Rally at Harvard
to greet Jiang Zemin, November 1, 1997
We
left at 5:30 a.m. to travel to Cambridge where Chinese president Jiang
Zemin was due to arrive. There, we found a huge crowd milling about on
a church lawn adjacent to the Harvard building where he was scheduled to
speak. People were crammed into various small areas because Harvard wouldn't
let demonstrators on their property. When the motorcade sped by the crowd
went wild with cries of "FREE TIBET/FREE TAIWAN/FREE CHINA" and so on.
Chinese flags were burning and the atmosphere was very tense, with Tibetans,
Taiwanese and dissident Chinese getting very emotional. The crowd faced
a tough looking row of police with riot gear, who lined the motorcade's
route. We later found out that our shouting was audible inside the auditorium
during Jiang's speech and that he actually acknowledged hearing it. In
all the U.S. cities he visited, he was met by massive protests. Smith SFT
made an appearance on the national news and CNN, and the protest went down
in history as the largest Boston had seen since the Vietnam war.
Seneca
and Kate
March on Tibetan Uprising Day, March 10, 1998
On a bitter cold afternoon we gathered with local Tibetans and Tibet supporters
for our annual silent march through downtown Northampton to commemorate
the 1959 Tibetan uprising in which 80,000 people were killed and countless
thousands more, including the Dalai Lama, were forced into exile. The uprising
was the result of widespread fear that the Dalai Lama was in danger of
being arrested by the Chinese officials.
Fast in Support of Tibetan Hunger Strike, April 5, 1998
Beginning March 10,
1998, the anniversary of the 1959 Tibetan uprising, six Tibetans in New
Delhi India began a hunger
strike unto death to pressure the U.N. to address the Tibetan issue.
As the weeks wore on and we received daily updates of the striker's declining
health and the U.N.s refusal to budge into action, local Tibetans and Tibet
support groups grew increasingly concerned. To show our solidarity with
the Tibetan fasters and raise the issue in our own communities, the Tibetan
Association of Umass, as well as local SFTs, held a dawn to dusk fast on
the Amherst Commons. Throughout the day, curious passersby approached our
tent where we answered questions and distributed information. Local media
picked up on our event, and thus the hunger strike in India which threatened
to claim six more Tibetan lives. Eventually the striking Tibetans were
forcibly taken to the hospital and recovered there. Five more fasters,
minus one who resorted to self immolation to draw attention to the situation,
took their place and the strike was called off when the U.N. agreed to
address the Tibetan concerns in mid May.
Site of the fast in New Delhi
courtesy of Tibet Images.
Tibet Awareness Week, April 20 - 25, 1998
Tibet Awareness Week was intended to draw attention to the Tibetan situation
and commemorate the birthday of the youngest political prisoner in the
world. Included in the week of events were informational presentations,
a slide show and lecture on independent Tibet in the 1920's, film screenings
including "Satya: A Prayer for the Enemy" and a speech by Tsultrim Dolma,
a former nun who was featured in the documentary. We also held a benefit
party and ended the week's events by joining SFTs nation wide in a 24 hour
fast to call attention to the Panchen Lama's ninth birthday.
Speech by Palden Gyatso, October 21, 1998
Palden
Gyatso, a Tibetan monk who endured over 33 years of torture and imprisonment
in Tibet spoke on his experiences to several hundred listeners. Gyatso
provided an account of the Tibetan uprising of 1959, during which he was
arrested. He described prison conditions as having no mattresses or toilets
and very little food. Prisoners were served one ladle of a soup made from
water and a little barley flour, and were often so starved they would eat
anything, including leather, rats and grass. He recounted being continually
interrogated by the Chinese, who wanted him to denounce his loyalty to
Tibet. Because he refused to do so and asserted Tibet's independence he
endured extreme torture, such as having his arms and legs tied together
and being hung from the ceiling where he was beaten, electrocuted, and
burned by fires set below him. He displayed various torture instruments
like those that had been used on him, such as an electric cattle prod which
was shoved in his mouth, causing him to lose his teeth. Despite the incredible
hardship he endured and the lasting scars and damage to his body, Gyatso
remarkably maintained a sense of compassion and hope. He expressed his
thanks that the movement for a Free Tibet in the U.S. provided Tibetans
with a new optimism, and encouraged students to become involved.
