A n n o u n c e m e n t s

Friends of Tibet (Calcutta) to join the international observance of World Tibet Day on July 6, 2006 by organising a film festival on Tibet at the Chitrakoot Art Gallery, 55 Gariahat Road, Presidency Court, Calcutta 700 019 from 10am. Entrance is free.

Programme Schedule:
1) Welcome Note by Shibayan Raha, Coordinator, Friends of Tibet: Calcutta
2) Inauguration of the event by Dr Dekyi Tsering (Men-Tsee-Khang, Calcutta)
3) Long Life Prayer Offerings for HH the Dalai Lama by Tibetan Students
4) Singing of the National anthem of Tibet and India
5) Screening of films starts: * Compassion In Exile * Kundun * Shadow Circus * The Kingdom Of the Lost Boy

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CA Kallianpur, National Coordinator of Friends of Tibet (India) to talk on "What The Tibetan Is" at Maratha Vyapar Hall, Ground Floor, Sector 5, Nerul, New Bombay on June 29, 2006 (Thursday) at 5pm. The event is organised by Ex-Servicemen and Senior Citizen's Association and is open to all. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Friends of Tibet, Design & People and Kashi to organise a film festival called 'Conflicts' on July 6, 2006 to coincide with World Tibet Day which is also the 71st birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. This one-day festival of feature and documentary films on various conflicts will be held at the Kashi Art Café, Fort Kochi, Kerala from 10am till 8pm. Some of the participating organisations in this festival are: Greenpeace (India), Falun Dafa (India) and Unit for Media and Communications of Tata Institute of Social Sciences. (Entrance is free)

Schedule: 11:00am 'Conflicts: Tibet' (Documentary) / 11:30am Sandstorm (Feature Film) / 01:00pm Miles To Go (Documentary) / 02:00pm Naata: The Bond (Documentary) / 02:45pm Farenheit 9/11 (Documentary) / 04:45pm She Write (Documentary) / 05:45pm The Basque Ball: Skin Against The Stone (Documentary)

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What Are You Doing This Summer Vacation? How about spending four days in Dharamshala and getting to know about Tibet? Meet with HH the Dalai Lama (yet to confirm the audience), officials from the Tibetan Government-in-exile, political activists, former political prisoners and many more people involved in the Tibetan struggle for independence.

Friends of Tibet (Delhi) will be organising an exposure-trip to Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh between June 2-6, 2006 for Delhi University students. There will be talks and discussions with political activists, exiled-prisoners, film screenings, short-treks, visits to Namgyal Monastery founded by the IIIrd Dalai Lama, Tibetan Children's Village, Norbulingka Institute and the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts. You'll get to know more about Tibet's vibrant history, culture, religion and people. Spend four action-packed and intellectually stimulating days with twenty like-minded people getting to know about the Tibet issue. Learn more about Tibet and how you can contribute to it. If you're interested, please send a write-up (not more than 200 words) on why you'd like to attend the exposure trip and send it to

Please mark your emails 'DHARAMSHALA TRIP' and include you Name, Age, Address and tel numbers in all your correspondence.

Note: 1. Workshops are open to anyone interested in the issue of Tibet.
2. Last date for receipt of write-up is 5th May, 2006.
3. Selected participants will be called for a short interview in Delhi between 10th and 12th May, 2006.
4. Expenses of the trip will be borne by individual participants. (Friends of Tibet will be making meeting, travel, food and accommodation arrangements for all participants.)
5. Each participant will be awarded with a Certificate upon completion of the program.

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On the commemoration of the 17th anniversary of Tiananmen Square Massacre, Friends of Tibet (India) in association with Indian Liberal Group and Freedom First invites you to a screening of the documentary film: "Tiananmen: The Gate of Heavenly Peace" at the YMCA, N Parekh Marg (Wodehouse Road), Colaba, Bombay 400001 on Sunday, June 4, 2006 at 6.30 pm.

