2 E.D. Letter Staff Changes Nangpa Pass 3 Olympics Campaign 4 FT!AC VIII & IX 5 Panchen Lama March 10th 6 SFT Action Media Roundup

8 Grassroots 9 SFT India SFT Canada 10 News From Tibet 11 Thukjeche Yingsel SFT On The Web

FALL/WINTER TWO THOUSAND SEVEN

PROTEST ON THE ROOF OF THE WORLDOn April 25th, as the sun broke through the clouds covering Mount Everest, the world’s highest peak, the melody of the Tibetan National Anthem could be clearly heard in the thin morning air. This moment marked the first time the anthem had been publicly sung inside Tibet by a Tibetan born in exile. After finishing this proud tribute to his homeland, Tenzin Dorjee (Tendor), SFT’s Deputy Director, along with five other American Tibet activists, defiantly carried a large banner reading ONE WORLD, ONE DREAM FREE TIBET 2008 into the middle of the Chinese base camp. Climbers were preparing for a trial ascent of the mountain with the Olympic torch. Our activists were detained by mountain patrol shortly thereafter, but not before footage of the daring, high altitude protest was broadcast in real time to a computer station in New York, making it available for public distribution within minutes.

As the world’s media—from Beijing to Kathmandu, New York to San Francisco—scrambled to air this incredible footage, Tibetans and supporters everywhere cheered knowing that their actions had successfully overshadowed China’s Olympic Torch celebration. The protest took place on the eve of the International Olympic Committee’s decision to approve China’s Olympic torch relay route. It was aimed at exposing Beijing’s political motives behind carrying the torch to the top of Mount Everest as a way to further stake their claim over Tibet. The moment was there for the seizing, and with careful planning, cutting edge technology and the encouragement of Tibetans and supporters everywhere, seize it we did—propelling the Tibet issue into the headlines of every story covering the torch relay route.

In the two and a half days that followed, the Chinese authorities revealed their true nature as the detainees, Tendor, Shannon Service, Kirsten Westby, Jeff Friesen, and Laurel Sutherlin were denied food and water, and were interrogated and threatened. It was barely a taste of what Tibetans inside Tibet who dare to speak out face, but a striking reminder that underneath all the pomp and splendor surrounding the 2008 Games, it is the same totalitarian leadership that continues to brutally occupy Tibet. Read Tendor’s personal account of the Mt. Everest action on page 6.

Lhadon Tethong in Tiananmen Square The blog that “Undermined the stability of China” SFT activists on the Great Wall of China

SFT MARKS 1-YEAR OLYMPICS COUNTDOWN WITH HISTORIC DEMONSTRATIONS UNPRECEDENTED DIRECT ACTIONS ON GREAT WALL OF CHINA AND IN BEIJING On the eve of the one-year countdown to the Beijing Olympics, six Tibet activists from the UK, US and Canada grabbed international media headlines after they rappelled (abseiled) off the Great Wall of China, unfurling a massive 450 foot banner reading ONE WORLD, ONE DREAM FREE TIBET 2008 in English and Chinese. At the same time, SFT’s Executive Director, Lhadon Tethong was making history as she traveled through Beijing with UK Tibet activist Paul Golding and blogged openly about her experiences and opposition to China’s occupation of Tibet on www.BeijingWideOpen.org.

The banner remained on the Great Wall for two full hours before Canadian activists Melanie Raoul and Sam Price, Americans Leslie Kaup, Nupur Modi, Duane Martinez, and Pete Speller of the UK, were detained by Chinese police. The group was held and interrogated for 36 hours, but not before images of the banner hanging on China’s most recognizable monument had been broadcast all over the world.

The next day, just hours before the official one-year countdown celebrations in Tiananmen Square on August 8th, Lhadon and Paul were detained outside of the Beijing 2008 Olympics Flagship store. By that time they had successfully filed 7 days of blog posts despite being constantly followed and intimidated by an array of plain-clothed Chinese police.

These creative and daring actions captured global media attention and helped to ensure that Tibet and human rights in general overshadowed China’s one-year countdown celebrations. China’s occupation of Tibet was brought to the forefront of the controversy surrounding the Beijing Olympics, and the Tibetan cause was raised to a new level of public exposure—showing that by combining non-violent direct action with cutting-edge technology and the determination of committed individuals, we can successfully combat China’s Olympics propaganda campaign.

Read Melanie Raoul’s personal account of the Great Wall action on page 7.

Deputy Director, Tenzin Dorjee

DEAR STUDENTS, MEMBERS, FRIENDS AND SUPPORTERS,At SFT HQ we are riding high on a wave of momentum following the actions on Mt. Everest on April 25th and in Beijing in August during the one-year Olympics countdown. We’ve been inundated with media inquiries, offers of support and interest in joining the Olympics campaign. In particular, we are overwhelmed by the reaction of Tibetans from inside Tibet. We’ve heard (from many different sources) that Tibetans all over Tibet and China know about our protests and are both encouraged and inspired by them. It seems that they are especially proud of Tendor—an exiled Tibetan who chose to return to his homeland and risk his well-being in order to take a stand for his people.

We knew that these protests would be risky for everyone involved, including any Tibetans we came into contact with during the Everest action. Because of this we did not meet with or make friends with a single Tibetan inside Tibet, and we used Chinese businesses wherever possible. If the Chinese authorities try to find Tibetans who helped us, they will not succeed because there aren’t any. And if they unfairly target anyone inside Tibet, we will publicly expose their actions and show the world that they are nothing more than terrible bullies who do not deserve the honor of hosting the Olympics.

The media response to our actions demonstrates that our analysis is right on target. The 2008 Olympic Games are an unprecedented opportunity to highlight the occupation of Tibet and shame Chinese leaders for their ongoing brutality against the Tibetan people. As long as we engage in smart and strategically-timed actions, we can steal the Olympic spotlight to highlight the Tibetan issue and build momentum towards a resolution.

The global network of SFT students, activists, friends and supporters is preparing to make the most of the opportunity that the 2008 Olympics offers us. I want to say thank you to each and every one of you who is working to secure this moment in history as a victory for the Tibetan people. At the same time, I want to make an appeal to everyone who reads this: please help us raise the funds we need to realize success. Please make a donation today and ask your friends and family to do the same. At this point, we have the people, the plan, the skills and experience we need to win this battle; all we need is the resources to make it happen.

In the true Olympic spirit—One World, One Dream: Free Tibet 2008!

