FREE TIBET...

...CUBA-LIBRE!

...but the same way we must say: FREE IRAQ, FREE GAZA STRIP, FREE PALESTINIANS, FREE KWAIT, FREE CUBA, etc, etc, etc...

...but Cuba should be free not from Fidel but from the stupid international blocking stuff promoted by the USA government... for so long...

and... "Free Tibet" do not mean, necessarily, it's independence from China, as we can learn from the Dalai Lama words ...so, it means much more to free the Tibet from the China invasion, and the destruction of their culture, as they did (and are still doing) ...the same way the Israelis keep running their own invasion on the Gaza strip, ...and the same way 180.000 American soldiers has invaded the Iraq with no respect to their sovereignty, culture, history, traditions, religion, ...wow, of course, with no respect at all, ...and not to mention here what has been done to the entire African continent and it's people...

aah, and please let's not be silly to believe any "one-world-freedom" statement coming from any people like Rumsfeld and Co. ...as i heard something about... on the 15 minutes i spent near a TV set yesterday, ...to be honest, i don't even know what the fuck they were saying about but, i've got the impression that some American politicians was taking some advantage on saying some "free-tibet" slogans or so... and i've got so pissed off that it made start this post!!! ...it was such a nonsense that i simply got away from that room... The same kind of feeling comes to my mind when i see someone saying veggie or Buddhist slogans such as: let's protect our brothers animals, stop killing them, let's save the earthlings, stop eating our friends... or something like that... but (s)he's using a "nike air" ...or a leather belt, ...or both

All those years away from the TV, all it's entertainment stuff and the corporate media bullshit (including here it's printed version like the newspapers and magazines that i eventually get in touch with... maybe reading a little... but can never trust anyway ahahahah) ...has made me get pretty aware about it's power on people's mind (anyway i must confess i'm not immune, and from time to time i feel like i was also trapped into their tentacles ...thinking their pushed 'opinions' about some issue as it was my own thought... and then i wake up and think: oh my fucking god, how powerful these guys are!?! ...how can they push this shit even on my mind???)

well, doing my own homework (as everyone should always do!!!) i've found, among many others, the Tibetan Government in Exile official website, where we can find some Dalai Lama's own words... and some of the Tibetan History can be found here (it may be not the very truth or the best version but, as i said... we can do our own research choosing the truth we'd rather believe, this is the homework... and the unique freedom we can achieve is inside our own minds!!!)

...let's see what we can learn from...

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Text of statement issued to the press by His Holiness the Dalai Lama on September 4, 1993.

It is once again necessary for me to state clearly what my position is with respect to the future of Tibet. The problem of Tibet is not the question of the Dalai Lama' s return and status. It is the problem of the rights and freedoms of the six million Tibetans in Tibet. I am convinced that this question can only be solved through negotiations. My position over the years has been consistent, but Chinese government statements create confusion by suggesting that the Chinese government is always open to negotiations but that Tibetans are not.

One such statement, made by a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman on 25 August 1993, repeats the position first conveyed to my emissary by Mr. Deng Xiaoping in 1979, namely, that "except for the independence of Tibet, all other questions can be negotiated." The statement also stales that "the door to negotiations remains wide open."

For the past 14 years since that position was first stated, I have not only declared my willingness to enter into negotiations but also made a series of proposals which clearly lie within the framework for negotiations proposed by Mr. Deng Xiaoping. The ideas put forward during discussions my representatives held with Chinese officials in , and later made public in the Five Point Peace Plan for Tibet (1987) and the Strasbourg Proposal (1988), envisage a solution which does not ask for independence of Tibet. Yet, China has refused to enter into negotiations of any kind or otherwise to seriously discuss any of those proposals or to constructively respond to them. Indeed, the Chinese government has refused to discuss any question of substance, insisting that the only issues to be resolved are those pertaining to my personal return to Tibet, about which it has made a number of public statements.

