First of all, let me start by introducing myself. My name is Tenzing
Choephel and I am the new Membership Coordinator for the Milarepa Fund. I
am a Tibetan who was raised and educated in the Tibetan refugee communities
in India. My position at the Milarepa Fund is a new one and it reflects the
organization’s dedication to making its membership program exciting and
effective.
Many of you might have contacted us during the last few months, wondering
what’s up with the Milarepa Fund and their absence from the scene. To make a
long story short, we have moved to New York City and we have closed our San
Francisco office. The moved was aimed to work closer with the major Tibet
Support Group’s (TSG’s) and at the same time to get closer to our Board and
the international media. We are finally settled in from the move, and
have several exciting campaigns and projects underway.
· Tibetans and TSG’s Celebrate victory:
In June 2000, Tibetans and Tibet Support Groups successfully defeated a
proposed World Bank Loan to the Chinese government that would have
transferred 60,000 Chinese citizens into traditional Tibetan and Mongolian
herding lands. The project would have disrupted the lives of thousands of
Tibetan nomads, would have had terrible environmental consequences, and
would have promoted the Chinese government's policy of population transfer,
the greatest single threat to the Tibetan people. The campaign against the
World Bank was one of the greatest victories ever for the Tibet movement.
For the first time, the international community stood up to the Chinese
government and refused to finance their cultural genocide in Tibet. The
victory made headline news around the world, and sent a clear message to the
Chinese government and to international institutions like the Bank that
people everywhere care about Tibet. And it never would have happened if it
weren't for the people who came to the Tibetan Freedom Concerts.
In the US the campaign against this controversial World Bank loan to China
was initiated by all of the TSG’s headed by The Milarepa Fund, Students for
Free Tibet, International Campaign for Tibet and USTC.
· Campaign against BP:
The Milarepa Fund and a coalition of TSGs have been working on a campaign
to stop a gas pipe-line Sebei-Lanzhou , which is being built by China’s
state owned oil company Petro China in the Amdo region of Tibet. When
complete, the pipeline will disrupt the traditional lifestyle of Tibetan and
Mongolian nomads, will increase militarization in an already volatile area,
will facilitate the transfer of Chinese citizens into Tibetan areas, and
will allow the Chinese government to profit from resources that are not
rightfully theirs. PetroChina has come under fire from human rights, labor,
social justice and environmental groups for their questionable practices in
China,Tibet, and Sudan.
British Petroleum is one of the primary investors in PetroChina. We are
urging BP to divest from PetroChina. If you want to help out, go to
www.action4tibet.org to send an e-mail letter to BP.
· Want to go to Tibet?
There are still openings for Sojourn's Tibetan Program starting the end of
February. Language study, apprenticeships, community service and extensive
travel in Nepal and Tibet are all part of this exciting 12-week program.
Sojourn also offers customized, 6-week or 12-week programs in Nepal, Tibet
and Ladakh. For each person who signs up, $150 goes to support the Milarepa
Fund. To get more information, go to www.sojournnepal.org or call (602)
840-9197.
· When the Iron Bird Flies Tibetan Freedom Concerts 1996-1999:
We have just celebrated the Book Release Party on Dec. 6th, 2000 at the
Irving Plaza in New York City. The Picture Book titled “When the Iron Bird
Flies: Tibetan Freedom Concerts 1996-1999 is published by Razorfish
Subnetwork (RSUB). The book contains pictures of the Tibetan Freedom
Concerts from 1996-1999. Danny Clinch took the photographs in the book.
The book will be available for sale on online at www.rsub.net,
www.amazon.com , Barnes & Nobles and selected bookstores in the US. For
more information on the book go to www.rsub.net or www.milarepa.org
The Tibetan people’s nonviolent struggle to regain their freedom is at a
critical point and its’ success is dependent upon the support of people like
you. Therefore, I strongly urge you and request your friends to become a
member of Milarepa Fund. Your support by becoming a member will allow us to
continue our work in support for the Tibetan people.
· To help us to build upon this important work, please do the following:
Go to www.action4tibet.org and send the action letter to BP regarding their
investment in Petro China, a Chinese state-owned oil company attempting to
build pipeline in Tibet.
Please feel free to contact me at memebrs@milarepa.org if you have any
questions. I look forward to working with you, and everyone here at the
Milarepa Fund to make Tibet’s freedom a becomes a reality.
In addition, we are also looking to produce several events next year so
please stay posted to our web-site www.milarepa.org for the most up to date
information on all of our activities. We would like to thank you for bearing
with us !