Sincerely,

Lhadon TethongExecutive Director

DONATE NOW: www.studentsforafreetibet.org/donateMail a check: SFT, 602 East 14th Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10009

CHINA’S GOALS: • Be accepted as a respected global leader among nations

• Convince the world that Tibet belongs to China and Tibetans

are happy under Chinese rule

SFT’S GOALS: • Show China that its occupation of Tibet prevents

its acceptance by the global community

• Show the world that Tibetans still suffer under

Chinese rule and continue to struggle for freedom

Our Plan: A Two-fold Strategy1. Counter China’s Olympics Propaganda and Branding:

Turn China’s Olympics public relations strategy against itself by transforming

the slogans, messaging, and branding to support a free Tibet. By the time the

Games begin, the public will associate every element of China’s Olympics

PR with its occupation of Tibet and Tibet’s struggle for freedom.

Our Slogan: One World, One Dream: Free Tibet.

2. Direct Action In China and Around the World:

Take high-profile direct action at key strategic moments from now through

the Beijing Games so that the Tibetan cause becomes an inexorable part of

the story of the 2008 Olympics.

Global Torch Relay (March 26 – August 8, 2008): China will run the

Olympic torch through 23 countries around the world in the lead-up to the

Olympic Games. SFT and Tibet supporters will organize demonstrations and

direct actions to shine the media spotlight on the Tibetan cause.

During the Games (August 8 – 24, 2008):

Inside China – Tibet activists will organize protests in and around Beijing

during the Games to draw attention to China’s occupation of Tibet and

demand Tibetan freedom.

Outside China – Tibetans and supporters will organize a Global Uprising for

Tibet with round-the-clock vigils, protests and civil disobedience at Chinese

embassies and consulates around the world for the entire duration of the

Games.

THE PRICE TAG:China is spending literally billions to display a new face to the world that

obscures its brutal occupation of Tibet. Combining people power, passion,

and strategic vision, we will make history with a tiny fraction of the budget a

big nonprofit organization might spend on a single advertising campaign.

Inside China

$40,000 for one high-profile nonviolent direct action in China

$3,000 for each highly-trained action team member (flight, visa,

accommodations, food, etc.)

$500 for one Olympics Activist Toolbox (everything a nonviolent activist

needs to stay safe and speak up for Tibet: includes mobile phone, digital wi-

fi camera, China guide & Beijing map, legal support handbook, and more)

Outside China

$15,000 for one nonviolent direct action outside of China

$1,500 for each highly-trained action team member (travel, food,

accommodations,etc.)

$400 per activist toolbox (mobile phone, digital camera, SFT activist

materials, etc.)

WHAT YOU CAN DO:1) Donate now and sponsor an action, activist or an Olympics Activist

Toolbox!

2) Organize a fundraising event to sponsor a piece of the plan.

3) Organize your own action and let SFT help you make it happen.

If you are reading this, you are just the person we need to help us use this

moment to make history for Tibet! Contact: tendor@studentsforafreetibet.

org / (212) 358-0071

Please visit www.FreeTibet2008.org to learn more and take action now.

3

CHINA: WOULD YOU SHOOT ME TOO?On September 30th 2006, a group of unarmed Tibetan refugees, many of them young children, were shot at by the Chinese People’s Armed Police as they were crossing the frigid Nangpa Pass from Tibet into Nepal. This atrocity was witnessed by Norwegian, British, Romanian, Slovenian, Czech, Filipino, American, Danish, and Spanish climbers. As the foreign climbers saw innocent Tibetans being shot at, they could only respond with a sense of utter shock at the grave injustice unfolding before their very eyes. In the melee, a 17 year-old Tibetan nun named Kelsang Namtso was shot dead by the Chinese authorities. The children who were with the group were then taken into custody. If there was anything “positive” that could be culled from this incident it is this: the inhumane treatment of Tibetans by the Chinese was caught on video for the entire world to see.

Once this footage was released it spread like wildfire. One of SFT’s board members, Nathan, posted it on YouTube where it has now been viewed over 70,000 times. Foreign media immediately jumped on the story, the blogosphere was frantically abuzz with the video of the shooting, and people all over the globe were asking themselves “what can we do to help?”

Students for a Free Tibet soon began to formulate a campaign to further highlight the exposure of China’s oppression of Tibetan people. Immediately after the news broke, Tibetan Support Groups worldwide galvanized their forces to rally in front of nearly every Chinese consulate and embassy on the planet. The very foundations of these buildings shook with the collective rage of the Tibetan people and their supporters. China’s mistakes were left out in the open for the entire world to see—and to condemn.

SFT then launched the “China: Would You Shoot Me Too?” campaign. The concept was simple: take a picture of yourself with a sign that reads “China: Would You Shoot Me Too?” This campaign’s focus was to shame China for this atrocity and creatively keep the spotlight on the Chinese leadership while engaging Tibetans and supporters the world over. We had an overwhelming response from people on nearly every continent. From San Francisco to New Delhi, Milan to Taipei, SFTers and their supporters challenged the Chinese government outright with one question: “Would You Shoot Me Too?”

YOU SAY GOODBYE…As always, life at SFT HQ is busy and changing, and this spring has been no different. We were sad to say goodbye to Chokey-la in March who left us to live in Dharamsala (her hometown) and have a baby! We’ll miss her bad jokes and nutty enthusiasm around the office, but rest assured that she’ll stay involved in all of

SFT’s work through the SFT India office that is not far from her new home.

Matt Browner-Hamlin, an SFT Lifer*, recently left SFT HQ after 2 years on staff to pursue his other obsession – blogging on the American political landscape. Matt is now working for Presidential candidate and Connecticut Senator Christopher Dodd. And while we already miss him dearly, we’re very proud of his accomplishments and look forward to the day when

he will be in some crazy position of power to influence U.S. decision-makers to get China the hell out of Tibet! You can read what Matt’s up to at www.chrisdodd.com.

Tashi Delek and Good Luck to both Matt and Chokey!

…AND I SAY HELLOLucky for SFT there was a fantastic candidate for Matt’s Operations Director position waiting in the wings. Heather Reddick joins us from the League of Young Voters (www.theleague.com) where she managed the operations of seven offices and two staff. We never meant to steal her from the League (sorry Billy!) but are we ever happy to have her on board. Heather is already whipping us all into shape and getting SFT ready for Olympics madness in ‘08.

Welcome Heather!

*One who grows up with and remains a part of SFT throughout their life (i.e. joins a chapter in high school, interns at HQ, runs a college chapter and finally joins the staff/and or board of directors.

Outkast’s Andre Benjamin is down with the Tibetan cause Yvonne, Chinese-American activist, on the Great Wall of China

SFT HQ and SFT India staff out on the town after a day of scheming

FACING OFF WITH CHINA ON THE OLYMPICS BATTLEGROUND:

Their Slogan: One World. One Dream.

Their Mascot: Yingying the

Tibetan Antelope

Their Team: Team China (“Tibet is a part of China”)

Our Team: Team Tibet (in solidarity with an independent Tibet!)

