Urgent Action: Deadline Looms... Speak up for Tibet!

　SFT（本部・米NY）からの緊急呼びかけです。

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Urgent Action: Deadline Looms... Speak up for 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, Tenzinand everyone else at SFT International Headquarters in New York