June update
TEAM celebrated its first anniversary on World Environment Day:
Tesi Environmental Awareness Movement (TEAM) commemorated its first anniversary on June 5, 2006, World Environment Day, with the students of the Tibetan Children's Village School in Suja. TEAM organised various environmental activities for the school children to mark the twin event. These included an essay and drawing competition and the screening of the film, "Kekexili: The Mountain Patrol", which is based on the real-life adventures of the now-disbanded Wild Yak Brigade of Tibet.
The topics for the essay and drawing contest were 'Environmental Degradation and Our Responsibilities' and 'Human Beings and their Environment' respectively. More than 100 students took part in the competition. Monetary prizes and Certificates of Excellence were awarded to the winning essays and drawings.
In the evening, about 500 students attended the screening of the film. Before the screening, Ugyen Tsephel, the TEAM's Research Officer, explained how World Environment Day came into being before introducing the film, the background of which is not clearly portrayed in the film itself. Thinley Norbu, the TEAM's Programme Director, spoke on the issue of environmental degradation and the need of environmental activism in the Tibetan community.
TEAM released its two new books:
On World Environment Day, TEAM also released its two new books in Tibetan: Pesticides are Poison and A Basic Introduction to Environment and Environmental Issues. Despite numerous efforts from the Central Tibetan Administration in the last five years on promoting organic farming, Tibetan farmers particularly cotton and ginger growers are using excessive pesticides unaware of the impacts of it on their health and environment. This book educates farmers on the environmental and health impacts of chemical pesticides and also dwells on the precautionary methods. The second book is meant for Tibetan children with basic introduction to environment and its related issues. It also has a section on how each individual can contribute in environmental protection by changing few behaviours of their lifestyle.
Talk at Sarah Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies:
TEAM's executive director, Ms Tsering Yangkey gave a talk to about 40 American students who were at Sarah Institute of Higher Studies for cultural exchange programme. Ms. Yangkey touched on the issue of general environmental problems of the world and how individuals should educate themselves, relate themselves with the problems and make certain changes in their lifestyles. Ms. Yangkey also spoke on the deteriorating environmental situation in the Tibetan community and how young Tibetans fall trap to consumerism and 'use & throw' culture. She also spoke on TEAM's vision of reviving ecological consciousness of the Tibetan people and various activities taken towards it.
TEAM screened "Kekexili: The Mountain Patrol"
TEAM also showed a film titled "Kekexili: The Mountain Patrol" to the Tibetan students of different Indian Universities, who were at Sarah Institute to study Tibetan language and Buddhist Philosophy. The film made by one Chinese, Lu Chuan, is based on the true story of the now disbanded "Wild Yak Brigade", a Tibetan volunteer group in Kekexili. The group was formed in 1992 by one Tibetan, Jeesang Sonam Dhargye to protect the Tibetan antelopes and natural resources of the Kekexili regions. In a year's time, Sonam Dhargye with his Tibetan volunteers made 12 patrols of Kekexili and captured poachers on eight occasions. On 18 January 1994, the group came upon 18 poachers with some 2000 Tibetan antelope skins. A gun battle ensued and Sonam Dhargye was killed during the encounter. He was just 40 at the time of his death. To continue Sonam Dhargye's conservation work, his brother-in-law, Dakpa Dorjee led the Wild Yak Brigade. In four years, the group arrested 250 suspected poachers and confiscated 3717 skins and pelts of various animals.
On 8 November 1998, Dakpa Dorjee was found dead from a gun shot at his home. He was 47. Although many believed that the death was plotted by poaches, it was ruled as a suicide case by the authorities. Unfortunately, after Sonam and Dakpa's death, the Wild Yak Brigade was disbanded and all efforts by their followers and remaining members to revive the patrol team have not been successful.
Translation of "Citizen's Guide to the World Commission on Dam" completed:
TEAM with the help of volunteer, Mr. Tenzin Gyaltsen, completed the Tibetan translation of 59-page documents brought out by the International Rivers Network. This document is a guide to the WCD's review of large dams worldwide and its recommendations. The WCD found that while dams have made an important and significant contribution to human development, in to many cases an unacceptable and often unnecessary price has been paid in social and environmental terms. The goal of this document is to ensure that the WCD recommendations and guidelines are more likely to be followed than not. This document also serves as tools for people's movement to pressure governments, companies and funding institutions to comply with the WCD recommendations. The Tibetan version is now in its editing process.
Lunch served for activists of Tibetan Volunteers for Animals
On the occasion of 15th day of Saga Dawa, 11 June 2006, TEAM served a simple lunch to more than 150 Tibetan activists of the TVA. TVA took out a procession promoting 'compassion to all forms of life' from the main temple to Gangchen Kyishong in Dharamsala.
Proposals writing:
TEAM has been writing proposals to receive fund for its various projects namely, Campaign Against the Usage of Endangered Species Products, Forming Eco-club and starting a Tradition of Environmental Activism in the Monastic community and doing a Preliminary Survey of the agricultural situation and forming an 'Organic Farmers' Forum' in the Tibetan settlements in South India Anyone interested to know more about these projects and wants to help, please contact us.
This is all and see you in August. In the meantime, take care and pray for our Mother Earth.
TEAM
Dharamsala