From London to Lhasa

This blog is dead - long live the new blog! As a result of the launch of the self-censored Google.cn this blog has moved. Read more about this and keep up to date with SFT UK news, views and action at the new blog - freetibet.blog.co.uk

See you there!

In rememberance of Tibetan Uprising Day and looking ahead to the 2008 Olympics in China we asked the people of Edinburgh to think about human rights during the Summer Games in two years time.

Two PLA officers flanked students with painted wounds and Tibetan dress chained to large Olympic rings to remind people that China contunues to disregard the rights of Tibetans and its own peoples, and will do so if we don't pressure it to keep its promises of improved media freedom before 2008.

It made an eye catching and disturbing scene that drew intersted crowds and had the petitions to the IOC and Hu Jintao filling up and the info leaflets flying. We managed 4 hours in some horrible weather. Still it was all worth it! We were seen by hundreds and even got into the local news. Read the press release at Phayul.com

We knew our hard work had been worth it as our newly-dubbed Losar Week started off with a bang – why celebrate one day when you can celebrate for a week, we thought ;) it all began on Tuesday, when Mr John Billington (former Chairman of the Tibet Society UK) came to speak to a packed auditorium. Complete with hundreds of photos, Mr Billington gave us an account of his travels in Tibet and spoke about why the West continued to ignore the situation in Tibet, before spending an hour and a half answering the many questions we put to him.

On Wednesday evening, we had a film screening of Seven Years in Tibet which proved popular with the ladies thanks to Brad Pitt ;) along with free popcorn and a pub quiz, there was plenty to keep the audience entertained. Thursday night saw us at our regular Tibet meeting, to give newbies a brief background to the Tibet issue. It was followed by a night-long session of cooking to prepare for the following day.

A week of events finally culminated in a stall on our beloved Piazza. After many delays, we finally assembled the stall. Ngawang, a Tibetan musician living in London, had graciously accepted to come and perform for us. The Piazza filled with music as we handed out free momos and banana fritters, asked people to sign petition forms and cajoled them in to buying Tibetan merchandise.

The food was well-received (much to the relief of a chuba-wearing Elena and a very cheerful Delaine!) and the number of signatures quickly grew, while we managed to raise 27 quid through sales. We could not have asked for a better day – the sun continued to shine throughout the afternoon, and it made it easy for us to complete our task of approaching every single person who stepped on to the Piazza. In this way, we managed to generate a lot of interest, and many people stopped to speak to us. More people yet volunteered to help us get the word out, including a guy with a megaphone shouting for students to vote in the Union referenda!

At the end of the day, tired but very happy, we packed up as we thought, "Bring on the new year!"

-Elena

On the 26th of January, to conicide with the international day of action for Tenzin Delek Rinpoche we spent the morning (from 8.30am!) shuttle-running people with letters asking for the release of TDR to the consulate in Edinburgh. After the 3rd group, the man behind the desk was wondering what was up and thus ensued a 20min, very civil, converstaion about Tibet and China and opposing views. We're really chuffed, it all seemed to go very well. And excitingly he told us that people had been calling in about Tenzin totally seperate from us. Always encouraging when there's support from others close by!
Check out the photo of some of the girls with english and chinese language letters.

Happy Christmas/Holiday and New Year (hogmanay for those in Scotland!) to all SFT UK and supporters.

Over the Christmas break you may have that extra bit of time. Why not use it to update yourself with what campaigns SFT UK are currently fighting. Have a look at the recently created SFT UK Campaigns web-page here for links to information and actions on the most important issues facing Tibet today.

And make sure your keep up to date by signing up to the SFT UK online ACTION NETWORK here (you'll be asked for your email address). You'll recieve about one email a month and can sign off at anytime.

And remember, HAVE FUN, it's important!! We only stay inspired, motivated and amazing through enjoyment!

It's been a crazy, amazing day! Well it is now 12 am and the Students for a Free Tibet UK team are preparing to collapse onto the floor provided by Fiona and Conall. The day started with buying all the newspapers we could put our hands on, to find ourselves continually on either the front page of newspapers or on page 2 or 3! We reached front page of both the Telegraph and the Guardian, and SFTUK's Alice Speller was quoted in both the Mirror and CNN!

The day of protesting began outside Westminster early at 8:00, where Hu Jintao managed to slip in sneakily in a minibus without the protesters noticing..... but he was welcomed at his next visit to Downing Street as protesters lined the street from many different human rights groups. Hu Jintao was seen by many to look directly at the protestors before his car and entourage turned into Downing Street.

Protests outside the Royal Academy of Arts continued, with sneaky protesters hiding Tibetan flags under their coats and drawing them at the last minute as the car drove past. Also a large demonstration was in place as his car drove into the building.

