International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) and Initiatives for China jointly held a press conference on March 9 to launch the release of the book Saffron Flames: The Voice of the Tibetans. The editors of the book, Drs. YANG Jianli and HAN Lianchao of Initiatives for China, called for more attention from the international community towards human rights abuses committed against Tibetans by the Chinese Communist Party government.
Saffron Flames: The Voice of the Tibetans is a collection of essays and comments by Chinese writers and human rights activists as well as news coverage of the Tibetan self-immolations, the positions of Western countries, and commentary by a few prominent Tibetans in exile. The book also includes articles published in the official Chinese media.
Written in Chinese and English, the book covers reactions from different sources on the subject. Dr Yang noted, “We hoped to help the reader have a broader view and to think more comprehensively about Tibetan self-immolation and about the nature of the Tibetan issue as a whole.” (Click here to read Dr. Yang’s speech)
Dr. Han Lianchao expressed that editing this book is a “saddening, painful but humbling experience.” In Dr. Han’s speech, he appealed “to the Chinese Communist Party, the Chinese government and [his] fellow ethnic Han Chinese, not to take the Tibetan people for granted, and not to take their benevolence and kindness for granted; leave them alone to take care their own business; give back their land, home, culture, religion, language; give back their autonomy, dignity and freedom; and most importantly give back their beloved Dalai Lama and let him return to his homeland.”
During the press conference, books were distributed to the audience by donations. Donations and proceeds from sales of Saffron Flames will be used to sponsor a child from the Tibetan Children’s Village in Dharamsala, India.
President of International Campaign for Tibet, Mary Beth Markey; vice president, Bhuchung Tsering; President of Eisenhower Foundation, Alan Curtis attended this book release.