I/II.
Dear friends,
In just 7 days over 1 million of us have signed the
petition supporting human rights and dialogue in Tibet
- the fastest growing internet petition in history!
After decades of injustice, the Tibetan people are
crying out to the world for change, and the world is
answering.
As China's leaders decide whether to respond to
Tibetan grievances with increased repression or
dialogue with the Dalai Lama, an International Day of
Action has been declared for Monday, March 31st (see
link below). In 4 days, thousands of people in cities
across the world will march to Chinese embassies and
consulates, and stack hundreds of boxes containing our
petition outside them. 1 million signatures makes a
mountain of boxes - it's a powerful way to deliver our
message.
We have just 4 days left until the petition delivery,
so we're redoubling our efforts to build the petition
even larger - to 2 million signatures - in that time.
Please sign below, and then forward this email to all
your friends and family:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/tibet_end_the_violence/87.php/?cl=68464230
China's hardliners are lashing out publicly at the
Dalai Lama--but many Chinese leaders believe dialogue
is the best hope for stability in Tibet. Governments
around the world have begun calling for dialogue, and
there are many hopeful signs that, if we can keep the
pressure up, China will agree. Already, we have had
constructive discussions with Chinese officials about
the message of our campaign.
Chinese President Hu Jintao values his country's
international reputation, and he needs to hear from us
that the 'Made in China' brand and the upcoming
Olympics in Beijing will succeed only if he chooses
dialogue over the hardliners' repression. An avalanche
of global people power is moving to get his attention.
Our petition recognizes the concerns of Chinese
leaders that riots and separatism could lead to
dangerous instability. But we support the position of
the Dalai Lama, that the best path to stability and
development for China lies through dialogue and
respect, not repression.
This is the most promising moment in decades to
address the injustices of Tibet - but already the
media is moving on to other stories. We need to seize
this moment with a massive statement of global support
this Monday -- for the next four days, let's pull out
all the stops for Tibet.
With hope,
Ricken, Graziela, Ben, Iain, Pascal, Milena, Galit,
Paul, Esra'a and the whole Avaaz team
PS - An International Day of Action has been declared
for Monday, 31st March -
Click here to find a rally near you:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/tibet_action/
PSS - Here are some links for more information:
Reuters reports unrest continues:
http://www.reuters.com/article/vcCandidateFeed1/idUSPEK369654
China allows first journalists back into Lhasa, monks
speak out:
http://www.chinapost.com.tw/china/local%20news/tibet/2008/03/27/149167/Tibet-monks.htm
Europe and the US step up calls for dialogue:
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/03/27/europe/27europe.php
Prominent Chinese Intellectuals call for fair approach
to Tibet:
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/03/24/asia/chinasub.php
-----------
ABOUT AVAAZ
Avaaz.org is an independent, not-for-profit global
campaigning organization that works to ensure that the
views and values of the world's people inform global
decision-making. (Avaaz means "voice" in many
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If you have technical problems, please go to
http://www.avaaz.org.
II.
From: "Focus India Admin" <focusind@vsnl.net>
Dear friends,
The situation in Tibet is deeply worrying. The
demonstrations which
began on March 10, 2008 in Tibet that turned into
riots since March 14
in neighboring areas are stunning expressions of
defiance and
frustration against 57 years of Chinese rule. We ask
for your support
for the statement below, which we will send to China's
president Hu Jintao.
Within China a group of 15 very credible and
influential academics
already issued a statement in Shanghai that diverged
from the official
line last Monday. It shows that there is also a raging
debate inside
China about the government's handling of the protests.
However, majority
of the people in China and the Chinese government at
this point is
resentful of critical views that are coming from
various parts because
they feel that the world does not understand the real
nature of the
demonstrations in the Tibetan areas. Beijing is doing
everything it can
to censor information but there are many blogs and
discussions in the
internet.
We will send this as a statement from *ASIAN* NGOs and
movements. Kindly
send your organizational support by 31st March 2008,
Monday, 10:00 am (India time).
Thank you very much.