Our Mascot: Yingsel the

Rangzen Antelope

Action Camp VIII in Dharamsala, India: by Priyanka

I was so excited when I heard that SFT’s Free Tibet! Action Camp would

be held in our village—in the yards of our little farm near Dharamsala. It

was the very first time for the SFT India members to hold such a camp, they

took it on as a great challenge. I could see their faces sparkling with beads

of sweat every evening as they rested after long days of pit digging for the

latrines and clearing up the weedy areas. The land was transformed into a

comfortable campsite before the participants ever stepped foot on the site.

Having never met any of the participants or guests, I was anxious to see

what they were like. I knew that they were skilled and experienced people,

but once introduced, I was pleasantly surprised to find each person I met to

be more down to earth than the last. And they were all incredibly passionate

about fighting for a Free Tibet.

The days at camp were long and action-packed—with workshops and

activities starting in the morning before 9am and lasting until at least 9pm

every evening. With each workshop, it seemed we became more prepared

and more precise as activists. Every single person was a part of the larger

team, and we all treated each other with respect as comrades. The loving

and caring attitude of the trainers was amazing and created a space that

made it easy for the participants of different nationalities—Indian, Tibetan,

American, Jewish—to work seamlessly together.

Everyone in the group participated enthusiastically—whether peeling

potatoes or washing dishes in the kitchen, or joining in group discussions or

climbing tall trees in the banner hanging sessions. The well-organized camp

was such a pleasure for the Rana family (my family!) to host and we all had

tears in our eyes as we waved goodbye. The campers and trainers will always

be remembered for their respect of the land and eco-friendly habits, and also

for their skilled work and dedication to Tibetan Independence.

It was my first time to participate in a camp like this, which left a strong

impression on me that we can win as long as we stand united and continue

to fight Injustice and Violence with “Ahmisa” – non-violence. The Might of

Spirit lies not in the number of Spirits but in the Spirit itself.

“Not only was I impressed by the sheer number of Tibetans at the camp, but

also how educated and passionate everybody at the camp was about Tibet.

Because we had such an amazing group of activists, I took away far more

from our workshops than in the past. Due to the excellent trainers, staff, and

participants at the 2007 Free Tibet! Action Camp, I came home with more

drive to contribute to the Tibetan independence cause then ever before.”

- Abi Scott (active in U of Wisconsin-Madison chapter since 2002)

“Before flying to San Diego I had no idea what to expect, but once our

activities began I realized that the SFT organizers are very professional and

serious about what they do. I truly enjoyed all the activities. The workshops,

the practical sessions, and the mock action in the end were all very helpful

to me. I knew many things about SFT, and I knew that they were one of the

most active and enthusiastic support groups, but never did I imagine all the

knowledge and experience they have as activists.”

- Exa Mendez, Latin America coordinator for the International Tibet Support

Network (ITSN).

On April 25th, Gendhun Choekyi Nyima, Tibet’s Panchen Lama, turned

eighteen years old. His entry into adulthood, usually a time for celebration

with family and friends, was marked by another birthday spent in Chinese

detention. This young man, recognized by the Dalai Lama as Tibet’s second

highest religious leader, was taken by the Chinese authorities when he was

six years old and has not been seen or heard from in over ten years. His

abduction, and the subsequent installation of a puppet Panchen Lama, is one

of the many tragedies of China’s 50-year occupation of Tibet.

On April 25th, Tibetans and their supporters protested, held vigils, and

offered birthday wishes to the Panchen Lama outside Chinese embassies and

consulates worldwide. This year, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima’s birthday was also

marked by the detention of five American Tibet activists on Mount Everest,

including SFT’s Deputy Director, Tenzin Dorjee (Tendor). After singing the

Tibetan National Anthem, Tendor publicly spoke out against the ongoing

detention of this innocent young man. He emphasized the illegitimacy of

China’s rule in Tibet and the insecurity of the Chinese authorities who know

they don’t have the loyalty of Tibetans. It is fear born from this insecurity

that drove them to kidnap a six-year old boy.

In the past year we’ve seen a renewed crackdown on freedom of religion

inside Tibet—most strikingly by the Chinese government’s recent

announcement that Tibetan Buddhist rinpoches, or teachers, must receive

the approval of the Chinese central authorities in order to reincarnate. This

transparent move to further control Tibetan identity and culture has been

decried in the international media, but it is nonetheless a clear sign of the

Chinese government’s increasingly oppressive policies inside Tibet.

At the same time, we know that with the Olympics less than a year away,

the Chinese government is under greater scrutiny now than ever before.

With his coming of age, China’s leadership can no longer purport to speak

on the Panchen Lama’s behalf, and under international law must allow him

to freely decide his own future. We will continue to raise his case in the

global spotlight, and as China welcomes the world in 2008, we will use the

Olympics platform to advocate for his freedom.

FT!AC IN INDIA & CALIFORNIA SFT’S FIRST INDIA ACTION CAMP IN DHARAMSALA AND FREE TIBET ACTION CAMP IX IN THE MOUNTAINS OF SOUTHERN CA.

PANCHEN LAMA TURNS 18: FREE HIM NOW

SFTers enjoy a traditional meal prepared by local villagers

The whole crew at FT!AC IX

Participant Tenzin Bhuti shows her enthusiasm for action climbing

SFT India Director Tenzin Choeying briefs participants

In every freedom struggle there are decisive moments—significant dates

when the determination of an occupied people to regain their freedom is

transformed into an unstoppable force. March 10, 2007 will go down in

the history books about the Tibetan freedom movement as one of these

moments.

On this day, Tibetans and their supporters worldwide took to the streets to

mobilize the largest March 10th commemoration since 1959. The protests

and marches organized in the spirit of the Tibetans who bravely rose up

48 years ago in Lhasa to defend their homeland, were not only larger, but

also more defiant—with the signature image of a clenched fist of resistance

visibly displayed in cities worldwide.

The slogan “Rise Up, Resist, Return” became a call to action for Tibetans

everywhere. In over a hundred cities and towns, the demand for independence

was heard on a truly global scale. March 10th showed the passion and

determination of Tibetans who have lived in exile for almost five decades to

return to the land forcibly taken from them, and it was a reminder of what

Tibetans inside Tibet continue to fight for everyday.

The March10.org website, launched by SFT in the weeks leading up to

March 10th, became the main online organizing hub. News articles dating

back to 1959 and the subsequent decades of protests were made available

to download. Young Tibetans, former political prisoners, and leaders of

the movement were videotaped recounting the events of that fateful day in

1959 when, after years of resistance on the Eastern border, tens of thousands

of Tibetans rose up and built a human barricade around the Norbulinka to

protect His Holiness the Dalai Lama and assert their independence. Chino,

a passionate young Tibetan-Caribbean hip hop artist, summed up why he

would be taking action in the streets of London on March 10:

“Everybody - Tibetans and non Tibetans - needs to do something on that

day [March 10th], whether through protest or whatever talents they hold, so

everyone knows what happened, because I have respect for the people who

died for the cause of our country.”

