TIBET ACTIVISTS PROTEST THE BAN OF A FREE TIBET BANNER FROM THE FILM ‘ROCKSTAR’.

Mumbai – The recent decision by the Censor Board to remove “Free Tibet” a fleeting reference to Tibetan freedom struggle in the film Rockstar, releasing tomorrow has disheartened many Tibetans & Indian supporters here in India and across the world.

Activists with Students for a Free Tibet (SFT) rallied and met the Regional Officers of the Censor Board in various cities to highlight the sentiments of the Tibetan & Indian people.

Here in Mumbai, SFT Mumbai activists & Tibetan writer/activist Tenzin Tsundue met Smt. Pankaja Thakur, CEO of the Censor Board of Film Certificate Head Quarters. They met the CEO of CBFC for over an hour long exchange on the details of the decision taken by the Censor Board to blur the “Free Tibet” banner from the film “Rock Star”.

“Tibetans living in India and across the world are disheartened that the “Free Tibet” banner had been deleted from the film which otherwise could have carried the message through this much awaited film of the year,” said Dorjee Tseten, National Director of Students for a Free Tibet-India. “All this is happening at a time when so much brutal oppression is unleashed by China in Tibet, because of which twelve young monks, nuns and young adults have set themselves in a series of self-immolations. And we just heard this morning that there was another case of self-immolation by a Tibetan in Kathmandu.”

Tibetan writer and activist Tenzin Tsundue also addressed the press conference today and said: “This act of self-censorship in India belies the larger reality of India’s support to Tibet and the Indian people’s love and support for His Holiness the Dalai Lama. As much as it denies the Tibetan refugee living in India for the past 52 years, it also denies Indian artists their right to freedom of expression.”

This is the time when internationally people of the world should be standing up with the people of Tibet and support their nonviolent freedom struggle led by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. “Unfortunately this single opportunity to see a “Free Tibet” banner in a mainstream Hindi Film has been banned”, said Dorjee Tseten, SFT National Director.

Students for a Free Tibet – India

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“Sadda Haq; FREE TIBET: SFT Delhi rallies in Delhi University

“Sadda Haq; Free Tibet” Tibetan students and supporters protest rallied against the decision of censoring Tibetan Flag from ROCKSTAR

 

With the ongoing issue of censoring the Tibetan flag from ROCKSTAR and all the controversial politics played among the Bollywood industry under the Chinese pressure, who ultimately suffers are certainly the less powerful ‘Tibetans’. It has now become a violation of Human rights and a game with someone’s Identity. Students for a Free Tibet has launched a campaign recently to protest against the censoring and to warn the Indian government about the game plan of the Chinese communist party, playing with the largest democracy of the world.

Yesterday, with only two days to the release of the movie, the sudden blame game among the censor board and the producers had not only caused big havoc but had also shattered the feeling of most of Tibetan refugees due to the politics that they played using a National flag, but it was clearly seen as how the Chinese government is imposing such kind of pressure, effecting the Free speech and world’s largest democracy that the Tibetan refugees always admire about India.

Dont Censor TIBET from ROCKSTAR

Today, with Tibetans all over India protesting against the Chinese government for pressurizing India in such an unrealistic way and to rise up against the decision of censoring of ‘Tibet’ from the movie, the Delhi chapter of Students for a Free Tibet(SFT) organized a peace march rally as well as a cycle rally at Delhi University. Around 50 Tibetan students and Indian supporters participated in the rally showing their full disagreement to the censoring issue and to appeal the Censor Board not to go under Chinese pressure to value the free speech rights in India.  Speaking to the participants and the media, Chapter director of SFT Delhi, Spalgon said “’Sadda Haq’ as the song featuring the Tibetan flag refers, it’s the right of every individual to express their own right. And the Tibetans are just demanding their own right, a Free Tibet. So censoring such a strong message not only shows the violation of free speech in such a democratic country like India, but also shows the clear sign of how the Chinese government is starting to pressurize India and playing with its largest pride, ’The Indian Democracy’.” He also added “for Indians, the censoring of the Flag might just be an issue of free speech. But for the Tibetans, it’s an issue of identity; it’s an issue of survival”

Getting ready for the Rally

The rally was divided in to two parts – a cycle rally reaching each and every nook of Delhi University and a peach march, reaching out each and every Indian student by freezing at every college in the Campus. The rally was aimed to raise the awareness about the current Tibetan situation under Chinese pressure and the threat that India might also face being so loyal towards Chinese orders and negligent towards its thread.

