APRIL WENT FAST.........AND HOT!!!!

I have been marching with the Tibetan Peoples Uprising Movement march as you know. We were busy with actions in Delhi as we entered the capital on 09APR and left 19APR. India is like the American democracy as we were secluded from the main area around the national parliament, being relrgated to a "special" area for protests. These protests include the Bhopal Disaster and other internal affairs and the Tibetan Human Rights cause was given room in this area. It is like the American idea of freedom to protest, just don't get in our face about your concerns!

Six westerners( a Scott, a Pole, an Aussie, a Belgian and two Americans), including me, made our statement near India Gate as the torch relay was getting ready. Our crime was to be interviewed on TV and then reveal our painted backs emblazoned with slogans about Tibetan genocide at the hands of the PRC. As soon as we took our shirts off, the police had their hands on us and we were escorted gently, but firmly, to the waiting police buses. We shouted our slogans out of the windows of the bus as we were whisked to Talik Marg holding facility. "Human rights first, Olympics second!" There we found that we were the second set of arrestees, the first being a group of young Tibetans. Altogether 350 people gave their time to the cause. For most of them their crime was that they were Tibetan and that was an "offense of the day" if you were near India Gate. Also we found out several days later, a documentarist from Italy, of Tibetan heritage was arrested, "detained" from the airport by special intelligence for the crime of being Tibetan and trying to enter the country on that day!
Jail was 27+ hours with 41 men in a 24 x 20 cell, so we all could not lay down for the night. We were released on our own recognizance w/o a record of arrest. The Tibetans were kept for up to 14 days as they refused the get out-of-jail card, seeing as their "crime" was being Tibetan, and of course that is not a crime!

So that is the state of democracy in a world in which the PRC holds sway and the economic leverage to make all governments kowtow to their desires to hide the killing of Tibetans who were promised their cultural freedom many decades ago. The PRC will not stop their attack on the human rights of miniorities in China as long as the west will give in to their "requests" to not meddle in internal affairs. We will be responsible for the deaths of Tibetans, Uighers and Mongolians and Manchurians and Beijing will whitewash it all with the Olympics.

We march toward the Tibetan border in 100+ degree heat and are now 250 strong. We were off for a day of rest in a small town near the Ganges. I went three times in two days to wash the sins off and the sweat. The last hour at the river a young Indian drowned and that brought the lesson of impermanence back to mind. I am fortunate to be engaged in this important work for the Tibetan people. If the end came it would be as good as if I died in the wilds of coastal Alkaska or the high country of Montana.

We look forward to the lake country for relief from the heat and a view of mountains again.

I have not been able to get internet access easily as a monkey ate the march's mobile internet phone the other day and the Uttaral Pradesh state is poorer than Delhi w/o a lot of web access.
I want you to know how important this work is and how proud I am to lend my support to the Tibetan cause. This is just a small part of ther need of work across the world for all peoples' human rights. Pray for the change needed within all repressive regimes. Pray for those who die everyday to taste freedom, if only for a second.
You are in my heart prayers and I will continue my work with your blessings,
Tenkyong

New Delhi Welcome

The Tibetan People's Uprising March was welcomed by the Tibetan refugee community as we entered the capital of India this morning around 10 a.m. local time. The sidewalk along the road leading to the Sikh temple which will be camp for the next few days, was lined with Tibetan refugees who cheered "FREE TIBET" and greeted us with smiles, handshakes and men and women weeping. The Delhi police escorted us from the last camp wi hich also was a Sikh temple 18 km from the city.
More to come.
Watch CNN for a glimpse of Tenkyong in the background at last night's news conference.
For the benefit of all sentient beings...........................................
Your friend,
Tenkyong