TWO LONDON-BASED TIBETAN ACTIVISTS TO ARRIVE HOME WEDNESDAY AFTER BEING DEPORTED FROM BEIJING - Pema and Padma, two young Tibetan women

TWO LONDON-BASED TIBETAN ACTIVISTS TO ARRIVE HOME WEDNESDAY AFTER BEING DEPORTED FROM BEIJING - Pema and Padma, two young Tibetan women, arrested separately for speaking out for Tibet

August 13, 2008 ·

PRESS ADVISORY | Students for a Free Tibet

For Immediate Release: August 13, 2008

Contacts: Tenzin Dorjee, 07767 083768
Sophia Conroy, 07767 086920
Han Shan, 07876 327143

Who: Pema Yoko Niwa Norbu and Padma-Dolma Fielitz
Where: London City Airport (via BA flight #8733 from Frankfurt)*
When: 12:25pm, August 14, 2008
What: Reception by friends, family members, Tibetan community

London – Two UK-based Tibetan activists who were arrested in Beijing and deported from China after Free Tibet protests are arriving home tomorrow. Pema Yoko, 25, and Padma-Dolma Fielitz, 22, are the first two Tibetans to protest for Tibetan human rights and freedom in Beijing during the Olympic Games.

Pema Yoko was arrested on August 13th, outside the Chinese Ethnic Culture Park, at the south end of the Olympic Park, as five activists blockaded the park entrance, while holding a banner reading “Tibetans Are Dying for Freedom.” The park features an exhibit on Tibetan culture, which many Tibetan activists find offensive. At the same time, two activists hung a ‘Free Tibet’ banner from a pedestrian bridge over the road running in front of the park. Eight Tibet activists in all were arrested in the protest, and have since been deported. ITN reporter John Ray was forcibly detained by Chinese police while trying to cover the protest.

“I feel a strong sense of commitment to defending Tibetan identity and speaking out against the Chinese government’s brutal regime which is destroying my father’s homeland,” said Pema Yoko. “While the Chinese government is ruthlessly suppressing Tibetans in Tibet and has barred nearly every exiled Tibetan from traveling to Beijing, I am thankful for all of our western supporters and glad that I was at least able to come raise my voice during the Olympics.”

Pema Yoko, 25, was born in London, England to a Tibetan father and Japanese mother. A Japanese citizen, she lives in London and serves as a leading coordinator of the Students for a Free Tibet national network in the UK (SFT-UK).

Padma-Dolma Fielitz was assaulted on August 10th by undercover Chinese police who strangled and struck her while wresting away a Tibetan flag. While being arrested, Padma-Dolma declared:

“I’m here at the Beijing Olympics, at Tiananmen Square… They’ve kidnapped Tibet… they’ve kidnapped the Beijing Olympics to demonstrate their power in front of everyone. They claim they don’t want to politicize it, but they do. All we have… is the flag that I was trying to hold. This is my flag, this is the flag that represents my people. And my people… they’re not Chinese!”

An audio recording of her statement is available at:

http://freetibet2008.org/globalactions/tibetanprotest/

Padma-Dolma grew up in Germany, and has a Tibetan father and a German mother. She was born and raised in Germany and currently lives in London where she studies Economics and Development Studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies.

The activists will be greeted at the airport by friends, supporters and members of the local Tibetan community. Spokespeople from Students for a Free Tibet will also be available for comment.

*Padma-Dolma Fielitz will be arriving at another airport and coming directly to London City Airport to greet Pema Yoko upon her arrival.

More information, including photos and video, is available here:

Aug. 10th protest with Padma-Dolma Fielitz:

http://freetibet2008.org/globalactions/tibetanprotest/

Aug. 13th protest with Pema Yoko:

http://freetibet2008.org/globalactions/ethnicpark/

http://freetibet2008.org/2008/08/13/two-london-based-tibetan-activists-to-arrive-home-wednesday-after-being-deported-from-beijing-pema-and-padma-two-young-tibetan-women-arrested-separately-for-speaking-out-for-tibet/