausländische Presse wurde aus Tibet ausgewiesen
  • Chinesische Polizei und Mitglieder der PLA stiften, getarnt als Tibetische Mönche, Unruhen an
  • China wendet massive Staatspropaganda an, um die Tibeter in Tibet zu spalten
  • Den Tibetischen Verletzten wird die medizinische Verpflegung verweigert
  • Klöster in und um Lhasa werden wegen Einschränkung der Bewegungsfreiheit regelrecht ausgehungert

Zweck der Mahnwache

Wir gedenken den getöteten Menschen beim  Volksaufstand in Tibet und den angrenzenden Gebieten. Wir informieren über die aktuelle Situation und Entwicklung in Tibet.

Forderungen

Wir fordern von der UNO, dem IOC und der Internationalen  Staatengemeinschaft  Druck auf  die chinesische Führung auszuüben.

  • Eine unabhängige Untersuchung der Ereignisse in Tibet
  • Unverzügliche Pressefreiheit in ganz Tibet
  • Unvezügliches Beenden des brutalen Tötens von Tibetern in ganz Tibet
  • Unverzügliche Freilassung aller politischen Gefangenen
  • Sofortige medizinische Versorgung der Verletzten durch das Rote Kreuz
  • Bewegungsfreiheit in allen Gebieten von Tibet und Zugang zu den täglichen Bedarf
  • Das IOC soll  die Route der olympischen Fackel durch Tibet und auf den Mount Everest verbieten (Legitimitation der unrechtsmässigen Besetzung Tibet)

Weitere Informationen über die Ereignisse unter:
www.stoptibetcrisis.net,www.tibetswiss.com,www.tibetfocus.com,www.phayul.com,www.tibet.net

BASEL, 2nd April 2008
Emergency Tibetan Solidarity Committee, Basel, Switzerland

Budapest -

   

Tibetan issue was raised at World Peace Day in Budapest, Hungary.

Finland

For unknown reasons, the gathering that was to take place in front of the town hall in Helsinki is cancelled. A source confirmed that there is a meeting between Finish athletes, some representatives from the city of Helsinki and delegates from the chinese embassy!
Discussion with Finish parlamentarians will take place this Friday.

Nepal -

A sangsol was offered at the compound of the Boudha Welfare Office at 9a.m.

Number of participants during prayer was 1670, 1,600 whole day and an addition 70 who joined at night.

Arrests and Injury:
It was reported that different arrests were made today in the afternoon. One at the vicinity of old Chinese embassy (Hattisar) and another around Bhat Bateni, near the new Chinese embassy. A total of about 80 Tibetans were arrested and kept at Maharanganj Police station. Three were injured and are being treated at the police hospital. NTSC’s subcommittee looked after the injured and brought packed food to those who were arrested in the heavy rain. Committee is continuing to attending to the injured and the detained.

Visit of German Parliamentary Delegation and German Ambassador to Nepal:

A visiting German parliamentary delegation to Nepal led by MP Mr. Thilo Hoppe visited the Tibetan Prayer congregation at Boudha around 4:30pm today. The other members of the delegation were Mr. Klaus-Peter Flosbach, Mrs. Sibylle Pfeiffer, Dr. Sascha Raabe, and Dr.Odarg.
German Ambassador Mr. Franj Ring was accompanied the MPs along with a team of the secretariat. In total, there were 11. All MPs were members of the Parliamentary Committee on Economic Cooperation and Development. Tibetan scarves were offered by Kungo Thinley Gyatso la along with an urgent appeal letter addressed to each one. Over tea, the delegation was updated by Chithue Doma Tsomo, regarding the situation in Tibet and also, on their request, about Tibetan demonstrations in Nepal.
Each of the MPs expressed their solidarity and concern with regard to the crisis in Tibet with promises to continue their support. They expressed that while all of them came from different political party background, the sympathy and support for His Holiness the Dalai Lama was unanimous. 