As I have stated again and again, my return is not the issue. The issue is the survival and welfare of the six million Tibetan people and the preservation of our culture and civilization.

I have made it clear that negotiations must centre around ways to end China's population transfer policy which threatens the survival of the Tibetan people; the respect for fundamental human rights and freedoms of Tibetans; the demilitarisation and de-nuclearisation of Tibet; the restoration of control to the Tibetan people of all matters affecting their own affairs; and, the protection of the natural environment. I have always emphasised that any negotiation must comprise the whole of Tibet, not just the area which China calls the "Tibet Autonomous region."

I am releasing today the text of my most recent letter and accompanying note to Mr. Deng Xiaoping and Mr. Jiang Zemin which were delivered to them by my emissaries in Beijing in July 1993, as well as my first letter to Mr. Deng Xiaoping. They show the consistency of my approach and my determined efforts to seek a peaceful, reasonable and just solution, within the framework formulated by Mr. Deng Xiaoping. I have never called for negotiations on the independence of Tibet. There has been no constructive response by China to these letters.

I am deeply concerned about Chinese government's intentions with regard to Tibet: Official Chinese statements are aimed at confusing the real issue and delaying any substantial discussion on the problem. While repeating the position that China is prepared to negotiate, the Chinese government continues to seek "final solution" to the question of Tibet: the flooding of Tibet with Chinese settlers so as to entirely overpower and assimilate the Tibetan people. This concern is heightened by the revelation last week of a secret meeting held on 12 May 1993 in Sichuan in which a dual strategy was agreed upon by the Chinese authorities in order to sup press Tibetan resistance:

-- to transfer even larger numbers of Chinese into Tibet in order to make it demographically "impossible for the Tibetans to rise up"; and,

-- to manipulate important Tibetan religious persons, to infiltrate religious institutions and to create divisions in the Tibetan movement.

If the Chinese government is sincere about negotiating a solution to the question of Tibet, it must unequivocally reverse this decision, not only in words, but in practice. I call upon the Chinese government to start negotiations without delay and without preconditions.

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His Holiness' letter to Deng Xiaoping dated March 23, 1981

Your Excellency:

I agree with and believe in the Communist ideology which seeks the well being of human beings in general and the prolitariat in particular, and in Lenin's policy of the equality of nationalities. Similarly, I was pleased with the discussions I had with Chairman Mao on ideology and the policy towards nationalities. If that same ideology and policy ~;ere implemented it would have brought much admiration and happiness. How ever. if one is to make a general comment on the developments during the past two decades. there has been a lapse in economic and educational progress, the ba sis of human happiness. Moreover, on account of the hardships caused by the unbearable disruptions, there has been a loss of trust between the Party and the masses, between the officials and the masses, among the officials themselves, and also among the masses themselves. By deceiving one another through false assumptions and misrepresentations there has been, in reality, a great lapse and delay in achieving the real goals. Now. signs of dissatisfaction are naturally emerging from all directions and are clear indications that the objectives have not been fulfilled.

To take the case of the situation in Tibet. it is regrettable that some Tibetan officials, who lack the wisdom and competence required for promoting basic human happiness and the short and long term welfare of their own people, indulge in flattering Chinese officials and, collaborate with these Chinese officials who know nothing about Tibetans and work simple for their temporary fame indulging in fabricating impressive reports. In reality, the Tibetan people have not only undergone immeasurable sufferings. but large numbers have also unnecessarily lost their lives. Besides, during the Cultural Revolution, there have been immense destruction of Tibet 's ancient cultural heritage. All these regrettable events present a brief impression of the past.

Now, taking into account the experiences of the past mistakes, there is a new policy of Seeking Truth from Facts and a policy of modernisation. With regard to the Tibetan issue, I am pleased and applaud Comrade Hu Yaobang's efforts to make every possible attempt to right the wrongs by frankly admitting the past mistakes after his visit to Lhasa.