As updates, photos and video footage of the protests began to pour in from

city after city, it quickly became evident that we were experiencing history

in the making. The intensity of the crowds marching in New York, Toronto,

Delhi, Kathmandu and Paris was tangible in these striking images. Protest

reports from Switzerland, South Africa, Ladakh, Poland, Nepal, and many

other countries also rushed in.

Looking at the photos and videos of tens of thousands of Tibetan and their

supporters standing dignified and determined in the streets, chanting outside

Chinese Embassies and Consulates and marching hand-in-hand, was a

foreshadow of August 2008. To those inside Tibet, SFT published a message

of resolve, hope, and solidarity in this exciting moment in our movement’s

history:

“We want to let you know that we remain firmly committed to the cause of

Tibetan freedom and independence…As the Beijing Olympic Games approach,

we will organize campaigns and

take actions to expose China for

its brutal occupation of Tibet…

There will be protests in Beijing

during the Olympics. We will not

be deterred by China’s efforts to

keep us away.”

The unstoppable force unleashed

on March 10th will only continue

to grow stronger, propelling us

forward through the Beijing

Olympics and to the day when

inside Tibet, Tibetans will once

again be able to rise up in the streets

of Lhasa and reclaim once and for

all what is rightfully theirs.

March 10th: London, England Huge crowds gathered in Union Square, New York March 10th: New Delhi, India

RISE UP. RESIST. RETURN.Largest March 10th Protests Since 1959

March 10th: Brooklyn Bridge in New York

5

THE GREAT WALL ACTION

6

Below is a personal account from Tendor of his experience being in Tibet for the very first time and protesting for independence:

“It was the most bittersweet experience of my life. Walking around Lhasa, seeing my homeland overrun by Chinese police, Mandarin characters, military posts, and the smog and dust depressed me beyond words. Yet my spirit soared at seeing resilient Tibetans fighting against Chinese oppression in small, everyday ways. Everywhere I went, I saw Tibetans whose eyes and faces show open resentment of the Chinese presence in Tibet. It became obvious to me that the Tibetan people inside Tibet are still holding on to their nation and fighting for their independence.

Participating in the high-altitude protest at Mount Everest base camp was the climax of my adventure, and it humbled me immensely. As Chinese forces detained us, my only thought was of how fortunate I was to possess a foreign passport that provided me with certain protection from the wrath of the Chinese government. Thousands of Tibetans have participated in nonviolent protests that have resulted in their imprisonment or death, and yet these bold Tibetans continue to raise their voices. Thinking of these brave freedom fighters, my own arrest and detention seemed trivial.

As I was being deported from Tibet, I looked at the defiant mountains one last time, and I was filled with the strongest sense of conviction that this land and this people will continue the fight against oppression until Tibet is free.”

“Sam and I trained on a bridge outside Vancouver (our best attempt at replicating the Great Wall of China) with a blue tarp to simulate our 450 square foot banner.

When I stepped over the edge of the real Great Wall and saw the real banner unfurl before my eyes, an overwhelming sense of conviction in the Tibetan cause hit me—a small group of incredibly committed and creative young people (mostly volunteers) had out-smarted one of the most powerful governments in the world. Even as time passed during our detention, I became increasingly confident about what the next year holds for Tibet.

With every attempt to intimidate us, the Chinese authorities only further exposed their vulnerability. You could see the smiles on their faces when they confiscated the tapes in our video cameras, thinking they had foiled our plan to send pictures of the banner hang to the outside world. But the video of our action had long been posted on the internet for everyone (except the Chinese public, of course) to see. You could feel our interrogators’ frustration as they were forced to restrain themselves from treating six foreign nationals—with passports to protect them—like they would treat Tibetans and their own Chinese citizens.

Upon our return to Canada, people congratulated Sam and me for our brave and courageous action. But for me, having spent less than two weeks inside China and experiencing the overarching sense of control the government exerts over the daily lives of people there, it’s clear that the Tibetans living inside of Tibet—who resist China’s occupation of their country on a day to day basis and face torture, life in prison, and death for their actions—are the truly brave and courageous ones.”

Read more of Mel’s thoughts on her experience here: www.studentsforafreetibet.org/mel

“An advocate of Tibetan independance, Lhadon Tethong, executive director of New York-based Students for a Free Tibet, has been filing daily updates on her

blog as she tours Beijing this week. “It’s an opportunity for us to highlight this issue an let the world know that Tibetans are still suffering,” Ms. Tethong said.”-The New York Times

“But in what may be a prelude of things to come, four people were detained on Mount Everest yesterday for protesting a proposal to carry the flame up the world’s tallest mountain,

on the border with politically sensitive Tibet.” -Wall Street Journal

MT. EVEREST ACTION

Front page of Wall Street Journal’s Marketplace section

Photo of Great Wall banner in Austrian newspaper

Coverage of SFT’s Great Wall action on BBC’s website

SFT’s Everest action: top story on CNN.com

Chinese language newspaper covers Everest protest

The New York Times covers SFT’s Olympics Countdown actions

SFT in The Economist

BEIJING WIDE OPEN

Lhadon’s blog on boingboing.net, one of the most widely viewed websites on the net.

SFT’s Olympics Countdown

actions in the New York Times

Week In Review

“The activists - from Canada, the US and Britain - unveiled a banner reading “One World, One Dream, Free Tibet 2008”, on the side of the great wall.”-BBC News

“The city had a foretaste of this in the week marking the launch of the one-year countdown. “One World, One Dream, Free Tibet 2008.” The slogan plays on Beijing’s official Olympic motto “One World, One Dream.” A similar protest was mounted (and a similar banner unfurled) in April, at the Mount Everest base camp in Tibet.” -The Economist

SFT’s Great Wall protest: Top Story on Google News

Region 7: CA, NV & HI It has been a season of dedication and perseverance in Region 7! We’ve become intimately acquainted with the exterior of the San Francisco Chinese Consulate (and their security), and we’ve also had many opportunities to practice our organizing skills under pressure. Following the Nangpa-La shootings, Bay Area Tibetan youth organizers got together at a moment’s notice for protests in both October and November at the Consulate. Although the numbers were not huge, voices were definitely heard as the urgency of the situation gave protestors exceptional passion. The Free Tibet! Action Camp IX in San Diego this past January brought together SFTers from all the regions, focusing our understanding of the issues and thoroughly re-energizing our drive to fight for freedom. This extended into the Tenzin Delek Rinpoche FaceJam campaign organized by SFT Davis and SFT Stanford, in which supporters turned out despite the heavy rain to string TDR’s image from trees facing the consulate, plaster the door with flyers, and wear his image as they stood chanting outside. Losar was a great vote of confidence in SFT with the community stepping up to support the Olympics Action fund, altogether donating about $2,000.

