BLOWIN’ IN THE WIND TIBETcenter protesters take their march to the Chinese consulate.

Photo: Nicole Radja

TIBETcenter
(6073 N Paulina St, 773-743-7772; buddhapia.com/tibet/index.html)
Mission Gain religious freedom for Tibetans, release imprisoned Tibetans and get journalists unrestricted access to Tibet
Victories High-profile protests have increased media attention
Methods Marching, distributing flyers, hanging banners, hunger strikes, vigils

The TIBETcenter opened in 1999 to provide local Tibetans with a place to worship and share their heritage. While the goal to preserve Tibetan culture remains, TIBETcenter has canceled programs so its members can devote their energy to protests. March 10 marks the anniversary of the 1959 Tibetan uprising against Chinese occupation—a day protesters use to call attention to Tibetan oppression. Meanwhile, Tibetan protests against China have become more frequent and fervent in Chicago and around the world while China prepares to host the 2008 summer Olympics.

“More media coverage [means] more people knowing about the cultural genocide in Tibet,” says Tashi Psuri of TIBETcenter. In his eyes, protests not only generate inspiring speeches but demonstrate worldwide support for Tibet. During a protest last month, activists marched down Michigan Avenue from Water Tower Place to the Chinese consulate at Clark and Erie Streets with fists in the air shouting “free Tibet!” Since large crowds congregating around the consulate tend to generate a sense of unease among consulate workers, Tibetan protester Pema Rinzin measures success by high turnouts and Chinese consulate workers’ pleas to State Department officials for protection.

While protesters and police have avoided violent clashes, a handful of Tibetans have been arrested—one man for climbing to the roof of the Chinese consulate and waving the Tibetan flag on March 18, and others for later obstructing a Chinese official’s vehicle. But according to Psuri, the objective isn’t necessarily a free and independent Tibet. He, along with the Dalai Lama, advocates for a middle path, where Tibetans can express their religious beliefs freely in a Chinese-occupied Tibet. To achieve this, Psuri believes nonviolent protest is of highest importance and encourages protesters to “view the Chinese government as Buddha. Why revolt against Buddha?”

—Sarah Perdue

NEXT>>