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Summer 1999 Volume 10, Number 2 P -- You Can Help Build a Local Tibetan Can Tibetan Cultural Center Stay in U.S

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Summer 1999 Volume 10, Number 2 P -- You Can Help Build a Local Tibetan Can Tibetan Cultural Center Stay in U.S Bay Area Friends of Tibet NEWSLETTER Summer 1999 Volume 10, Number 2 P -- You Can Help Build a Local Tibetan Can Tibetan Cultural Center Stay in U.S. he Board of Directors of the Tibetan ing Tibetan cultural events such as weddings Association of Northern California and funerals which require days of ceremony By Adam Geller T(TANC), a group representing the Bay in specially consecrated spaces. Area's approximately 450 Tibetans, is organiz- TANC's program includes a Reception at 't was a riddle without any obvious solu- ing a fund raiser. "Childrens' Dances from the 7:00pm, and at 7:30pm, a hour-long perfor- tion: What is a man to do when the law Roof of the World." on August 28. 1999. It is mance entitled "Childrens' Dances from the .orders him to leave the country or forfeit their first fund raising event to establish this Roof of the World." Contributions for this ex- his right to live here, but other nations refuse most needed Cultural Center for the Tibetans citing event are $50.00 per seat. to admit him? For Thupten Phuntsok, part of and their friends in Northern California. TANC is requesting all its friends,Tibet Sup- the answer lay in a roll of the dice. The Tibetan Cultural Center will provide a port Groups, and individuals to help us to make Phuntsok, a former Tibetan monk who, to- multi-purpose facility to host Tibetan events this big step a successful one. Please mark this gether with his sister, found a home with a such as weddings, death ceremonies. Tibetan date in your diary to attend this event. The Cresskill woman last year, is back in New Jer- Cultural performances, Tibetan "town hall" venue for the fund raising event is at the Ber- sey to stay after a six-week journey threading meetings. and provide a single place for the keley Jewish Community Center at 14 14 Wal- his way through immigration laws that nearly offices of TANC and other Bay Area Tibet nut Street, Berkeley. For tickets and more left him stateless. "It's like a reunion with my Support Groups. This facility would allow all information about this important event please family," the former disciple of the Dalai Lama Bay Area Tibetans and Tibet Support Groups call Lhakpa Dolma. TANC Development Of- said Wednesday, hours after his return. "I'm to share costs and save lots of money which ficer at (5 10) 526-57 16, Tsewang Choedon, back to my home." could be used for more productive purposes. TANC Treasurer at (510) 658-9474, or the Phuntsok's problems ironically began ear- The center will be a strong support in preserv- BAFoT office at (5 10) 548-127 1. lier this year when the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service approved his request to stay in this country There was just one, seemingly minor catch. For Phuntsok China-Appointed Panchen Lama to stay, the law required that he leave the coun- try and go to a U.S. embassy overseas that was willing to hear his case and issue him an Ameri- Appears in Tibet Capital can visa. Embassy officials in Madrid and Paris he 9-year-old declared by China to be the report by the New China News Agency, agreed to dojust that. But when Phuntsok, who the Panchen Lama. the second-ranking Norbu "diligently studied Buddhist sutras," is 28, asked French and Spanish officials to TTibetan Buddhist spiritual leader, has and he "can recite sutras for three successive issue him a travel permit to enter their coun- appeared in the capital of Tibet for the first days." tries, they refused on grounds that he didn't time since his appointment in 1995, the state On his arrival in the capital, Lhasa, he was have a visa to return to the United States, the press reported today. greeted by leading political officials and la- very document he was seeking to pick up. The boy, Gyaincain Norbu, has received mas from major Tibetan temples, the report The problem was complicated by U.S. im- spiritual training under Government protection said. migration law, which gave him until June 28 in a secret location since his disputed appoiit- In May 1995, the Dalai Lama, who ranks to leave the country. If he did not leave. immi- ment four years ago. Another contender for his first in Tibetan Buddhism, angered the Chi- gration officials said, he would be considered title, whom the exiled Dalai Lama endorses, nese authorities by announcing his own se- illegal and could be deported. With just hours is believed to be under house arrest with his