The final protest occured at Guildhall, where the protestors chanted for several hours at the building where Hu Jintao was banqueting. A bond formed between the Tibet and Taiwan campaigners, with slogans such as "Hands off Taiwan, Free Tibet" directed at the banqueting hall. A small group of SFTUK managed to work out where Hu Jintao's car was leaving and with the support of the police staged a protest as he left the building. A photographer took photos of his face turning around and looking at the group.... so watch this space for the photos!!!

The Tibetan Community and SFT UK staged political theatre as the protests outside Buckingham Palace continued into the night. News even reached the 'The Scotsman'...

Protesters greet Chinese president

Hundreds of Tibetans and human rights activists staged a "die-in" outside Buckingham Palace as Chinese president Hu Jintao arrived for the State Banquet.

Students for a Free Tibet UK (SFTUK) said the protest, organised by SFTUK and Tibetan community members, aimed to highlight the Chinese president's "reign of terror" in Tibet, as London prepares to light monuments red in honour of his visit.

The group said that following the Chinese occupation of Tibet in 1950, President Hu was responsible for the brutal imposition of martial law in 1989.

SFTUK's national co-ordinator Alice Speller said: "One in six Tibetans are dead due to the Chinese occupation, and yet the international community is silent in the face of such blatant state terror.

"Tony Blair must speak out about President Hu's actions in Tibet and China's ongoing occupation of that country, or he risks becoming complicit in the atrocities committed there."

Dalha Tsering of the Tibetan community in Britain and co-organiser of the event said: "As Hu Jintao receives the highest state honour in this country, we are staging this street theatre to remind him, and the world, of the death that he authored in my homeland, Tibet.

"Many Tibetans here will never meet family members because he took their lives, and created such fear that many have left for a life in exile.

"Hu still has the blood of my Tibetan countrymen on his hands, and yet world politicians are unwilling to seek justice on our behalf."

Tibetan activist Karma Chura-Tsang said: "As we protest near the monument to the Unknown Soldier, the Tibetan people remain unknown victims of 50 years of Chinese dictatorship.

"This is our symbolic tribute to the all those Tibetans who have died fighting for their freedom."

© Copyright Press Association Ltd 2005, All Rights Reserved.

Toy tanks escort Chinese President to Buckingham Palace

12.00 London Two remote controlled toy tanks adorned with Chinese flags will escort Chinese President Hu Jintao to Buckingham Palace. Organised by Students For A Free Tibet UK, the tanks will roll alongside the royal procession, as a symbolic reminder to President Hu that his brutal military rule in Tibet will not be forgotten and China’s current occupation of Tibet must end.

Students from over a dozen UK universities unfurled banners reading “Free Tibet” along with hundreds of Tibetans and other supporters, before the toy-tanks were released.

On 9th March 1989, Chinese tanks and thousands of heavily armed troops rolled into the centre of Lhasa, the Tibetan capital, suppressing non-violent demonstrations against China’s occupation of Tibet. Monks were thrown from the tops of buildings, women and children were imprisoned, tortured and murdered, simply for raising a Tibetan flag, or shouting freedom slogans. The Chinese troops acted under the direction of Hu Jintao, then Communist Party Secretary for the Tibetan Autonomous Region.

“As a civilised democracy, the United Kingdom must not ignore the atrocities committed by the Chinese government in Tibet,” said Alice Speller, National Coordinator of Students for a Free Tibet UK. “Hu Jintao’s past and present record of human rights violations against the Tibetan people makes him undeserving of the dignity of a royal procession,” she added.

In Tibet today, Tibetans can be arrested, tortured and imprisoned for possessing a photo of the Dalai Lama or expressing hope for the return of Tibetan sovereignty. “Our political leaders will fail their obligation to the people of this country, and their moral responsibilities as human beings, unless they raise the issue of China’s occupation of Tibet during their meetings with President Hu.” Miss Speller continued.

The students likened their activities in support of Tibetan freedom to the international support that helped end the communist dictatorships in Poland, Czechslovakia and East Germany. They hoped their protest of Hu Jintao would help bring an end to China’s unjust occupation of Tibet and help create a more peaceful world.

SFT UK is part of the international organization Students for a Free Tibet (SFT), with Headquarters in New York andoffices in Vancouver, Canada and Dharamsala, India, seat of the Tibetan government-in-exile. Through education,grassroots organizing, and non-violent direct action, SFT campaigns for Tibetans fundamental right to political freedom.

For Further details: www.sftuk.org or www.sftuk.blogspot.com

Protests outside Buckingham Palace. The Tibetan Community and SFT UK get their message over to Hu Jintao.

A police man stops our toy tanks. We chased Hu Jintao down the road with them! "Hu's Forgot his tanks!" They're now famous on the BBC website http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_pictures/4418300.stm


Here's us with another tank!


"Free Tibet, Your Majesty!"


"Hu can't have missed us!"