SFT UK Media Centre

TANKS FOR THE MEMORIES!

[London] Two remote controlled toy tanks adorned with Chinese flags will escort Chinese President Hu Jintao to Buckingham Palace. Organised by Students for a Free Tibet UK, the tanks rolled alongside the royal procession, as a symbolic reminder to President Hu that his brutal military rule in Tibet will not be forgotten and China’s current occupation of Tibet must end.

On 9th March 1989, Chinese tanks and thousands of heavily armed troops rolled into the centre of Lhasa, the Tibetan capital, in order to suppress non-violent demonstrations against China’s occupation of Tibet. Monks were thrown from the tops of buildings, women and children were imprisoned, tortured and murdered, simply for raising a Tibetan flag, or shouting freedom slogans. The Chinese troops acted under the direction of Hu Jintao, then Communist Party Secretary for the Tibetan Autonomous Region.

“As a civilised democracy, the United Kingdom must not ignore the atrocities committed by the Chinese government in Tibet,” said Alice Speller, National Coordinator of Students for a Free Tibet UK. “Hu Jintao’s past and present record of human rights violations against the Tibetan people makes him undeserving of the dignity of a royal procession,” she added.

In Tibet today, Tibetans can be arrested, tortured and imprisoned for possessing a photo of the Dalai Lama or expressing hope for the return of Tibetan sovereignty. “Our political leaders will fail their obligation to the people of this country, and their moral responsibilities as human beings, unless they raise the issue of China’s occupation of Tibet during their meetings with President Hu.” Miss Speller continued.

The students likened their activities in support of Tibetan freedom to the international support that helped end the communist dictatorships in Poland, Czech Republic and East Germany. They hoped their protest of Hu Jintao would help bring an end to China’s unjust occupation of Tibet and help create a more peaceful world.

Factfile on Hu Jintao

Hu Jintao was born in 1949 in Anhui province.

Studied Hydro-electric engineering at Qingua University.

His father was tortured and died in Jiangyan prison during the Cultural Revolution in China.

He joined the Party in 1964.

In 1988 he was appointed as secretary to the Party Committee for Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR).

Upon his arrival in Tibet he made a speech tin which he considered himself a member of the Tibetan people and he pledged to work for their benefit.

During a peaceful demonstration by Tibetan Hu Jintao sent in armed security forces to break up the protest. Over 130 protestors were shot and killed.

After this Hu Jintao declared Martial Law, numbers of arrests grew rapidly, and those imprisoned were tortured by PLA troops.

Hu, it has been suggested, also played a part in the suspicious death of the Panchen Lama who died a few days after disagreeing with Hu in a meeting.

In 1991 Hu officially lifted Martial Law in Tibet. However significant numbers of PLA troops remain in Lhasa and a recent report by Amnesty International states that ‘the police and security forces still retain extensive powers of arbitrary arrest and detention without trial.’

Hu spent little time in Tibet and governed mostly from Beijing. He claimed ‘ill health’ due to altitude sickness as his reason for this.

In 1992 Hu became a member of the 14th Standing committee of the Politburo and was declared to be the future leader by Den Xiaping.

In 2003 Hu Jintao became the president of China.

In 2004 he took over control of the Central Military Commission, consolidating his power as president.

Wednesday 6 July 2005

Activists from Students for a Free Tibet UK (SFT-UK) joined thousands of protestors on the opening day of the G8 Summit being held at Gleneagles, Scotland. China, which has occupied Tibet since 1949, is present at the meeting of the G8 group of major-industrialised states.

While protests took place at the Gleneagles Hotel and across Scotland, SFT-UK focused on the capital, Edinburgh. Tibet campaigners joined protests early on Wednesday morning at the Sheraton Hotel, as delegates were leaving for the Summit.

The first day of the G8 Summit coincided with the 70th birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader and Nobel Peace Laureate, who has lived in exile in India since 1959.

With the world’s media focussed on Scotland SFT-UK campaigners marked the Dalai Lama’s birthday by displaying a banner reading “Don’t Forget Tibet” to delegates and the assembled crowds. Whilst a strong police presence restricted anti-G8 activists blockading the hotel, the SFT activists from across the UK successfullydisplayed Tibetan flags and engaged with the press.

This action was part of a week of protests surrounding the G8 summit, and SFT-UK also had a presence at the ‘Make Poverty History’ rally on Saturday 2nd July, which was attended by 225,000 people including a group of anti-Chinese Communist Party protesters.

Whist the G8 agenda both inside and outside the Summit may be dominated by the issues of climate change and poverty, SFT-UK hoped to flag the issue of Tibet within this greater agenda to ensure that Tibet is not forgotten.

