Progress in Tibetan People's Movement
Press Conference, July 23 2007
(For Immediate Release)

The main purpose of this press conference is to brief the media on the progress of the Tibetan People's Movement which is organizing a major Tibetan campaign against the Beijing 2008 Olympics in New Delhi on the 4th August. The Tibetan People's Movement was created in the heated public activism last year in November and since then the various NGOs that created it has not only given leadership, coordination and resources but has been responsible for some of the most successful campaigns in recent times.

The 4th August Tibetan campaign in New Delhi is being organized by the Tibetan People's Movement and presently there are four Tibetan NGOs who are working together for it: Tibetan Women's Association (TWA), GuChuSum: Ex-Political Prisoners Movement, National Democratic Party of Tibet (NDPT) and Students for a Free Tibet (SFT).

As declared during the press conference on June 30th, the Tibetan People's Movement's Team Tibet Campaign will be held on August 4, 2007 in New Delhi. The campaign will be organize an "International Marathon Run" participated by international runners and a friendly India-Tibet exhibition football match between the Tibetan National Team and Delhi State Team, Delhi-XI. 

Representatives of the 4 NGOs have been receiving overwhelming moral and financial support from the Tibetan community both in India and abroad. Our campaigners have been touring various Tibetan refugee camps, schools, monasteries all over India. We continue to appeal for such support and participation.

Clarification

Since there is going to be two Tibetan campaigns in Delhi during the first week of August for the same purpose of campaigning against the Beijing Olympics, we are getting to know that in some quarters of the Tibetan community, some misunderstanding and confusion is prevailing, especially after the withdrawal of Tibetan Youth Congress from the organizing committee. For that we would like to clarify presenting the history, the objectives and importance of the campaign.

The August 4th event is aimed directly against the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The Chinese government will use the global platform which the Olympics provide to legitimize their claim over Tibet and gain international credibility as a peaceful and unified country. Through this campaign, the 4 NGOs will publicize China's atrocious communist rule in Tibet and highlight the appalling human rights situation in Tibet. Like other nations, the Tibetan people also want to be represented at the Olympics under Tibet's national flag.

Team Tibet

The concept of Team Tibet was initially discussed during the International Tibet Support Network meeting from May 1-4, 2006 at the Club House, Dharamsala.  Delegates of all the major Tibetan NGOs and Tibet Support Groups (TSG) attending the meeting passed a resolution to form a Team Tibet and to campaign for Team Tibet to be represented at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Likewise on May 3rd, the Olympics' Campaign Working Group convened for a brainstorming session in Dharamsala before attending the 5th TSG meet in Brussels, Belgium, that was participated by all major NGOs. It was decided at the meeting to launch a preliminary campaign titled, "Tug of War".  The campaign was organized by 5 NGOs in Dharamsala on May 13th, 2007 to highlight Team Tibet and they were TWA, NDPT, SFT, RTYC and Gu Chu Sum movement for Tibet.

At the 5th TSG conference in Brussels from May 11-14, 2007, organized by Tibetan Government in Exile, Olympic campaign was prioritized amongst other campaigns for Tibet. The concept of Team Tibet was unanimously endorsed as the most practical and effective campaign by 315 delegates representing all Tibetan NGOs and TSGs from 56 nations.  This conference was followed by an ITSN conference on May 15th.  At that meeting, 4 main elements of the Olympic campaign were identified; Team Tibet, One Year Countdown (August 4 and August 8), Torch Relay, and Public Engagement and related campaigns. 

Thus, 5 NGOs in Dharamsala met on June 8th, 2007 to strategize the Olympic campaign and agreed for a Tibetan People's Movement to be held on August 4th, 2007 in Delhi consisting of International Run for Tibet and a friendly football match between Tibetan National Team and Indian Team.

TYC's withdrawal from the Organizing Committee

A press conference was held on June 30th by the 5 organizing NGOs to announce the August 4th campaign.  However on July 5th, Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC) sent a letter to the organizing committee notifying its withdrawal from the Committee and their plan to carry out an indefinite hunger strike campaign at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi that began on July 8th. The remaining Organizing Committee convened again to re-strategize the planned campaign on August 4.  We are aware about the hunger strikers' dire physical condition by 4th August, and accordingly we made appropriate changes in our original action plan of the day.

The Organizing Committee consisting of the major Tibetan NGOs have successfully organized campaigns when we are together and united as in the past track record like the joint campaigns on Tenzin Delek Rinpoche's release, Banning Animal Skin Products, the protest against Golmud to Lhasa railway, Nangpala Shooting protest, the Hu Jintao visit protest and March 10 protest this year.
 
The Organizing Committee believes Tibetan Youth Congress to be one of the most important NGOs in the Tibetan community in exile and we recognize the significance of the ongoing indefinite hunger strike and the August 8th Mass Campaign.  The Organizing Committee is fully supportive of the 14 hunger strikers and respects their courage and sacrifice for the cause of our country's freedom. We appeal to the general public to dissociate from rumors intended at creating a rift and destroy the unity within our community.

