Toronto: A new coalition of four leading Tibetan organizations, to stand against the 2008 Beijing Games, was announced to over a thousand Tibetans at the Losar celebrations in Toronto. Coalition of Tibetan Youth Congress, Students for a Free Tibet, Tibetan Women’s Association and Chushi Gangdruk will function under the title “Joint Action Committee (JAC), Toronto Tibetan Committee against Beijing Olympics 2008”.
Sonam Dorjee, an executive member of JAC and RTYC, spoke at the gathering of the common desire to band together for the next seven months of the Olympics year. “This year is critically important for us Tibetans, and every one of us has the same goal: to shine the Olympic spotlight on the plight of our brothers and sisters in Tibet.”
JAC will spearhead major Olympics related initiatives for the Tibetan Toronto community, which at around 5000 people is among the largest in exile. March 10th is the first of the coalition efforts. With the simultaneous launch of the Tibetan People’s Uprising march back to Tibet from Dharamsala, and launch of the Tibetan Freedom Torch; this year’s March 10th is more important than ever.
In April this year, the Beijing Olympics Torch will arrive in San Francisco – the only North American stop in the global torch relay. Tibetans from around the world will be mobilizing to San Francisco, and JAC encouraged Tibetans in Toronto to take advantage of this historical opportunity to directly voice their protest to the Chinese government.
Tibetans are encouraged to check for affordable flights from Buffalo, NY, to San Francisco, and if there is keen interest, JAC will arrange for buses to Buffalo. Tibetans are also reminded that if they email sftorch2008@studentsforafreetibet.org by March 15th, San Francisco can organize low-cost housing options.
Other tentative JAC plans include a “Toronto Tibetan Olympics” and constant protest activities during the two-week Beijing Olympic Games in August. Toronto Tibetans responded enthusiastically to the new coalition and the plans for the next seven months, and over three thousand dollars were raised through donations for JAC’s initial work. JAC has also created a website (www.jactoronto.org) to reach out to the people and the site will features the details of each action plan.
To sign up join us at San Francisco, send the following information as soon as possible to: sftorch2008@studentsforafreetibet.org and if you’re from Toronto, please send information to jactoronto2008@yahoo.ca as well.
Your Name:
Your Email:
Your Phone number:
Where will you be coming from?
Who will be coming with you (please list names of family members)?
Do you need accommodation? Yes / No. If so, for which dates?
For more information, please email jactoronto2008@yahoo.ca or visit
www.jactoronto.org.
Submitted by Tsering Yangzom