(Admission Free)

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(Documentary; 180 min; Directed by: Richard Gordon & Carma Hinton)

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Aligarh chapter of Friends of Tibet (India) has launched a five-day-long information campaign in the Aligargh Muslim University campus, Uttar Pradesh where Friends of Tibet volunteers will be speaking to students and other individuals in order to create awareness about India's Foreign Policy on Tibet. A set of documents containing 'India's Tibet Policy', 'Why Tibet' and poems by Tenzin Tsundue will also be distributed. The Information Campaign on India's Foreign Policy will last for five days from May 2, 2006.

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The Hindu, one of the most credible and trusted newspapers in the country has many things to its credit. Chief among them is the appointment of an Ombudsman or a Readers' Editor in a newspaper for the first time in the history of Indian journalism. This 127-year-old newspaper with 3.8 million readers has a different story to tell ever since N Ram, who describes himself as "An Indian who has no sympathy for the Dalai Lama's separatist and backward looking agenda", took charge as the editor-in-chief of the newspaper on July 1, 2003.

Friends of Tibet has learned that the editorial board of The Hindu led by N Ram has instructed their centres not to carry any 'Tibet', 'Dalai Lama' and 'Falun Gong' stories criticising the policies of the Chinese government. Instead of depending on reliable news agencies like PTI, UNI, IANS, Reuters, AP and AFP, The Hindu has found a Beijing-based news-agency to fetch stories - The Xinhua - world's biggest propaganda agency belonging to the Chinese Communist Party. Probably The Hindu is the only newspaper in the country to reproduce Xinhua reports. Today The Hindu has virtually become a mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist Party.

Perhaps unique in the world because of its role, size, and reach, Xinhua reports directly to the Chinese Communist Party's Propaganda Department and employs more than 10,000 people. The head of the Xinhua has the rank of a minister. Successor to the agency, Red China that was founded by Mao Zedong, Xinhua adopted its current name in January 1937. Since October 1949, this state-run news-agency has been completely subordinate to the Chinese Communist Party and remains the voice of the sole party.

A card-holding member of the Communist Party in India who had been to China and occupied-Tibet at least fifteen times in junkets mostly arranged by the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi, N Ram is also the mastermind behind 'India-China Association of Journalists', an embassy-sponsored organisation specialising in arranging pleasure trips for Indian journalists. This new strategy of Beijing has already won the hearts of some of our best journalists. Ironically it is only when the Tamil Nadu Police entered The Hindu office premises in Chennai, N Ram who calls the killing of a million Tibetans by China's occupying forces 'a myth', got enlightened about freedom.

We believe that it is immoral from the side of an Editor to drag some of the eminent journalists to do ethically-wrong reporting for The Hindu and Frontline and also to use a democratic forum - freedom of the press - to advance the cause of an autocratic regime.

'Save The Hindu' Campaign is an attempt to save the newspaper and also to expose Xinhua - Chinese government's propaganda agency to its readers. Let us use the opportunity to write to the newly-appointed Readers' Editor about our concerns on The Hindu policies on various issues including Tibet.

* Click Here To Sign A Petition *

(The Petition will to be submitted to the newly-appointed Reader's Editor of The Hindu)

More About The Hindu Campaign

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Friends of Tibet (India): Calcutta chapter is organising 'Calcutta to Chandragiri MOTORCYCLE RALLY on 21st April 2006. Three members of FOT Kolkata Chapter will take part in this event. While Mr. Tathagata Chakravarti, coordinator of Calcutta chapter will drive the bike, his wife Mrs. Swati Chakravarti, also an FOT member will be on the pillion distributing leaflets during their four-day-long journey. Mr Shibayan Raha, will coordinate the rally. The husband wife team will meet people on their way and talk to them about Panchen Lama.

The Eleventh Panchen Lama, Gendhun Choekyi Nyima was born in the year of 1989, 25th April, in Lhari District, in Kham, eastern Tibet. At the age of six he was recognized by His Holiness the Dalai Lama on 14th May 1995 as the 11th Panchen Lama of Tibet. Immediately after three days of his recognition, Gendhun Choekyi Nyima along with his Family, Chadrel Rinpoche and his Secretary were kidnapped by the officials of the Government of People’s Republic of China. Since 1995, they are all missing and there is no such indication that they are still alive.

