TIBETAN WOMAN AND FOUR SUPPORTERS PROTEST AT TIANANMEN SQUARE 5 MORE CANADIANS DETAINED IN BEIJING HOTEL
August 10, 2008 · Print This Article
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 10, 2008
Contacts: In Asia, Lhadon Tethong, Executive Director, and Kate Woznow, Campaigns Director,
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TIBETAN WOMAN AND FOUR SUPPORTERS PROTEST AT TIANANMEN SQUARE 5 MORE CANADIANS DETAINED IN BEIJING HOTEL
***Photos and video footage of the action and the activists’ bios will be available shortly at: http://freetibet2008.org/globalactions/tibetanprotest/
Beijing – Five Tibet activists, including a Tibetan woman from Germany, Padma-Dolma Fielitz, 21, staged a protest today at 3:10pm Beijing time just outside the southern entrance of Tiananmen Square.
Padma-Dolma Fielitz and another activist held the Tibetan national flag aloft. As Chinese security officials tried to wrest the flags away, Padma was seen being dragged across the ground. Shortly after, three other activists attempted to unveil a large banner before being removed by Chinese security officials. The banner read: “Tibetans are dying for freedom.” The protest lasted approximately five minutes. All five protesters were detained by the Chinese authorities and their present whereabouts and status are unknown.
The other four activists included two Americans, John Hocevar, 40, of Austin, Texas, and Adam Zenko, 35, of San Francisco, California and two Canadians, Maude Côté, 28, of Quebec, and Steven Erich Andersen, 28, of Alberta. Hocevar is the founding director of Students for a Free Tibet and has been in Beijing since August 4th writing, blogging and providing commentary and analysis to journalists on the Tibet issue (1). Côté is a board member of Students for a Free Tibet Canada.
Before the action, Padma-Dolma said, “There are no words to describe the terrible suffering of my people at this moment – the Chinese government is relentlessly crushing the Tibetan people when they desire nothing more than the restoration of their basic rights and freedom. Tibetans are being killed, silenced and marginalized, our precious religion strangled, as the Chinese government attempts to extinguish all trace of Tibetan identity. I am protesting today to tell the world that, while it stares mesmerized at China’s Olympic Games, my people are being crushed under the boot of Chinese oppression.”
Today’s protest is the first to have included a Tibetan since the Beijing Games began. Fearful of protests, the Chinese government has made it a priority to clear Tibetans out of Beijing in the run up to the Games and have blocked Tibetans living in exile from traveling to China.
At 11:40 am, five Canadian Tibet activists confirmed by phone that they were being detained at their hotel in the Chao-Yang District and questioned in the basement. They have not been heard from since. They are Jasmine Freed, 27; Paul Christopher Baker, 29; Michael Hudema, 31; Denise Ogonoski, 26 and William Nelson, 26.
Notes to editors:
1) Hocevar’s blogs and interviews include:
http://blogs.wsj.com/olympics/2008/08/09/interview-with-students-for-a-free-tibet/ and http://blog.studentsforafreetibet.org/2008/08/06/the-belly-of-the-beast/
-30-
I have been to Tibet and I know it’s not what you see on US TV or US articles like this one. They are getting prosperous just as other parts in China are getting prosperous.
These people thinking by calling it “human rights” they can separate brothers from brothers and sisters from sisters. Leave China alone. They have their own way in dealing with their own people. The Dalai Lama is not Tibet’s political leader. He’s just a religious leader on exile. Religion always caused disaster. Why a Christian nation like the US or Europe want to help a Buddhist but not a Muslim? Geez. Get a life. I think I know a political tactic being played on these unnecessary roar about so-called human rights.
[...] Students for a Free Tibet’s press release about both [...]
For anyone who chooses to pretend there is nothing wrong in Tibet
try watching this.
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Dispatches%3A+Undercover+in+Tibet&search_type=
hi akira,i heard this same thing spoke by hu beingtow you two have same speach writer, try to lie something new o.k
I have been working with Students for a Free Tibet and I have nothing but praise for them. I am from a independent film company and absolutely love working with you guys. I am making a documentary that I hope to have finished by November 2008 along with several music videos featuring Free Tibet Protests designed to draw attention to the cause on youtube and other sites!!! you guys are the best!!! The first is scheduled to be on my companies website on Sunday night the second to follow shortly after that. and on September 1st the Trailer for the Free Tibet: The fight from NYC doc then featuring the two current protest and any others I attend.
First of all Mr. so called Akira if you do not know the definition of human right is that any basic right or freedom to which all human beings are entitled and in whose exercise a government may not interfere including rights to life and liberty as well as freedom of thought and expression and equality before the law. and what do you mean by leave China alone, China does not any good reason to be left alone. If anything Leave Tibet alone. And blaming Dalia Lama, like the rest of the Chinese, or there government is unethical, you guys have no one to blame and is just trying to get away with somethings with your lies. and yeah China are getting prosperous, oooo well Tibetans are getting killed.and with your get a life nonsense just another excuse.
I wish all the violence against innocent Tibetans would stop, the chinese are no real solution, they have done bad things. I can not understand that the whole world just watches , lets this continue - because some parties enjoy it, or have money invested . Surely we should increase our efforts to stop any wars & violence , & prevent beforehand ? I just can not understand , it does not add up . there are many intelligent free people in the world who should be doing more , especially to help the animals. We who sit & watch & do nothing , are being fooled by our so-called friends , as well as now we are actually detained in our own homes in the West because of this - so much time wasted .