April 28, 2007
Manali Boy Raises Tibet's Banner of Revolt at Everest
Kathmandu
A 27-year-old born and brought up in India's Manali town became the
first known exiled Tibetan to return to Tibet to raise the banner of
revolt against China and the International Olympic Committee's
decision to allow Beijing to host the 2008 Olympic Games.
Tenzin Dorjee, who holds an American citizenship and lives in New
York, created an international splash after he and three fellow
Americans, including two women, sang the Tibetan national anthem and
raised a banner at the Everest base camp asking for a free Tibet.
Dorjee and fellow protesters Kirsten Westby, Laurel MacSutherlin and
Shannon Service were arrested by Chinese security personnel at a
height of over 5,200 m Wednesday morning and kept imprisoned for 55
hours without being allowed food, water and warm clothing.
"We were not allowed to sleep," said Service, describing the ordeal
here Saturday. "After every hour or so, they would beam strong
lights on our faces and interrogate us. The questions were always
the same. Who did we come in contact with after we arrived in Tibet?
Who was our driver? Where did we get our food?
"It was obvious they were trying to locate the Tibetans inside Tibet
who had come in contact with us so that they could be arrested and
tortured."
The protest was organised under the banner of Students for a Free
Tibet, a network of young people campaigning for the independence of
the Buddhist kingdom China invaded and annexed in 1949.
It was especially targeted against the Olympic torch march that
China is planning to take to Mt Everest, the highest peak in the
world at 8,848 m.
"By ignoring the human rights abuses in China and giving it the
privilege to host the Olympic Games 2008, the IOC has become
tainted," said Dorjee.
"Our banner was a takeoff on the Olympic motto that says 'One World,
One Dream'. It said: 'One world, One dream: Free Tibet'.
"We protest against the proposed march to Mt Everest, that lies in
Tibet, without the permission of the Tibetan people."
Within 15 minutes of their protest, the four were spotted by the
Chinese security guards at the base camp and arrested. A fifth, Jeff
Friesen, however, managed to escape and give the videotapes he had
made of the incident to other people who subsequently smuggled them
out of China.
A massive manhunt started for Friesen and on Thursday, he was caught
in a nearby town.
However, since the news of the arrests had already spread outside,
Beijing, apparently fearing negative publicity before the Games and
also keeping in mind that all the five were American citizens,
brought them to the Nepal border Friday and "expelled" them.
Once safe in Kathmandu, the five spoke about their ordeal Saturday.
"What happened to us was frightening and traumatic," said Service.
"Yet it was just the tip of the iceberg. It made us realise what
happens to the Chinese or Tibetans who are arrested."
Before they were released, the five were made to sign a paper that
said they had threatened the state security of China and were
apologising for their misconduct.
"To make us appear like dangerous reactionaries and to foster the
impression in China that we were treated well, just before they
released us, they took us to an opulent restaurant," Service said.
"We had fruit bows and silver cutlery placed before us and urged to
eat. All this while, the Chinese media went on taking our
photographs."
Beijing meanwhile had lodged an official complaint with the US over
the protest, demanding that Washington prevent such incidents in
future.
But Service said the protests had just begun and would "cascade" as
the Games drew closer.
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