The Tibetan community is constantly developing, and it seems that every year the protests get better. Up North, March 10th organizers decided to take a risk and not only march through Chinatown on Saturday, but commit to a full week of protests outside the SF Consulate as well. Needless to say, this was more than a stretch in terms of resources and effort, but it was well worth it for the disturbance and frustration it gave the Consulate! SFT members organized a powerful political theater piece for the steps of City Hall, dramatizing the Nangpa-La murders and extending the message “Never Give Up” to all those present. Southern California also represented in full force with a 36-hour fast from March 9th to 10th at the Los Angeles Chinese Consulate, a protest march, and a candlelight vigil.

Aside from protests and political theater, SFT chapters have been busy fundraising, including a screening and discussion at Gunn High School in Palo Alto of “The Cup,” and a great cultural event at UC Davis. Finally, SFT will be leading the campaign for the 2008 Olympics Torch Relay that will be passing through San Francisco on its way back to Beijing. We’re really looking forward to an exciting and action packed year ahead of us here on the West Coast!Yangchen Lhamo, Region 7 coordinator

Region 6: NorthwestMarch 10th in Van-City

For this year’s March 10th, students from the University of Puget Sound and Evergreen State College hopped the border to Canada. We entered Vancouver B.C. to find it just as rainy as the rest of the Pacific Northwest. The rally began with speeches by the Tibetan Youth Congress, Students for a Free Tibet and the Tibetan Association of Canada. The turnout was great. There was a large contingent of Tibetans who were bussed up from the Portland/Vancouver area plus Tibetans in the Vancouver B.C. area. We marched from the Vancouver Art

gallery downtown to the Chinese Consulate. It was amazing. We walked through much of downtown on a busy Saturday morning. The long march tested our wills, and we prevailed in the weather, finally arriving at the Consulate.

At the consulate we set up shop chanting slogans directly at the building. They definitely weren’t expecting us, and a few people in their offices watched us from a balcony. While protesting, the gate to the compound opened up, apparently malfunctioning. A few Chinese guards came out to close the door, which fired up the crowd even more. As our group was chanting louder, Vancouver Police had to intervene to make sure no one was violating international territory. The Chinese, apparently frustrated, gave up with the door and retreated to their offices. We remained there for a short while longer, then called it a day, very satisfied with the protest.Tashi Chogyal, Regional Coordinator Northwest

Region 4: MidwestThe Midwest Region has been busy—hosting some of the biggest March 10 demonstrations seen this year. We kicked off the Beijing 2008 Olympics campaign in a big way, rallying all sorts of Tibet-related organizations together in one strong voice. We saw our largest demonstrations in Chicago, Illinois; Madison, Wisconsin; and St. Paul, Minnesota with hundreds of demonstrators at each location. Local SFT chapters in those areas worked directly with the local Tibetan communities and organizations to bring in their voices and push the protestors past their comfort level.

The Chicago demonstration had SFT and other groups driving hundreds of miles to participate, from as far away as Kentucky, Missouri, Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin and Minnesota. Banners proclaimed loudly and proudly how far we’d traveled and how dedicated we were to the cause. Minnesota and Wisconsin’s demonstrations were just as great, especially considering how young and revitalized the groups were.

In the Midwest, we are not always big on change, but we know that change will not come for Tibet unless we stand up, hold together and make demands now. This Tibetan Uprising Day was the first to unite the region on this campaign, and we will continue on strong through to the Olympics. I have a lot of pride in seeing how organized our region is and how much success we’ve had in our efforts. Plan on seeing a surge from the Heartland, because we know that Tibet will be free, and we will not rest until we see it.Hilary Edwards, Regional Coordinator Midwest

GRASSROOTS UPDATES: NEWS FROM THE FIELD

SFT Midwest Conference

SFT Canada protests on March 10th

MIDWEST CONFERENCEThe University of Wisconsin-Madison hosted this year’s Midwest Conference. It was a smooth and relaxed conference with presentations from Kalaya’an Mendoza (International Grassroots Coordinator), Weronika Horembala (past Chapter Coordinator), Tom Boman (current Chapter Coordinator), Hilary Edwards (Midwest Regional Coordinator), Michele Ridlen (SFT HQ Board member), and Abi Scott (longtime Madison chapter member). The aim of the conference was to simulate a direct action planning process, so in addition to standard workshops such as “Teaching Tibet,” there was also “Political Theatre,” “Silk Screening,” and “Media: Indie and Press.” Other activities included a visit and teaching at Deer Park, the local Tibetan Buddhist monastery, and a screening of the film, “What Remains of Us.” The conference culminated in a successful protest held in the heart of campus in conjunction with the local Tibetan community concerning the tragic Nangpa Pass shootings that happened just two months before. This conference successfully energized all those who attended.

As the coordinator of the hosting chapter, the strongest piece of advice I can offer to anyone planning a conference is to begin planning several months in advance. I know it may seem daunting to get started so early, but especially in a campus the size of Madison (40,000 students), finding space and funding can be a challenge. We ultimately relied on donations from local co-ops for food, and we applied for and received grant money from the student government for speaker fees, transportation, and supplies. We also encouraged groups we had strong connections with on campus, such as Amnesty International, to attend as a means of outreach, but also to get more people trained on how to effectively organize a grassroots movement.

Thomas Boman, U.of Wisconsin-Madison Chapter Coordinator

NEW ENGLAND CONFERENCEFor the past four years, we have had an amazing network of students working together in SFT New England—based out of the Five College Consortium of Western Massachusetts: UMass Amherst, Mt. Holyoke, Smith, Amherst, and Hampshire Colleges. Joined by Amherst and Northampton High Schools as well as the Tibetan Association of Western Massachusetts, we have built a strong network of artists and activists within our community.

Our focus has been on building leadership among young Tibetans and integrating disciplines of scholarship and activism with theater for social change. Working extensively within the community, we have built up a sustainable group of young leaders who are exceptionally strong and brave individuals.

Our most recent SFT New England Regional Conference was a particularly important experience for our region as we organized ourselves and developed new workshops and ways of learning that made our conference a very full and dynamic training. I know it isn’t an action, or a rally, but it was the development of the conference workshops and different types of leadership training that set this conference apart as an educational and inspiring experience for all who attended.

