ICT Europe: Annual Reports & Financial Statements

2002 Annual Report

Message from the Director

The International Campaign for Tibet Europe finished 2002 as one of the most effective country-specific human rights organizations in Europe. The ICT community in Europe, now over 26.000 strong, is a vibrant collection of individuals who form an effective support base for ICT’s work. The last three years have been particularly challenging as ICT Europe worked hard to consolidate the mechanisms that allow us to further our influence within the European Union. During the year, ICT Europe engaged in a major initiative of opening of an office in Berlin. The key goal of ICT Germany is to mobilize the sympathy, goodwill and support that the German public has towards the cause of the Tibetan people.

In 2002, ICT Europe helped to develop European parliamentarian efforts, including organization of a European parliamentarian conference on Tibet and the passage of European parliamentarian resolution condemning the passing of death sentence on two Tibetans. ICT Europe worked closely with the officials of the European Union Commission for External Affairs to secure support for the Tibet. In 2002, ICT Europe premiered it's well received exhibition on the ongoing search for the young Panchen Lama in Graz, where His Holiness the Dalai Lama gave a Kalachakra initiation to over 10.000 participants from across world.

In 2002, the international Community continued to put enormous efforts in finding a solution for the global fight against terrorism. This changing political atmosphere has brought a host of challenges for the Tibet movement. Under the pretext of combating terrorism, the Chinese authorities intensified their policy of religious persecution inside Tibet. Towards the end of the year, the world has witnessed the passing of the death sentence of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche and his aid Lobsang Dhondup.

On the other hand the world has seen the release of three high profile political prisoners, Ngawang Choepel, Takna Jigmey Sangpo and Ngawang Sangdrol and China’s uphill battle to gain legitimacy in Tibet. Also, 2002 marked a breakthrough of an initial contact between the Tibetan Government in exile and the Chinese authorities in Beijing. Though these developments are encouraging, however in order to obtain more substantial results many factors are important. One of the most important at this moment is a genuine framework for international political support for Tibet. The European union on its part has an important role to play and the European leaders must have the political will to adopt a cohesive policy on Tibet.

ICT Europe’s role is vital in this respect. Along with a large coalition of human rights organizations ICT Europe is dedicated to make headway in urging different political entities in Europe to take an active part in the non-violent freedom struggle of Tibetan people. None of this would have been possible without the support of thousands of supporters and friends. We believe in working together, learning from each other, and forging new alliances for Tibet. This is future of ICT Europe and we want to thank everyone who worked with us in 2002.We hope that many will support our work in the future.

Tsering Jampa
Director

Government Outreach

In 2002, ICT Europe continued to seek active supporters for Tibet in both the European Union and the respective national governments. ICT Europe worked especially closely with the Envoy of His Holiness the Dalai Lama for European Affairs, pursuing the appointment of an EU Special Representative for Tibetan Affairs. ICT Europe’s legislative efforts focused on securing the necessary budget within the European Union for this office. In its European Union outreach, ICT Europe maintained its priority on promoting dialogue between the representative of the Dalai Lama and the Chinese leadership. In September 2002, when renewed contacts were established between the two parties, ICT Europe worked effectively to secure a joint declaration by EU and the associated countries Cyprus, Malta and Turkey in which they welcomed the visit of the Tibetan delegation to China and Tibet. Over the year, ICT Europe continued to monitor EU-China human rights dialogue and urged the Commission to conduct a meaningful review of effectiveness of the dialogue. ICT Europe also brought information about deteriorating human rights violations in Tibet directly to the European Union Presidency. ICT Europe kept its focus on emphasizing the national governments, including Sweden, Switzerland, Germany, United Kingdom and Denmark, the importance of raising the human rights violations in Tibet in their bilateral- dialogues with China.

