By Dawa Dorjee
San Francisco – As part of Bay Area’s month-long action campaign for Tenzin Delek Rinpoche’s release, Tibetans and supporters staged their second protest outside the Chinese consulate today. The campaign had started off with a sit-in and candle light vigil at Downtown Berkeley on November 27.
Among the protesters were many sympathetic Americans, Chinese Americans, Japanese and even a Mongolian. Soon after the protest began at 11 am , the full force of the protesters’ voice hit on the Chinese consulate like a bolt from the blue. Surprised pedestrians, including many Chinese who were entering the embassy slowed down their paces to listen to our slogans and read our demands written on our banners. At that very moment, like a bush caught on fire, the protesters’
slogans blasted on beyond limit.
In no time, an aura of activism and bliss of will power descended on the scene. When one protester shouted in the strongest voice, the other protesters followed collectively to amplify it, which immediately caused havoc within the embassy. Arrogant Chinese officials from the Chinese embassy who were about to step out of the embassy retreated instantly into their respective offices like rats sneaking into its hiding holes. Certain audience-targeted slogans were used to force the Chinese authority to release Tenzin Delek Rinpoche. The slogans used today were: “You Killed Your Own Sons and Daughters in 1989, Shame on you, China!” “ China Must Respect Human Rights—Release Tenzin Delek, Now!” “Free Tibet, Free Tenzin Delek, Now!”
The number of protesters jumped on through out the day. Many young Tibetans were expressively condemning the Chinese authority for the unjust sentencing of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche. The loudspeaker was passed from one protester to the next to introduce fresh voices into the ears of the Chinese officials in the embassy.
This move was also to let the Chinese officials realize the unity of numerous voices carrying the same message—Release Tenzin Delek, Now! During and in-between the protest, we passed out hundreds of fliers to sympatric pedestrians, Asian Americans and other groups of people.
Among the protesters was Hiro, a Japanese student from the University of San Francisco, who spoke to Tibetans protesting at the scene. “I feel alive and proud of being in the fight for justice in Tibet . I will continue to help you all in every protest until Tenzin Delek Rinpoche is released. Meanwhile, I will pray too for the wellbeing of all suffering Tibetans in Tibet.”
Immediately after he spoke, Christine Chan joined. She is a Chinese American student from the San Francisco State University . “This is the second time I am protesting against the Chinese government. Even though I am a Chinese by origin, I really support the Tibetan people in their non-violent struggle for freedom and justice. China must stop oppressing the peace-loving people of Tibet. China must abandon the dream of becoming a self-claimed master of Tibet. Tibet is for Tibetans and for non else—this is the truth, nobody can deny it”
A Mongolian lady, Tsar Tsar, who is on vacation in San Francisco, from Outer Mongolia, at her sister’s house rushed into the crowd of the protesters to support the protest. “Actually, I knew about the protest since yesterday. I saw you all were protesting when my sister drove me pass by the embassy.” She continued, “I was so inspired by your determination. The courage of the Tibetan people in facing the most brutal regime on earth today, the Chinese government, is astounding.
I strongly believe that Tibet will be free soon. China must release Tenzin Delek Rinpoche within days from now—that is the only choice for China to avoid getting further embarrassments.”
Among the Tibetan protesters were many who had not seen the consulate before as they arrived from other parts of the country. They were able to locate it today. Furious at the sight of the embassy, they reacted verbally, more violent than action. “Patience running out, China must release Tenzin Delek, Now!
China must release Tenzin Delek, Now!” Many of them never used the loud speaker just to have the message get across to the Chinese side as naturally as it is felt inside their hearts. Kasur Tenzin Tethong la thanked all Tibetans and Tibet supporters for joining the protest. At 5:30 pm the protest ended with the offering of Dentsik Monlam prayer and singing of the Tibetan anthem.
Tenpa la gave the finishing shot on the road to victory, “This protest is not the end but just the beginning. We will come back. We will come back… FREE TIBET. FREE TENZIN DELEK, NOW!”
This action campaign is being spearheaded by San Francisco Tibetan Youth Congress and Tibetan Association of Northern California. The co-sponsors are Bay Area Friends of Tibet, Committee of 100 for Tibet and Students for a Free Tibet.
