Tibet Activists Protest Beijing 2008 Olympics on Mt. Everest

We have awesome news of our close friends at Students for a Free Tibet doing a gorgeous impactful action on Mount Everest. After detainment, we have heard that they are on their way home, and we wanted to share with you their story and success. This is movement building through action! If you or someone you know wants to know about pulling off such gorgeous, impactful actions, come to the US Social Forum and get training from The Ruckus Society and see the movement grow, learn, come together. Let us know you want Ruckus training!

Love,
~the crew at Ruckus

April 27, 2007

TIBET ACTIVISTS FREED

China expels five activists detained after Everest protest; lodges formal complaint with the United States government

Kathmandu - Five Tibetan independence activists were released early this morning by Chinese authorities in Tibet. Tenzin Dorjee, Kirsten Westby, Laurel Mac Sutherlin and Shannon Service were detained on Wednesday for protesting China's plans to take the Olympic torch over Mount Everest and through Tibet ahead of the Beijing Olympic Games. American Jeff Friesen was taken into custody on Thursday for suspected involvement in the protest; all arrived safely in Kathmandu, Nepal at 9:30pm local time/11am EST.

"I am so happy to have seen my country for the first time," said Tibetan-American Tenzin Dorjee, the first known Tibetan exile to have returned to Tibet in order to protest for independence. "I am more confident than ever before that Tibet will be free."

The protest came on the eve of the International Olympic Committee (IOC)'s decision to approve China's plans to take the torch to the top of Mt Everest and through Tibet. Tibetans and their supporters believe the Chinese government is hoping to use the Games as a means to legitimize its occupation of Tibet.

"We are very relieved that they have been released and that their message of freedom and independence for Tibet has been carried the world over, said Lhadon Tethong, Executive Director of Students for a Free Tibet. "We oppose the IOC's backing of the Chinese government's political agenda with the Games and will continue to shine the international spotlight on China's brutal occupation of Tibet."

The Chinese government lodged an official complaint with the United States over the protest, demanding that Washington prevent such incidents in the future. "The United States should work to dispel the odious influence of this and prevent similar incidents from occurring," said a foreign ministry spokesman.

The activists will be available for statements and interviews shortly.

Students for a Free Tibet (SFT) is a network of young people and activists campaigning for Tibetan independence, with 650 chapters in more than thirty countries worldwide. SFT is based in New York, with offices in Vancouver, London, and Dharamsala, India. SFT is working to shine the Olympic spotlight on China's occupation of Tibet.