THE TRANS-HIMALAYAN MARCH

CROSSING THE INDIAN HIMALAYAS BETWEEW DHARAMSALA (INDIA) TO LEH (Ladakh - INDIA)

FROM JUNE 15 TO AUGUST 3 2002

In support of the tibetan cause

"To accept with resignation is to encourage violence,.

tolerate the unacceptable

and sit idly by instead of reacting"

Tensin Gyatso,14th Dalai-Lama

Contact:

Association TRANS-HIMALAYENNE

Mr Benjamin LISAN

16, rue del… Fontaine du But - 75018 PARIS, FRANCE

Tel: + 33 1 42 62 49 65 / + 33 6 16 55 09 84

e-mail : benjamin,lisan@free.fr

web site : ww.chez.com/transhimalayenne

http:/trans-himalayenne.ifrance.com

CONTEXTS (summary)

1 Presentation of the project 3

2 Why this protest march? 4

2.1 An ecological catastrophe

2.2 The destruction of an artistic and religions heritage

2.3 The destruction of tibetan language and culture

2.4 The economic and demographic colonisation of Tibet by the Chinese

3 The Trans-Himalayan association 6

4 The organisation of the march 7

5 The programme 8

6 Budget 11

7 Offers of collaboration? 12

1 - PRESENTATION 0F THE PROJECT

The thousands of testimonies of the past and present situation in Tibet can only sadden and distress us. In spite of the. Heavy censorship China has tried to maintain since it invaded the country, in, 1950, it is clear that what is happening there is much worse than what happened in Eastern Timor.

CAN WE ALLOW A CIVILISATION TO DISAPPEAR, with its central message of non-violence?

Can we accept the transformation of Tibet into a chinese colony at the expense of a people who settled there more than a thousand years ago ?

Can we tolerate the violent loss of l/6th of the population between 1950 and

2000 without the slightest international reaction ?

No, we can't, even if the usual Cassandras claim that Tibet is a hopeless cause That is why we have thought up this protest march for a martyrized people by those who do care.

Having taken part in the Transalpine for Tibet in the summer of 2000,several of us want to renew the experience in the Himalayas. The march will cross the ancient kingdom of LADAKH, in northern India. It will testify in the media to the abuse of Human Rights in Tibet, the disappearance of the ecosystems and wild life of the region, the destruction of a thousand year old civilisation and the plundering of both religious and mineral treasures. The march has no specifically religious significance, Buddhist or otherwise. It stands

for republican values(human rights, self-determination, etc),the idea of human solidarity, of support for ail peaceful civilisations that respect those of other peoples and for endangered ecosystems. The aim of the march is not to break records. On the contrary its ambition is to provide an opportunity for exchanges between the marchers and local populations encountered on our way,

The tibetan Trans-Himalayan will set out from DHARAMSALA on June 15

2002 and arrive at LEH on August 3 via Manali and Yabook. It is open to men

and women of ail creeds, "colours" or cultures who care about peace and are ready to face the difficulties of-climate and terrain in a spirit of solidarity and tolerance as regards the way of life, standards of hygiene and geopolitical circumstances of the countries and regions through which we shall pass.

It aims to renew the experience of the tibetan Transalpine march. We wish to demonstrate our friendship and solidarity with the Tibetans. The marchers, no more than 28 or 30 for reasons of security, l4/15 westerners and an many Tibetans will be accompanied by several local guides.

2 - why this protest march ?

The march aims to attract the attention of international authorities and opinion to :

- the development of an (enormous ecologic catastrophe in Tibet over the last 40 years

- the destruction of Tibet's artistic and religions heritage

- the likely short term disappearance (5 to 10 year at the most) of the Tibetan language and civilisation

- the economic colonisation of Tibet by the Chinese over last 50 years or or so, to the detriment of the original tibetan population.

- the measures adopted to implement this giving rise to legitimate concerns, on

the part of international authorities, about the repeated Human Rights violation.

2.1. An ecological catastrophe

Scientists know all about the destruction of Himalayan forests from Antiquity towards, archeological excavations in NEPAL, for instance, have shown that many now barren valleys were covered with forest in the Middle Age. In the‚ particular case of Tibet, however, thanks to the influence of tantric buddhist philosophy on ail levels of feudal society from the‚ Early Middle age on, and because of certain taboos, a preoccupation with the conservation of all forms of life contributed to the protection of wild life and forests (Cf H. HARRER's Seven Years in Tibet).

