Beijing – Five pro-Tibet activists unfurled a banner spelling out “Free Tibet” in English and Chinese in bright blue LED “throwie” lights in Beijing’s Olympic Park tonight. The five were detained by security personnel after displaying the banner for about 20 seconds at 11:48 pm August 19th. Their whereabouts are currently unknown. Read the press release.

Brief video clip of the banner unfurled:
NTSC format MPEG-4 video: watch or download
PAL format MPEG-4 video: watch or download

Photos of the banner available for download as a Flickr photoset

The detained activists are Americans Amy Johnson, 33, Sam Corbin, 24, Liza Smith, 31, Jacob Blumenfeld, 26, and Lauren Valle, 21. (bios of activists are below)

“The Chinese government is desperate to turn the world’s attention away from its abuses in Tibet as the Olympics take place, but the creativity and determination of Tibetans and their supporters has once again ensured that Tibetan voices are heard and seen in Beijing despite the massive security clampdown,” said Tenzin Dorjee, Deputy Director of Students for a Free Tibet. “The Chinese leadership must realize that the only way it can make the issue of Tibet disappear is to acknowledge the demands of the Tibetan people and work with them to bring an end to China’s occupation of Tibet.”

Read the Whole article here:

Beijing: Night Light ‘Free Tibet’ Banner – Aug. 19, 2008 : Free Tibet 2008.

The Brain Labor Report is live every morning M thru F for 1/2 hour at 7:00 a.m. through the awesome community services of KSKQ, lpfm radio in Southern Oregon. They can be listened to each morning on the internet, via streaming radio is.

The Olympic torch has come and gone from North America, but the plight of the people of Tibet continues. To help further the peaceful cause of Tibetans and Tibet, we ask that you consider taking the following actions in support of the people of Tibet:

1. Write to Speaker of the House the Honorable Nancy Pelosi and thank her for her unwavering support of the people of Tibet and for human rights in Tibet and China. Write to President Bush and to your representatives and senators in Congress and insist that the U.S. Government:

– Demand that China halt its crackdown, withdraw military and security forces, release those detained and allow peaceful protest. China must also halt house-to-house searches; and authorities must refrain from any further arrests and intimidation of Tibetan protesters.

– Support the Dalai Lama’s and international calls for a team of investigators to go to Tibet as soon as possible.

– Demand that China fulfill its prior promise to allow foreign journalists unrestricted reporting throughout the country from January through September 2008, including permitting journalists to return to all Tibetan areas (TAR and Tibetan areas of Gansu, Qinghai and Sichuan) immediately.

– Agree that members of the government, including President Bush, shall not attend the Olympic Games, and in particular refuse to appear at the Opening Ceremonies.

2. Demand that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) withdraw all Tibetan areas (TAR and Tibetan areas of Gansu, Qinghai and Sichuan) from the planned Olympic torch relay route, including the planned torch ascent of Mount Everest. You can go to http://actionnetwork.org in order to send this message to the IOC President. You can also find the contact information for your National Olympic Committee at
http://www.olympic.org The U.S. Olympic Committee information is at
http://www.olympic.org/uk/organisation/noc/noc_uk.asp?noc_initials=USA

Karsh Kale has played alongside and worked with some of the world’s top artists, including Sting, Zakir Hussain, Baaba Maal, Herbie Hancock, Bill Laswell, and Ustad Sultan Khan.

Born of Indian parents, and brought up in the U.S., Kale has long played Indian classical music on the tabla. Currently, he leads one of New York’s coolest ensembles, and his monthly spins at Paisley and Joe’s Pub are some of the hottest tickets on the New York scene.

Here he speaks about non-violence and the importance of Gandhi’s Satyagraha in relationship to Tibet.

Please be sure to check out our PROJECTS page, where you can read about the full-length documentary film we are producing about Non-Violence and the Tibetan Uprising.

Also we are still completely self funded.. so any DONATION helps out tremendously. What’s 20 bucks?

There is so much to share.. I really hope you will take some time to read some of our Blog. And send us a note too!

Tom Sepe

Things are going incredibly well. We are getting some great interviews! We just interviewed Dr. John Powers -- checkout his book “History as Propaganda: Tibetan Exiles versus the People’s Republic of China”

We also interviewed Mary Gendler, who has been doing non-violent training here in India with the Tibetans for over 15 years! She was also close with the King family and involved with the March on Selma.

A few nights ago we did an audio-only interview with 6 ex-political prisoners -- Tibetan Monks that had all been tortured and imprisoned by the Chinese Government. They did not want their faces to be shown for fear that the Chinese Governement will persecute their families back in occupied Tibet.

In addition we have been befriended by a wonderful couple here -- Ronny and Rebecca Novick. Rebecca works for KPFK radio in Los Angeles, and Ronny does video documentary work. They have a fantastic website: http://thetibetconnection.org

Together with Ronny and Rebecca we are going to create a website “tibetin49seconds.org” where we will have a youtube video contest for people to submit their 49 second videos on the subject of Tibet. Stay tuned on that one…

I’m excited to start the editing process. We are starting to review some of our tapes while here…. its been such a whirlwind!

