Tibet Update, March 17,2008....100+Tibetans DEAD, 40 teenagers Severely Beaten and Imprisoned.After Tonight's Chinese Govt Deadline "to Stop, or else" many more will Die.WHAT WE CAN DO..Email Congress/Senators Now

The Students For a Free Tibet sent out the email update below....reprinted here, with their permission; asking that it be circulated as widely as possible.  Follow the links, and send your senators and congressmen/women email encouraging them to tell China that the murdering must stop.  These are peaceful protests, yet even the notion of a march/protest is against China's "rules."  The Govt doesn't allow anything that deviates from the propaganda presented (i.e. things like the Dalai Lama is dead, was a 'separatist of the motherland', etc).

 The Chinese Govt has set a deadline of midnight tonight for these protests to stop, or else!  this doesn't sound like much to us, but it means a 'last warning' before massive killings.  Even still, many of the killings go unreported....and so might any slaughter, because people like Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge don't like to publicize genocide, do they?

But believe me, a "crack down" will be bloody......very bloody.  Yet, I know the Tibetans will not back down; regardless of the "cost."  Their patience at being slowly destroyed is gone......if its to be done, they will stand up to anything.....to prove the point how important this is.

For more more reading on the background of the Tibetan situation, click here

                              
                                      **********STUDENTS FOR A FREE TIBET*********



"The uprising in Tibet continues to spread and the courageous Tibetans who are speaking out need our support now more than ever. Just today, 100 Tibetan middle school students in Ngaba, Amdo (Sichuan) staged a spontaneous demonstration on their school grounds calling for the return of the Dalai Lama. It is reported that 40 of the students were severely beaten and arrested. 700 additional Tibetan students from the same middle school are now bravely conducting a demonstration to demand the release of their peers outside the Public Security Bureau building where the students are being held.

Reports of protests in cities across Tibet, including the Tibetan provinces of Amdo and Kham (now annexed into China's Qinghai, Sichuan, and Gansu provinces) counter the Chinese government claims that the unrest is the result of a handful of "troublemakers" and demonstrate the widespread Tibetan opposition to China's occupation. See incredible video footage of protests in Labrang.

Tibetans and supporters around the world are holding solidarity vigils and protests today in support of the continued uprising in Tibet as China's so-called "surrender" deadline for Tibetan protesters approaches.

The Chinese authorities in Lhasa have threatened an increased crackdown after midnight Monday (4pm GMT) and according to Chinese state-run media, "Those who harbor or hide criminal elements shall be punished severely according to law upon completion of investigations."

Already, armed Chinese police have been conducting house-to-house searches and making arbitrary arrests. There is no reliable estimate of the number of detentions but reports suggest wide-scale raids and arrests across Lhasa. According to eyewitness reports received by the Tibetan Center for Human Rights and Democracy, "mothers and elderlies in the families helplessly plea at security forces upon seeing their sons and loved ones being beaten and dragged away."

The Dalai Lama spoke out strongly yesterday, saying that Chinese authorities "simply rely on using force in order to simulate peace, a peace brought by force using a rule of terror."

Please, show your support for the Tibetans living under China's "rule of terror." Call your Elected Representatives  today, and urge them to call for an immediate international intervention in Tibet.

Call and ask to speak to someone about the situation in Tibet. You may be passed to a legislative aide or simply have your comments recorded by an office administrator, which is fine.

Tell them:

   1. [Your country] should speak out forcefully against China's brutal crackdown in Tibet.
   2. Please urge  [your government] to strongly support the Dalai Lama's call for a United Nations team of investigators to go to Tibet as soon as possible.
   3. [Your government] should do everything in its power to urge China to withdraw military and security forces, release those detained, and allow peaceful protest. China must halt house-to-house searches; and authorities must refrain from any further arrests of Tibetan protesters even after its so-called surrender deadline has passed on Monday at midnight. China must immediately allow foreign journalists back into all Tibetan areas (Tibetan Autonomous Region as well as the Tibetan areas of Gansu, Qinghai and Sichuan).

This is an urgent matter because the "surrender deadline" is fast approaching - and may actually have passed as you're reading this - so please call immediately.

There are solidarity protests and vigils planned for today, especially marking the time of China's so-called surrender deadline. Click here to see information on the worldwide protests. Consider joining an event happening in your community or hold a vigil or protest of your own to show support for the Tibetan uprising.

Please stay tuned to the situation in Tibet as it unfolds by visiting the SFT website and the SFT blog. Both are filled with breaking news and analysis.

Bod Rangzen - Free Tibet,
Lobsang, Kate, Dechen, Mel, Han, Kunsang, Gaphel, Nick, Kala, Lhakyi, Tenzin
and everyone else at SFT International Headquarters in New York

Visit the web address below to tell your friends about this.
 Tell-a-friend!"





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"Dear Patrick,

In horrific late breaking news, Radio Free Asia is now reporting
that up to 80 or more Tibetans have been killed in today 's
violent clashes with Chinese military. Click here to read more.

Chinese authorities responded with brute force today to ongoing
protests in Lhasa and across Tibet. Supported by tanks,
thousands of armed troops have sealed off the three major
monasteries where nonviolent protests were initiated on Monday.
Police have fired live ammunition into crowds of unarmed
Tibetans and unconfirmed reports from eye-witnesses in Lhasa,
say that 26 Tibetans were gunned down outside Drapchi prison.

While the international public and media have been appropriately
horrified by China's clampdown, the U.S. has made only very weak
statements. White House Spokesman Tony Fratto said, "We believe
Beijing needs to respect Tibetan culture. They need to respect
multi-ethnicity in their society. We regret the tensions between
ethnic groups and Beijing."

Please contact your Congressional Representatives now and urge
them to support Tibet by calling on the U.S Government to
strongly condemn China's actions.

You can take action on this alert either via email (please see
directions below) or via the web



Visit this web address  to tell your friends.



We encourage you to take action by April 13, 2008

Take Action: Tell your Congressional Representative to Support
Tibet!

INSTRUCTIONS TO RESPOND VIA THE WEB:
If you have access to a web browser, you can take action on this
alert by going to this URL


 

INSTRUCTIONS TO RESPOND VIA EMAIL:
Just choose the "reply to sender" option on your email program.

Your letter will be addressed and sent to:
Your Congressperson
Your Senators

----THIS LETTER WILL BE SENT IN YOUR NAME----
Dear [decision maker name automatically inserted here],

I am deeply disturbed to learn of the Chinese government's use
of brute force against unarmed Tibetans inside Tibet. Supported
by tanks, thousands of armed troops have sealed off three major
monasteries near Lhasa, Tibet where nonviolent protests were
initiated on Monday. Police have fired live ammunition into
crowds of unarmed Tibetans and unconfirmed reports from Lhasa
indicate that 80 or more Tibetans have been killed.

Please urge the United States government to demand that the
government of China:

1) Allow demonstrators to exercise their right to freedom of
expression and assembly;

2) Refrain from excessive use of force against Tibetan
protesters;

3) Release all Tibetans who have been arrested or detained, and;

4) Allow international media unobstructed access to Tibet.

For five decades, the Tibetan people have suffered greatly under
China's brutal rule. The Chinese government has swamped Tibet
with Chinese settlers, poured money into mega-infrastructure
projects like the railway that solidify its control, and
ruthlessly attacked Tibetan culture and religion. As the
Olympics approach and the world's eyes turn to Beijing, this
outpouring of frustration is the natural consequence of China's
ongoing repression in Tibet.

Please speak out now to help ensure that further violence
against Tibetans is stopped.

----END OF LETTER TO BE SENT----

Sincerely,
Patrick Mahoney"

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