Two members of Friends of Tibet were arrested while attempted to storm the Chinese embassy to demand the release of Panchen Lama - one tried to self-immolate himself. They were then taken to Tihar where they went on a hunger strike for over 3 days. After being moved to Deen Dayal Upadhyay hospital, New Delhi, we now learn that they have been released.

April 09, 2007: Shibayan Raha, Campaigns Coordinator of Friends of Tibet and another activist Migmar Tsering were arrested on April 9, 2007 while attempting to storm into the Chinese Embassy located in Chanakyapuri, New Delhi. The two activists were demanding the release of Gendhun Choekyi Nyima, the 11th Panchen Lama, the second most important religious figure, next only to HH the Dalai Lama.

The protest act was planned just in time before the forthcoming birthday of the Panchen Lama, who will be turning 18 on April 25 this year. He has been held incommunicado by China since 1995 after he was recognised by the Dalai Lama as the next Panchen Lama. He was by then only six years old. After years of worldwide protests and routine international pressure, whereabouts of him still remain unknown.

Wearing a "Free Tibet - Free Panchen Lama" t-shirt and holding a Tibetan national flag in his hand, Shibayan Raha, tried to self-immolate and ran towards the main gate of the Chinese Embassy shouting 'Free Tibet' and 'Release the Panchen Lama' slogans. He then started climbing the fence surrounding the Embassy before he was brought down by the security guards.

"As an Indian, I am ashamed of my government for constantly appeasing China in the name of Hindi-Chini bhai bhai and for failing to take any action for Tibet," said Shibayan Raha who had also earlier protested outside the Taj Hotel on November 23, 2006 just before the Chinese President Hu Jintao's speech at the India-China Economic, Trade and Investment Cooperation Summit.

Both Shibayan Raha and Migmar Tsering are currently detained in Chanakyapuri Police Station and will be possibly transferred to Tihar Central Jail later in the evening. This is one of the rare incidents in which a non-Tibetan activist has taken such an aggressive stance for the cause. The contents of a letter by the activists addressed to the Chinese Embassy are at the end of this article.

April 10, 2007: Tibet Activists on Hunger Strike in Jail No 7.

Sibayan Raha, Campaigns Coordinator of Friends of Tibet and Tibetan activist Migmar Tsering have started a Hunger Strike in Tihar Jail No 7. Both protesters have not been eating since yesterday morning, and this is already their second day of the hunger strike. They are neither eating solid food, nor drinking any liquid.

Shibayan Raha is the Campaigns Coordinator of Friends of Tibet and he has been running the Calcutta chapter of Friends of Tibet for the past two years. His belief in an independent Tibet has taken him to different Tibetan refugee camps in India and made him one of the strongest supporters of the cause. Shibayan created headlines last year when unfurled a banner reading: "China Get Out of Tibet and Aksai Chin" outside the Taj Hotel in Bombay just before Chinese President Hu Jintao's speech at the India-China Economic, Trade and Investment Cooperation Summit. He was then arrested and released on bail.

Migmar Tsering is a young Tibetan refugee from Majnu-ka-Tila Tibetan Camp and has been working individually with his friends for a Free Tibet. He had taken part in various activities in the past including the protest campaign during Hu Jintao's visit to New Delhi last year.

Friends of Tibet's General Secretary Tenzin Tsundue, who has done a similar protests in the past says: "It will be difficult for the jail authorities to keep them any longer after 72 hours of such intensive hunger strike. If they don't release, we will take legal action and secure their release anyhow."

Many regional newspapers in North India have apparently published photos of the Chinese Embassy protest of April 9 and photos of Richard Gere from the 14th Mind and Life Conference side by side in order to show two extreme sides of the struggle. Friends of Tibet is gravely concerned about the health of the two young activists. The Delhi chapter of Friends of Tibet is working hard for their immediate release with the help of HRLN, Delhi Regional Tibetan Youth Congress and other supporters in the city.

April 13, 2007: Tenzin Tsundue and Baldeo Pandey of Friends of Tibet have learnt that the two jailed activists, Shibayan Raha and Migmar Tsering, who were on a fast at Tihar Central Jail near Delhi were released by the jail authorities at 9pm today when the court accepted one of their demands, namely, 'not to charge them as they are fighting for freedom'. The court's decision to not charge the two activists comes as a pleasant surprise. They are now on their way to Majnu-ka-Tila, Tibetan camp in Delhi, to attend a reception hosted by the Delhi Regional Tibetan Youth Congress.

Following is the copy of letter addressed to the Chinese Embassy by the activists:

April 9, 2007

To,

His Excellency Mr. Sun Yuxi,

The Ambassador,

People's Republic of China

Chanakyapuri, New Delhi, India

Ever since Gendhun Choekyi Nyima was recognized as the 11th Panchen Lama, the second important religious leader of Tibet after The Dalai Lama in 1995 at the age of six, he along with his parents had been held incommunicado by the Government of People's Republic of China. The Chinese government had turned down repeated appeals for his release from UNO, European Union and leading human rights organizations. His ongoing detention is a gross violation of the United Nation's Charter on the Rights of the Child. In his place, The Government of People's Republic of China, which calls itself secular, had installed their own Panchen Lama in their final push to erase the Tibetan Freedom Movement. We the undersigned won't let the world and the Chinese Government sit in peace till the 11th Panchen Lama is released. Till out last breath we will continue to protest his ongoing detention. We will remain non violent and protest just as we are doing today and will continue to do so to remind the world of Chinese atrocities in Tibet and the 11th Panchen Lama who is the World's Youngest Political prisoner and turning 18 years on 25^th April, 2007.

We urge the Chinese Government through you to release the 11th Panchen Lama immediately and let him have his freedom and take his seat in the Tashi Lhunpo monastery, the official seat of the Panchen Lama.

Yours truly,

Migmar Tsering, Shibayan Raha

Friends of Tibet, PO Box: 16674,

Bombay, 400050, India

Friends of Tibet is a global movement to keep alive the issue of Tibetthrough direct action. Our activities are aimed at ending China's occupation of Tibet and the suffering of the Tibetan people. Friends of Tibet supports the continued struggle of the Tibetan people for independence. To know more, visit: www.friendsoftibet.org

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