lection as the reincarnation of the previous to go before the deadline. Phuntsok still did parents somewhere in China. Panchen Lama. who died in 1989. The Dalai not know what he would do. In his four years of seclusion, according to Lama fled Tibet in 1959, after an abortive up- He ended up crossing the border into Canada rising against Communist rule. The boy while Lisa Hochman, the Cresskill woman whom he selected in 1995. Gedhun Choikyi who has more or less adopted Phuntsok, con- Nyima, was already on the short list of a Gov- tinued to work onobtaining permission for him ernment-approved selection committee. But to go to Spain. :r the Dalai Lama is seen by the Government as Hochrnan finally secured that permit inearly Action an enemy, and Beijing officials, angered by July. But the chaos had left Phuntsok so his effort to pre-empt their selection process, shaken, he was fearful of making any move. declared his choice invalid. He left his decision to a roll of the sho, a trio (continued on page 3) (continued on page 4) Lama's position as a leader of Tibetan Bud- Communication Coordinator's Corner ] dhism. China's government involvement in reli- gious meddling is now so blatant that they have By Giovanni Vassallo taken to parading the nine year old Chinese- appointed Panchen Lama in the streets of t has been six months now since I've taken on this part time position of Communication Lhasa while HH Dalai Lama's Panchen Lama I Coordinator at BAFoT and a lot has happened since I've started. First of all, there have is still under house arrest along with his fam- been some office changes. BAFoT now shares office space with three other Tibet Support ily. Further, now that oil has been discovered Groups (TSGs), the International Committee of Lawyers forTibet (ICLT), Tibet Online/Com- by a Chinese petroleum group, China's grip mittee of 100 for Tibet (C-loo), and the newly aniving Tibetan Nuns Project (TNP). Previ- on Tibet appears to be on the verge of tighten- ously we shared a room with only ICLT and we have went on to sublease a portion of our ing more than ever. China's paranoia has in- room to Tibet Online. Two months ago ICLT acquired a lease for an adjacent room to our creased with NATO's involvement in the office which they subleased to Tibet Online. Tibet Online's vacated space was subsequently internal affairs of Serbia assisting the filled by ICLT who took over their sublease from BAFoT. Kosovars. China fears this might lead to a simi- I work at the BAFoToffice at least two days of the week. It has been a great experience and lar involvement in 'their' Tibet. Tibetans are a delight to be working in the space with these three other groups. Tibet Online's Dan Haig still being imprisoned or beaten simply for pos- has given me free computer advice on how to access BAFoT's e-mail in our antiquated com- sessing a picture of HH Dalai Lama. Tibetans puter system and has volunteered to wire BAFoT in on their DSL line, a much more powerful are still crossing the treacherous Himalayas to and a quick way to access to the internet. Additionally, Tibet Online's Yolanda O'Bannen has escape to India and Nepal for a chance to pre- provided me with good Tibet-related information tips. ICLT has greatly helped to straighten serve their culture. the office space and is even decorating the space with plants. As a full-time student I can be So now is the time for all good BAFoTers preoccupied sometimes so I also want to thank Meg of the newly aniving TNP who consis- to come to the aid of BAFoT so that we can tently reminded me to go to an evening orientation of the Foundation Center, a great source of continue to do the job that is still unfinished. I grant research and money for nonprofits (which BAFoT badly needs). In short, BAFoT is urge all concerned to give me a call at the now in an exciting, new beginning stage and is now sandwiched in an office with some BAFoT office so that wc can all put our minds wonderful, dedicated Tibet-loving groups. and hearts together for a renewed and orga- All we need now is your continuing support to continue to do what BAFoT has been doing nized commitment to the Tibetans. since its inception in 1984, making it the West Coast's oldest Tibet Support Group. BAFoT BAFoT needs more volunteers in every area: continues to need funding to support our mission statement which is to provide assistance to urgent action, newsletter, phone banking, let- local Bay Area Tibetans, do educational outreach, grassroots activism, educational assistance ter writing, computer expertise, grassroots or- to Tibetans, support other Tibet support groups, and other activities designed to promote ganizing, and more.
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