Report submitted by Chime Tenzing from Orissa
Tibetan Volunteers for Animals (TVA), a group of some indefatigable volunteers advocating vegetarianism and campaigning for the welfare of all sentient beings and world environment has recently concluded their “north-east campaign” successfully and without taking any break reached Orissa Tibetan settlement after bearing the cold weather of north-east and braving the hot and sultry weather of Orissa. When I asked Rapsel Tsariwa, the group’s president and founder to take some break, and his instant reply was, “Time is running out, we have to save animals now”. As soon as they reached here they visited all the five camps, gave speeches, showed their documentaries on animals’ slaughter and collected signatures of new vegetarians. When there are people doing such a noble job in our society I wonder why this group fails to make it to the Tibetan medias and press. To this, Tenzin Ghatop and Rinchen Lhanzey (both active members of TVA) replies, “it is all due to shortage of time, we have only three active members for All India Vegetarian Tour and it is difficult to divide the time for our campaign and writing press reports.”
Rapsel Lak was kind enough to spend some quality time with me to explain the things they’ve done during Northeast campaign. After successfully campaigning in Bodh Gaya and Dharamsala they approached Bureau of H.H. the Dalai Lama in New Delhi and sought permission to travel to the North-east Tibetan community. Facing the hardship of arduous journey and weather they successfully managed to campaign at places like Tezu Dhargyeling, Miao Choepeling, Doomdoma Tibetan Armies, Dimapur and Kohima Tibetan Business centers, Tenzin Gang, Bomdilla, Mon Tawang (with both Tibetan and Monpa communities), Deerang, Rupa, Naharlagun and Itanagar Tibetan business centers and some adjoining areas. Sometimes they had to travel by 3 or 4 boats to reach Tezu. While explaining things to me I could sense the amount of difficulties they have endured. But all in all, they were able to collect around seven hundred signatures of Tibetan and Monpas who gave up meat after the campaign. That compensates all the difficulties they have so far faced. While Rapsel gave speech to Tibetans in Tibetan language, Ghatop and Lhanzey made their explanation in Hindi to the Monpa community. After all, TVA lives on the philosophy “I am the voice of the voiceless, Through me the dumb shall speak, Till the deaf ear shall be made to hear, The wrongs of the wordless weak. And I am my brother’s keeper, And I will fight his fight, And speak the word for the beast and bird, Till the world shall set things right.” As said by Ella Wheeler.
TVA’s main aims and objectives are:
- To foster the understanding that all sentient beings on Earth have an equal right of life from the smallest of ants to the largest of animals like the elephant or whale.
- To educate Tibetan youth about Vegetarianism.
- To encourage Tibetans to become Vegetarian.
- To contribute to the protection of the environment and assist in the production of world peace.
For further information about TVA please visit www.loveanimal.org Or email to rapseltsariwa@yahoo.com
TIBETAN VOLUNTEERS FOR ANIMALS
14/ 2, S.R.Garden, Viveknagar Post, Bangalore-47 (India)
