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nternational Campaign for Tibet
http://www.savetibet.org/

San Francisco Beijing '08 Campaign April 7th, 2008 to April 9th, 2008
in  San Francisco
http://www.savetibet.org/calendar/event.php?id=556

The Dalai Lama has since won the Congressional Gold Medal as mentioned
in this interview.  Video clips and information are available here.
http://ict.convio.net/site/PageServer?pagename=DLDC_webcast_English&JServSessionIdr009=lhr0utpia1.app2b

Eight Tibetans killed in Kardze: new phase in protests in Tibet
http://www.savetibet.org/news/newsitem.php?id=1279

Articles on violence and silenced voices of dissent going back years
http://www.savetibet.org/news/insidetibet.php

In June of 2006, I spoke with John Ackerly of the International
Campaign for Tibet.  At the time, the media was not as focused on the
violence in Lhasa as it is now. It seemed that nonviolent
diplomacy was a likely option as voices in the Chinese government were
starting to warm towards the plight of Tibetans and openly criticize
China's policies regarding continued occupation of the nation.  Even
though this interview is almost two years old, I wanted to share it in
view of recent developments and hopefully provide a little more
background, even if it is basic information.

Americans carry a rather simplified idea of Tibet as a peaceful nation being
occupied and as a culture being slowly dissolved into the Peoples
Republic of China.
We think that it's a shame, and we feel bad so we put bumper stickers
on our cars, throw concerts to build awareness, and then go back to
our day to day lives.
Most of us (including myself) do not know the details of
the U.S. diplomatic policy regarding China and Tibet, and most of us do
not know much about the people and customs of Tibet (beyond cliched
rural images with the Himalayas in the background and pictures of the
Dalai Lama smiling and looking peaceful).  This is what I choose to
think of myself. It is a wonderful view of an idealized culture
led by a leader who embodies all that I like to believe is right in
the world.   But I am as guilty of pushing the Tibetan reality under
the rug, along with the rest of the atrocities occurring world wide that
prick my conscience, as anyone else.

 I have no obligation to be objective here, so I can openly admit that
what I have read, in the sources linked above, and watched in short news
clips brings tears to my eyes.  I want to do something.  I want to
find who is responsible and tell them that they have to stop.  I want
to tell them that there are other ways to maintain a strong economy
and feed their citizens. But in truth, it does no good to blame only
the Chinese government and to shoot criticisms at a regime, in
transition, upholding policies and actions instigated decades
ago.  Feeling anger and the need to reach out and help ease the frustrations
of a people oppressed are natural reactions, but it we should instead
turn that energy into educating the world population on the
consequences of violence in aggressive as well as defensive tactics.  Great and
positive changes in social and political tyranny have been achieved by
nonviolent acts in our very recent history, and stopping violence in
response to violence, ceasing threats in response to threats, and promoting
demilitarizing political agendas is the most obvious step towards
ending a cycle of wars and the tyranny at play when peaceful nations
held in check by military
occupation.

When the population of one of the most nonviolent governments and
cultures in the world has finally erupted into riots where Monks are
being fired upon and crowds are being herded with tanks and tear gas,
should we not ask ourselves if there is a better option?  Should we
not consider this a moment of revelation?  More thought and more
energy need to be directed towards the contemplation of peaceful
politics.  Nonviolent diplomacy should be taking the place of bullying
government policies.  The US is particularly guilty of patrolling the world
with big sticks and sending invasion forces into unstable situations.
Under the guise of saving the weak and protecting nations from
themselves, and under the pretense of promoting political and
economic stability, we tend to do the opposite (see the Philippines,
Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq).  Is this not another form of
colonization via a trojan horse painted in the colors of democracy,
freedom, and human rights?  Are we, as individuals, not
responsible when we do not speak up in protest? Hasn't our culture's
passive response been interpreted as an endorsement of US diplomatic
policy? I think yes!

I would like to ask you all to make this a personal process.  Educate
yourselves and try to look beyond the 2 minute bites on CNN and the
BBC.  Spend ten minutes talking to someone about issues that cause
your sides to clench and tears to prick your eyes.  Challenge yourself
to envision a resolution and an end to violence.  Follow it by thoughts
of ways that this could possibly happen.  I ask you to see a world
where we are a world community embodying patience, intelligence and
compassion enough to manifest a world where violence (even in protest
to violence) is not the first option.  We are better than that.  We
are a people that can build amazing jewels of civilization and
contemplate our own existence to degrees that dizzy the imagination.
We can build models of the shape of the universe and theorize on the nature off
all its parts.  Can we not find a way to evolve again and begin a
cycle of giving rather than taking, of balance instead of power, of
peace instead of war? Please believe in the power of communication and
one of the first steps towards peace is asking for it.

On the ICT website, there are ways to get involved, links for letter
writing campaigns, and information on the San Francisco Beijing '08
Campaign occurring from April 7th, 2008 to April 9th, 2008 in San
Francisco in Berkeley.  This is an immediate chance to educate
yourself as ICT will be publicly examining China's Human Rights record
over the last year in preparation for the arrival of the Olympic Torch
in San Francisco on April 9th.  The goal of this campaign is to draw
attention to ideals that the Olympic Games are founded upon and
hopefully encourage the Chinese government to act according to those
goals in future talks regarding the future of Tibet.

This is a very personal message.
Thank you for reading!
Crystal ~ Cikee


AlJazeeraEnglish
The uprising that began in Lhasa is now reported to have killedat least 10 people. China has poured military onto the streets of theTibetan capital and more details are starting to emerge about thesituation. Al Jazeera's Dorsa Jabaari pieces together the story so far. http://www.youtube.com/v/zfnBVKrzX6Y&hl=en