Bombardier |
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Bombardier
Although Free Tibet Campaign failed in its efforts to persuade the Canadian company Bombardier to withdraw its bid to build carriages for the Gormo-Lhasa Railway, we did succeed in highlighting the company’s role in this “cultural genocide”.
When news reached us in 2006 that Bombardier was competing for a contract to supply Transport Initiatives for Edinburgh (TIE) with tram cars, supporters bombarded TIE with information about the Canadian company’s involvement in the controversial Gormo-Lhasa Railway.
Our involvement led to articles in the Edinburgh Evening News about the impacts of the Chinese railway project in general and about the TIE campaign.
Although Bombardier was considered a front runner when our campaign began in May 2006, their bid ultimately failed.
Bombardier confronted over support of "cultural genocide" in Tibet
Free Tibet Campaign and Students for a Free Tibet UK protested against Bombardier's support of what the Dalai Lama described as "cultural genocide" in Tibet (see below) at Infrarail 05, the annual railway industry trade fair held in Manchester between 14 and 16 September. Bombardier, a multi-national company with offices in the UK and a factory in Derbyshire, is contracted to supply railcars for China's Gormo-Lhasa railway.
For months Free Tibet Campaign and Students for a Free Tibet UK have tried to contact Bombardier's directors to explain their concern over the railway and urge the company to end their association with the project. However they have refused to respond and have dismissed all attempts at a constructive discussion.
At Infrarail 05, Yael Weisz-Rind of Free Tibet Campaign and Ben Martin of Students for a Free Tibet UK attempted to engage Bombardier's representatives in a dialogue about the Tibet railway. However upon identifying their affiliations both were escorted out of the hall by security guards. Another group of Tibet activists then began a noisy, non-violent protest at Bombardier's stall to illustrate Bombardier's disregard for Tibetans by assisting a project that will have disastrous effects for the Tibetan people. Two protestors performed a dramatic re-enactment of the railway by lying down on the floor with a mock railway on top of them, whilst a third member held a banner calling on Bombardier to withdraw from Tibet.
Bombardier's representatives, embarrassed by the protest which became the centre of attention at the fair, abandoned their stall and called for security to intervene. As the protestors were escorted away, they were approached by delegates expressing their support. During the course of the trade fair hundreds of postcards, condemning Bombardier's involvement in the project, were handed to delegates who were urged to hand them in to Bombardier's stand.
"It is crucial that the industry is aware of Bombardier's involvement in such a controversial and damaging project. Bombardier is ignoring core industry values in the pursuit of its own commercial interests," said Yael Weisz-Rind. Tibet campaigners also highlighted that Bombardier had broken its own Ethical Code by participating in a project that ignores social and corporate responsibility.
Free Tibet Campaign plans to escalate the pressure on Bombardier in the coming months. In recent years Bombardier UK has requested financial support from the UK Government, due to major financial and operational difficulties which have led to mass redundancies. Given its desire for public money it is inappropriate for Bombardier to work on projects that are morally unacceptable.