INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGN FOR TIBET

Transcription

1 I N T E R N AT I O N A L C A M PA I G N F O R T I B E T 2016 Annual Report

2 What does ICT do? For a quarter of a century, ICT has followed its mission to promote human rights and democratic freedoms for the people of Tibet. Empowered by the vision of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, we have provided support to Tibetans in exile, intervened on behalf of political prisoners, and helped amplify the voices of Tibetans inside and outside Tibet. We have called the world s attention to the oppression and brutality suffered under Chinese authority. Founded in 1988, ICT, a 501(c)(3) organization, maintains offices in Washington, DC, Amsterdam, Berlin and Brussels with a field office in Dharamsala, India.

3 HIS HOLINESS THE 14 TH DALAI LAMA IN DC His Holiness the Dalai Lama visited Washington, D.C. from June 12 to 16, 2016, meeting with government policy makers, youth leaders, advocates for Tibet, and members of the general public. MEETINGS WITH US GOVERNMENT LEADERS: While in Washington, His Holiness the Dalai Lama met with President Barack Obama, House Speaker Paul Ryan, Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and a bipartisan group of members of the House of Representatives and the Senate. DISCUSSION WITH THE INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGN FOR TIBET: ICT was privileged to host a conversation between His Holiness the Dalai Lama and our Board Chairman Richard Gere in an intimate gathering with our members. When asked what ICT members and other Americans can do to support Tibetans, he outlined his three commitments of promoting human values, promoting religious harmony, and protecting Tibetan culture, language, and natural environment, and asked people to contribute to these in whatever way you can. He added, I appreciate your help thank you. Please keep it up. His Holiness also emphasized that peace will not come through prayer alone but through action. He said that change requires the participation of many hands, and that ICT is one of my hands. 3

4 FOCUS ON CHINA S POLICIES IN TIBET Drop this Weapon A cartoon by Belgian artist Fifi. (Philippe Sadzot) ICT REPORT: DANGERS OF CHINA S COUNTER-TERRORISM LAW FOR TIBETANS AND UYGHURS: The International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) highlighted the serious human rights risks and counter-productive nature of China s new counter-terrorism law in this report. The report draws on ICT and FIDH s analyses of China s counter-terrorism strategy and legislation, as well as the findings of an international round-table held in June Experts at this round-table detailed how the Chinese government has sought to legitimize its repressive measures by passing legislation that intensifies the Chinese Communist Party s control over free expression and broadens the scope to suppress dissent in Tibet and Xinjiang. In Tibet, despite the absence of any violent insurgency, an aggressive counter-terrorism drive has resulted in an expansion of militarization across the plateau. By conflating the expression of distinct religious and ethnic identities with separatism, and blurring distinctions between violent acts and peaceful dissent, the Chinese government is using counter-terrorism as a justification to crackdown on even mild expressions of religious identity and culture in Tibet and Xinjiang. 4

5 FOCUS ON POLITICAL PRISONERS RESPECTED SCHOLAR MONK LABRANG JIGME RELEASED FROM PRISON: Respected scholar monk Labrang Jigme was released two months after his five-year prison sentence expired. Jigme Guri, a monk at Labrang monastery in Amdo, who had been previously imprisoned and severely tortured in 2008 and 2010, is well-known as a writer and intellectual who is the only known Tibetan to record on video in Tibet an account of his own imprisonment and views on Chinese policies against the Dalai Lama in which he gave his full identity. His release from prison was greeted with great relief. Former Tibetan political prisoner Golog Jigme testifies at the US Congressional Executive Commission on China in Washington on April 14, ICT Vice President Bhuchung Tsering sits beside him helping with translation. FORMER POLITICAL PRISONER GOLOG JIGME GIVES POWERFUL TESTIMONY IN CONGRESS: On April 14, the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC), a body created in 2000 to monitor human rights and rule of law in China, convened a hearing titled China s Pervasive Use of Torture. Four witnesses testified at the hearing including Golog Jigme, a respected Tibetan Buddhist monk, teacher and former political prisoner. Golog Jigme arrived safely in India in May 2014, after a perilous journey following 20 months of living in hiding. He survived torture and imprisonment by Chinese authorities after making a documentary film, Leaving Fear Behind, with Dhondup Wangchen on Tibetan views before the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Golog Jigme s testimony gave insight into torture in China through his own harrowing experiences as a prisoner on three separate occasions. At the conclusion of his testimony, he recommended that the US urge China to release those who have been imprisoned for nonviolent expression of their views. 5

6 TIBETAN EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMS THE 2016 TIBETAN YOUTH LEADERSHIP PROGRAM: The Tibetan Youth Leadership Program (TYLP) is a unique week-long leadership development program organized by ICT in Washington, DC for Tibetan-American college students. It was held from July 3-10, The TYLP is designed to motivate and train young Tibetans to become effective leaders within the Tibetan community by providing meaningful exposure to the US political process and the discourse around foreign policy in the American capital. Through workshops, discussions and hands-on activities, 11 participants developed and sharpened their leadership skills. The program is a starting point for greater involvement as knowledgeable and responsible actors within the Tibetan community worldwide and is specifically geared to meet the need to carry the Tibet movement forward in the United States. TYLP Participants at the US State Department 8 TH ANNUAL TIBET LOBBY DAY BRINGS TIBET ADVOCATES TO WASHINGTON: The 8 th annual Tibet Lobby Day was held in Washington, DC on February 29 and March 1, Approximately 100 Tibetan-Americans and supporters of Tibet converged from across the United States to urge the U.S. Congress to support concrete actions to solve the Tibet crisis and support Tibetans in their effort to protect their culture, religion, and identity. Tibet supporters met with more than 120 offices, asking for Congress to continue funding Tibet programs; advocate for the release of Tibetan political prisoners; promote access to Tibetan areas for US officials, journalists, and citizens; and hold Chinese leaders accountable on Tibet. In addition to in-person visits during Tibet Lobby Day, ICT members and friends of Tibet from all 50 states and Puerto Rico sent online messages to House and Senate offices. 6

