A few days ago, on the eve of the 1 year anniversary of the Olympics (that China’s hosting), a group of activists performed a HUGE banner drop of a Free Tibet banner ON the Great wall of China! My friend Nupur Modi participated in it, and there are videos and other links on the Students for a Free Tibet website. Lhadon Tethong, the executive Director of Students for a Free Tibet was also in China blogging about her experiences there (which I hear is illegal to do in China) during and after the event. She runs a text and video blog at Beijing Wide Open, it’s phenomenal (and she’s hot too). :>

They were all detained after the event, by Chinese authorities, but now are safe and home in the US and Canada. Lhadon writes:

I know we did this and got off pretty easy. And while I appreciate that some people think I did something brave, I’m not sure I did. Bravery is standing in front of a tank in Tiananmen Square. Bravery is getting on a stage in Tibet and calling for the return of the Dalai Lama. Bravery is going to Beijing to petition to get compensation for your confiscated farmland to the very same government that probably took it in the first place. All this, with no protection. No foreign passport, government, or official body that will defend you.

What I did, what we did, it was nothing in comparison. But I hope and I pray that somehow we have made a difference in the battle for human rights and freedom in Tibet and in China. The Olympics spotlight is on the Chinese leadership now and they want the world to believe they are open and free. But they are not. They demonstrated this by deporting me at the very moment that the one-year countdown to the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games was taking place in Tiananmen square. Paul and I just wanted to attend. To see it for ourselves and to blog about it like one should be able to in any place that truly enjoys freedom.

Some people have said we got what we deserved. Others have suggested we got off to lightly and should act more responsibly next time. I think it is the regime in Beijing – unelected, unaccountable and tyrannical – that should act more responsibly. I think our government, governments around the world, corporations doing business in China and the IOC itself, should act more responsibly. They are the ones who have clear and direct influence over Beijing. They are the ones who could make a huge impact by doing just a little in the way of speaking up for and promoting human rights and democracy.

Until this happens, we will keep doing what we have to do – challenging China’s control over Tibet and working to make the occupation too costly to maintain. One thing is clear in all this Olympics mess, the Chinese government cares what the world thinks. If they didn’t, they wouldn’t spend so much time trying to get us all to like them with slogans like “One World One Dream.” Knowing this, we must push them to change. And if our direct actions are seen as stunts by a few, I trust the vast majority will see them for what they really are, nonviolent expressions of dissent and protest to bring positive social and political change to people living under brutal oppression.

For Tibetans, Uighurs, Southern Mongolians, Taiwanese, Falun Gong, Christians, Catholics, farmers, factory workers, lawyers, doctors, journalists and every other person who lives under fear of persecution by the Chinese Communist Party and their goons, I say, we will never give up.

We stand with you.

Definitely check out her blog Beijing Wide Open. She’s inspired a little part of me to start videoblogging. But not yet, i’ve gotta marinate on it a bit.

My friend Nupur Modi, who was one of 6 who actually performed the banner drop, writes this:

We had the glamorous jobs. We were the ones to hang a banner on the Great Wall and make sure the footage got out to the world. I’m not saying that doing the action, and then being detained in China, being interrogated, and facing extreme consequences wasn’t hard and challenging.

But the hardest part is the unknown. And you all had to face the most of that. We were dealing with the situation minute-by-minute in bite-sized pieces. But not knowing what was happening to people you care about and not hearing from them for days, that can be distressing.

I truly appreciate all of your amazing strength, support, thoughts, and prayers through the process.

While we were in police custody trying to find the most comfortable position to sleep and pass the time in old Chinese police station chairs (answer: there is none), we found comfort and strength knowing that folks on the outside were working nonstop: getting media and the word out, pulling strings via diplomatic channels, calling and pressuring the embassies, providing emotional support to friends and family, etc., etc., etc. The six of us weren’t the only ones in that action, it was a whole community effort. I probably will never know about all the people who were involved and all the crucial roles they played, but I owe you all a sincere THANK YOU.

I truly appreciate all of emails and phone calls of commendation for my courage and “bad-ass-ness”. But let us please not forget the issue at hand. I am a US citizen, and with it comes innumerable benefits, resources, and privileges. I had it easy. Tibetans are struggling and taking action every single day, facing constant repression and violent rule. They don’t have freedom of speech or religion, and they are trying to preserve their culture. They are the true heroes.

Thank you, thank you, Nupur and the rest who participated in this action.

Oh I also wanted to add this — check out an interview on Canadian TV with Lhadon — what’s the most phenomenal, i think, is the amount of airtime they devote to this human rights issue. Would you EVER see this much time devoted to Tibet in the US? We’ve gotta break down the mainstream media, it’s brainwashing us all.

Think about supporting Students for a Free Tibet in whatever way you can. Whether that’s being the media (spread the word) or otherwise…