Do you know your MP or Euro-MP? Have you met them? What are their views on Tibet and on non-violence?

What Me??? Meet an MP? You must be joking! No... Keep reading. It's so simple. One at a time we can reach every MP in the country.

You can find out who your MP is by visiting http://www.locata.co.uk/commons/ 

You can find out about them by visiting www.theyworkforyou.com

Your MP is a human being and is very tired of visits to complain about the street lights. If you arrive at his/her surgery to discuss our government and support for the Dalai Lama... they will be VERY pleased to see you. Just take a smile.

We have found that two things MP have too much of is 1. Criticism and 2. Paper.

Letters to MPs receive the response that the British government is 'very concerned' about human rights abuses in Tibet and that they raise the issue with the Chinese Government at every possible opportunity.  In practice our Prime Minister, who you would have thought would have liked to have met the great man of peace, was 'too busy' to meet him in May 2004. What???

We want you to visit your MP to talk with them.  Ask your MP...

1.  What is their stance on the 'war against terrorism'?  Do they believe that non-violent dialogue is a better way forward?  (Seems like a stupid question doesn't it!)

Does s/he believe that the Dalai Lama deserves international support for his refusal to resort to violence to achieve his country's freedom?  
Will they support this belief with action?

2. Ask your MP/Euro-MP how you can make it easier for them to take action for Tibet. Push for more than an expression of concern, we need to see positive action. Ask what s/he would suggest as a good next step for you and for him/her to take.  Would s/he be prepared to join the All Party group on Tibet in the House of Commons?  This group desperately needs new energy, new ideas and energetic risk-taking MPs.

3. Please point out that an opportunity exists for the British Government to become an international peace-maker if it is prepared to act as a mediator between the Chinese Government and the Tibetan Government in Exile. It is in China's best interests to resolve the 'Tibet' issue' before the 2008 Olympics. Also as a issue on non-violence it is directly related to the Middle East. A demonstration of non-violence as a pragmatic and realistic soltion would help!

4. Make sure your meeting is a friendly one. Be polite, persistent and ensure that you've got your facts straight. Make a friend and then they will help you to help Tibet. One MP at a time we can influence Parliament... there aren't that many of them.

5. Ask about forthcoming opportunities for your MP/Euro-MP to raise the issue of Tibet and call for action.

Pushing the message home

Your MP/Euro-MP may be more likely to take action if you give him/her a reminder of your visit or involve him/her in your campaigning; you could present him/her with a photo of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, informing him/her at the same time that such a gift could get you both arrested in Tibet.

Take along a copy of His Holiness the Dalai Lama's autobiography. But don't give this gift unless they you think they are genuinely interested and would like to read it.. remember they are busy people that get moaned at a lots

Follow up your visit with a letter.  Keep in touch with news and questions.

And when you've done all this then visit them again...

Please email us and let us know who you visited, and when, and what the response was.