Activists from Students for a Free Tibet UK and Free Tibet Campaign today protested against Bombardier's support of cultural genocide (note 1) in Tibet at the Infrarail 2005 Exhibition in Manchester.

Bombardier is supplying China's Gormo-Lhasa (Qinghai - Tibet) railway project (note 2) with rail-cars, a deal publicly criticised for facilitating the Chinese Government's politically motivated programme to consolidate its control over occupied Tibet. After confronting Bombardier's representatives at their stall, activists escalated the protest by performing a peaceful demonstration, illustrating Bombardier's disregard for the Tibetan people which Tibet campaigners claim violates its own Code of Ethics.

The activists also distributed information to media, visitors and exhibitors. "We called upon the Infrarail delegates to support our demand that Bombardier withdraw from this project, which will contribute to what the Dalai Lama has described as cultural genocide," said Ben Martin of Students for a Free Tibet UK. Bombardier's representatives were embarrassed by the protest, refused to engage in a dialogue with the protesters and called for security to intervene. As the protesters were escorted out side they were approached by delegates expressing their support. Activists are handing out postcards, which they urge delegates attending Infrarail to hand in to Bombardier's stand.

The annual Infrarail exhibition is a major event for the rail industry. "It is crucial that the industry is aware of Bombardier’s involvement in such a controversial and damaging project. Bombardier is ignoring core industry values in the pursuit of its own commercial interests" said Yael Weisz Rind of Free Tibet Campaign.

Notes to Editors:
(1) Bombardier leads a consortium in a contract worth $78 million to supply railcars to the Qinghai-Tibet (Gormo-Lhasa) Railway. For further information on Gormo-Lhasa railway project and its implications for Tibet and the Tibetan people see: www.freetibet.org/campaigns/railway and www.studentsforafreetibet.rog/article.php?list=type&type=62

(2) The Dalai Lama stated that ``Some kind of cultural genocide is taking place”… “In general, a railway link is very useful in order to develop, but not when politically motivated to bring about demographic change." Taken from a report by John Miller, Associated Press on 11 September 2005

SFT, UK & FTC [Tuesday, September 13, 2005 19:47]

Manchester - Bombardier, a major international transportation company has been publicly criticised over its controversial deal with China to supply railway cars to the Qinghai -Tibet (Gormo-Lhasa) railway (1).

"Bombardier's $78 million contract has broken its own Ethical Code, by investing in a high-risk project, which will contribute to what the Dalai Lama has described as cultural genocide (2)." said Ben Martin of Students for a Free Tibet. " Free Tibet Campaign and Students for a Free Tibet UK activists will be protesting Bombardier's cooperation with China's occupation and destruction of Tibet at the Infrarail exhibition 2005 in Manchester on 15-16 September." he added.

Bombardier which employs nearly 5000 people across the UK, is effectively supporting the Chinese government's politically motivated 'development' plan in Tibet aimed at manipulating the demography creating a Han Chinese majority. The programme has limited benefits for Tibetan people, who are destined to become further marginalised in their own country and promises rich rewards for the Chinese authorities.

"The railway is a political project, designed to facilitate the move of millions of Chinese settlers into Tibet, enable increased militarisation along the border with India and Pakistan, and allow China easily to transport Tibet's natural resources to China's east coast. It is not designed to benefit Tibetans. Bombardier is now a willing participant in this destruction, with its technology enabling an abusive regime to extend its control over Tibet." said Tenzin Metok Sither of Free Tibet Campaign.

Despite repeated efforts by Free Tibet Campaign and Students for a Free Tibet UK to contact Bombardier, its UK Country Representative, Colin Walton has refused to respond. His PA dismissed all attempts to discuss the issue in a constructive manner. With the delivery due to begin in December 2005, Bombardier have remained very secretive over the entire deal. "It is unclear if, and to what extent British or European employees have been involved in the construction and design of these high-tech carriages and thus becoming complicit in an unethical project. For such a prominent rail company in the UK, which is seeking public support (3), it is vital for them to demonstrate accountability and transparency in all operations." Sither further asserted.

Contact:
Students for a Free Tibet UK or Free Tibet Campaign [details removed]

Notes to Editors:
(1) Further information on Gormo-Lhasa railway project and its implication for Tibet and Tibetan people see:
www.freetibet.org/campaigns/railway and
www.studentsforafreetibet.org/article.php?list=type&type=62

(2) The Dalai Lama stated that ``Some kind of cultural genocide is taking placeŠ`In general, a railway link is very useful in order to develop, but not when politically motivated to bring about demographic change." taken from a report by John Miller, Associated Press on 11 September 2005.

(3) In recent years Bombardier UK faced major financial and operational difficulties which led to mass redundancy. A public campaign was launched in 2003 pressing the government to award the company with several contracts and financial support.