As you are aware, during the past 20 years, we Tibetans abroad, apart from trying to preserve our national identity and traditional values, have been educating our youth to enable them to decide their future through a knowledge of right conduct, justice and democratic principles towards a better Tibetan community.

In brief, considering the fact that we are living in an alien countries other than our own, we can be proud of our achievements in the history of the refugees in the world. On the political front, we have always pursued the path of truth and justice in our struggle for the legitimate rights of the Tibetan people. We have never indulged in distortions, exaggerations and criticism of the Chinese people. Neither have we harboured any ill will towards them. Above all, we have always held to our position of truth and justice without siding with any of the international political power blocks.

In early 1979, at your invitation, Gyalo Thondup visited China. Through him you had sent a message saying that we should keep in contact with each other. You had also invited us to send fact-finding delegations to Tibet. There after, three fact-finding delegations were able to find out both the positive and negative aspects of the situation in Tibet. If the Tibetan people's identity is pre served and if they are genuinely happy, there is no reason to complain. However, in reality, over 90 percent of the Tibetans are suffering both mentally and physically, and are living in deep sorrow. These sad conditions have not been brought about by natural disasters, but by human actions. Therefore, genuine efforts must be made to resolve the problems in accordance with the existing realities in a reasonable way.

In order to do this. we must improve the relationship between China and Tibet as well as between Tibetans in and outside Tibet. With truth and equality as our foundation, we must try to develop friendship between Tibetans and Chinese through better understanding in the future. The time has come to apply our common wisdom in a spirit of tolerance and broadmindedness to achieve genuine happiness for the Tibetan people with a sense of urgency.

On my part, I remain committed to contribute my efforts for the welfare of all human beings, and in particular the poor and the weak to the best of my ability without any distinction based on national boundaries. As the Tibetan people have great trust and hope in me, I would like to convey to you their wishes and aspirations for their immediate and future wellbeing.

I hope you will let me know your views on the foregoing points.

With the assurance of my highest regard and esteem.

The Dalai Lama

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Separate Note attached to His Holiness' Letter to Deng Xiaoping of March 23, 1981

In recent times, in accordance with the contacts made by Beijing through Gyalo Thondup three fact-finding delegations have already visited Tibet. The fourth one is scheduled to leave in April this year. Although Beijing had already agreed to the deputation of 50 teachers from India to different schools in Tibet for a period of two years and the opening of a liaison office in Lhasa to facilitate mutual contacts, recently Gyalo Thondup received the following message from Beijing through the Xinhua News Agency in Hong Kong:

1. As regard the fourth fact-finding delegation, nothing has been confirmed so far. A response will be given later either through Hong Kong or the Chinese embassy in New Delhi.

2. Although we have agreed in principle to the opening of a liaison office in Lhasa and the deputation of teachers, it would be better to defer the opening of the liaison office and instead more contact should be made through Hong Kong and the Chinese embassy in Delhi.

3. The teachers having been brought up in India with all good facilities would find it difficult to live in Tibet where facilities are lacking at the moment. This could harm their morale. It is therefore suggested that the sending of teachers to Tibet be deferred. For the time being some teachers may be deputed to the nationalities schools inside China from where they could gradually be sent to Tibet.

(Subsequently, a message received through the Chinese embassy in Delhi conveyed that the fourth delegation should be postponed for this year.)

The following is our response to the above matters:

a) We agree to the postponement of the fourth delegation for this year, as well as the opening of the liaison office in Lhasa for the timebeing.

b) On the matter of sending teachers to Tibet, since the teachers are already aware of the difficult conditions in the schools in Tibet, this will neither lower their morale nor come in the way of carrying out of their tasks. Above all, the main reason for sending the teachers is to uplift the standard of education of the students living in difficult conditions. We hope you will reconsider this matter. The teachers will be concerned solely with educational matters and will not indulge in any political activities. There is, therefore, no need to worry on this point.