November 3, 2011
This morning when I sat down to write this piece, I read about another case of self-immolation in Tibet today. This time, a 35-year-old nun named Palden Choetso from Tawu town in eastern part of Tibet set herself on fire to protest against the on going Chinese authorities’ repression of the Tibetans inside Tibet.
This and other earlier cases of self-immolation in Tibet compounded with on going brutal suppression of the Tibetans by the Chinese authorities have worried many people in Latin America like elsewhere. Although the mainstream newspapers in Latin America are muted on the issue and instead more focused on regional and other major international issues, there has been increasing discussions on the issue and situation inside Tibet in social networking forums—facebook, twitters and Que Pasa—in both Spanish and Portuguese languages.
With this as a backdrop, a participation in solidarity actions on Tibet in Latin American region has encouragingly increased this year, compared to the past. Joining the Global Solidarity Action to Save Tibetan Lives, a variety of actions have taken place in sixteen different cities in the Latin American region from October 30th to November 2nd and these cities include Recife, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paolo, Porto Alegre, Florianopolis in Brazil; Aguascalientes, Guadalajara, Mexico City, Morelia, Monterrey and Queretaro in Mexico; Buenos Aires in Argentina, Montevideo in Uruguay; Santiago in Chile; Bogota in Colombia and San Jose in Costa Rica.
A Uruguayan doctor who practices in Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina, said she cannot withstand injustice and, therefore, is very sympathetic with the Tibetans, particularly those inside Tibet. She said, “No matter whether others take initiative or not, I am going to do something to protest against this injustice”. She organized a Tibet solidarity action in Buenos Aireson October 30th. Unfortunately, weather did not support her —dusty wind that swept Buenos Aireson that day did not facilitate her to mobilize adequate attention of onlookers to the action she organized that day. A similar fate was also shared by supporters in Rio de Janeiroin Brazilwhere they had to cancel the vigil in front of the Chinese Consulate at the last minute due to heavy rain which lashed the city on November 2nd.
Like the Uruguayan doctor, a similar spirit was also being displayed by another friend in Bogota, the capital of Colombia. She also said “Whether others join in or not, we need to be there before the Chinese Embassy to express our displeasure in a peaceful, non-violent and dignified way”. On November 2nd, she was joined by another two dozen supporters and friends, who silently stood before the Chinese Embassy in Bogota when their office opened at10am, carrying handwritten placards and their mouths covered—symbolizing forced silence of the Tibetans in Tibet. On two occasions, the Embassy staff confronted the participants of the vigil, seeking police assistance, to pursue them to go away. But, they stood there like rocks without paying any heed to the Embassy Staff .
With a same determination, friends and supporters in Santiago, the capital of Chile, also held a vigil outside the Chinese Embassy, carrying Tibetan flags and Free Tibet placards. Although there was a sizeable number of Chilean police present during the event, they didn’t disturb the vigil.
In Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay, the coordinator of solidarity action had to seriously consider on the choice of the venue of the action—whether to organize it in front of the Chinese Embassy or at the City center where there would be a bigger audience—on November 1st. She finally decided to do it at the city center using her rationality that it would facilitate her and her friends to reach out and educate more which would ultimately assist in strengthening the activities in future. When the action was launched on November 2nd, 30 to 40 friends and supporters gathered at the spot and kept themselves busy outreaching to the people and educating them on the situation inside Tibet. They were quite satisfied with the attention they were able to get from the onlookers on the day.
In Mexico, taking advantage of the important local festival of “Dia de Muertos” dedicated to make offerings to the deceased, young energetic members of the “Pensando en Tibet (PET)” and other supporters in five cities made elaborate offerings of flowers and candles in their respective city for those who have sacrificed their lives in Tibet protesting against the Chinese brutality and to draw international attention to the situation in Tibet. Pictures of the deceased were neatly displaced on the offering site bedded with beautiful flowers; and a lettering of “A Tribute to Non-Violence to Save Tibet” was visibly made with beautiful golden cempasúchil flowers and candles. In order to attract adequate attention from onlookers, colorful flags made out of papers were displayed along with flag of Tibet. To the surprise of the organizers, this new form of demonstrating their solidarity with the Tibet issue drew unprecedented attention and facilitated much needed dialogues and communications. In Aguascalientes, the land of hot springs in the central of Mexico, a lone Tibet supporter also took advantage of the festival to reach out and educate the participants of the local festival about Tibet issue by wearing Free Tibet T-shirt and carrying Free Tibet bag as well as carrying a placard showing her message.
Along with this innovative way, the members of the PET in Mexico City also came out with a well presentable memorandum, which they have submitted separately to the Embassy of People’s Republic of China in Mexico and to the Ministry of External Relations of the Government of Mexico in a professional and dignified way. While doing this, they made sure that the concerned officers acknowledge the receipt of their memorandum. This whole exercise gave the members a new confidence, a new experience and taught new way of carrying out the movement further in future.
Also in Brazil, supporters and friends took the local situation into consideration and came out with more innovative ways to show their solidarity with the Tibetan people. In Sao Paulo and Porto Alegre, supporters organized open group meditation at individual city’s intersection or plaza to draw attention to the situation inside Tibet. In Florianopolisin Santa Catarina State, known for being a beautiful lake side city, the members of the “Centro De Cultura Tibetana” organized a peaceful walk for a few kilometers along the lake on the foot path popularly used by both tourists and locals alike. This peaceful walk, participated by more than 40 people, concluded at the Plaza Lagoa da Conceição with a candle light vigil. Similarly, in Recife in the northeastern part ofBrazil, around 30 supporters and friends took part in Tibet solidarity peace walk followed by a meditation. In the same fashion, the supporters and friends in San Jose, Costa Rica, also organized manifestation to show there solidarity with the Tibetan people.
In both Mexico and Brazil, the local media have covered the Tibet Solidarity action favorably.
The forms of action might have differed, according to the local situation and setting, but the unifying bond in all of them was the resolution and the determination to defend freedom and justice in a peaceful, non-violent and dignified manner as well as their conviction that Tibet’s survival is crucial for the survival of culture of peace and non-violence in the world that we all shared together.
Submitted by Tsewang Phuntso