Unfortunately, since the Chinese invasion, the destruction of these forests has accelerated and, by 1993,more than 40% of the primary forest(mature trees) had been cut down. This has caused devastating floods in BANGLADESH (and in CHINA itself) and the inevitable erosion of land in TIBET(Tibet Environment Development Eco-Tibet-France,1993). 85 % at the present time, Tibet 1s essentially a barren, steppe-like region with a fragile ecosystem.

Disastrous, indiscriminate agricultural experiments, massive Chinese immigration and unregulated hunting have also resulted in the destruction of its rarer forms of wild life: wild yaks, tibetan donkeys and antelopes, Argali sheep, mountain panthers and leopards and certain varieties of crane.

Similarly, indiscriminate exploitation of the country abundant material resources (chromit, coal, oil, zinc, lead, copper, ,sold ,uranium, lithium) formerly protected by religious taboo, and the stockpiling of military and civil nuclear waste, in defiance of international regulations, have a serious impact on the environment, for example the pollution of tibetan and asian rivers by heavy metal and radioactivity. The recent discovery of large oil deposits, in Tibet, exploited by BP and Chinese immigrants, is particularly worrying.

2.2 The destruction of Tibet's artistic and religion heritage

Before 1949, TIBET, one of the world's rare theocracies, was governed bv

the country's religious hierarchy. Wealthy, influential monasteries contained extraordinary artistic treasures. An early as 1953, the Chineses shut down and abandoned most of the religious sites,

Then the cultural revolution destroyed more than 6000 monasteries as well as their libraries, causing irreparable damage the country's literary and religious heritage.

After 1979, it is true, CHINA restored 13 monasteries and the POTALA (the Dalai-Lama' s former seat) essentially for tourist reasons, a great many frescoes and other works of art have disappeared and most have been impossible to restore because of the suppression of the class of monastic artists.

2.3 The Disappearance of the tibetan language and culture

80 % of Tibetans are illiterate. At primary school, the teaching of tibetan is discouraged and chinese offers the sole access to higher education. Ail administrative tasks are carried out in chinese. It has been noted that most recent young refuge es from TIBET speak only chinese (Tibet in Exile, between myth and reality, Pierre-Yves GINET, Editions Golias, 2000).

The chinese government has made the teaching of Buddhism impossible, i.e¯ the very foundation of tibetan society. In 1999, at LHASSA, Chen KuJ-yuan, Secretary of the Tibetan Communist Party, claimed that "buddhism is a foreign Import from India and the idea that “tibetan culture is buddhist is absurd", thus contradicting 1000 years of buddhism in TIBET.

The loss of a language constitutes a loss, for humanity, of another way of

thinking, another point of view and a different conception of the universe

intimately linked to that language.

2.4 The economic and demographic colonisation of TIBET by the Chinese

It is difficult, when speaking of TIBET, not to at least touch on the delicate question of politics. As is the case at the School for mountain guides in LHASSA, ail the key posts, both in tibetan companies and the administration are held by the Chinese. By discrimination and bribes, chinese students are privileged in higher education. The poverty of Tibetans is on the increase as is the already large number of beggars in LHASSA and the larger towns. The Chinese are allowed to confiscate tibetan businesses and even the best commercial tourist sites.

Access to medical treatment is expensive for Tibetans who have to pay from

800 to 1000 yuans before admittance to a hospital whereas, for the Chineses, such services are free. More than 55% of Tibetan suffer from malnutrition often causing backwardness. CHINA has undertaken substantial transfers of population which have resulted in the Tibetan becoming a minority in their own country. Today there are 5.8 million Tibetans as against 7,5 million Chineses : in 1949, there were 7 million Tibetans and only 10000 Chinese. A part of

this demographic policy, tibetan women are subjected to a strict system of birth control and are sometimes victims of enforced sterilisation.

3 - The Trans-Himalayan Association

Based at “6 rue Fontaine du But”, in the 18th arrondissement of PARIS ,it is a non profit-making organisation ("association loi 190l") whose vocation is to aid TIBET through initiatives in the fields of sport and culture and in social and humanitarian terms.