Kunsang Kelden, Regional Coordinator, Region 1 New England

SFT CANADA UPDATESince last fall, SFT Canada has taken on the biggest, baddest foreign allies of the Chinese government’s destructive ‘western development’ plan in Tibet: Canadian corporations. Canadian mining companies are notorious for mining in countries with abysmal human rights records, and now they are leading the race to hoard Tibet’s minerals, overlooking the obvious problems of doing business in a militarily occupied and environmentally sensitive area. In response, SFT Canada and SFT UK (there are also two London based mining firms active in Tibet) launched a Stop Mining Tibet campaign, with the release of our StopMiningTibet.org website in September 2006. This March, we escalated the campaign with our first Stop Mining Tibet Day of Action across Canada, the UK and in Dharamsala, India. SFT members in Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto visited the head offices of eight Canadian mining companies active inside Tibet. We delivered letters to the corporate executives, distributed leaflets to employees and picketed their buildings to show that we’re digging up the dirt on Canadian mining in Tibet. We let them know that we won’t stop until Tibetans are free to decide how their resources are used—in other words, until Tibet is free.

On March 10th, Tibetans and their supporters across Canada took to the streets in what was to become the largest March 10th commemoration since 1959. In Calgary, SFTers hung a massive banner off the roof of the Chinese Consulate. Meanwhile in Vancouver, SFTers held a banner on the headquarters of HDI/Continental Minerals, calling on the company to withdraw from Tibet. Our most recent day of action on August 8, the one-year countdown to the Olympics, built off the momentum of March 10th and made national headline news for three days running in Canada and around the world, following the detention of Sam, Mel, and Lhadon. In Vancouver, Calgary, Ottawa, Toronto and Montreal, SFT members capitalized on the media attention, staging creative and compelling actions and protests, and helping to increase public consciousness about Tibet in the lead up to the Olympic Games.

Then, from August 24-26th, over 25 youth from across Canada congregated in Toronto for SFT’s Back-to-School conference. The weekend focused on providing training in direct action strategy and planning, ways to use the media, and grassroots organizing to participants in order to equip them with the skills needed to start organizing for August 2008 on campuses and in their communities. It was the first of several Olympics focused trainings planned for the coming months in Canada.

This fall will be chock full of excitement as SFT Canada officially moves our head offices from Vancouver to Toronto. With a Tibetan population of over five thousand, Toronto has become the epicenter of Tibet activism in Canada. We’re also pleased to announce that starting September 1st, Tsering Lama will be replacing Kate Woznow as SFT Canada’s National Director. Over the past year, Tsering has served on the SFT International Board of Directors and is the former president of the active SFT UBC chapter in Vancouver. She brings a wealth of experience, commitment and passion to the position and will be heading up the new office in Toronto. Kate isn’t going far and will be working as Campaigns Director at the SFT HQ office in New York.

campaigns and interacted with everyone who came, leaving a strong impression with them that they can help make change for Tibet.

Alongside these protests and campaigns, SFT India has been busy giving talks on the Tibet movement and youth activism to international students and groups of tourists who visit Dharamsala. These past months have seen SFT India helping build a far stronger and more energetic youth-based political movement for Tibet in India, giving hope to the Tibetan masses and forming a strong foundation for the Beijing 2008 Olympics Campaign.

UPDATE FROM SFT INDIAIt’s been two years since SFT India was formed, and today we have become one of the most active and formidable youth-based grassroots organizations in India. After being energized by the Free Tibet! Action Camp we hosted last November, we immediately started working on the Nangpa-la campaign. A protest march from the Main Temple in Mcleod Ganj to Kacheri (District Court) was organized along with 5 other NGOs, and we had a turn-out of nearly 2,000 Tibetans and Tibet supporters. In the morning, Han Shan and Lhadon Tethong gave inspiring speeches at the Kacheri and again in the evening at the candle light vigil that was held at the Main Temple. We also set up an information table in the Main Square at McLeod Ganj to educate Tibetans and tourists alike.

SFT India also took part in the international photo campaign on November 30th to show our outrage and to demand the release of the Nangpa Pass Detainees. We took pictures of people carrying posters that read, “China Would You Shoot Me Too?”

We had a wonderful celebration of December 10th, the day when His Holiness was awarded the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize. Our young volunteers and supporters were running around distributing flyers and tabling at the entrance of the Main Temple organizing a signature campaign for the release of Tulku Tenzin Delek and the release of the Nangpa Pass Detainees. Despite freezing temperatures and heavy rains throughout the day, we succeeded in getting more than 3,000 people from different parts of the world to sign the petition, including new arrivals from Tibet.

In November, we worked with the 5 largest Tibetan NGOs to organize one of the biggest Tibetan protests ever seen in India. The Chinese President Hu Jintao was visiting India for the first time and more than 2,000 Tibetans traveled to Delhi from near and far to participate in the 3-day demonstration against his visit. The success of our protest was clear, with Indian media reporting that China’s Foreign Ministry had lashed out against India for allowing this protest. This shows that whether Beijing likes it or not, Tibetans and their Indian supporters have used the freedom and democracy in India to make their voices heard and to keep alive the Tibetan issue like a thorn in the side of the Chinese government. Through this mass protest, we set in motion a new tide of activism among ordinary Tibetans and a growing wave of support for Tibet from the Indian public. The Tibet issue has moved from being just one of many issues in the vast subcontinent to appear in the editorial pages of national newspapers and be heard in boardroom discussions of mainstream media outlets as a matter of serious national concern for India.

Foreseeing the importance of understanding our adversary, we initiated the first ever discussion in Dharamsala entitled “Understanding China.” This is the first step in our effort to educate Tibetan masses about the current situation inside China and the future course of political, economic and social development inside China and its ramifications in Tibet.

In January, our campaign to free Tenzin Delek was joined by TWA, GuChuSum, NDPT, and FOT India. We set up a table in the Mcleod Square for people to receive information fliers, sign petitions and stencil images of Tenzin Delek on their clothes and bags. We also organized a public gathering at the Main Temple in the evening, with the majority of attendees being from Tibet. Artists performed moving songs, inspiring speeches were given, and the evening ended with poetry readings. We asked people to sign a large Free Tenzin banner, which was then hung in the center of the square.

In an unprecedented move, this year we took on the responsibility of organizing the commemoration protest for March 10th Uprising Day along with TWA, GuChuSum and FOT India. Despite heavy downpour throughout the day, more than 3,500 people turned out. For Dharamsala, it was the largest March 10th protest in recent history. Gyari Dolma, Deputy Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament and four MPs from the Indian Parliament joined the protest at Kacheri, gave speeches and showed their support. It was a colorful, noisy and passionate demonstration. The four NGOs also organized a Freedom Concert at TIPA in the evening and despite continuing rain, people started pouring in early, and by the time the concert started the hall was jam-packed with people standing in every nook and cranny of the hall. As well as patriotic songs performed by a number of singers, we showed powerful documentary footage, video messages, and images from Tibet to inspire the audience to take political action for Tibet. We also had guest speakers, including Phuntsok Nyidon, Sonam Topgyal (former Kalon Tripa/Prime Mininster of the Tibetan Government in Exile) and Sonam Wangdu (Chairman of the US Tibet Committee).

