Los Angeles Friends of Tibet

Background on ACR 6 and What You Can Do!

From the San Jose Mercury News: "After lobbying by Democratic leaders, the state Assembly agreed Monday to sidetrack a resolution on Tibet that had drawn strong opposition from the Chinese government. Lawmakers voted 46-28, largely along party lines, to send the resolution back to the Rules Committee, a step Republicans said would kill it. They demanded a vote on the measure by the full Assembly."

Because the Rules Committee can keep a bill in their possession, which will “kill” the bill, we need to ensure that the bill stays alive. Speaker Karen Bass did assure the members of the Assembly that ACR 6 would receive a hearing where Democrats could get involved in the process. The Republicans of the Assembly will stay united on this issue. The details about yesterday’s vote and the legislation can be found here. Please fax a letter to Assembly Speaker Karen Bass to ask that ACR 6 receive a public hearing: Assembly Speaker Karen Bass, Room 219, State Capital, Sacramento, CA 95814 - FAX 916-319-2147. Also, please fax a copy of your letter to Assemblymember Sam Blakeslee, Room 4117, State Capitol, Sacramento, CA 95814 - FAX 916-319-2133.

Sample letter:

I am writing to urge you to set a public hearing for Assembly Concurrent Resolution 6. ACR 6, authored by Assemblyman Blakeslee calls for the recognition of March 10 as “The Dalai Lama and Tibet Awareness Day”. This measure was re-referred to the Rules Committee for what was described as “proper input”. As a Tibetan supporter, I hope your committee gives this resolution fair treatment and a proper hearing.

On Monday, March 16th, more than 80 Tibetans and supporters witnessed Democrats cave to the pressure from the Chinese Consulate preventing the measure from being voted on. Our hope is that ACR 6 will be given a proper hearing to debate the merits of the resolution.

March 10, 2009 marked the 50^th anniversary of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s flight from Tibet and the massive Tibetan upraising in Lhasa against China’s colonization of Tibet. During those days, and in the decades that followed, more than one million Tibetans lost their lives. Since then, China’s repression and denial of the people’s right to self-determination has continued. As you are well aware, last spring, China brutally cracked down on widespread protests throughout Tibet as the people attempted desperately to call world attention to their plight during the Olympic year. More than a hundred Tibetans were killed, over 6000 were arbitrarily detained and many were imprisoned and tortured. China then intimidated the entire population through a military lock down of the Tibetan plateau, which continues to date.

ACR 6 is a significant addition to the kind of political support Tibet and Tibetans need today. We urge you to stop allowing China to intimidate the elected leaders of the world’s most respected democracies from upholding the fundamental values of human rights of Tibetans.

We appeal to our leaders in Sacramento to honor the lifelong efforts of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Tibetans by passing ACR 6 and, in doing so, declaring March 10^th as ‘Dalai Lama and Tibet Awareness Day’ in California.

Each time a person... acts to improve the lot of others or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other for a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance. _ Robert F. Kennedy

(Courtesy of Students For a Free Tibet)

Pema Tsepak (1985-2009)

Pema Tsepak, 24, was beaten to death in late January by Chinese police officers for peacefully protested in Dzogang Country, Chamdo prefecture, Kham.

On January 20, Pema Tsepak, and brothers Thinley Ngodrub (age 24) and Buyang Dargye (age 23) shouted slogans calling on Tibetans not to celebrate Losar (Tibetan New Year) and demanding Tibetan independence and the return of the Dalai Lama to Tibet. All three held had Tibetan flags. The protest lasted for about 40 minutes before dozens of Chinese police officers arrested the youth. Read more.

Three days later, after being brutally beaten and tortured while in detention, Pema Tsapak was taken to a hospital in Chamdo in critical condition, where he died shortly thereafter. Four others were also arrested in association with the protest, but three appear to have been released. Thinley Ngodrub, Buyang Dargye and 34-year old Norbu Tashi remain in custody and are also reportedly in critical condition.

Please send a letter to Chinese officials condemning the killing of Pema Tsepak and calling for the immediate release of the the three others.

In observance of the traditional one-year mourning period, Tibetans inside Tibet are refraining from public festivities this Losar to mourn the deaths of the over two hundred Tibetans killed by Chinese forces in the aftermath of last spring's Uprising. In an unprecedented gesture of solidarity, Tibetans around the world are also canceling Losar celebrations. February 25 will mark the first day of Losar.

TAKE ACTION NOW!

For the latest news about and from Tibet

Los Angeles Friends of Tibet - P.O. Box 641066-Los Angeles, CA 90064 | email: friends@latibet.org