The aim of this campaign is to highlight the condition in which His Holiness the 11th PANCHEN LAMA, Gendhun Choekyi Nyima is living under China’s control. The bike rally is to reach Tibetan refugee camp in Chandragiri in Orissa on 25th April, coinciding with the birthday celebration of the 11th Panchen Lama at the Tibetan refugee camp. On arriving at the Tibetan refugee camp, with the help and support of Local Tibetans living in the refugee camp, the three bike-rally team from Kolkata will take part in the Panchen Lama birthday celebration, which includes screening of the film “The Kingdom of Lost Boy” a film based on life story of 11th Panchen Lama.

There will also be a unique event conducted by the members of FOT Calcutta chapter, the event is “HANDS FOR THE PANCHEN LAMA” all the Tibetans staying in the settlement will make a paper cut-out of their hand prints and on that they will write their names and a message addressing it to the Chinese Ambassador in New Delhi asking him to immediately release His Holiness the 11th Panchen Lama. As per the latest counting there are nearly 3100 Tibetans in Chandragiri Tibetan camp. The unique message hand shape papers will be collected and brought to Kolkata and then will be dispatched to the Embassy of PRC in New Delhi.

Phuntshokling Tibetan Refugee Camp in Chandragiri is Gajapati District of East Indian state of Orissa, and it’s one of the biggest Tibetan refugee camps in India. The camp is nearly 800 Kms by road from Kolkata. The rally will be flagged off on 21st April 2006 morning, from Kolkta after a small function at the Mahatma Gandhi Statue situated on Mayo Road in Kolkata, and will reach at Chandragiri in the afternoon of 24th April 2006. They will travel from Kolkata via Howrah, Kharagpore, Balasore, Bhubneshwar and Behrampore.

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On the 47th Anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising Day, Friends of Tibet (India) in association with GJ Advani Law College invite you for the screening of the documentary: 'Tibet: Cry of the Snowlion' (Duration: 103 min; directed by: Tom Poesay) on at 11am March 10, 2006 (Friday) at the Mock Court Room/Auditorium, GJ Advani Law College, Bandra (West), Bombay.

All are invited.

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The Human Rights Cell of Symbiosis Law College, in association with the Pune Chapter of Friends of Tibet (India) has organises a two-day film festival on Tibet, on the 28th and 29th of January, 2006 at Symbiosis Law College, Pune.

The aim of this festival is to raise awareness about Tibet and inform students and the rest of Pune of the related political and cultural issues. The films will be followed by discussions on both days. Poet-activist Tenzin Tsundue will be present on the 29th to talk to those present and moderate the discussion following the films. Entry to the program is free and open to all.

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What was lost in 1992 the historic Shakabpa passport from Tibetan community has now been recovered, bringing pride and honour to the Tibetan people. In a recently concluded public donation drive, more than 850 Tibetans pooled together money to pay for the purchase of their historic passport which stands as proof of Tibet's independent status recognised by other countries in 1948.

This historic Shakabpa passport was issued by the then Government of Independent Tibet in 1947 to Finance Secretary Tsepong Wangchuk Dedhen Shakabpa who was leading a trade delegation to China, the United States and Britain. On this passport, visa and transit visa were issued by countries like the United Sates, Britain, India, France, Italy, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Today this document remains to stand as an important proof of independent status of Tibet legally recognised by other countries before China's invasion of Tibet in 1949.

However, this document got lost from the Tibetan community in 1992 and there were rumours that it had been sold to antique dealers and reached into the hands of Chinese government officials. After 13 years of mystery and search, Friends of Tibet (India) located it with an antique dealer in Nepal, and later bought it for an amount of US$10,000 with money borrowed from a monastery in Nepal.