The executive committee is composed as follows;

President M. Benjamin LISAN, a French national and a computer science executive Born the 09/07/55 at TANANARIVE (Madagascar). Address : l6,rue de la fontaine du but, 75018 PARIS

A vice-president : M. Michel ASSAILLIT, French national, alpine Guide, b. 19/10/61 at PERPIGNAN. Address :Le Plan Envers,74660 VALLORCINE.

A General secretary : M. Alexandre BELLE, French national, student, b. 13/4/76 at SURESNES (92). Address:24 rue des Tennis 75018 PARIS

A Treasurer : Suzanne CHASSEUIL, French national, pensioner. b. 24/4/38 in PARIS Address: 3 rue Bizet 91240 SAINT MICHEL SUR ORGES.

4 - Organisation of the march

There will be some 28 marchers, 14 Westerners and 14 Tibetans accompanied by

2 local guides. We undertake to pay fair rates for all services rendered by the local populations.

The emphasis mil be on simplicity of organisation, solidarity, fraternity, keeping costs as low as possible for obvious reasons(the expedition wouldn't be feasible otherwise) .the marchers' autonomy, the humanitarian aspect and security Organisation must be a team effort and show solidarity both as regards the Tibetans and the Westerners who support or take part in the march.

From a logistic point of view, we plan to designate specific posts of responsibility for :

- the financial aspect

- relations with the ambassies of the country concerned

- supplies (the buying and cooking of foodstuffs)

- accomodation

- transport (the hiring of half tracks and four wheel drive vehicules, drivers,

- provision of fuel supplies, spare parts, pracksaddle animals)

-security and the cleaning up of sites

It is also planned to have a doctor and nurse accompany the group to take

care of the pharmacy, including for the animals.

5 - The programme

The march has been prepared by Sonam DHONDUP who will coordinate the project on the Indian side and Tsering DORJEE who has considerable experience organising treks,

The route runs from the very fertile valley of KULLU to the steep and barren region of LADAKH which is only accessible by road from the KASHMIR side. Nestling at the foor of snowbound summits, DHARAMSALA, our starting point, is the seat of the Tibetan government in exile. The present government headquarters is at GANGCHEN KYISHONG, some 4 kms north of DHARAMALA.

. Wednesday morning, June 12 departure flight from PARIS Roissy - Charles de Gaulle airport, for the French participants, arriving in DELHI in the evening and spending night at MANUJU-KA TILLA, the tibetan quarter of DELHI,

. Thursday June 13;departure by bus at 6 p.m. from MANUJU-KA TILLA (Delhi) to DHARAMSALA (15 hours journey, arriving at 10 a. m.)

. Friday June 14 : rest day at DHARASALA.

. Saturday June 15 : departure by bus at 8 a.m. from DHARAMSALA( 13 57m) for SIDBARI. Visit of the monastery of GYUTO, the seat of the KARMAPA. Bus journey continues from SIDBARI to PALAMPUR, arriving at 6 p.m. or thereabouts. Evening meal at the monastery of SFERAB LING(director: Tai Sitou Rinpoche).

The rest of the programme takes possible delays and rerouting into account.

From DHARAMSALA to MANALI :

Day 1/5 - Rest day at BIR and visit to monastery (16/6)

Day 2/6 - 5 h march from BIR to BILLING (2600 m) (17/6)

Day 3/7 - 6 h march from BILLIKG to PALCHAK (18/6)

Day 4/8 - 6 h march from PALCHAK to PANIHARTU (3600m) (19/6)

Day 5/9 - 7 h march from PANIHARTU to MARH via the THAMSER PASS (4700m) (20/6)

Day 6/10 - 5 h march from MARH to BARA BHANGAL (254O m) (21/6)

Day 7/11 - Rest day at BARA BHANGAL (22/6)

Day 8/12 - 6 h march from BARA BHANGAL to DALMARH (23/6)

Day 9/13 - 6 h march from DAWARH to LAMBAPAR (3150 m) (24/6)

Day 10/14 - 7 h march from LAMBAPAR to DAMKO THACH (25/6)

Day 11/15 - 7 h from DANKO THACH to SHANGOR via the KATIHHANI PASS (4600 m) (26/6)

Day 12/16 - 5 h march from SHAWGOR to RIYALI (27/6)

Day 13/17 - S h march from RIYALI to MANALI (28/6)

Day 14/18 - Rest day at MANALI (29/6).

