h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

SFT - Two Tibet campaigners were detained in Beijing for unfurling a banner in the 'China Ethnic Minority Park', part of the 2008 Olympic site. The banner read, 'No Olympics in China until Tibet is Free'. The two also wore T-shirts bearing the face of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, and calling for his release.

With members of the international media present, Han-shan, Development Director of Students for a Free Tibet, and Liam Phelan, Campaign Coordinator for the Australia Tibet Council unfurled the banner at [Aug. 30] 3:15 pm Beijing time before being detained by Chinese authorities.

Earlier today, Han-shan, Paul Bourke (Executive Officer of the Australia Tibet Council) and Alison Reynolds (Director of UK-based Free Tibet Campaign), speaking on behalf of the International Tibet Support Network, briefed 32 representatives of the international media in Beijing on the campaign against China hosting the 2008 Olympics.

Han Shan (31) of Students for a Free Tibet and Liam Phelan (33) of Australia Tibet Council, who were detained by the Public Security Bureau for unfurling a banner in Beijing reading 'No Olympics for China until Tibet is Free' (Aug. 30), have been deported to their respective home countries. Both men are reported to have arrived safely in Hong Kong.

See http://www.2008-freetibet.org/ for more information.

Beijing protestors Han Shan and Liam Phelan have returned to their respective homes unharmed. In a statement from Students for a Free Tibet Han Shan thanks supporters around the world and reminds us that a similar act of dissent by Tibetans would have resulted in 'imprisonment, torture, even execution, for an act such as ours'.

Dharamsala - Two Envoys of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, accompanied by two senior assistants, will visit China this month. Mr. Lodi Gyaltsen Gyari, accompanied by Mr. Kelsang Gyaltsen, along with two senior assistants, Mr. Sonam Norbu Dagpo and Mr. Bhuchung Tsering, will depart from New Delhi on September 12 to meet Chinese leaders. They may visit some Tibetan areas during the trip.

At least 34 Tibetans, including women and children, have been arrested for entering Nepal illegally at Tegari in Northwestern Kailali district Saturday. According to a police spokesman, the Tibetans were heading through Nepal on their way to Dharamsala. Police said the Tibetans would be brought to Kathmandu and handed over to the UNHCR for repatriation.

Brussels (Sep. 16) - Declaration by the Presidency on behalf of the European Union on the visit of the envoys of the Dalai Lama to China:

The European Union welcomes the fact that the representatives of the Dalai Lama are at present visiting China for the third time, since resumption of the contacts in September 2002. The EU has been looking forward to a third visit and hopes that it will encourage the start of meaningful and direct dialogue between Beijing and the Dalai Lama's representatives, leading to a peaceful and sustainable resolution for Tibet. The EU will follow this visit with great interest.

UN human rights experts will begin an 11 day mission to various parts of China and Lhasa. The UN working group on arbitrary detention will visit detention centres, prisons, labour re-education camps, psychiatric hospitals and police stations until September 30. The working group is due to release a report on its visit to China next year.

Radio Free Asia reports that the leader of a Tibetan monastery in western Qinghai Province has been shot dead after he and other monks demanded that local police pay for medical treatment they required after being beaten in custody. According to two witnesses who asked not to be named, a Chinese police officer shot and killed the head monk from Golok Topden Monastery on Sep 14. The monk was identified as She Tse.

Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) reports that Geshe Sonam Phuntsok (known as Kardze Geshe) has been released from prison after serving a five year sentnece for conducting long life prayer ceremony for the Dalai Lama in October 1999. TCHRD is concerned that Geshe is in poor health after suffering mistreatment in prison.

Russia's Foreign Ministry is reported to have authorised a visit by the Dalai Lama to the Russian internal republic of Kalmykia in November. His Holiness is expected to arrive in Kalmykia's capital, Elista, on 13 November, and stay for five days. Russia has until now consistently refused to allow His Holiness to visit Buddhist regions in order to avoid the inevitable protests from China.

The Russian Foreign Ministry now says that it has not received a visa application for a visit by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and neither has the Russian Embassy in India.

According to a Reuters report, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Friday (Nov. 12) that His Holiness the Dalai Lama had 'decided not to come to Russia - but Russia would consider his visa application if he wanted to go ahead with the trip'.

An Inter-parliamentary Group for Tibet has been officially established in the Belgian Parliament on Wednesday. It is comprised of members from all the major national parties. Mr. Walter Muls, Chairman of the group, 'The Inter-parliamentary Group for Tibet intends to thoroughly address the Tibetan problem and place its suggestions on the agenda of the Belgian Ministry of Foreign
Affairs. Through such efforts, the Belgian Government can together with the European countries and the EU take further steps in supporting Tibetan people's self-determination and the recognition to the Tibetan Government in-exile as the singular and legitimate representative of the Tibetan people.'

His Holiness the Dalai Lama has returned to India after consecrating a Buddhist temple in Kalmykia (Russia). The Russian government stressed that the visit did not imply any recognition of the Dalai Lama by the Russian government, nor would His Holiness be received by any government officials. Nevertheless, the visit was strongly supported by the president of Kalmykia, home to an estimated 1 million Buddhists.

The fate of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche is still uncertain. The 2 year suspension of Rinpoche's death sentence expired on 2 December. A growing number of politicians around the world have joined Tibet supporters and human rights groups to oppose the execution of the Buddhist monk. According to a recent report China has refused to tell members of Rinpoche's family whether or not he will be executed.

The Senate in the USA has unanimously passed a resolution calling on the Chinese government to release Tibetan political prisoners. The resolution pays special attention to Tenzin Delek Rinpoche. The suspension of Rinpoche's death sentence expired on 2 December. China has not yet revealed whether or not he will face execution.

A fire has destroyed 16 residential apartments, shops, and Kailash Hotel in Mcleod Ganj (Upper Dharamsala). No one was hurt in the blaze, but many of those who escaped the flames lost all of their possessions.

For more, please read 'Demise of a Place: An Obituary' by Topden Tsering:

http://www.tibet.ca/en/wtnarchive/2004/12/22_2.html

Gu-Chu-Sum reports that a Tibetan monk, Phuntsok Tsering, was arrested in December 2004 and charged with possessing a portrait of Dalai Lama. Phuntsok Tsering is the chant master of Magar Dhargyeling Monastery. Police raided the monastery and found a portrait of Dalai Lama in Phuntsok's room. Phuntsok's condition and details of charges against him are unkown.

http://www.guchusum.org/index.html

Tenzin Delek Rinpoche will not be executed!!! China says his sentence has been commuted to life imprisonment because 'he has not violated any laws while in prison'. Human rights groups have expressed outrage that Tenzin Delek's student, Tashi Phuntsog, was unable to walk or speak clearly when he was released from prison.

Nepal has ordered the office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Refugee Welfare Office to be closed. This is seen as the result of efforts by China to stop the flow of refugees out of Tibet. Nepal has a large Tibetan refugee community and is a major route to the larger exile community in India.