Later, the delegation visited the mass prayer meeting and Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee, Mr. Thilo Hoppe addressed the over thousand Tibetans gathered on behalf of the delegation. Translation into Tibetan was carried out by Gyalsa Sanay Thumi Chairman, Tashi Phuntsok la.  A word of thanks was given by Kungo Thinley Gyatso la.

B. NPTSC (Nepal Pokhara Tibetan Solidarity Committee)

29th – 31st March, 2008

Three Chithues and Chief coordinator left Kathmandu on Saturday 29th March for Pokhara. Chithue Gyalnor Tsewang very generously offered to take his jeep. On arrival to Pokhara, the community leaders welcomed us and briefed us about the tentative program schedule which discussed and finalized.

On Sunday 30th March, all community leaders of governmental and non-governmental organizations, representatives of monasteries, schools, and institutes were present. The Tibetan national anthem was sung followed by tying the black armbands at 9:00am. A one minute of silence was observed to mourn the deaths in Tibet.

The informal meeting then started with a brief introduction followed by Chithue Yungdrung Gyaltsen la who explained about TSC, how it came about, the reasons and its objectives. TSC guidelines were all read out and explained to those present.

Kungo Theley Gyatso also distributed and read Kashag’s instructions as well as the latest appeal from His Holiness to the Chinese people. Chithue Gyalnor Tsewang la updated the attendees on the present situation in Tibet and read out the two latest press releases from TSC. Chithue Doma Tsomo explained the reasons for the delay in coming to Pokhara, the activities carried out at Kathmandu and the structure of NTSC.

A question answer session was given to the attendees of the meeting after which the” Bayul Pokhara Bodmii Zadak Legul Tsogchung” or Nepal Pokhara Tibetan Solidarity Committee had to be formed. A selective 24 member team was announced as the NPTSC “chikyab tsogchung” in which the 3 chithues and the Chief coordinator are members too. However, in our absence, the three gonzins were assigned the responsibility to take initiative. NPTSC consists of the Chikyab tsogchung 24 members out of which 20 can meet regularly. They formed

1. Zin-dhi and Dildah tsogchung of 8 members
2. Shabrim tsogchung: consisting of 5 main coordinators
3. Paljor Dughoe Tsogchung
4. Kahsel Tsogchung

Lodrik Settlement Officer Mr. Siten la was appointed as the chief coordinator and also assigned the task to report to NTSC of their activities.

Mainpat -

BRIEF ACCOUNT OF ACTIVITIES:

1. 30th March 2008: Chairman of the Mianpat Solidarity Committee Tenzin Gonpo (MP) along with Secretary of regional Cooperative Ngawang Choeying and other functionaries of solidarity committee met the president of the Indo-Tibetan Friendship Society Shri. T.S. Baba at Ambikapur. Shri. T.S. Baba is also the General Secretary of the Regional Congress Party. They briefed him about the recent events which took place in Tibet and the ongoing Tibetan movement across the world in order to seek his support for the cause. They also informed him of all the activities which the committee is planning to organize and submitted various fliers. Mr. T.S. Baba gave assurance of his support and expressed his solidarity to the Tibetan movement.

2. 31st March 2008: Members of the regional solidarity committee went to see the Chief Minister of the state government. But their meeting with Chief Minister was turndown but they were able to submit the memorandum to Chief Minister over the recent events in Tibet and seek his support for the cause.

3. 31st March 2008: Press conference was convened at the state press hall for around 40 minutes where all the important medias attended. Later, the committee members met the Governor of the State and briefed him of all the events that took place in Tibet and the ongoing Tibetan movement all over the world. They also submitted him the memorandum on the issue of Tibet.

4. Around 100 Tibetan people from Mainpat arrived at Ambikapur and left to Raipur to participate in various political activities.