Tibetans from all around the world donated overwhelmingly in this donation drive to purchase the document. The donation drive was initiated by Friends of Tibet (India) and was led by General Secretary of our organisation Tenzin Tsundue who went on a whirlwind tour of India and Nepal covering Tibetan refugee camps and Indian towns. Starting from Kathmnadu, Shillong, Dimapur, Kohima, Kalimpong, Darjeeling, Gangtok, Ravangla, Salugara, Calcutta, Ranchi, Tatanagar, Dhanbad, Asansol, Bodh Gaya, Patna, Allahabad, Lucknow, Kanpur, Aligarh, Agra, Jaipur, Ajmer and wound up in Udaipur.

The target of five lakh rupees has been achieved and no now more donations are being accepted. About his forty-day long tour in India and Nepal Tsundue said: "Where ever I went, it was so encouraging to see how Tibetans were most forthcoming with their contributions that very quickly we collected all the money needed. Personally it is inspiring to see how one symbolic article could infuse so much spirit and unite us for the cause of Tibet". Tsundue went to 27 different Tibetan refugee camps, towns and cities where he conducted meetings and collected donations.

In an attempt to make it purely a Tibetan effort and donations were collected only from Tibetans and all offers of donation from non-Tibetans have been declined. More than 850 Tibetans took part in the donation drive, some of the contribution ranging from Rs 5 to one lakh from an individual.

Friends of Tibet (India) took responsibility in recovering the document and had submitted it to the leader of the Tibetans - His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Now to complete the work, we initiated the donation drive to pay for the purchase of historic document, a national property of the Tibetans. Friends of Tibet (India) holds no authority or ownership whatsoever on the article. The document is now a property of the Tibetan people and we are happy to have played a small role in recovering it and return it to where it belongs.

In the process of recovering it, Kongpo Bhu Dhondup and Geshe Pema Dorjee played significant roles and we praise their hardwork. We would like to thank Bodong Pema Choeding Monastery in Kathmandu, Nepal who did lend us the money to pay for the purchase of Shakabpa passport in the nick of time as an advance on our behalf. We want to thank all individuals and organisations that contributed in various forms in this long process of donation drive and helped us make it successful.

The passport will be a part of an exhibition we are organising called "Story of a Nation: Independent, Occupied and Exiled Tibet".

Sethu Das
(President, Friends of Tibet: INDIA)

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Trivandrum Chapter of Friends of Tibet (India) in association with the Film Club, Govt College of Teacher Education to organise an Open Forum with two socially important film-makers - Ritu Sarin and Tenzing Sonam, directors of 'Dreaming Lhasa' at the Government College of Teacher Education, Thycaud, Trivandrum, Kerala. The discussion followed by the screening of the documentary 'A Stranger in My Native Land' will take place on December 16, 2005 (Friday) at 2pm. All are invited.

A Stranger In My Native Land: (1998 / Duration: 32 min / Dir: Ritu Sarin and Tenzing Sonam) is the poignant and personal account of Tenzing Sonam's first-ever visit to his homeland. From the far reaches of Amdo Province, where Tibetans have lost their language, to Lhasa, the heart of the country, the film captures his meetings with long-lost relatives and conveys a sense of the desperation of Tibet as a country under occupation.

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Wear one to show that you care. Priced at Rs 200 (incl of postage charges), 'Tibet Can, Tibet Will' T-shirt designed by Design & People for Friends of Tibet is available in white (Small / Medium / Large). T-shirts are sold to the members of Friends of Tibet (India) for cost price. Members can write to us with their membership numbers for discounts.

You may send a demand draft/cheque payable to 'Nirmal Xavier Antony' to: Friends of Tibet: Cochin, Stanrose, Maithri Nagar, Manimala Road, Edappally, Cochin 682024, Kerala. (Allow six days for delivery.)

Also available with:

Cochin: Design & People / Mobile: 9847044248 / 9388465953

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To know more, call Nirmal Antony at: 9847089306 / email:
(Announcement Posted on June 28, 2005)

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