Political Prisoners Movement of Tibet
Encyclopedia
The GuChuSum Political Prisoners Movement of Tibet is an organization of Tibetan exiles. Established on September 27, 1991, by self-designated former political prisoners, the words "Gu Chu Sum" stand for the numbers 9, 10 and 3, which mark three months in modern Tibetan history—September 1987, October 1987, and March 1988—, when major unrest were crushed in Lhasa
, the capital of Tibet
. It is one of four major NGOs of the Tibet-in-exile community. All 256 members of GuChuSum are former political prisoners.
to an international audience. The Movement also aims to educate the ex-political prisoners in exile with daily Tibetan, computer skills and English lessons and to give them medical care, economic assistance, food and housing in India. GuChuSum supports these activities with a restaurant and garment production center.
Lhasa
Lhasa is the administrative capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region in the People's Republic of China and the second most populous city on the Tibetan Plateau, after Xining. At an altitude of , Lhasa is one of the highest cities in the world...
, the capital of Tibet
Tibet Autonomous Region
The Tibet Autonomous Region , Tibet or Xizang for short, also called the Xizang Autonomous Region is a province-level autonomous region of the People's Republic of China , created in 1965....
. It is one of four major NGOs of the Tibet-in-exile community. All 256 members of GuChuSum are former political prisoners.
Aims
The aim of the organisation is to create awareness about "political prisoners" in Tibet and human rights violations in TibetHuman rights in Tibet
Human rights in Tibet are a contentious political issue.Pre-1950 Tibet has been described as a society in which the concept of human rights was unknown: it was ruled by a theocracy, beset by serfdorm and a form of slavery, had a caste-like social hierarchy, lacked a proper judicial system, enforced...
to an international audience. The Movement also aims to educate the ex-political prisoners in exile with daily Tibetan, computer skills and English lessons and to give them medical care, economic assistance, food and housing in India. GuChuSum supports these activities with a restaurant and garment production center.
Activities
- Providing food, shelter and healthcare for ex-political prisoners.
- Providing income to ex-political prisoners in India.
- Providing education for ex-political prisoners in India.
- Publishing a bi-monthly newsletter and the annual "Tibetan Envoy" magazine.
- Documenting high-profile political prisoners inside in Tibet.