Italy -

Italian Trade Unions for the freedom of Tibet
CGIL, CISL and UIL ask the workers to mobilize everywhere in Italy


CGIL, CISL and UIL organized many manifestations to support the tibetan people's fight, where thousands of workers took part.
Many Associations and ONG fighting for human right in Tibet and China joined this manifestations, as ACLI, Movimento Cristiano Lavoratori, SERMIG and Associazione Comuni, Province e Regioni per il Tibet.
There were a lot of testimonies of solidarity with the victims of the savage repression by the Chinese government.
Foremost events:

 - Rome: 500 roman workers and citizens took part at a demonstration in front of the Chinese Embassy. There was also the Trade Unions General Secretaries Mr. Bonanni (CISL), Mr. Epifani (CGIL) e Mr. Angeletti (UIL).

(See: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XkE38kyJlg)

- Torino: 400 people at the manifestation in front of the Prefettura. There were, with their flags, the representatives of Piedmont Region, Turin Province and of the Turin Municipality. The Regional Council approved a document where condemns the repression in Tibet and joins the Trade Unions manifestations.

- Milano: 2000 people crowed Piazza della Scala for the biggest manifestation supporting the Tibetan cause in Europe in the last weeks.
(See: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hN3a-xesMuk)


- Bologna: 1500 workers attended the speeches of the Trade Unions Secretaries and of the Mayor Mr. Cofferati, who expressed the solidarity of the town.

The representatives of the Tibetan Community in Italy took part in all the manifestations to denounce the crimes of the Chinese occupation forces and to appeal to International Community to stop the genocide.

Campagna di Solidarietà con il Popolo Tibetano
www.dossiertibet.it

Siliguri -

Pictures from peace rally in Siliguri.

Germany -
           
Tibet-Support group from Lake of Constance (Bodensee) in Germany raised the Tibetans flag in the middle of the town in Ueberlingen. Through this flag hoisting, they have expressed, "it's just a sign how the German people are feeling for you (Tibetans). We are all with you and we know you are on the right way." (Picture below shows Tibetan flag to the very left)

Leh, Ladakh

A mammoth rally organized at Leh-Ladakh on 2nd April 2008 against the merciless brutality of Chinese army and human rights violation in Tibet.

 In view of growing merciless killing of innocent Tibet people, human rights violation, and suppression of freedom of expression, destruction of monasteries and merciless brutality of Chinese army! A mammoth rally of 15,000 people was carried in Leh-town today. Himalayan Committee organized this peaceful rally on Tibet along with Venerable Gyeshes and Voluntary Buddhist Youth of Ladakh. People from all faiths of Ladakh, Venerable Rinpoches, Youths, Student, masses and political leaders participated in the rally. A copy of memorandum was read before the huge ordinance of 10,000 and was faxed to Prime Minister of India and Secretary General U.N.O. The memorandum contains following points.

  1.  To allow independent facts finding in Tibet.
  2. To lift all kinds of media restrictions from all over Tibet.
  3.  For protection of Fundamental and Human rights of Tibetan people.
  4. To send emergency medical relief through Red Cross and such organization.
  5. For starting immediate negotiations with the H. H Dalai Lama for resolution Problem of Tibet.

Dhondenling, Kollegal

MASS PRAYERS CONDUCTED.

Since from the uneventful tragic crackdown by the Chinese force in Lhasa and rest of the Tibet, the people of Dhondenling Tibetan settlement gathered to pay solidarity and support to the peaceful movement in Tibet.  Today, monks from all six monasteries and people from 22 villages gathered near their respective Community Center and chanted various prayers for whole day and even at night also for the well being of the Tibetans in Tibet and in order to achieve the goal of Tibetans.

STUDENT PEACE MARCH AT KOLLEGAL.

More than 300 students and Tibetan teacher walked in Kollegal town with candle light vigil.  It was first ever kind of movement held in the town and locals are impressed with the discipline and enthusiasiam of the children.  Students submit a memorandum to the Assistant Commissioner.