We are planning a couple of screenings here this week, one at KhanaNirvana Cafe, to share some of the footage from San Francisco -- I think the Tibetans will get a kick out of seeing the thousands of protesters in SF as well as hearing the inspirational words of Archbishop Desmond Tutu. (see video below)

Anyhow that’s the update… We are still planning more interviews and some trips to some monasteries… stay tuned!

Tom
here’s is a video of Desmond Tutu speaking on April 8th in SF. By SazzyV (My footage is in the process of being transcoded!)

CYPHERTOWN, GIVEBACK.NET & WASFIA NAZREEN PRESENT …

MARCH TO TIBET, SUNDAY, APRIL 6, 1015 FOLSOM, SAN FRANCISCO
A Special Event In Support of the Tibetan People’s Uprising Movement
9pm – 4am | $15 advance, $20 door | 21+ Only
Tickets: www.brownpapertickets.com/event/31859

All profits to benefit Tibetan People’s Uprising Movement: www.tibetanuprising.org

MAIN ROOM:
11:00-12:30 Cheb i Sabbah (San Francisco) www.myspace.com/chebisabbahji
12:30-02:00 FreQ Nasty (Giveback.net / Skint – UK) www.myspace.com/djfreqnasty
02:00-3:30 Karsh Kale (Six Degrees Records – NYC) www.myspace.com/karshkale

ALSO FEATURING:
Nickodemus (ESL – NYC) – www.myspace.com/nickodemusnyc
An-ten-nae (Get Freaky – SF) – www.an-ten-nae.net
Mozaic (Raindance/NEXUS – SF) – www.myspace.com/moziacmusic
DJ Amar (Electric Vardo – SF) – www.myspace.com/bansuri
Malarkey (the Juke Joint – Santa Rosa) – www.myspace.com/djmalarkey
KnowSleep (Cyphertown Street Ritual – SF) – www.myspace.com/djknowone
Unicorn (Venus Fly Love/Cyphertown – Oakland) www.myspace.com/unicorn39
SolarLion (Giveback.net – LA) – www.myspace.com/solarlion
Mimosa (Cyphertown – SF) – www.myspace.com/tigranmimosa
Heyoka (Cyphertown Street Ritual – SF) – www.myspace.com/andreism
Lotus Drops (Cyphertown/WHOMPSTEADY Crew – SF) www.myspace.com/lotusdrops
Goodfelllow (Cyphertown – SF) – www.myspace.com/goodfelllow

This event will include DJ’s, Live Music, Activist Speakers, & Visuals of the Tibetan Struggle.

March 10th 2008 marked the 49th anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising. Tens of thousands of Tibetans rose up against China’s illegal invasion and occupation of their country. Despite China’s best attempts to destroy the Tibetan spirit, Tibetan resistance has continued for nearly half a century inside Tibet and in exile communities worldwide. With all eyes focused on the Olympics in China, Tibetans and supporters worldwide are protesting the Chinese government’s use of the Olympics as a political tool to legitimize its illegal occupation of Tibet.

RISE UP & TAKE ACTION:
On April 9, 2008, this very Olympic Torch will pass through San Francisco. This is the ONLY stop in North America. Help us draw attention to the worsening human rights situation inside Tibet. Help us use the Olympics spotlight to shame and embarrass the Chinese government and show them that until Tibet is free, China will never be never be accepted as a leader on the world stage.

Join Cyphertown , Giveback & Wasfia Nazreen this Sunday to stand in solidarity with Tibetans and help raise funding for the March to Tibet, a non-violent campaign to bring Tibetans exiled in India back to their homeland. March to Tibet will include international DJ’s and music, activist speeches and visuals of the Tibetan resistance at the infamous 1015 Folsom in San Francisco.

The Tibetan People’s Uprising Movement, www.tibetanuprising.org , is a global movement of Tibetans, inside and outside of Tibet, that is engaging in direct action to end China’s illegal and brutal occupation of Tibet. Through unified and strategic campaigns, the Movement seeks to seize the Olympic spotlight and shine it on China’s shameful repression inside Tibet, thereby denying China the international acceptance and approval it so fervently desires.

Giveback: Please join our online community at www.giveback.net to exchange information on the issues you are passionate about. Giveback turns inspiration into action by connecting you with organizations that are creating positive change.

Cyphertown started educating us all about the strategic opportunities of the Torch’s passing through SF last November, with the “Torch of Truth” event at Temple SF. Cyphertown is proud to be co-creating with Giveback and Wasfia Nazreen to bring you a PARTY with a PURPOSE. And this is only the beginning … please join the Cyphertown email distribution list by sending a blank email to: cyphertown-subscribe@googlegroups.com.

FREE MP3 DOWNLOAD:
An exclusive FreQ Nasty vs Bassnectar mp3, VIVA TIBET, has been created in support of the Tibetan People’s Uprising Movement and their March to Tibet. Your free download of this exclusive mp3 is available NOW via Giveback’s Action Campaign Profile: giveback.net/FreQNectar …. download your exclusive FreQ Nasty vs. Bassnectar mp3 and donate to this incredibly good cause!