“As an Indian, I personally fear like India might also become like Nepal, a Chinese puppet in the future now. The recent censoring had clearly certified that, we have now no more rights to express our free Speech. The Tibetan Flag in the movie is not only the right of the Tibetans, but also the demand and right which thousands of Indian supporters like me seek from the censor board. If India will be more anti-china and pro-Tibet, Supporting the Tibetan Freedom Struggle, I really feel like there will be much better solution for a peaceful and safer Indian future” said PriyaDarshini, the coordinator of SFT Delhi.

Dont Censor TIBET from ROCKSTAR

Sonam, one of the participants said “In Tibet, we don’t have human rights. We have witnessed 11 cases of self immolations in the recent 6 months only. While escaping from Tibet to exile in India, we always feel the generosity of India being such a huge democratic country. But the recent issue of censoring Tibetan flag had caused havoc in the hearts of most Tibetans. But I am not blaming India. In fact, request them not to be pressurized by China and maintain their own value of Democracy. Support Tibet and help our land to be free again”

We shall over come; Ngatso Rangzen thobgi re; Hum Honge kamiyab

The event finally conclude with shouting of “Sadda haq; itte raq”, Free Tibet, slogans and singing of  “we shall overcome” song.

TIBET ACTIVISTS TO PROTEST CENSOR BOARD’S REMOVAL OF TIBETAN FLAG FROM UPCOMING FILM ‘ROCKSTAR’

Urgent Press Release 

Contact: Dorjee Tseten +919805941166
Tenzin Jigdal +919736660451

TIBET ACTIVISTS TO PROTEST CENSOR BOARD’S REMOVAL OF TIBETAN FLAG FROM UPCOMING FILM ‘ROCKSTAR’

Dharamsala – Activists with Students for a Free Tibet are planning rallies and actions in several cities, including Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Calcutta and Dharamsala, to protest the controversial decision by Censor Board of India to remove the Tibetan flag and ‘Free Tibet’ banners from the film Rockstar, which comes to theaters this Friday. In a shocking move by the Censor Board, director Imtiaz Ali was told to either delete or blur the visual of the flag.

“It is extremely disturbing that such a grotesque violation of free speech is occurring in the world’s largest democracy,” said Dorjee Tseten, National Director of Students for a Free Tibet India. “By caving in to Chinese pressure, the Censor Board is allowing China to threaten the freedom and liberties that Indians enjoy.

“Tibetans are dying for freedom. In the last eight months, eleven Tibetans in Tibet have set themselves on fire in protest of Chinese rule,” said Dorjee Tseten. “At this critical time – when Tibetans are suffering so desperately under Chinese repression – one would expect India to be promoting and protecting the Tibetan people’s basic human rights, not censuring their struggle in a free country simply because China demands it be done.”

Students for a Free Tibet is demanding that the Censor Board reverse its decision before the release of the film and Dorjee Tseten will be seeking a meeting with the Chief Executive Officer, Pankaja Thakur, this week.

Don't Censor TIBET! Free Tibet "Sadda Haq"

Students for a Free Tibet, India (SFT India) is the India National Network of Students for a Free Tibet International, which has over 650 chapters in more than 35 countries, and is a non-profit organization funded entirely by donations from members and supporters.

“let’s make Lhasa our own in our dreams” ~Trishma Vasudev(SFT Delhi)

With you Lakhpa and Samten I have seen your homeland.
I can picture the beautiful monastery at Lhasa,
I can see the white yaks,
I can view your flag flying on the snow capped mountain,
I am dreaming of you and I am feeling you.

