_________________ WTN-L World Tibet Network News _________________
Published by: The Canada Tibet Committee
Editorial Board: Brian Given, Conrad Richter, Nima Dorjee,
Tseten Samdup, Thubten (Sam) Samdup
WTN Editors: wtn-editors@tibet.ca
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Issue ID: 00/06/10 Compiled by Thubten (Sam) Samdup
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Saturday, June 10, 2000
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Contents:
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1. Prison Sentence Doubled for Nine Tibetans in the Aftermath of
Kandze Arrest
2. Walk Report 6/9/00WTN
3. TO ALL TIBET SUPPORT/AID ORGANIZATIONS
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1. Prison Sentence Doubled for Nine Tibetans in the Aftermath of
Kandze Arrest
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DHARAMSALA, June 9, 2000 (TCHRD) - Reliable sources confirm that soon
after the recently concluded 56th session of the UN Commission on Human
Rights, the prison term of the nine Tibetans who were arrested during
the mass demonstration in Kandze on 31 October 1999 were further raised
by five years.
On October 31, 1999, approximately 3,000 protestors demonstrated in
front of the Kandze County People's Government and Kandze Detention
Centre. The protestors were demanding the release of Geshe Sonam
Phuntsok (48), Sonam Choephel and Agya Tsering who were arrested on
October 24, 1999, for their alleged involvement in pro-independence
activities. The demonstration was quelled by the Public Security Bureau
officials who openly fired at the unarmed demonstrators. At least 10
Tibetans were reported to have been arrested on that day, of these nine
were initially sentenced to five year imprisonment by the Kandze County
People's Court in February 2000. These nine Tibetans were paraded
around their village to intimidate the other Tibetans of such
consequences. During the time, two of them were severely beaten.
Currently, TCHRD is unable to discern the reason and charges for the
additional prison term. Despite international scrutiny of China's human
rights record, China continues to disrespect international norms by
imposing arbitrary and dispropotionate heavy prison sentences. Lobsang
Nyandak, the Executive Director of the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights
and Democracy observes that "the failure of the UN to censure China on
its human rights record is responsible for such flagrant violation of
human rights in Tibet."
Following are the names of the seven Tibetans available (out of nine):
Chemi Tsering (56) and Pema Tso (55) both from Re-go, Jampa Sod (38)
from Sa-dhu, Chemi Gyaltsen (33) from Shigatse, Sonam Yeshi (32) from
Khar-ghang, Ani-Khalu (35) and his girl friend whose name is not known
both
from Golo, Bhe-she Tsewang Wangdu (43) and his brother from Dhura, whose
name is not known.
Series of other arrest have also been reported leading to the arrest of
the prominent monk Geshe Sonam Phuntsok and his two other friends. In
June 1999, Gonpo Lhudrup (24) from Kandze monastery was arrested for
pasting posters and the ban Tibetan national flag in his residence and
around
Kandze County. He was detained in Kandze County Detention Center for
some days and was later shifted to an unknown destination. His sentence
and whereabouts is not yet known.
On July 20, 1999, PSB officials arrested 11 monks from Kandze Monastery
after discovering pro-independence slogans on the walls of the
monastery. The monks were charged of inscribing "Tibet is independent"
with red paint on the gates and walls of the monastery. The details of
their identifications and whereabouts are not yet known.
Again in September 1999, a monk named Tashi Nyima (27) from Kandze
Monastery was arrested on charges of political activities. Information
about his sentence and his whereabouts is still unknown.
++ Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy Ph: 0091 1892 23363
Fax: 0091 1892 23363/24597
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2. Walk Report 6/9/00WTN
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From: Rangzen@aol.com
Sat, 10 Jun 2000 - Massive updates to online reports for the North Leg
(San Francisco to Los Angeles) of the March for Tibet's Independence
have been completed (http://www.rangzen.com). Look for photo updates on
old reports, old/lost reports that have been found and posted, new
reports with new photos and new photo only reports waiting for words.
The North and South Legs of the walk are still going extremely well. We
continue to give 2-5 presentations a week, which are incredibly well
received. Talking to folks who have hardly heard of Tibet is a wonderful
thing. We continue to get a ton of media attention. In just about every
town we make the newspapers and often we are on the local network
television news.
