The Rt Hon Gordon Brown MP
10 Downing Street
London SW1A 2AA
United Kingdom

Dear Prime Minister,

I am writing to ask you to take a leading role in ensuring that the grave situation in Tibet is raised with China’s President Hu Jintao at the G-20 summit on 2 April.

As you will be aware, Tibet is currently under de facto martial law, as China attempts to quell unrest. Given the levels of security, the fact that there have nevertheless been at least eight protests since January is nothing short of extraordinary, and a graphic illustration of the deep-seated frustrations of the Tibetan people, not only about their current situation, but about China’s failure to respond positively to the Dalai Lama’s efforts to secure a peaceful solution to the 60-year occupation of Tibet.

At this sensitive time, when Tibetans in Tibet of all ages are mourning the 50th anniversary of the Dalai Lama being forced to leave them for exile, the Chinese authorities are demonstrating that they learnt nothing from the protests last year, and – instead of respecting Tibetan wishes and traditions - are reinforcing their hard-line policies.

To prevent the bloodshed witnessed last year, it is essential the international community acts swiftly and in unison. The G-20 meeting is a vital opportunity to raise these issues directly with China’s President Hu Jintao. I call on you, individually and multilaterally, to do the following:

• Obtain a personal guarantee from President Hu Jintao at G-20 that disproportionate, including lethal, force will not be used against unarmed civilians in Tibet

• Call on President Hu Jintao to supply a list of the names and locations of more than 1,000 Tibetans who are still detained since last year's protests

• Call on President Hu Jintao to agree to the immediate resumption of substantive talks between the Chinese Government and envoys of the Dalai Lama

• Press President Hu Jintao to accede to the United Nations’ recent request for a “thorough and independent inquiry” into China’s excessive use of force including against peaceful protestors last spring, including reports of the shooting of at least 140 unarmed protesters and the detention of over 6,000 Tibetans.

Yours sincerely

[Your name]