SFT India joined the Mining Campaign on the 22nd of March by setting up an information table at the main Mcleod Square, giving out information on mining in Tibet, and also having people sign petitions to ask Canadian and British corporations to stop mining in Tibet. We were able to give information to approximately 1,500 people, many of whom were actually from Canada and the UK.

On March 28th, we organized a Tibet Info evening at the new Jimmy’s Italian Kitchen along with Fiona from SFT UK and Karina from SFT Victoria, Canada. We distributed information about our ongoing

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Lhadon and Tendor hang with Alexis & Guillaume (SFT France)

SFT West Coast Conference

NEWS FROM TIBET: FORCED RELOCATIONS, MINING PROTESTS AND ROAD CONSTRUCTION ON EVERESTTibetans Riot Against Chinese Mining in Tibet

In late May, hundreds of Tibetans rioted in Tawu County, Kardze Prefecture in eastern Tibet against a Chinese mining project which was extracting lead and zinc from Yala Mountain, one of nine mountains considered sacred by Tibetans in the region. Chinese army personnel were ordered into the area to quell the protests, and five Tibetans were arrested. The incident followed the detention of over 25 community leaders who were attempting to deliver petitions to government officials in Chengdu and Beijing to stop the mining project. According to Radio Free Asia, following the riot, hundreds of Tibetans blocked a main road leading into Kardze and staged a hunger strike—leading to more detentions. On June 18th, Chinese authorities are reported to have announced an immediate stop to all mining activities in the region which “do not help the public.” Further reports indicate that all the Tibetans detained have been released.

To read SFT’s press release, go to: “www.studentsforafreetibet/miningriot

Chinese Government Waging Forced Relocation Campaign Against Tibetan Nomads

In June, Human Rights Watch released a disturbing report documenting a sustained, wide-spread effort by the Chinese government, starting in 2000, to forcibly relocate hundreds of thousands (in some estimates even as many as a quarter of a million) Tibetan nomads off of their traditional grazing lands and into housing settlements. This is a blatant attempt by Chinese authorities to further entrench their control over rural Tibet and marginalize Tibetans economically, socially and culturally. The report also discusses how land confiscation and eviction have been used to clear areas slated by the Chinese government for mining operations and infrastructure projects like the China-Tibet railway. To read the full report, go to:www.hrw.org/reports/2007/tibet0607/2.htm#_Toc168745898

Chinese Government Delays Plans to Pave Road to Everest Base Camp

On July 27th, the Chinese government announced that it was putting on hold plans to build a paved highway from the foot of Mount Everest to base camp at over 17,000 feet. The road was meant to facilitate the running of the Olympic torch to the peak of the mountain as part of China’s torch relay route. The planned road has come under fire from environmental groups and people concerned about the impact this project will have on the area’s fragile, high altitude eco-system. Plans are still moving ahead to improve the existing path, but the government has said they will halt the construction of the new road until an environmental study of the project has been completed. It is unclear when this study will take place. In April, five Tibet activists, including a Tibetan-American were detained at Mount Everest base camp for protesting China’s plans to summit the mountain with the Olympic torch. To read SFT’s press release on the action, go to: www.studentsforafreetibet.org/everest

For up-to-date Tibet news visit: www.studentsforafreetibet.org/tibetnewsor visit www.phayul.com, a great resource for Tibetan news and analysis

ORDER NO 5: NO REINCARNATION WITHOUT COMMUNIST PARTY APPROVAL

In an equally ridiculous and dangerous move, China launched an all-out attack on religious freedom in Tibet by passing legislation that forbids Tibetan Buddhist Lamas from reincarnating without permission from the Communist Party. The “Measures on the Management of the Reincarnation of Living Buddhas in Tibetan Buddhism” (MMR) went into effect September 1, 2007.

According to China’s State Administration for Religious Affairs (SARA), the new laws are an “important move to institutionalize management on reincarnation of living Buddhas.” Under the guise of concern for the well-being of “living Buddhas” the law requires monasteries who want to apply for official permission for a lama to reincarnate to be “legally-registered venues for Tibetan Buddhism activities...capable of fostering and offering proper means of support for the living Buddha.”

On September 3rd, the Tibetan Government in Exile, along with the heads of all the schools of Tibetan Buddhism, issued a repudiation of the new law calling it both “ludicrous and unwarranted.”

A report by the United States Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) explains how the MMR fundamentally threatens the survival of Buddhism in Tibet by empowering “the Chinese Communist Party and government to gradually reshape Tibetan Buddhism by controlling one of the religion’s most

THUKJECHE: SFT THANKS TIBETANS FOR FINANCIAL SUPPORTSFT’s recent protests in Tibet and China have received a tremendous outpouring of support from Tibetans around the world. Many of our long-time Tibetan donors have responded by increasing their contributions. To this group – too numerous to name individually – we say a heartfelt THANK YOU!

Many Tibetan communities have been hosting SFT’s Lhadon Tethong and Tendor on an Olympics speaking tour. The events are also fund-raisers for SFT’s Olympics Action Fund. As Lhundup Amdo la, former president of the Capital Area Tibetan Association (Washington, DC), said: “Tibetans have successfully created awareness of our cause over the last many years, and the need now is to focus on actions with clear-cut results. When an action like the one on Everest generates headlines like ‘Activists turn up heat on Beijing Olympics’ in the Wall Street Journal, China will start getting nervous.”

We thank Tibetans in the communities listed below for hosting speaking events (some communities are smaller than others, and we value their moral support regardless of the amount they contribute).

Tibetan Community Total Donations

Minnesota US $9,800

New York US $7,500

Boston, MA US $6,000

Toronto CAD $5,300

Washington, DC US $4,700

Madison US $4,600

Bay Area, CA US $4,500

Portland, OR US $2,500

Salt Lake City, UT US $2,500

Boulder, CO US $2,500

Los Angeles, CA US $2,200

Vancouver CAD $700

Seattle, WA US $450

To make a contribution to SFT’s Olympics Action Fund, please visit:

www.studentsforafreetibet.org/olympicsfund

unique and important features—lineages of teachers that Tibetan Buddhists believe are reincarnations and that can span centuries.”

China’s intent to directly target the Dalai Lama’s reincarnation process with this law is clearly seen in this statement from SARA: “The selection of reincarnates must preserve national unity and solidarity of all ethnic groups and the selection process cannot be influenced by any group or individual from outside the country.”