7 INTERNATIONAL DELEGATION OF PARLIAMENTARIANS OBSERVES TIBETAN ELECTIONS IN EXILE: Every five years, around 150,000 Tibetans in exile, living in over 30 countries, elect both the political leader of the Central Tibetan Administration (Sikyong) and the Members of the Parliament in exile (45 seats) in two rounds. In March, a delegation of Parliamentarians, accompanied by ICT s president and vice president, traveled to Dharamsala, India, to observe the Tibetan elections that took place on March 20. Coordinated by ICT, the 2016 Tibetan Election Observation Mission (TEOM) was an initiative by the International Network of Parliamentarians on Tibet. The delegation found that voting was conducted peacefully and in a calm and orderly manner on Election Day. Members of the delegation also praised the campaigning by the candidates for Sikyong, which took place on a level playing field, as well as the coverage of the campaign by independent groups, including Tibetan language media services, which organized debates between the candidates. NYIMA LHAMO, NIECE OF TENZIN DELEK RINPOCHE, TESTIFIES AT EUROPEAN UNION: Nyima Lhamo, niece of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, the renowned teacher and spiritual leader who died in a Chinese prison in July, testified before the Subcommittee on Human Rights of the European Parliament in November after escaping Tibet and leaving behind her child and family. ICT assisted with her preparation and arrangements. 7

8 THANKS TO ICT MEMBERS... ICT Members are the core of our organization and their dedication empowers all of our work in support of Tibetans. Here are just a few 2016 accomplishments made possible by our members: HIS HOLINESS THE DALAI LAMA VISITED MEMBERS OF CONGRESS and met with members of ICT while he was in Washington, DC in June. He expressed his gratitude to ICT members for their dedication to Tibet and called us one of his hands. ICT S CHAIRMAN RICHARD GERE CHALLENGED TIBET SUPPORTERS TO MATCH HIS GIFT and increase ICT funding and membership. It worked! His challenge to match $250,000 was exceeded with a total of $386,717 raised. Many thanks to Mr. Gere and ICT members who helped make it happen. IN APRIL, WHEN GOLOG JIGME ARRIVED IN THE UNITED STATES his first request was for ICT s Tencho Gyatso to take a picture of him with the US flag outside Dulles Airport. Like many Tibetans, he is very grateful that the United States is a strong Tibet supporter and this is in part due to the dedication of ICT members who help to keep Members of Congress and the State Department informed and active. Golog Jigme s testimony at the US Congressional Executive Commission on China with ICT s Vice President Bhuchung Tsering translating, was well received and America s support for Tibet grew in THE ROWELL FUND FOR TIBET The Board of Advisors of the Rowell Fund for Tibet selected five Tibetan grantees for financial support totaling $28, for The recipients were chosen from 26 project proposals with individual grants ranging from $1, to $7,500. The Rowell Fund for Tibet, established by friends and family of Galen and Barbara, in cooperation with the International Campaign for Tibet, is to support the work of Tibetans communicating issues of importance to broader Tibetan or international audiences through photography, film-making, writing, journalism, and other projects RECIPIENTS: Library of Tibetan Works and Archives Tibetan Women s Center Rajpur Tibetan Children s Literature Project Clean Upper Dharamsala The Photography Club of the Tibet Children s Village School

9 2016 FINANCIAL CONDITION IN 2016 ICT RECEIVED $3,527,166 IN REVENUE WITH $3,495,524 IN EXPENSES REVENUE Grants 4% Other 1% Contributions 95% 2016 EXPENSES Fundraising 18% Administrative 3% Programs 79% 9

10 ICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS Richard Gere Chairman Gare Smith Vice Chairman Steve Schroeder Treasurer John Ackerly Pam Cesak Jim Kane Tony Karam Melissa Mathison* Keith Pitts Grace Spring* Tempa Tsering ICT BOARD OF ADVISORS Michele Bohana David Breashears Victor Chan Rinchen Dharlo Bette Bao Lord Nancy Nash Geshe Lobsang Tenzin Negi Abdullah Ommidvar Ven. Gelek Rinpoche Dr. Orville Schell Ven. Geshe Sopa Prof. Robert Thurman Dr. Michael van Walt Harry Wu* Qiang Xiao Ven. Lama Zopa *Deceased INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL OF ADVISORS Harrison Ford The Honorable Hideaki Kase Kerry Kennedy The Honorable Vytautas Landsbergis Dr. Fang Lizhi Mairead Maguire The Honorable Adolfo Perez Esquivel Dr. Jose Ramos-Horta The Honorable Rabi Ray Professor Samdhong Rinpoche Ajan Sulak Sivaraska Tenzin N. Tethong Archbishop Desmond Tutu Dr. Elie Wiesel* ICT 1825 Jefferson Place,NW Washington,D.C United States T info@savetibet.org ICT EUROPE Funenpark 1D 1018AK Amsterdam The Netherlands T. 31 (0) icteurope@savetibet.nl ICT GERMANY SchönhauserAllee Berlin Germany T. 49 (0) info@savetibet.de ICT BRUSSELS 11, Rue de la Linière 1060 Brussels Belgium T. 32 (0) ict-eu@savetibet.org