Parliamentarian Initiative
As in previous years, ICT Europe continued to enjoy an excellent advisory relationship with the Tibet Intergroup of the European Parliament. ICT Europe was regularly invited to the European Parliament to brief the parliamentarians on various issues, including the human rights situation in Tibet. In March, a delegation from the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), led by Ragdi, the Chairman of TAR, visited the European Parliament. ICT Europe was invited to an unprecedented meeting between parliamentarians and the Chinese delegation and had the opportunity to speak about the situation in Tibet with the senior Tibetan leaders in Tibet Autonomous Region.

In July 2002, the Envoy for European Affairs, Kelsang Gyaltsen and ICT Europe were invited to give briefings to the European parliamentarian delegation that visited Tibet and China on a fact-finding mission. ICT Europe also prepared comprehensive briefing papers for the parliamentarian delegation. In July, the Intergroup for Tibet introduced a budget line to amend the Commission’s budget and allow for the creation of a European Special Representative for Tibet. Two months later, the European Parliament adopted this budget line. In November, ICT Europe co-organized with the Bureau du Tibet, Brussels, and the Tibet Intergroup a European Parliamentarian Conference on Tibet. In its recommendations, the Conference participants urged the European Council and the EU to adopt a proactive policy for Tibet. Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche, Prime Minister of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile, gave a keynote speech at the Conference. In December, ICT Europe and Bureau du Tibet, Brussels, worked together to have the European Parliament pass a resolution condemning China for sentencing Buddhist teacher, Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, and his aid, Lobsang Dhondup, to death.

United Nations
In 2002, ICT Europe worked intensively at the 58th United Nations Commission on Human Rights in Geneva and believes that the Commission continues to be a vital forum for interacting with governments from all over the world. During the Commission, ICT Europe worked closely with the Tibetan Government in Exile’s UN team to build support from, and relationships with, the delegates of the Commission. An unprecedented number of governments raised the human rights situation in Tibet in their oral statements. ICT Europe’s Executive Director also addressed the Commission, highlighting the deteriorating human rights situation in Tibet. In other UN forums, ICT Europe sent urgent appeals to the UN Special Rapporteur on Housing Rights for his intervention to stop the Chinese authorities from demolishing traditional Tibetan buildings of historical importance in Lhasa. ICT Europe participated in the European Preparatory Conferences on World Summit on Sustainable Development. These conferences were preparatory meetings to the UN Conference on Sustainable Development, which took place in August 2002 in South Africa. As China blocked the ICT’s accreditation to the WSSD, ICT participated as a member of an accredited NGO.

Campaigns

Political Prisoners
In 2002, ICT Europe continued to campaign on behalf of political prisoners, especially the Panchen Lama, Ngawang Sangdrol and Gyaltsen Drolkar. Also, ICT Europe welcomed the early releases of several high profile political prisoners, including Takna Jigme Sangpo, Ngawang Choephel, Ngawang Sangdrol and Ngawang Choekyi. These prisoners had their sentences reduced by between three and 12 years. In March, ICT Europe co-organised a successful European tour of two Drapchi nuns, Passang Lhamo and Choeying Kunsang. Their trip generated significant political, public and media awareness on the Tibetan issue. The two nuns visited nine European countries and also testified at the 58th UN Human Rights Commission in Geneva.

In 2002, the campaign to secure the release of the young Panchen Lama remained one of ICT Europe’s key priorities. ICT Europe produced an exhibition on the history of the Panchen Lama lineage, China’s kidnap of the 11th Panchen Lama in 1995, and the ongoing search for his whereabouts. This exhibition was premiered in Graz, Austria, where His Holiness the Dalai Lama gave a Kalachakra initiation to over 10,000 people from 70 countries. The exhibition generated an immense level of awareness about the Chinese Government’s efforts to subvert the Tibetan Buddhist identity. The exhibition also highlighted that the continued detention of the young Panchen Lama has far reaching consequences for the Tibetan people and their cultural and religious heritage. ICT’s film ‘Tibet’s Stolen Child’ was screened in English, German and French. Over 10,000 Panchen Lama Kits were distributed at the event. ICT Europe also conducted an intensive campaign for the release of the Panchen Lama in Eastern Europe and Baltic countries, screening “Tibet’s Stolen Child” to wide audiences and distributing over 15,000 Panchen Lama Kits.

