Will letters from Tibetan-Americans make it into the President’s Purple Folder?

As President Obama prepares for his first trip to China, Tibetan-Americans are raising their voices in an effort to speak to their President. Monday night, I heard a Tibetan lady speak to the group attending the prayer service organized by the Capital Area Tibetan Youth Organization in memory of the two Tibetans who were executed in Lhasa on or about October 23 for their alleged roles in the protests and rioting in March 2008. This Tibetan lady reminded everyone of the President’s upcoming China visit and urged them to write, call or email the President, so that he hears the voices of Tibetan-Americans at this key moment.

A couple of days ago, the Santa Fe Tibetan Community sent around a copy of their letter to President Obama about their disappointment and dismay at the President’s decision not to meet with the Dalai Lama, choosing instead to listen to the Chinese leaders. They wrote about the hope they placed in the President, helping during his campaign, and how they still hope to see forthright actions to help the people of Tibet and other oppressed people in the world. They urged the President to stand firm on America’s core value and asked him not to let them down.

Similar letters have been written and sent by many Tibetan-Americans individually and by community groups. (So far, more than 5,400 of ICT’s members, including Tibetan-Americans, have already sent President Obama a message.)

In another letter, more than 40 Tibet Support Groups and Tibetan Associations across the United States, urged the President to move beyond pro forma statements of support for Tibet and asked for some concrete deliverables including the opening of a US consulate in Lhasa. They said the absence of a meeting with the Dalai Lama in October was seen as a concession to the Chinese government and hoped that the President would meet with the Dalai Lama after his return in the Oval Office, a location appropriate for a fellow Nobel Peace Laureate.

Awhile back, I heard that the President is handed a purple folder containing letters from the public everyday. I wonder if this tradition still continues and if one of these letters from a Tibetan-American will make its way to the purple folder?

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Actions you can take to tell President Obama to stand up for Tibet:

• Send a message to President Obama.
• Sign SFT’s Facebook petition.

One Response to “Will letters from Tibetan-Americans make it into the President’s Purple Folder?”

1. Patricia Francis says:

   Thursday, November 12, 2009 at 9:14 pm

   I see that you [Obama] as well as those who have come before you have no interest in helping the innocent. China must = money to the good USA!