From MANALI to YABOOK :

Day 15/19 - 6 h march from MANALI to KOTHl (2455m) (30/6)

Day 16/20 - 7 h march from KOTHI to GRAMPHII via the ROHTAN PASS (3978m) (1/7)

Day 17/21 - 6 h march from GRAMPHU to CHATRU (3400 m) (2/7)

Day 18/22 - 6 h march from CHATRU to CHOTA DARA(3800 m) (3/7)

Day 19/23 - 7 h march from C"OTA DARA to BATAL(4030 m) (4/7)

Day 20/24 - BATAL to lake CHANDRATAL via the KUZOM PASS (4551m) (5/7)

Day 21/25 - Rest day on the banks of Lake CHANDRATAL (6/7).

Day 22/26 - 7 h march from Lake CNANDRATAL to the TOKPO YONGA river (4400m) (7/7)

Day 23/27 - 7 h from the TOKPO YONGMA river to the TOKPO GONGMA r. (4700 m) (8/7)

Day 24/28 - 6 h march from TOKPO GONGMA to the BARALACHA PASS (4890m) (9/7)

Day 25/29 - 5 h march from the BARALACHA PASS to KELANG SARAI (4600 m) (10/7)

Day 26/30 - 7 h march from KELANG SARAI to SARCHU (4253 m) (11/7)

Day 27/31 - 7 h march from SARCHU to BRANDY NALLAH (3950 m) (12/7)

Day 28/32 - 6 h march from BRANDY NALLAH/TAKH to TSO MESIK (13/7)

Day 29/33 - 6 h march from TSO MESIK to the base camp of MORANG LA (14/7)

Day 30/34 - 7 h march from the base camp(5300 m) to LUN / YABOOK (15/7).

Day 31/35 - Rest day at YABOOK (16/7).

From YABOOK to LEH :

Day 32/36 - 6 h march from YABOOK to LUNGMO CHE (4550 m) (17/7)

Day 33/37 - 6-7 h march from lungmo Che to DAT (4200 m) (18/7)

Day 34/38 - 6 h march from DAT to SORRA (4200 m) (19/7)

Day 35/39 - 6 h from SORRA to LANG THANG CHU via ZALUNG KARPO LA(5100 m) (20/7)

Day 36/40 - 6-7 h march from LANG THANG CHU to HANKAR SUMDO(4460 m) (21/7)

Day 37/41 - 5-6 h march from HANKAR SUMDO to NIMALING (5100 m) (22/7)

Day 38/42 - Rest day at NIMALING (23/7)

Day .39/43 - 7 h from NIMALING to SHANG SUMDO via KONG MARU LAC (5150m) (24/7)

Day 40/44 - 6 h march from SHANG SUMDO to HEMIS (25/7)

Day 41/45 - 6-7 h march from HEMIS to THISKEY (26/7)

Day 42/46 - 6 h march from THISKEY to CHOGLAMSAR (27/7)

Day 43/47 - Rest day at GHCGLAMSAR with visit to the monastery of SPITUK and

the tibetan camp of AGLING (28/7)

Day 44/48 - 1 h march from CHOGLANSAR to LEH(3523m) (29/7).

Day 45/49 - For those who feel up to it, ascent to the KHARDUNG LA pass (5602m) where we shall raise the Tibetan flag. The site is 25 km from LEH and a bus will be used

if we run out of time. Rest day for the others (30/7).

Day 46/50 - the day will be spending coming down from the pass. Rest day for the others with the possibility of a visit (31/7).

Day 47/51 - Bus from LEH to MANALI (1/8)

Day 48/52 - Rest day at the Central Tibetan School at MAMALI (2/8)

Day 49/53 - Rest day at MANALI (3/8)

Day 50/54 – Night bus from MANALI to DELHI, spending the day at the POTOLA hotel (Manuju-ka Tilla) (4/8)

Day 51/55 - Rest day or 1st security day (5/8)

Day 52/56 - Rest day or 2nd security day (6/8)

Day 53/57 - Rest day or 3rd security day (7/8)

Day 54/58 - Rest day or 4th security day (8/8)

Day 55/59 - Rest day or 5th security day. Return flight to France.

