Tibetan hunger strikes should alarm society; students should take action

To the Editor:

I'm writing to express my Concern over the impending deaths of a group of Tibetan hunger strikers and the lack of media coverage on this issue. Six Tibetan refugees, aged 25 to 72, are starving themselves to death so the world will finally take notice of the non-violent struggle that the people of Tibet have maintained against brutal Chinese occupa-tion since 1950.

Since 1950, over 1 million Tibetans have been killed, their environment destroyed, their country's resources depleted and religion and way of life attacked. Over 6,000 Buddhist monasteries have been destroyed. To put it into perspective, think about the fact that we have about 3,000 colleges and universities in America. The peaceful monks and nuns of these monasteries have been widely impris-oned, where they routinely face torture, starvation and gang rapes, according to "The World isn't Listening" by Kay Dougherty.

With their culture on the verge of extinction, some Tibetans have taken drastic steps to bring attention to their situation. It's my hope that the communities of our country can come together to support these brave activists, as well as voice a united concern for the cause of Tibet.

Many people have asked me recently why this issue is so important to me. In turn, ask how it possibly couldn't be. When millions face religious persecution and genocide on a daily basis, it's the responsibility of others to take action. Americans should be especially concerned because we believe it's our duty to uphold the ideals of equality and freedom.

I urge all readers to take a small amount of time on their own to learn about the Tibetan struggle. We owe it to our-selves and to the millions of suffering people across the globe to understand the political and social mechanisms underway.

Mark Sullivan
president
JMU Students for a Free Tibet