Your land has also become a symbol of home for me.
In my dream I feel at home.
Oh how I am struck by the beauty of your land!
Oh my dear friends you have suffered a lot.

I can see your struggle in those old eyes.
In your eyes I can see your desire to go back to your home.
Who knows when will this walk begin for you?
Who knows when will these eyes see Lhasa again?
Till then let’s make Lhasa our own in our dreams.
Let’s make it Our dream.

-Trishma

Trishma SFT Delhi

Action in Delhi: “Nov 2, Global Day of Action for Tibet”

TIBETANS, SUPPORTERS PROTEST IN 60 CITIES AS CHINA’S PRESIDENT HU JINTAO ARRIVES AT G20 SUMMIT

The Delhi Chapter of Students for a Free Tibet organized various action plans across Delhi to call down the Chinese repression in Tibet and also visited all the G20 embassies in Delhi with respective memorandum. Today, in over 60 cities around the world, Tibetans and supporters are saying Enough! Enough to China’s violent military rule over Tibet and Enough to the world leaders in failing to hold Beijing accountable for its atrocities in Tibet. The actions are executed by around 55 student supporters belonging to different universities of Delhi including, DU, JNU, Ambedkar university, Jamia Hamdard, and IP University etc.

Dr.Manmohan Singh, Talk TIBET at G20! Political theater at India Gate.

Yangchen P. Sither, Spokes Person of Students for a Free Tibet –Delhi, said “The recent self immolation series in Tibet is a clear sign of the brutal Chinese oppression and the violation of human rights in Tibet by the Chinese Communist Party. Since 2009, 11 young Tibetans have lit themselves on fire in an unprecedented series of actions protesting Chinese rule and calling for the return of the Dalai Lama to Tibet”

Chalk Tibet at Delhi University

“Today on the eve of the G20 submit to be happening in France from tomorrow, we are here to protest and urge our Indian Prime Minister as well as the global leaders to talk Tibet and raise the critical Tibetan issue infront of Hu Jin Tao and other global leaders take immediate action to stop the repression” said Priyadarshini Singh Mahara, an Indian and the Coordinator of Students for a free Tibet – Delhi. “As a Tibetan supporter and a fellow Indian Citizen, I really feel Dr.Manmohan Singh should step forward to take initial steps in resolving the Tibetan issue during the summit. It’s really not time to talk Economy now. It’s time to discuss human values and rights.” She added.

Banner Display at Delhi University!

Celebrities, politicians and other prominent individuals, including Nobel laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu and musicians Radiohead have joined over 20,000 people in supporting a new campaign calling for coordinated global action to resolve the escalating crisis in Tibet, where ten young Tibetans have self-immolated since March 2011. On the eve of the G20 Summit, Tibetans and their supporters are joining a Global Day of Action to highlight a Campaign for Global Intervention, an urgent call to world leaders to exert multilateral pressure on Chinese President Hu Jintao to ease tensions in Tibet.

ENOUGH! Global intervention now to save Tibetan lives

Statements of concern following the self-immolations in Tibet have been issued by a number of governments, such as the United States, Germany and also the European Parliament. Campaigners are calling for a more coordinated, multilateral approach, including a joint demarche and the urgent creation of an appropriate and effective multi-lateral mechanism through which future diplomatic measures concerning Tibet can be agreed. Lobbying efforts have won the support of parliamentarians around the world, see www.StandupforTibet.org.

Enough message by a SFT Delhi member

The harsh reaction of the Chinese government authorities to the 2008 protests across Tibet and the follow-on compulsory “patriotic reeducation” or “legal education” at Tibetan monasteries. Although protests in Tibet have been initiated and joined by all sectors of the society, including students, monks and nuns are frequent targets of repression given that religious practice connected to the Dalai Lama is viewed as subversive by the Chinese government. Elements of the security crackdown in Tibet that began as a reaction to the 2008 protests are ongoing with tightened control all around the country.