Dear Chris,
 Just
last week I was in Beijing, getting a modest taste
of what it's like to be detained by the Chinese government. When
the authorities deported me, they said my actions in
support of Tibetan independence and human rights had
threatened the stability of China. All I did
was speak and write openly about how China is using
the Olympics to legitimize their military occupation
of Tibet. I think most people watching must have
gotten the point - if one woman and a blog can threaten
one of the most powerful nations on earth, something
must be very wrong there.
Please help change the situation by making a contribution
to SFT's
Olympics Action Fund at https://secure.ga4.org/01/sftolympics.
The day before China's countdown celebrations in
Tiananmen Square, 6 of my colleagues from the United
States, Canada and the United Kingdom, hung a massive
banner on the Great Wall of China. The message
on the banner, ONE WORLD ONE DREAM: FREE TIBET 2008,
was a play on China's Olympics slogan. They
too were deported after 36 hours of detention and
interrogation. [Click
here to see photos of the banner drop]
These actions were meant to shine the Olympics
spotlight on China's occupation of Tibet. From
Swedish and Canadian Television to the Economist and
the International Herald Tribune, China's occupation
of Tibet and its human rights record in general overshadowed
the story of the one-year countdown to the Olympic
Games. We took these risks and went to Beijing
because the 2008 Olympics provide us with an unprecedented
opportunity to draw attention to the Tibetan issue
and press China to end the occupation. [Click
here for a quick round-up of the phenomenal media
coverage we received].
An article in the New York Times Week
in Review by Jim Yardley said it best:
"Beijing may have envisioned a public relations
opportunity, but so did an array of advocacy groups
that spent the week whipsawing China on human rights
violations, press freedom and Tibet.
If a few stunts were daring — protesters
unfurled a “Free Tibet” banner on the
Great Wall — the criticisms weren’t new.
What did change was the way the Olympics amplified
the dissent, even for a non-event like the one-year
countdown. Media attention intensified merely because
the Olympics were in town."
SFT's strategy
is working. Thanks to supporters
like you, we are having an impact! We ask you
to give generously today to help us keep up the pressure. Please click
here to make a donation to
SFT's Olympics Campaign.
As a nonviolent movement, we are challenged to be
creative and find alternative ways to grab the world's
attention to bring pressure on the Chinese
government. As the protest on Mount Everest and
last week's actions in Beijing demonstrate, SFT is
combining direct action with cutting-edge technology
to successfully combat China's Olympics propaganda
campaign.
At SFT, we have many more ideas and plans to use
this historic moment to push for real and substantive
change inside Tibet. From advertising campaigns
to direct actions to grassroots activities worldwide,
we will provide opportunities for people of conscience
to help make history for Tibet in 2008.
You can help us make history in 2008; please
make a donation today!
Thank you to everyone who sent messages of support
and spoke out on my behalf and on behalf of Paul, Sam,
Mel, Pete, Nupur, Duane and Leslie when we were detained. Compared
to the acts of courage and bravery that Tibetans engage
in everyday inside Tibet, what we did was small. But
I know that our work, especially in the coming year
as we engage in the Olympics battle, can make a difference
and help bring an end to the occupation of Tibet. Thank
you for being a part of it.
For Rangzen,
Lhadon Tethong
Executive Director |
