by Thomas Nagant (Les Amis du Tibet, Belgium)

If we work with great determination for the freedom of Tibet it is also because, as the Dalai Lama teaches, our responsibility as human beings is conjoined with the moment in which an intolerable situation is noticed.

Not to act would signify admitting that such a situation continues and, by consequence, that all humanity is injured thereby. It is a part of the unalterable will to see humanity progress towards a greater prosperity, and towards a greater level of reciprocal respect for future generations, in which our work resides. By consequence, our struggle in favor of the freedom of Tibet is not exclusive yet certainly illustrative of the state of the world towards which we work and hope. In addition, humanity will have progressed in the hour when the "Roof of the World" will have regained its complete liberty; it is with this prospect in mind that we must, in my opinion, give life to the movement for the Satyagraha. But what should it be? It should be, first of all, a movement founded upon the sincerity of individual effort: it is not a matter of conducting war against a certain people, ideology, or ethnic group, because these are the sign of not being able to recognize the intrinsic respectability of others. Secondly

, it is a new movement founded upon the persistence of work: as it would have been unsound to act only between five and seven o'clock during World War Two, in the same sense it is not any better to be in favor of the freedom of Tibet only once in awhile, or on the occasion of some global event. Finally, it should regard itself as a movement founded upon the ability to mobilize a large number of persons. The Satyagraha movement should not be a choice of expression chosen for you like the dedication of art or religion. On the contrary, the movement must be able to reunite human beings regardless of their diversity and, nonetheless, respectful of these. Across these conditions, which are philosophical, one must also keep the following practices in mind:

- we are still not very numerous, but our capacity to mobilize other persons is enormous: we must, however, wherever and whenever it is possible, invite others to participate in our actions for the Satyagraha;

- we must nurture the closest collaborations between us, with the objective of knowing that when we take some action (walk-around, fasting, or information campaign), that hundreds of others are doing the same elsewhere;

- we must employ every methods of communication possible, including the most modern, to spread the word of the movement: an Internet site dedicated to the Satyagraha, connected with all of the other existing sites on Tibet and our activities, would establish one means among many of extending the movement;

- we must be aware of the ways in which we spend our money effects the movement by demonstrating that a dollar spent today on a Chinese product will cost ten dollars tomorrow in relation to whether it was earned at the cost of human rights and a lasting progress. We must use the weapon of boycott in a coordinated and well-aimed strategy;

I present these few words and considerations as points of reference before we collectively make this significant decision for the initiation of the global Satyagraha movement. It is a great challenge!

(Published by FREEDOM FOR TIBET/DEMOCRACY IN CHINA ! - Number 59 - June 17th, 1997)