"I proudly tell people that I am the only one released without trial by the
Beijing government because of international pressure. The PSB (police) discovered ample evidence that could have easily got me 10 to 15 years of imprisonment, if not 20 years.

The whole purpose of the Act for Tibet website is encouraging and challenging. Lobbying the UK government is a very tricky exercise, as I see it. UK parliament has a Tibet lobby group although they were not forceful and united in 1996 (when I was detained). If you could do effective lobbying, parliament have to heed your voices, that means the UK government have to respond to concerns about the Tibet issue; basic human rights. The task is laborious, strenuous and relentless.

What I think Tibet needs is freedom to exercise basic human rights as endorsed in Beijing Law. At present Beijing Law is not implemented in Tibet in total, rather Chinese authorities manipulate their own law that appears as a law. This double standard is the poisonous tool that tortures the Tibetans most. Because of this obscure standard, no one is definite about tomorrow ... Under such circumstances, no one feels safe, in any sense...

Then, Beijing does not respect Tibetan culture. ... This point should be lobbied on, it is very obvious and rational issue.

Official works are conducted in Chinese, why? Beijing Constitution emphasises to use local languages in minority areas and prefectures.

Development issue is very difficult to define in Tibet. For instance, the broad roads, several concrete buildings and big housing projects do not really help uplift the standard of living of common local people. If the project enhances livelihood of common local people, it is development for me. The majority of local people do not own a car nor have resources to buy a property, only a few rich businessmen and privileged government employees could do it. They account for 10% maximum of the population. The present so-called Western Development Project is to destroy environment, uproot ethnic Tibetan culture and smoke out mineral resources of Tibet.

Wish you all success in your new endeavour. "

Gedun Rinchen, October 2005
imprisoned in Tibet in 1996
now living in exile