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

Refugees must face hardship that most of us would find difficult to imagine, even those seeking refuge in a stable country. It must be terrifying somewhere like Nepal, where there is so much uncertainty.

It speaks volumes about the state of affairs in Tibet that so many people contiue to risk everything for the chance to escape into a situation like that, that such a life could even be thought of as escape.

The Tibetan Photo Project has received a donation of photos in the form of original negatives from an expedition into Tibet. These rare 1932 photos provide a glimpse of Tibet before China's invasion.

http://www.tibetanphotoproject.com/GALLERY4.html

On Sunday, August 29, the 2004 Olympics in Athens will end and the world will turn its attention towards the 2008 games in China. Please join us in making sure that the world's attention is also focused on human rights.

Please send a letter to the IOC and Chinese Government:

http://www.games-of-beijing.org/web/act_now.html

Please see the new International Tibet Support Network web site, 2008 - Free Tibet, for more information:

http://www.2008-freetibet.org/

Making sure that the world's attention is 'focussed' on human rights would be even better.

Actually, focused is perfectly acceptible

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=focused&r=67

The Maoists have apparently decided to lift the blockade of Kathmandu. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3594776.stm

They did so, apparently, because they were losing the support of the people. They said that their reason was due to appeals from human rights groups, businesses and the people.

They say that the blockade will be lifted for a month.

I thought 'focused' looked right. Darned spell check, undermining my confidence like that!

That's certainly good news about the blockade being lifted. Let's hope this apparent concern for the common people translates to less murder and mahem, or at least more co-operation with the human rights groups, and so on.

Do the Maoists have much grass roots support, or is it more a case of them imposing themselves on a population that would rather live life as it has always been?

I don't suppose 'mahem' is acceptable. Darned keyboard.

According to an Irish woman I know who lived in Kathmandu for many years, and has only recently returned, the Nepalese Maoists do indeed have a lot of popular support, because the ruling royal family is hopelessly corrupt, and does little for the Nepalese people.

Recently, they ( the royalist government ) have become very friendly to the Chinese ( who have basically bought their way into Nepal with development aid - such as the new roads they are building there - ) and have made life very difficult for the resident Tibetan refugees. They have also started turning back Tibetans at the border who are seeking asylum in India.

Thaaaat's right. Blame the equipment....

The Maoists may have some support, but how much of it is from fear, ignorance, or "lesser of two evils", is anyone's guess.

The fact is that, like many guerilla groups, they may think they have the support of the people or thay may know that the "support" is merely fear and helplessness from the people, who are often victimized not only by the gueriilas, but by the government forces that the the guerillas are supposedly trying to "free the people from".

Unfortunately, it is the people who pay the price.

... as they always do.

Human rights groups seem to be concerned about Nepal. AI has a new building in Kathmandu and many Urgent Action letter campaigns are in response to abductions, and so on, by one side or the other. But is there much of a reaction by Western governments to the instability and Chinese incursions - the recent reports of infringements by Chinese border security, for example? Surely, they must appreciate that they can ill-afford to let Nepal quietly be absorbed into the embrace of China.

Latest photos from Athens: Tibetans and Tibet Supporters protesting the Beijing Olympics. Loads of photos, articles etc.

Here's the link:

www.2008-FreeTibet.org

Please spread the word, and the link.

http://www.2008-freetibet.org/

The list of supporting organisations is impressive.

Oops! I've just discovered a number of dead, not-at-all-well and just-plain-weird links that suggest a previously unsuspected degree of carelessness on my part or a nefarious plot to make finding some great Entries about Tibet more of a challenge than it really needs to be.

Please report any dead links (or links to things you might not have intended to read) and someone will be along to fix the problem right after tea break.

JTG

Hey, thanks for the link to that new Free Tibet site! Looks good. I really hope they can have some effect ...

Hey there, Unmentionable. The link was a tip from our newest friend, Yangdol (U856448) from Channai, India, who registered with h2g2 yeterday. It's a great site, very interesting stuff!

Hope you've been enjoying the Olympics!

News update to follow...

From SFT:

BREAKING NEWS: Six Tibetan activists are holding a peaceful sit-in in the Athens Olympic Complex.

Earlier today, they marched toward the Olympic Stadium in protest against the handing over of the Olympic flag from Athens to Beijing. The Tibetans carried with them two massive banners depicting bullet holes in the shape of the olympic rings with the slogan "China Plays Games with Human Rights." They also carried T-shirts bearing the slogan, as well as copies of the International Tibet Support Network's report on human rights in China. The activists attempted to hand over the banners and reports to members of the International Olympics Committee in advance of the Olympic closing ceremony.

Fifteen police officers roughly confiscated the banners, T-shirts and human rights reports they were carrying. The protesters then sat down inside the Olympic Complex, in silent and peaceful protest. As we write this, their vigil continues.

See the photos at,

http://www.studentsforafreetibet.org/article.php?id=335

After being arrested and interrogated for 7 hours, they have been released. But their passports have not been returned yet, and they must return to the PSB barracks tomorrow.

That's the demonstration in Beijing by Han-shan of SFT and Liam Phelan of the Australia Tibet Council:

SFT - two Tibet campaigners were detained in Beijing for unfurling a banner in the "China Ethnic Minority Park," which will be part of the Beijing Olympic site in 2008. 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 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.

This action signals the Tibet movement's intensifying opposition to the Beijing Olympics and comes on the heels of protests by Tibetans throughout the course of the Athens Games this month. The 2008 Olympic Games are the pinnacle of the Chinese government's efforts to be accepted by the international community as a legitimate world power. Until China leaves Tibet, we will ensure that this does not happen by continuing to expose the Chinese government's actions on the world stage.

The banner in Beijing is a call to action for all of us. For the next four years, we must do everything we can to make sure that the Chinese government ends its occupation of Tibet. We can make the pressure on China so great that they are forced to change - or else the 2008 Olympic Games will surely be the staging ground for unprecedented international protests.

*****************

Have you heard whether the protestors in Athens are still being detained?