Outraged yet? To LEARN MORE and TAKE ACTION please visit:www.studentsforafreetibet.org/religiousfreedom

RUNGGYE ADAKOn August 1st, just a week before the one-year countdown to the Beijing Olympics, Runggye Adak, a 52 year-old Tibetan nomad from Lithang in Eastern Tibet, was detained for publicly calling for the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

In an extraordinarily brave move, Adak got on the stage during an official government function commemorating the 80th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Liberation Army and spoke to the crowd of several thousand Tibetans who had gathered for the annual Lithang horse-racing festival. Before he was dragged away, he also called for the release of the Panchen Lama and Tenzin Delek Rinpoche. Eyewitnesses reported an overwhelming response from the Tibetan crowd who roared in response to Adak.

Following Adak’s arrest, hundreds of Tibetans congregated outside the Lithang police station to appeal for his release. Police and soldiers moved in almost immediately—violently dispersing local gatherings using tear gas, stun grenades and metal batons.

It is reported that hundreds of local government officials are now being forced to attend meetings to condemn Adak’s actions. According to the Information Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Hong Kong, Adak has now been charged with “provocation to subvert state power,” and the Chinese government has labeled his actions a “major political incident.”

On August 21st, Chinese authorities also detained three of Adak’s nephews, Adak Gyaltso, Adak Nyima and Adak Lupoe, from the village of Yonru Kharshul in Lithang. Adak Nyima and Adak Gyaltso were later released, but Adak Lupoe, a monk at the Lithang monastery, remains in custody and his whereabouts are unknown. He is reportedly being held for appealing for Runngye Adak’s release.

A heart-wrenching appeal letter issued by Adak’s son and nephew from India describes Adak as a soft-spoken man and father of 11 who “broke the silence by speaking the truth, the truth that remains suppressed in the hearts of his fellow countrymen.”

Adak’s actions are a testament to the courage of Tibetans inside Tibet, who after 50 years of occupation continue to advocate for their fundamental human rights. He chose a strategic moment to act, and the overwhelming response by Tibetans in the audience must have struck fear in the hearts of the authorities present who know that despite all its military prowess, the Chinese government’s hold over Tibet remains tenuous.

The Chinese government has detained Adak for doing nothing more than exercising his basic right to freedom of speech.

Please join the international effort to secure his release, visit SFT’s online action centre at: www.studentsforafreetibet.org/stopthecrackdown

MY NAME IS YINGSEL.“I am a Tibetan Antelope. I am known as YingYing in China, and I was chosen to be one of the mascots for the 2008 Olympic Games.

In April, I left the Chinese Olympic Team. I can no longer stand to be used as a tool of propaganda by the Chinese government. It has been using me to cover up its violent and brutal oppression inside Tibet.

The Chinese authorities hope that by including me, a Tibetan antelope, in their public relations around the 2008 Olympics, that they can fool the outside world into thinking that Tibet is a part of China, and that Tibetans are happy and prosperous under Chinese occupation.

China hopes a successful Beijing Games will mask the true nature of their authoritarian rule.

I’ve gone into hiding because it is not possible for me to speak out against the Chinese government safely as there is no freedom of speech in Tibet or China.

I call on all Tibetan antelopes, Tibetan people, friends, supporters and governments of the world to help me in my quest to restore human rights and freedom in Tibet.

Bod Rangzen. Tibet will be free.”

UPDATE: Since leaving the Chinese Olympic Mascot Team, Yingsel has been blogging and working with other underground Tibet activists to shine the Olympic spotlight on China’s brutal occupation of Tibet. Follow her adventures at www.yingsel.com.

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP YINGSEL!Help make Yingsel recognizable as a symbol of Tibetan freedom and NOT China’s Olympics.

1.Link to Yingsel.com from your website or blog

2.Make Yingsel your friend on MySpace, Facebook & Hi5

3.Download Yingsel’s image and make posters, t-shirts, buttons and stickers and spread them around the world.

Runggye Adak

Yingsel makes a rare public appearance at a Free Tibet rally

SFT ON THE WEBSFT HQ SitesMain site: www.studentsforafreetibet.org Blog: www.blog.studentsforafreetibet.org TV: www.youtube.com/SFTTV

SFT International SitesCanada: www.studentsforafreetibet.org/Canada United Kingdom: www.sftuk.org India: www.sftindia.org France: www.tibetlibre.org

SFT Campaign SitesOlympics: www.FreeTibet2008.org www.BeijingWideOpen.org www.Yingsel2008.com

Mining & Economic Rights: www.StopMiningTibet.org

March 10th: www.March10.org

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A Chinese soldier overlooking the annual horse-racing festival in Lithang

Editor: Heather Reddick

Design & Layout: Juice Design

SFT HQ: Lhadon Tethong Executive Director Tenzin Dorjee Deputy Director Heather Reddick Operations Director Kalaya’an Mendoza Grassroots CoordinatorKate Woznow Campaigns Director

SFT India: Tenzin Choeying National Director Tenzin Choeden Program Director

SFT Canada: Tsering Lama National Coordinator

SFT UK: Pema Yoko National CoordinatorIaian Thom National Coordinator

Banned in Tibet is a semi-annual newsletter published by Students for a Free Tibet. SFT works in solidarity with the Tibetan people in their struggle for freedom and independence. As a chapter-based network of young people and activists in 35 countries around the world, we use education, grassroots organizing, and nonviolent direct action to campaign for Tibetans’ fundamental right to political freedom.

Students for a Free Tibet International Headquarters 602 East 14th Street, 2nd Floor NY, NY 10009 USA 212.358.0071 Fax: 212.358.1771 www.studentsforafreetibet.org blog.studentsforafreetibet.org

Dates to RememberOctober 17: His Holiness the Dalai Lama is presented with Congressional Gold Medal of the United States

October: Free Tibet! Action Camp X in Dharamsala, India

December 2: Commemoration of the sentencing of Tenzin Delek and Lobsang Dhondup

December 10: Anniversary of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s Nobel Peace Prize & International Human Rights Day

February 8-10: First Days of Losar (Tibetan Lunar New Year)

March 10: Tibetan National Uprising Day 49th Commemoration

March 25: *Beijing 08 Olympics Torch Relay begins in Athens

April 25: Panchen Lama’s 19th Birthday

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Please make your check payable to Students for a Free Tibet and send to: Students for a Free Tibet, 602 East 14th St, 2nd floor, New York, NY 10009 USA.Credit card donations can be made at: www.studentsforafreetibet.orgStudents for a Free Tibet is a registered 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization. All contributions are tax-deductible in the United States.

If undeliverable please return to: Students for a Free Tibet 602 East 14th Street, 2nd Floor NY, NY 10009 USA

SFT Thanks Toronto’s Team Tibet for donating Pema Cup prize money!