Dorothy Guerrero
Focus on the Global South
A Statement of Concern on the Situation in Tibet
25 March 2008
We are saddened and alarmed that the peaceful protest
led by Buddhist monks in the Tibetan capital on March
10, which was followed by a wave of sympathy protests
in the neighboring Tibetan areas after that day, has
drawn a strong response from the Chinese authorities.
We also deplore the so-called riots, even though we
understand the problems that gave rise to them.
We are concerned about the police and military
build-up in response to these events not only in Lhasa
but also in Tibetan areas of western China.
We believe that the current news blockade and
censorship of the media are not helpful for the
Chinese people and the international community and
damage the credibility of the Chinese government.
The problems in Tibet are complex and long-standing
and the demands for cultural and religious freedoms
are well known. However, the more recent rapid
economic development of the region has created huge
inequalities and further marginalized Tibetans. As we
have seen in many other regions of the world,
inequality and marginalization are the consequences of
rapid economic development and globalization, all too
often resulting in tensions and conflicts. These
tensions and conflicts cannot be addressed through
force and suppression, but rather through dialogue
based on respect.
As concerned Asians, we call on the Chinese government
to respect the aspirations of the Tibetan people, to
listen seriously to their problems, and to engage in
open and transparent talks with the Dalai Lama and
other Tibetan groups.
We believe that violence offers no solution and we
call for restraint from both sides: the Chinese
government should not arrest innocent people and
should give fair trial to those who allegedly
committed crimes during the so called riots. We also
advise Tibetans to avoid attacking or destroying
properties of Han Chinese and Chinese Muslims as this
could result to more militarization.
We urge the authorities to allow foreign and
independent press to enter the region to ensure that
events are reported and for arrests of protesters or
suspected rioters to be known.
Finally, we ask the governments of India and Nepal to
desist from using force to disperse demonstrations by
exiled Tibetans in support of their compatriots and to
allow them freedom of speech and assembly.
Signed:
Alyansa ng Kabataang Mindanao Para sa Kapayapaan
(AKMK), Mindanao, Philippines
Alternative ASEAN Network on Burma
Asia Pacific Forum on Women Law and Development
Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances
(AFAD)
Association Of War Affected Women, Sri Lanka
BALAY Rehabilitation Center, Philippines
Campaign for Popular Media Reform (CPMR)
Coordination of Action Research on AIDS and Mobility
(CARAM Asia)
Centre for Peace Building and Reconciliation, Sri
Lanka
Demokratikong Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas-Lanao,
Mindanao, Philippines
Educational Network for Global and Grassroots
Exchange, Thailand / US
EQUAL GROUND, Sri Lanka
Focus on the Global South
Forum Asia
Foundation for Media Alternatives, Philippines
Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women (GAATW)
Human Rights Working Group, Indonesia
Institute for Global Justice (IGJ), Indonesia
Institute for Popular Democracy (IPD), Philippines
International Gender and Trade Network-Asia
International Friends for Global Peace, Sri Lanka
International Women's Rights Action Watch - Asia
Pacific
KAISA - KA, Philippines
Lanao Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (LAHRA),
Iligan City, Mindanao, Philippines
Lanao Fisherfolks Advocacy Network (LFAN), Mindanao,
Phillippines
Law & Society Trust, Sri Lanka
Liga ng Makabagong Kabataan (LMK), Mindanao,
Philippines
Mindanao Peoples' Peace Movement (MPPM), Mindanao,
Philippines
Mindanao Tri-People Women Forum (MTWF), Mindanao,
Philippines
Nonviolence International - Southeast Asia
Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research
(PILER) Karachi, Pakistan.
Peoples Partner for Development and Democracy (PPDD)
Ranao Tri-People Movement for Genuine Peace and
Development, Mindanao, Philippines
Shan Women's Action Network (SWAN)
Social Development & Research Organization from Sri
Lanka
Southeast Asian Press Alliance
Sumpay Mindanao, Philippines
Transnationals Information Exchange Asia (TIE Asia)
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