Statement for Immediate Release

Contact: Tenzin Choeying, Dharamsala, India +91 981 636 8335
Tenzin Choedon, Dharamsala, India +91 981 647 9812

Tibetans observe Losar by raising the Tibetan National Flag

14 February 2010, Dharamshala: On the auspicious first day of Losar 2137, Students For a Free Tibet (SFT) will launch a new campaign ‘Raise Our Flag’ by distributing 500 Tibetan national flags. Tibetans and supporters will be urged to raise the flags to mark the beginning of the year of the Iron Tiger; a time for change, hope, renewal and an action to express a renewed commitment and solidarity towards the Tibetan movement.

“The National Flag is a symbol of freedom and resistance. Hundreds of national flags were defiantly flown throughout Tibet in the 2008 uprising to amplify the people’s call for freedom. The flag unifies all the Tibetans in our desire to help bring change on the ground inside Tibet.” Tenzin Choeying, National Director of Students for a Free Tibet, India, said.

‘Raise Our Flag’ campaign is supported by a number of local Tibetan businessmen including Chodak from Middleway Tours and Travels. Chodak explained, “As a Tibetan, I find it very inspiring hoisting our national flag on the very first day of Losar. It’s my responsibility to contribute to our cause through such campaigns.”

The modern Tibetan national flag was adopted in 1916. Its first appearance before the world was in National Geographic Magazine’s “Flags of the World” issue of 1934. (more…)

[Dharamshala] – Tibetans and supporters joined a day long campaign organized by five major Tibetan NGOs for the release of Dhondup Wangchen, a Tibetan filmmaker charged with “inciting separatism,” and whose trial could take place any day now in Siling in Eastern Tibet [Chinese: Xining, Qinghai province].

Photo: Lobsang Wangyal

Dhondup Wangchen was detained in March 2008 by Chinese authorities for making the film ‘Leaving Fear Behind’ which documents Tibetans’ views about the Beijing Olympics, the Dalai Lama, and Chinese government’s policies in Tibet. His Beijing based lawyer hired by his family has been barred from representing him and he is in very poor health after being beaten and tortured in prison.

“My husband is not a criminal. He was arrested for making a film, interviewing Tibetans about the 2008 Olympics, the Dalai Lama and their lives under Chinese rule. None of our family has been allowed to speak to him since his arrest” said Lhamo Tso, Dhondup Wangchen’s wife, who resides in Dharamshala. “My husband is an innocent man but the Chinese government is trying to silence him for exercising his right to freedom of Expression. I urge the international community to take action for my husband’s release.” (more…)

Press Release

24th June, 2009

* Photos available on flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/studentsforafreetibet-india/sets/72157620447881434/

TIBETANS AND SUPPORTERS DEMAND HUNTER DICKINSON TO PULL OUT MINING OPERATION IN TIBET

Dharamshala – Tibetans and supporters staged a die-in protest at the main Mcleod Square, Dharamshala this evening to protest mining in Tibet by Hunter Dickinson’s subsidiary Continental Minerals. The action is a part of the global campaign demanding Continental Minerals to immediately cease all mining operations at Shethongmon [Ch: Xietongmen] in central Tibet.

“We are here to call for the immediate withdrawal of HDI/Continental Minerals from Chinese-occupied Tibet.” said Tenzin Choedon, Program Director of Students for a free Tibet – India (SFT-India), “Under Chinese occupation, Tibetans are denied the internationally recognized right to determine the use of their own land and resources.”

The developments in the few years have raised huge concerns amongst Tibetans and Tibet support groups throughout the world. With a lot of junior mining companies engaging in mining operations in Tibet, it poses threat to the highly fragile ecosystem of Tibet, destroying vast regions of grazing land for animals, and polluting water sources.

Tibet has the source of 10 of its major rivers, including the Yarlung Tsangpo/ Brahmaputra, the Sutlej and the Indus. Most of the mining sites falls along these major rivers and its tributaries. Chemicals from the mining sites are released in these rivers, poisoning the water and has already shown its effect on the livestocks in Tibet. (more…)