Open Letter to President Obama and Sec of State Clinton

I urge ALL U.S. citizens as well as citizens of other western countries

to copy and re-post this letter which I sent via email to the

White House as well as the U.S. State Department this morning.

In addition, I encourage you to add your signature as a form of

petition and send it on to your local, state and national governments,

as well as local and national news media outlets.

I request that when you do, you leave a comment here telling me

when and where you directed it!

Thank you.

Mr. President: As a US citizen I am deeply concerned over the American policy and actions

regarding the human rights crisis with the Chinese occupation of Tibet. I arrived in McleodGanj, India, home of the Dalai Lama and the exiled

Tibetan government, at the end of November 2009 planning to stay one

month. Within days I started volunteering with a non-profit that offers free

English conversation, grammar and computer classes to refugees. By the end of my first week, I knew I had found my calling. I am now

residing here until mid-March, with plans to return later in 2010 for

an even longer period. Every day my new Tibetan friends, whom I consider family, tell me

stories of their suffering in China. Some were denied religious freedom,

others imprisoned for speaking out against China. Some were beaten

daily, tortured brutally for as long as fifteen years at the hands of the Chinese. Every one of them, as well as myself, is deeply disappointed at the failure

of the United States, UN and other western nations to take a stronger

stand on their behalf. Mr. President, I urge you to meet ASAP with H.H. the Dalai Lama. I urge you

to come meet the Tibetan refugees in person, to listen to their stories and see

how they struggle daily to survive while they wait in the hopes that one day

they will be able to reclaim their homeland. Tibetan culture has so much to teach the western world. I can promise you,

once you spend time with these wonderful beings, your life will never be the

same. I am appalled that US policy regarding this situation is based solely on trade

numbers with China. China exploits Tibet in the most horrible ways. Many

so-called Chinese products are made by forced labor in Tibet by Tibetans. My Tibetan students have asked me to convey one more message to you,

one they agree on strongly. Mr. President, Tibet is NOT part of China. China seized control of Tibet in

1959 by FORCE. They, and I, are deeply hurt at your statement to the contrary. I beg you, please reconsider your stance on Tibet. If you consider it our

responsibility to be in Iraq, or Afghanistan, then how can you NOT

consider it our responsibility to support and offer aide to Tibet? Please, earn your Nobel Peace Prize. Work for peace and a free Tibet! Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely, Ms. Tammy Winand US Citizen on behalf of the Tibetan refugee community in McleodGanj, India and the thousands of oppressed Tibetans unable to escape the Chinese occupation

Candlelight Vigil

After English conversation class yesterday, a group of students and teachers,

myself included, chatted over tea, playing tic tac toe and hangman for til dusk.

As I was leaving, I bumped into another western volunteer, who

asked me if I was going to the candlelight vigil.

I had not heard anything about it, but agreed to join her. We walked in

silence to the town "square", where Tibetans were handing out candles and

info pamphlets regarding the recent death of a young Buddhist nun.

The nun, aged 33, was arrested and beaten by Chinese police after

participating with a friend in a peaceful march where they chanted slogans

asking for basic human rights and freedom of religion.

She was tortured and died this Sunday of injuries related to her

beatings/torture at the hands of the Chinese.

A sizeable group of Buddhist nuns and monks, other Tibetan refugees, and

western visitors and volunteers gathered to light candles.

The walk circled the chorten, a temple in the center of town, three

times while the Tibetans chanted in their language.

Afterwards, the procession made its way downhill, to the main temple at

the residence of H.H. the Dalai Lama (who is currently teaching in

Australia), where we listened to different speakers about the recent

events. Tibetan flags waved in the evening breeze.

I was very moved, although no English translation was offered.

All that kept going through my mind was that if we had held even

this peaceful remembrance vigil inside Tibet, we would have been beaten,

shot, and/or jailed by the Chinese.

At the end of the speeches, the Tibetans sang two native songs, and

several people cried.

Friends, how can we allow our governments to side with the Chinese?

How can we stand by and give permission for one nation, China, to oppress,

control, repeatedly punish another, Tibet, for wanting the most basic

human rights and freedom of religion?!

I implore you, do whatever you can to make your voice heard, that we

know what the Chinese or doing, that we abhore what the Chinese are

doing, that will not permit what the Chinese are doing!

Write to your representatives, even to your President or Prime Minister.

Boycott Chinese goods.

Let the world know what the Chinese are doing is absolutely

unacceptable!

If you would like to make a donation to a non-profit organization here in

McleodGanj, please contact me directly for more info.

I can see that your donation goes directly into the hands of a refugee or

former political prisoner of your choosing, or, if not specified, that it helps

defray expenses for volunteers and non-profit agencies in town.

Thank you for your support and concern!

FREE TIBET!