Free Tibet Campaign called today for a tourism boycott of China's politically motivated railway project in Tibet. The first commercial trips on the Golmud (Gormo)-Lhasa railway are planned to leave Beijing on 1 July 2006 (1) in the presence of China's leadership. The railway aims to consolidate China's control over occupied Tibet will have a destructive impact on Tibet and the Tibetan people (2). "This is, yet, another stage in China's plan to increase Han Chinese migration into Tibet, exploit Tibet's natural resources and further militarize the region" stated Yael Weisz-Rind of Free Tibet Campaign.

GW Travel, a British company, secured an exclusive contract with the Chinese authorities to promote the Golmud-Lhasa railway to Western tourists. Free Tibet Campaign has written to GW Travel informing them of the problematic and unethical aspects of the railway. "By promoting the railway GW Travel becomes complicit in this politically motivated project and tourists will be contributing towards a process of irreversible dissolution of Tibet's distinct identity, providing financial, political and moral support for China's occupation of Tibet. This aim of this project is to tie Tibet firmly to mainland China and will result in what His Holiness the Dalai Lama referred to as 'cultural genocide'" added Weisz-Rind.

GW travel has not responded to Free Tibet Campaign's request for a meeting and issued a letter stating that it has briefed the Office of Tibet of their intentions and was asked to employ Tibetans on the train and as guides in Lhasa, and provide unbiased information to tourist. GW Travel also claims that "it is looking into improving education and job opportunities in Tibet by providing a tourism scholarship for young Tibetan people" and that "if we did not provide an extension to our tours then somebody else would."

Free Tibet Campaign does not object to responsible tourism in Tibet, however, it opposes the use of the railway and rejects GW Travel's claims as unsubstantiated. The Tibetan Government in Exile clearly stated its opposition to the project saying "our main concern is, this railway will swamp Tibet with Chinese migrants. Its impacts on the Tibetan culture and the fragile environment of Tibet would be catastrophic" (4). It is disgraceful that GW Travel tries to clear its conscience by suggesting to buy a few scholarships for young Tibetans while supporting China's occupation of Tibet.

Free Tibet Campaign supporters will be demonstrating outside Olympia 2 Exhibition Centre, Hammersmith Road, London W14, where GW Travel will be exhibiting at the Luxury Travel Fair.

Dates: Friday 30 June 2006 1.00pm - 3.00pm
Saturday 1 July 2006 12noon - 2.00pm

Contact: Yael Weisz-Rind 07733 391773 or 020 7324 4605

Notes to Editors

(1) 1 July is an important and symbolic date in the Chinese Communist Party's calendar as it marks the 85th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party (1 July 1921) and anniversary day of Hong Kong's hand-over from Britain to China in 1997.

(2) BACKGROUND ON THE GOLMUD-LHASA RAILWAY
Mao had a dream: a rail line connecting mainland China to Tibet that would dominate the region and tie it to mainland China. Due to the complexities of laying down a rail line at such high altitude and on fragile soil the project could not be realised. Until now. This year the Golmud-Lhasa rail line has been completed and the first commercial train to Lhasa will depart from Beijing on 1 July 2006, a year ahead of schedule.

Tibetans inside and outside Tibet see the GBP 2.2 billion railway project as the last step in China's efforts to consolidate its political, economic and military power over Tibet. A symbol of China's occupation of Tibet, the railway will change Tibet's unique cultural and natural landscape forever and lead to what the Dalai Lama described as "cultural genocide".

The railway's main purposes are:
- To increase ongoing Han Chinese population transfer into Tibet thus further diluting the Tibetan population. Tibetans are already a minority in their own country.
- To strengthen China's military presence in Tibet through more rapid deployment of troops and missiles.
- Exploitation and extraction of Tibet's natural resources.

(3) BACKGROUND ON GW TRAVEL
GW Travel is a UK Travel Agency that secured an exclusive contract with the Chinese authorities to promote the Golmud (Gormo) to Lhasa railway to Western tourists. The Chinese Government has admitted on various occasions that the railway is a politically motivated project. GW Travel's involvement in a project with such catastrophic consequences for Tibet and its people makes it complicit with China; it provides both financial support and moral legitimacy for the railway. GW Travel Ltd will be promoting their Tibet tours in Olympia 2 as part of a Luxury Travel Fair from 29 June-2 July 2006.

(4) The Tibetan Government in Exile stated "we firmly oppose any development projects or activities that promote or result in violence, environmental destruction, social exclusion and economic marginalisation of Tibetans, direct or indirect population transfer of non-Tibetans to Tibet, violations of basic human rights, including involuntary displacement, confinement and eviction". Also see "The Guidelines for Development in Tibet" available online at: www.tibet.net/en/diir/enviro/guide/data/file1.html

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