10 Mile Walk for Human Rights, December 5, 1998
Walk for Human Rights participants take
a break.
Together
with SFTs from Amherst College, Umass
Amherst, and Hampshire College and Amnesty International groups from
the five colleges, local towns and high schools, we held a walk from downtown
Northampton to Umass, Amherst. The purpose of the walk was to raise awareness
about Tibet, express our commitment to the cause and recognize December
10 as the fiftieth anniversary of the United Nations' Declaration of Human
Rights. It was meant to both celebrate the existence of the document, and
remember that more than four fifths of the world's people are still denied
their civil, political and human rights. Beginning from Pulaski Park we
marched down Main Street Northampton with colorful signs and banners. We
then proceeded, via Route 9 and the bike path which runs along side it,
to Umass, making an interesting detour through the Hampshire mall, stopping
by Amherst College campus, and marching through downtown Amherst. The entire
route totaled an estimated 10 miles. We received much support from passersby
and substantial media coverage, as well as having some fun.
Anniversary Celebration of the U.N. Universal Declaration of Human Rights,
December 10, 1998
For the second part of our Human Rights day activities, the same coalition
sponsored a candle light vigil and a series of speakers on human rights
to recognize the 50th anniversary of the declaration. Over 80 people came
out to the Amherst 
Commons
to sing songs of political and civil struggle and hear people's stories.
Following the vigil several speakers, as well as local singers and poets,
reflected on human rights. The focus of the speeches was the Declaration,
and the need to both celebrate its existence and be aware of its limitations,
and especially to recognize that much must be doe to ensure its enforcement
in places including Tibet, Iran, Burma and the U.S. SFT's executive director
John Hocevar, Hampton Farrar of the Amherst Human Rights Commission, Hampshire
professor Susan Darlington, and RN of VNA and Hospice Behdokht Rouhi spoke
to a packed auditorium. The support we received from the local community
for both of our events was extensive, which made it possible to raise the
issue of human rights for discussion, in terms of both what we have to
be thankful for and what we need to work for.
Jordan
40th Anniversary of Tibetan Uprising Day, March 10, 1999
To commemorate the 40th Anniversary of the 1959 Tibetan Uprising, in which
80,000 Tibetans had been killed in a three day period, and thousands more
forced into exile, we constructed a mock "refugee camp" on our campus.
This was part of a national SFT action, in which schools across the country
pitched tents and prayer flags and spent the day handing out information
to passersby and answering questions. The camp was intended to symbolize
the current situation of 120,000 Tibetans
in exile today. We aimed to educate the public about the dangerous
situations refugees face and the conditions in which they live in exile.
Check out the true
story of Tibetan refugees as documented by photojournalist Nancy Jo
Johnson. In addition to this, we held our annual march through downtown
Northampton. This year we were joined by about fifty supporters from the
community and the five colleges.
State of the Tibetan Nation photo exhibit, March 25 - April 25, 1999
This moving photo
exhibit was displayed at Smith College, and gained much recognition
and appreciation from the community.
Amnesty International's Day of Action for Tibet, April 5, 1999
Smith SFT, along with Amherst College SFT and AI and hundreds of demonstrators
at the Chinese Consulate in New York City protested on the International
Day of Action for Tibet. We joined thousands of activists around the
world who simultaneously demonstrated at Chinese embassies and consulates
as well as flooded them with fax appeals on behalf of prisoners of
conscience Jigme Sangpo and Phuntsok Nyidron.
The Panchen Lama's 10th Birthday, April 25, 1999
After tabling for a week, we collected numerous "Panchen Lama Birthday"
action postcards and mailed them to the Chinese Embassy in New York, NY.
On April 25th, Tibet supporters across the world demonstrated for the young
Panchen Lama's release. The whereabouts of the Panchen Lama are still
unknown.
Tibetan Freedom Concert June 12, 1999
Gretchen had the privilege to volunteer at this year's Tibetan Freedom Concert in Chicago, IL. Of course she did enjoy the free Tibetan food and the great music by Live, Blondie, Rage Against the Machine, Run DMC, The Beastie Boys and others. But the mo
st important part of her day was that she was able to discuss the plight of Tibet with so many people and worked hard to get many signatures on petitions and postcards. Meeting SFTers from across the country, as well as Milarepa volunteers, was very inte
resting as well.
