Dear President Ueberroth and Secretary General Scherr,
We, the undersigned, are deeply concerned that the International Olympic Committee and the organizers of the Beijing 2008 Olympics are continuing with plans to carry the Olympic torch through Tibet despite the recent widespread protests and the current military crackdown in Tibet.
Reports from Tibet indicate that the Chinese authorities have arrested hundreds of Tibetans since March 10th, 2008, and killed 140 people. It is unthinkable that the Olympic torch could be paraded through Tibet when the entire region is on military lockdown and the population is being brutally suppressed. Furthermore, carrying the torch through Tibet in this tense climate is likely to provoke more protests and another heavyhanded response from the Chinese authorities, leading to further imprisonment, torture, and even loss of life for Tibetans.
Almost 1.5 million people worldwide have taken action online in support of Tibet since March 10th. Citizens around the world are looking to National Olympic ommittees for leadership to ensure that the Olympic values are not irreparably tarnished in the upcoming Games. When you meet with the International Olympic Committee Executive Board on April 10th, please ensure that all Tibetan areas, including the Tibet Autonomous Region and Tibetan areas of Qinghai, Sichuan, Yunnan, and Gansu, are withdrawn from the Beijing Olympic Torch Relay route.
