Exile Tibetans Demand the Immediate Release of Dhondup Wangchen
31 July 2009 : Dharamsala
Tibetans and supporters joined a day long campaign organized by five major Tibetan NGOs for the release of Dhondup Wangchen, a Tibetan filmmaker charged with "inciting separatism," and whose trial could take place any day now in Xining, the capitol of Qinghai province, China. Dhondup Wangchen was detained in March 2008 by Chinese authorities for making the film 'Leaving Fear Behind' which documents Tibetans' views about the Beijing Olympics, the Dalai Lama, and Chinese government's policies in Tibet. His lawyer has been barred from representing him and he is in very poor health after being beaten and tortured in prison.
"My husband is not a criminal. He was arrested for making a film, interviewing Tibetans about the 2008 Olympics, the Dalai Lama and their lives under Chinese rule. Non of our family has been allowed to speak to him since his arrest" said Lhamo Tso, Dhondup Wangchen's wife, who resides in Dharamshala. "My husband is an innocent man but the Chinese government is trying to silence him for exercising his right to freedom of Expression. I urge the international community to take action for my husband's release."
"We echo Rebiya Kadeer's urgent call for peace, justice and the end of all violence and appeal to the Chinese government to end its brutal suppression of Uyghurs throughout East Turkestan", said Ven. Ngawang Woeber, spokesperson of the five NGOs. "In a successive turn of events, Preisdent Hu Jintao is impelled to skip the G8 summit and head back to China from Pisa airport to safe his face from embarrassment during the G8 summit. This face-saving measure to avoid facing the international media and being swamped with questions, projects utter failure in the policy adopted by Chinese government in East Turkestan and for that matter in Tibet as well."
Tables were set up in the main Mcleod Ganj, Dharamshala – the heart of Tibetan freedom movement in exile - for signature campaign to urge Shri Manmohan Singh, the Prime Minister of India to pressurize Beijing for immediate and unconditional release of Dhondup Wangchen. Candle light vigil was held in the evening at the Main Temple, where Dhondup Wangchen's wife, Lhamo Tso appealed the international community to take action in releasing Dhondup Wangchen. The short film, 'Leaving Fear Behind' made by Dhondup Wangchen was screened to the crowd present.
"Dhondup Wangchen is a prisoner of conscience, unjustly framed of 'inciting seperatism' for exercising his right to Freedom of Expression." said Tsewang Rigzin, President of Tibetan Youth Congress. "We denounce Beijing's attempt to unfairly persecute Dhondup Wangchen with no independent legal represetation of him and his family's choice. We demand for an immediate and unconditional release of Dhondup Wangchen and all prisoners of conscience in Tibet."
Tibetans and supporters worldwide are escalating their campaign for the release of Dhondup Wangchen, who is being persecuted by Chinese authorities solely for exercising his basic right to freedom of expression. Tibetans are systematically denied their basic legal rights and sentenced to lengthily prison sentences for peacefully expressing their views.
Organized by:
Tibetan Youth Congress
Tibetan Women's Association
GuChuSum Movement for Tibet
National Democratic Party of Tibet
Students for a Free Tibet - India