The Olympics Campaign is a year long campaign aimed at promoting the Tibetan freedom movement.  The 4 NGOs appeal to the Tibetan people for their continuous support and participation in all the upcoming Olympic campaigns.  

Contact Information: Tenzin Bhuti: 941 811 8153; Chemi Yungdrung: 941 806 9179; Karma Sichoe: 981 637 4389; Ngawang Woebar: 941 810 2483.

Bring Tibet to the 2008 Beijing Olympics

In August 2008, global attention will focus on China as Beijing will be hosting the 2008 Olympic Games. Unlike the previous Olympics however, the 2008 Games will be a crucial turning point for the Olympic movement as well as for the many nations occupied by China. Most importantly, the Games will be a major defining moment for the modern world. During the Olympics, the Chinese government will conceal its oppressive rule in Tibet and its human rights violations against its own people and the people it colonizes in an attempt to gain international credibility as a leading global power.

The fundamental principles of the Olympic Charter and the Games are the manifestation of freedom, justice, opportunity, equality and love for every human being on this earth. But these ideals are rampantly violated in China. The Chinese government is documented to have killed over 75 million people in its 58 years of draconian rule. Sadly, the host of the 2008 Olympics is labelled "The Worst Regime" by international human rights organizations such as Amnesty International.

In Tibet, the colonial rule of China has resulted in the death of over 1.3 million Tibetans and the virtual destruction of the Tibetan race and civilization through genocide and the demolition of Tibet's environment. Even today, thousands of Tibetans are imprisoned for exercising what should be their basic human rights. These include freedom of expression, freedom of religion, and the right to lay claim to the land, which Tibetans have used, as their source of livelihood for centuries.

Team Tibet

On August 8, 2008, the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games will take place in Beijing. But where will Tibet be? Like any other nation, Tibetans want to be represented at the Olympics, yet Tibet is still occupied, and as a nation Tibet remains barred from the Games. The 2008 Games are the opportunity for this to change. "Team Tibet" is a movement of people around the globe calling for a just solution for Tibet so that Tibetans can carry their flag in the 2008 Olympics. 
There are two aspects of Team Tibet. Firstly, Tibetan NGOs and Tibet support groups will recruit Tibetan athletes to form an actual "Team Tibet", the second step is to reach out to supporters, including celebrities, professional athletes, and the public, to become symbolic members of Team Tibet. For more information log on to www.supportteamtibet.org.

 

Objectives:

• Highlight Tibetans' aspiration to take part in the 2008 Olympic Games.

• Reach out to high-profile individuals, including former and current Olympic athletes, other athletes,   celebrities, and the general public to support and participate in the Olympics Campaign through Team  Tibet.

• Engage the media through highlighting the concept of Team Tibet and notable Team Tibet members.

Thousands of Tibetans and their supporters from all over the world will "Bring Tibet to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games" so that Tibet can be justly represented at the Olympics. We further appeal not only to the sports community but also to the wider global community to assume their moral responsibility of promoting the ideals of the Olympic movement by supporting Team Tibet.

Issued by: Tibetan Youth Congress ::  Tibetan Women's Association :: National Democratic Party of Tibet :: Gu Chu Sum Movement of Tibet :: Students for a Free Tibet, India

International Day in support of Torture Victims

International Day in Support of Victims of Torture is observed every year on 26 June. It is the day the United Nations’ Convention against torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment came into effect. It is the day that we pay deep respect to those who have suffered and endured the worst torture.

Torture is the most profound abuse of human rights, taking a terrible toll on millions of individuals and their families. It can be defined as the deliberate systematic infliction of severe physical and mental suffering by one or more persons acting alone or in authority. Rape, suffocation in water, burns, electric shocks, sleep deprivation, shaking and beatings are commonly used by the torturers to break down an individual’s personality.
Electric shocks, kicking and beatings, striping naked, throwing boiling water on the face, standing bare foot on ice are commonly used by the Chinese authorities to destroy the spirit of an individual and break their resolve.
Physical symptoms following torture depend on the physical torture method used. The physical pain constantly reminds the torture survivor of their terrible experience, thus adding to their psychological problems. The psychological and emotional scars are the most devastating and the most difficult to repair. Often survivors sleep little, have recurring nightmares, and may have problems concentrating, which interferes with learning. Regular frequent long term effects include feelings of anxiety, fear, phobias, depression, increase irritability, and problems in sexual life. Often the survivors feel completely changed. He/She lose their trust in others. Deep feelings of guilt and shame may be caused by the mere fact that the person survived while friends may have died under torture.
Today is the day that we have to speak up against the unspeakable. It is the day that the United Nation appeals to all governments and members of civil society to take action to defeat tortures and torturers everywhere. It is the day that the world should stand united to end torture.

Event for International Torture Day
26 June. TCV Gopalpur

In the evening at 7 pm, we performed ‘A Contemporary Play: 20 Years of Struggle’ at TCV Gopalpur.  The play had raw human emotions and all students and staff remained spellbound. The play became an inspiration for the spectators.
The main aim of this play is to inform and generate awareness among the exile Tibetans about the sufferings of the political prisoners under the Chinese regime and their determination in the freedom struggle.