WTO Protests in Seattle
The World Trade Organization meeting in Seattle was a major event of 1999 for many different organizations. SFT was represented by many students and leaders, one of whom was Alma David from Amherst College. She had the following to say about her involve
ment: "it was so important to see that we as Tibet activists were standing on the same platform as environmentalists, people concerned with food safety, the labor groups - and we had the same huge audience. Seattle felt like this amazing and rewarding o
pportunity, people were listening, seeing us, the media was so interested and all of this was of course most encouraging."
Human Rights Day, December 10, 1999
On December 10, 1999, UMass students marched from UMass to the Amherst Commons to join Smith, Amherst, and Hampshire students and members of the Tibetan community in a rally for Human Rights Day. After a series of speakers on East Timor and Iraqi sanctio
ns, the group proceeded to march down Route 9 to Northampton. The day was cold and rainy, and the walk was long, but the marchers still chanted. This march and rally was in the spirit of last year's marchăto unify some of the many causes and to raise aw
areness in the community by making ourselves visible to the community.
Goldman Sachs protest and die-in, October 25, 2000
Goldman Sachs held an informational meeting on the Smith campus, featuring Goldman Sachs president John Thain. Thain was met with a group of Tibetans and 5-College students with posters, a giant banner and lots of chants. Sharply dressed activists were
also sent into the meeting to ask provocative questions. Smith Campus Police informed upset Goldman Sachs employees that there was nothing they could do to change the situation.
All around the world activists held rallies, practiced civil disobediance and participated in a mass email and fax campaign targeted at the largest foreign investor in PetroChina.
March 10th Commemoration
The Tibetan community and Smith held their annual silent march in downtown Northampton, followed by a program for participants at Smith College. The Tibetan National Anthem was sung, there were some speeches and the Dalai Lama's annual statement was read
.
Steve Lehman, April 11, 2001
Smith College hosted Steve Lehman, who gave an excellent talk interwoven with quotes from Tibetans and slides of his photography of Tibet. Images were from his book The Tibetans: A Struggle to Survive.
Dr. Phuntsog Wangmo, November 13 and 14, 2001
Dr. Phuntsog Wangmo, a practictioner of Tibetan Medicine from the Shang Shung Institute, came to Smith. She gave two talks, one about life and work in rural Northeast Tibet, and another on the relationship between Tibetan medicine and astrology.
Losar Celebration, February 16, 2002
The Five College SFTs and Tibetan Association of Western Massachusetts collaborated to bring together a wonderful festival for Losar, the Tibetan New Year. Chaksampa, the Tibetan Opera Company, performed, and freed political prisoner Ngawang Choepel was
present and spoke briefly. After the performance, Tibetan food was served and everyone joined in circle dances.
Tibetan Uprising Day March and Commemmoration, March 10, 2002
Once again SFT and the Tibetan community came together for an event to
commemmorate the thousands of Tibetan men, women and children who lost
their lives on March 10th, 1959. Participants marched through downtown
Northampton, then attended a reception in Neilson Browsing Room at Smith
College. Refreshments were enjoyed, the Tibetan National Anthem was sung,
and the Dalai Lama's annual statement was read. The highlight of the
reception was the screening of the documentary "The Shadow Circus: CIA in
Tibet", which outlined the CIA's involvement in the Tibetan freedom
struggle.
Get on the Bus VII, April 8, 2002
SFT joined Amnesty International for a day of actions in New York City.
The Chinese consulate was the target of the afternoon's demonstration,
where protestors drew together and loudly asked China to end the violence
in Tibet and free the Drapchi 14. Letters asking for the release of those
nuns were delivered by two Tibetan SFTers wearing Tibetan flags. This was
the first year in the history of the protest that the protestors were
allowed inside and the letters accepted by the Chinese consulate. In
years past the doors have remained shut and the letters have been forced
underneath. The police were very helpful and allowed a sound stage and
equipment to be used so that the consulate could not ignore the protest.
Gyuto Monks, April 29 - May 3, 2020
Smith was proud to host the Gyuto Monks in the Neilson Library for the
last week of classes. The monks worked on butter sculptures and created a
large altar. Many people were able to drop in and watch the creation as
well as interact with the monks. The monks concluded their week with
a performance of chanting at the Calvin Theatre. Panchen Lama
information and petitioning took place in addition to the week's cultural
events.
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