Features:Shifters

A letter from Larry Cox, executive director of Amnesty International....

When it bid for the 2008 Olympics, China made promises to the International Olympic Committee to improve its human rights record. But with the recent crackdown in Tibet, Beijing has focused the world on its broken promises.As you've probably heard, Buddhist monks took to the streets of Lhasa last month to mark the anniversary of the 1959 uprising against Chinese rule. Chinese authorities responded by arresting and, in some cases, beating protestors. After demonstrations turned violent, authorities launched a brutal crackdown, severly beating protestors and firing live ammunition into crowds. Subsequent peaceful demonstrations throughout Tibet and nearby areas have been harshly put down. The death toll is difficult to verify. Chinese authorities claim that only 19 have died, while the Tibetan government in exile estimates the death toll as high as 140, with more than 1,000 people detained since March 10th.The Tibetan people have shown tremendous patience in the face of brutal repression of their culture, religious beliefs and right to self-expression. This struggle for basic human rights is what Amnesty International is all about. While you and I live far away from Tibet, we can provide a vital lifeline by supporting Amnesty International.Our organization has documented a long history of prisoner abuse in Tibet, especially for those accused by Chinese authorities of participating in "separatist" activities. With the region now virtually sealed off to foreign journalists and other independent observers, Amnesty International is deeply concerned for the safety of detainees. With your financial support, Amnesty is working to free those wrongly detained for acts of peaceful self-expression, including 15 monks who were arrested on March 10th during a non-violent demonstration in Llasa, the Tibetan capital. We are also calling for full disclosure of all those being held and the charges against them, prompt access to legal counsel for all prisoners, and free and immediate access to Tibet for foreign media and UN officials. In recent days, Amnesty International has also met with Congressional leaders and White House officials, in an effort to apply diplomatic pressure on China's leadership to stop the violence and release the monks.

Sincerely, Larry Cox Executive DirectorAmnesty International USA
http://www.amnestyusa.org/About-Us/Our-Mission-and-the-Movement/page.do?id=1101178&n1=2&n2=762