Religious Freedoms
Monitoring and protecting religious freedom in Tibet continues to be ICT Europe’s major priorities. In 2002, ICT Europe exposed the news of a crackdown in Kardze, Eastern Tibet, where 15 people had been arrested, including Tenzin Delek Rinpoche. In December, ICT Europe sent urgent appeals to the President of the European Union, the European Parliament, and the UN Special Rapporteur on Religion and Belief, calling for the condemnation of the passing of death sentences on Tenzin Delek Rinpoche and his aid, Lobsang Dhundup, by the Chinese authorities.

Economic Campaign
Since its founding, ICT Europe has worked with other Tibet groups campaigning for the Tibetan people’s right to influence economic developments in their country. In 2002, ICT Europe and the Uighur People’s Association challenged Shell at their Annual General Meeting on 23 April. The management faced questions from representatives of the above two organizations affected by Shell’s unethical global operations. In response to questions about the West-East pipeline, Royal Shell Executives were unable to give specific examples of how Shell would guarantee that the indigenous Uighur population of East Turkistan would benefit from their project in that country. The Petro-China executives claim that the Tibet pipeline and the West-East pipeline, both of which they operate, will be connected in the future. Petro-China is a 90 per cent state-owned company responsible for exploiting Tibet’s natural resources.

Chinese Theme Park
In 2002, for the third time, plans for a massive Chinese Theme Park have surfaced in the Netherlands. The Chinese Government in cooperation with the local municipality plan to develop a theme park in southern Netherlands, bordering Belgium and Germany, in tribute to China’s history and culture, including Tibet. ICT Europe and Tibet Support Group Netherlands met with the local government and voiced their concerns about the theme park, which would depict the Potala Palace as an integral part of China. The coalition will continue the campaign against the creation of this park in 2003.

Publications

In 2002, ICT Europe published three issues of the Dutch language newsletter, Tibet Journaal to its members in The Netherlands. Tibet Journaal is the largest circulated newsletter of its category in The Netherlands and has established a name for itself among Tibet supporters in the country. Circulation increased to over 40.000 in 2002. Also, ICT Europe regularly contributed news items to the Tibet Press Watch (TPW), which is published by ICT in the United States. In 2002, ICT Europe produced an exhibition featuring the ongoing search for Panchen Lama, which was first premiered in Graz during the Kalachakra initiations by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. This exhibition, depicting ICT’s advocacy and campaign work, will be used as a tool in our ongoing campaign to free the Panchen Lama.

ICT-Germany

Since November 2001 when the ICT Board decided to open an office in Germany, ICT Europe began preparing the groundwork for the establishment ICT-Germany. A year later, in November 2002, ICT-Germany was born and began its initial work by conducting meetings with the German politicians and members of human rights NGOs in Berlin. The primary objective of ICT Germany is to mobilize public and government support and sympathy for the Tibetan people in Germany and German speaking countries. ICT-Germany staff includes Gudrun Henne, Director, and Dechen Pemba, Campaign Coordinator.

Light of Truth Award

In October 2002, for the first time in Europe, ICT held its Light of Truth award during Kalachakra Initiations by His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Graz. His Holiness presented the award to two distinguished European individuals, Heinrich Harrer and the late Petra Kelly, for their steadfast support for Tibet. ICT Europe cohosted the event, during which ICT Europe presented the Panchen Lama exhibition.

Coalition Building

In 2002, ICT Europe continued to work with a number of human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch Europe, International Federation of Human Rights, Reporters Without Boarders, as well as the International Tibet Support Network. ICT Europe staff also supported other Tibet organizations by participating in a variety of international initiatives, including meeting with the International Olympic Committee. While realizing the importance of strategic partnerships, ICT Europe has been working especially with Human Rights NGO Contact Group, based in Brussels, on our European Union initiatives.