6 - BUDGET in euros

Approximate estimation on the basis of 24-30 marchers and / 45-50 days of walk (in Euros), non inclusive of group and individual equipment. These amounts could change.

6.1. TRANSPORT

1. Taxi from the airport to the Potala hotel(Manuju-katila, Delhi) 122 € (800 FF)

2. Bus from Delhi to Dharamsala 412 € (2700 FF)

3. Bus (Delux) from Dharamsala to Bir 427 € (2700 FF)

4. Lorry from Bir to Manali with luggage, food and equipment 610 € (4000 FF)

5. Taxi/jeep/lorry from Manali to Leh (food & equipment) 503€ (3300 FF)

6. Emergency taxi 305 € (2000 FF)

7. Bus from Le h to Manali 823 € (5400 FF)

8. Bus from Manali to Delhi 412 € (2700 FF)

9. Unforeseen expenses 381 € (2500 FF)

Total budget for transport in India (30 marchers) 3933€ (25800 FF)

6.2 ACCOMODATION

1. Delhi (l day) 381 € (2500 FF)

2. Dharamsala (2 days) 686 € (4500 FF)

3. Bir (2 nights) 152 € (45O0 FF)

4. Manali (2 days) 762 € (5000 FF)

5. Leh (2 days) 839 € (5500 FF)

6. Unforeseen expenses 183 € (1200 FF)

Total budget for accommodation (30 marchers) 3049 € (20000 FF)

6.3 SUPPLIES

1. Mules (hire of 15 mules for 50 days) 7620 € (50000 FF)

2. Food 1143 € (75000 FF)

3. Personnel(2 guides,1 cook,1 mule driver) 5031€ (33000 FF)

4. Unforeseen expenses 229 € (1500 FF)

Total budget for supplies 24849 € (163000 FF)

Total budget for the march 31862 € (50000 FF)

Total budget per person on the basis of 30 marchers 1022 € (6700 FF)

Maximum per marcher : 1372 € (9000 FF)

For the Westerners: return flight Paris-Delhi, per person 610 € (4000 FF)

Total budget per person, flight included, for the Westerners 1555 € (10200 FF)

Maximum per marcher : 1982 € (13000 FF)

Budget for video : 3050 € (20000FF)

7 - Offers of collaboration ?

Helping the Trans Himalayan means linking your naine or that of your asso-

ciation to an initiative in human solidarity which will inevitably have repercussions in the public at large.

You can help us in different ways, for instance in promoting a press campaign to announce the event several months before the march takes place and to accompany 11 from beginning to end(some 50 days), We need to find journalists and newspapers likely to support us and therefore the tibetan cause.

A documentary will be produced by a journalist taking part in the marc

we very urgently need a cameraman, preferably a digital specialist, as well as a sound engineer.

We intend to keep a "log book" of our march with a view to publication

when we return to France and therefore to establish contacts with certain

publishers before we leave.

We also need financial support, of course, and to find sponsors. Everybody

can help. Annual subscriptions to the Association are currently 20 Euros.

We need technical cooperation as well, notably in the form of the type of

equipment required for such an expedition: 2 months or so in somewhat arduous climatic and other conditions necessitate high quality material (See the marcher's dossier for examples.).

Other needs : medecine for the march and for the dispensaries in LADAKH and

ZANSKAR.

Likewise, a several doctors to accompany the marchers.

Educational equipment for the schools in LADAKH and ZANSHAR.

An English-French and French-English translation of the marchers' dossiers in we need also to establish a permanent link between the Tibetan bureau in Paris and the government in exile.

A permanent link, too, with the other tibetan associations in France in particular with the 30 or more associations which currently support the cause of Tibet in France with nearly 5000 members.

A permanent anglophone link with the principal tibetan associations in India(TYC...);

And who can negociate for us a good repatriation insurance contract for the group.

Finally, we require certain reliable means of portable communication (beacon mobile phones/satellite pager, etc.., ).

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR HELP / CONTRIBUTION.