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Contacting Government Representatives about Tibet Why
do it?
Contacting your political representatives
is one of the most effective ways you can help Tibet. They have a critical role
to play in all of SFT's campaigns.
SFT's strength as a grassroots organization
is that its members - people like you - live all over the world. You have government
representatives whose job it is to represent you, their constituent, and letting
them know that you are concerned about Tibet and want them to act is the most
direct way you can get your government to help.
In the United States, where
SFT has the most members, former congressional staffers have told SFT that constituents'
letters, phone calls and meetings really do make a difference. Due to grassroots
pressure, for example, the U.S. Congress declared that Tibet is an illegally occupied
country, has forcefully called on China to release Tibetan political prisoners,
and passed the Tibetan Policy Act. Officials in the U.S. government have told
Tibet activists that they want to do more for Tibet, but can only take strong
action if they are under pressure from constituents. The same is true for other
countries - governments respond to the concerns and pressure of the people who
vote for them. How do
I start?
First, you need to find out who your representatives are.
For suggestions on how to look them up, see the bottom of this page. Then you
can write them a letter, either on your own or based on a sample letter (see links
below). We strongly encourage you to ask for a meeting in your letter, as a face-to-face
meeting is the best way to inform your representatives about your concerns and
ask them to act on your behalf. Alternatively, you can use the letter to discuss
the issues you want to raise and tell your representative what you would like
him/her to do.
For your meeting:
-- Make a list of the issues you want to discuss and the request you want
to make. For meetings about Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, ask them to write a letter
to Chinese President Hu Jintao, care of the closest embassy or consulate (contact
info for these is below). Also ask them to urge your country's Foreign Ministry
or State Department to pressure China about his case. Stress the urgency of Tenzin
Delek's case.-- Be brief: they will appreciate it
if you get to the point quickly and respect their time.
-- Stick to the
facts you know - if you don't know the answer to a question, say so and offer
to find out and get back to them.
-- Be polite! Being abrasive is almost
always counterproductive, and it provides a good excuse to ignore your request.
Click here for a sample letter
if you live in another country
Chinese
Embassies and Consulates:
Find the Chinese embassy or consulate
nearest you:
Embassies
Consulates | |