ICT Europe in the Media

In 2002, ICT Europe set out to strengthen press contacts and awareness of its political and campaign work. During the year, ICT Europe’s activities and campaigns received significant medias coverage, particularly its reporting of the death sentences imposed on Tenzin Delek Rinpoche and Lobsang Dhondup in December. ICT Europe staff appeared on BBC, Dutch National Radio World Service, Dutch National Television, Voice of America Tibetan Service, Radio Free Asia Tibet and other European newspapers.

www.savetibet.org

In 2002, ICT Europe improved its portion of the website www.savetibet.org in order to efficiently provide information about our work to our members, governments and the public at large. The ICT website now includes ICT Europe’s financial statements and annual reports. In 2003, ICT Europe will continue to look for innovative ways to update the website so as to provide up-to-date information and encourage our members and others to support and join our campaigns online.

Membership

ICT Europe’s membership has been steadily growing from 15,000 in 2001 to above 22,000 in 2002, making ICT Europe as the largest Tibet-oriented membership organization in Europe. Through effective direct mail campaigns, ICT Europe reaches members with up-to-date changes in legislative and human rights issues directly effecting Tibetans. Over the year, ICT Europe has been actively mobilizing members to take action on behalf of Tibetan political prisoners. In 2002, the majority of ICT Europe’s revenue came from individual donations. A small amount of funding was received from foundations. In 2003, ICT Europe will introduce several new membership initiatives, including the high donor program.

Financial condition

ICT Europe Staff

• Tsering Jampa, Executive Director
• Myra de Rooy, Membership Coordinator
• Susan Mizrahi, Program Coordinator
• Maureen Nelson, Program Coordinator
• Rutger Brouwer, Program Assistant

ICT Europe Board of Directors

• Mr. Richard Gere, Chairman
• Mr Lodi Gyari, Vice Chairman
• Mr. John Ackerly, Treasurer
• Ms. Chungdak Koren, Board Member
• Dr. Prof. Jan Andersson, Board Member
• Dr. Michael van Walt van Praag, Board Member
• Ms. Tsering Jampa, Board Member

International Board of Advisors

• International Board of Advisors
• The Honorable Rodrigo Carazo Odio
• Mr. Harrison Ford
• The Honorable Hideaki Kase
• Mrs. Kerry Kennedy Cuomo
• Dr. Jeane Kirkpatrick
• The Honorable Bernard Kouchner
• The Honorable Vytauas Landsbergis
• Dr. Fang Lizhi
• Mrs. Mairead Maguire
• Mr. Aryeh Neier
• Mrs. Jetsun Pema
• The Honorable Adolfo Perez Esquivel
• Dr. Jose Ramos-Horta
• The Honorable Rabi Ray
• Professor Samdong Rinpoche
• The Venerable Sulak Sivaraska
• Mrs. Yukita Sohma
• Bishop Desmond Tutu
• The Right Honorable Lord Weatherill
• Dr. Elie Wiesel

You can download the PDF version of the 2002 Annual Report here.

International Campaign for Tibet | 1825 Jefferson Place NW | Washington, DC | 20036 | United States of America
Phone: (202) 785-1515 | Fax: (202) 785-4343 | info@savetibet.org

ICT Europe | Vijzelstraat 77 | 1017HG Amsterdam | The Netherlands
Phone: +31 (0)20 3308265 | Fax: +31 (0)20 3308266 | icteurope@savetibet.org

ICT Deutschland e.V. | Schönhauser Allee 163 | 10435 Berlin | Germany
Phone: +49 (0)30 27879086 | Fax: +49 (0)30 27879087 | ict-d@savetibet.org

ICT Brussels | 11, rue de la linière | 1060 Brussels | Belgium
Phone: +32 (0)2 609 44 10 | Fax: +32 (0)2 609 44 32 | ict-eu@savetibet.org