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 do 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 28th March Friday, 10:00 (Bangkok time).

Thank you very much.


Dorothy-Grace Guerrero
Research Associate and Programme Co-ordinator
Focus on the Global South


25 March 2008


We are saddened and alarmed that the peaceful protest led by Buddhist monks in the Tibetan capital and the wave of sympathy protests in the neighboring Tibetan areas has drawn a strong response from the Chinese authorities. We also deplore the 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 riots. We also advise Tibetans to avoid attacking or destroying properties of civilian ethnic Chinese and 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:

Focus on the Global South