ABOUT THIS PROJECT
In 1953 the Red Chinese army invaded the independent state of Tibet. Famous as the ancient home of Tibetan Buddhism and seat of the Dalai Lama, this poor and peaceful nation was unprepared for war. There was little resistance to the unprovoked attack; many Buddhists chose to die peacefully rather than break their vows of non-violence. Others fled, like the Dalai Lama himself, and were able to establish a government-in-exile in northern India.
For fifty years the Chinese have maintained their illegal occupation of TIbet. They have engaged in a campaign to culturally cleanse the region, disallowing many ancient Tibetan practices and replacing them with Chinese music, dance, literature. They have created barriers to the practice of Buddhism. All in all, it amounts to a cultural genocide - a generation-long plot to destroy the identity of the Tibetan people and make the region a permanent Chinese frontier.
The United States is not willing to risk all-out war over a minor mountain kingdom with no oil and few natural resources. There are no other states remaining with the power or guts to face down the Chinese. So it's up to us.
Drawing from the Open Source insurgency model exemplified by the Iraqi resistance (in which networked communications enabled a rapid iteration of mission profiles and IED designs, without the need for central planning), 100% or your donation will go toward recreating this model in the Tibetan theater. A select international cadre of special advisors will be mobilized to build communications infrastructure and provide the tactical training necessary to wage a successful guerrilla campaign against the Chinese invaders. This training will allow a small, nimble guerrilla force to effectively resist an enemy that is vastly better equipped and trained.
The Chinese have an ancient tradition of 'warrior monks' who maintained their independence in the face of persecution by ruthless feudal warlords. Now the Tibetans can become their own warrior monks, assisted by modern technology and a global movement that insists that non-violence met with violence must respond with violence.
76
BACKERS
$4,311
PLEDGED OF $350,000 GOAL
22
DAYS TO GO
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$1 MINIMUM PLEDGE
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56 BACKERS
An attractive string of Tibetan prayer flags. Hanging these in your home will confer blessings upon you and remind you of your brave stance against tyranny and oppression.
PLEDGE $100 OR MORE
18 BACKERS
A personal thank you letter from Richard Gere.
PLEDGE $1,000 OR MORE
2 BACKERS
Two tickets to a celebratory retreat to be held at the Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California, three months to the day after the last Chinese soldier leaves Tibet. Workshops will be offered in meditation, Tibetan history and culture, Buddhist symbolism, sand-painting, wine-tasting, and the effective cultivation of traditional herbal medicines.
PLEDGE $10,000 OR MORE
0 BACKERS
The monks of Jokhang Temple near Lhasa (declared a UNESCO world heritage site in 2000) will include you in their daily prayers for a full year. If the temple is damaged or destroyed, arrangements will be made for another temple to perform this service.
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