Food donations are still coming in strong. The great thing about food
donations and people cooking for us is that it means so much more. If
people are willing to sit down and break bread with us then it is
obvious that they agree with what we are doing.
Surprisingly our financial situation is poor. California is an expensive
place and this project is very expensive. We are not a large
organization with rich supporters. We operate on faith and you can make
a difference.
If every person that receives this e-mail would do one simple thing, our
financial worries will be remedied. Please mail $5 or its foreign
currency equivalent to ITIM at P.O. Box 592, Fishers, IN 46038-0592 USA,
right now, and our worries would be over. Just $5 from each of you would
do it, but we need everyone's support. Grassroots organizations rely on
small contributions from those who believe in them.
What we are doing is so much bigger than ITIM-it's about Tibetans and
their struggle for freedom. At every presentation we have given we have
touched people's lives. They hear Ani Pachen, Ani Kelsang and Yishe
Togden and Palden Gyatos' stories of imprisonment and torture and it
changes their lives forever.
There are a couple more ways you can help, too. We have received several
donations of airline miles, which have helped reduce immense travel
expenses. It is extremely easy to donate miles and you will be helping
us save tons of cash. After the walk we will need to fly people to
Washington D.C. for the "Tibetan Culture Beyond the Land of Snows"
http://web1.si.edu/festival/schindex.htm) and other people will need to
fly home. So, please, if you can spare one ticket's worth of miles you
will be making an enormous "financial" contribution. Contact us directly
if you wish to donate miles: walk cellular 415.786.4433.
Also, if you are going to be anywhere close to Los Angeles the week of
June 19, plan on joining us for 5 days of rallies and walking for Tibet.
You can find all of the information you need on our website:
www.rangzen.com. If at all possible please plan on joining us for the
"Mother of all Tibet Rallies" on June 24-the final day of the March.
Thank you for all of your help and support.
Bod Rangzen!
The International Tibet Independence Movement
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3. TO ALL TIBET SUPPORT/AID ORGANIZATIONS
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The Kham Aid Foundation is proud to announce the upcoming publication of
its second series of Tibetan language science books for children.
Publication of the six-volume series, called "Window to Science," has
been made possible by a private New York donor.
Our funds permit the printing of 3,000 sets, which will be distributed
free of charge to about 100 schools in Ganzi Prefecture (Kham). But
we'd like to see much wider use of this important work, so we invite any
and all individuals and organizations to order sets for distribution to
Tibetan children around the world.
The series is presently being translated from a Chinese original by a
team of expert translators, overseen by two Tibetan scholars in
education and language. Chinese law requires that the copyright on the
original series be provided to the Tibetan version without charge.
Printing will be done through the Sichuan Nationality Publishing House
in Chengdu.
The contents are
Volume I. History of science
Volume II. Biographies of great scientists (e.g. Edison, Darwin)
Volume III. Mathematics
Volume IV. Chemistry
Volume V. Psychology
Volume VI. Physics
Each volume is about 200 pages, and illustrated with black-and-white
drawings. They will be softcover, a little bigger than a typical
paperback novel in the West. The level is appropriate for children in
primary and middle school, and for monks. In cases where a concept does
not have an existing Tibetan word, the translators will either coin one,
or borrow a suitable English word.
Printing is scheduled for late August, 2000; therefore if you want to
get some copies we need to hear from you, and receive your payment, by
July 31st. The cost depends on how many orders we receive, the size of
your order, and where the books are to be shipped. We estimate it will
be
somewhere in the neighborhood of $12 per set, including international
shipping. We are charging only our cost.
The project director is Professor Badeng Nima at books@khamaid.org. If
you're interested in placing an order, contact him with your desired
quantity and/or dollar limit, and shipping address. He'll get back to
you with a quote.
Some sample pages from an earlier project, "Children's Fun Science
Series," may be seen on our website, www.khamaid.org.
Please forward this message onward to anyone you know who cares about
preservation of Tibetan language, and education of Tibetan children.
Pamela Logan
President, Kham Aid Foundation
619 South Olive Street, Suite 204
Los Angeles, CA 90014
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