Tell China Gold: Stop Mining Tibet

Dear Mike,

TELL CHINA GOLD: STOP MINING TIBET"By showing utter disregard to the grasslands, forests, wildlife, environment, and local people's life and livelihood, the mining company has caused great destruction to the farmlands, the mountains, and the rivers in Meldro Gongkar county's Gyama township." - Excerpt from Petition by Tibetans in Gyama

At this moment, Chinese and Canadian mining companies are ripping apart the beautiful Meldro Gongkar valley in central Tibet. For thousands of years, Tibetan nomads and farmers have lived on this land in harmony with nature. But now thanks to constant mining operations, the rivers are being poisoned, the grasslands are deteriorating, livestock is dying, and people are falling ill from drinking contaminated water.

Who is profiting off this plunder?  Of course, the Chinese government but they're not alone. The destruction of Tibet's environment is being aided by Canada's China Gold International Resources, one of the companies actively mining in Gyama, near Lhasa, Tibet’s capital.
Tibetans and their supporters in Canada are gearing up to protest China Gold’s Annual General Meeting. They are also appealing to investors to stop funding the company’s destruction in Tibet.

TAKE ACTION: We can help by showing global support for this divestment campaign.

1) Send a letter to the President and CEO of China Gold International Resources, Mr. Xin Song.

2) After you send a letter to the CEO, please pick up the phone and call China Gold's headquarters at +1-604-609-0598 to convey your opposition to mining in Tibet. Helpful talking points are included below.

3) You can also take action by posting a comment on the company's website here: http://www.chinagoldintl.com/s/SendMessage.asp

China Gold International Resources is the overseas arm of China Gold Group Corp, one of China’s largest state-owned mining companies and a company that has been operating in Gyama for a number of years. In 2010, a study by a group of scientists from Finland, Norway, and China revealed that water contamination as a result of the mining posed “a considerably high risk to the local environment.” Today, Tibetans can no longer drink from the Gyama river without fear of illness; many domestic animals have died from water poisoning; and grassland degradation and desertification are increasing rapidly.
In 2009, Tibetans in Gyama protested the contamination of water resources and the resettlement of nomads. They also petitioned local officials to stop the mine operation. But instead of heeding their calls, armed police were sent to intimidate the local people from staging further protests.

Tibetans clearly do not want this mine. By stepping up the pressure now, we can help stop China Gold and other foreign companies from profiting off Tibetan lands.

To learn more about how you can get involved, please visit: http://www.stopminingtibet.org

With hope,

Tendor, Kate, Tenzin Lobsang, and all of us at SFT

P.S. Please donate to support SFT's Stop Mining Tibet campaign so that together we can protect Tibet's fragile eco-system for generations to come.

---
Watch footage and view photos of SFT's previous actions targeting the company:
SFT Canada demands answers at China Gold International Resources' Investors Meeting: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRKowQuLAdk&feature=channel_video_title
SFT Canada's action at the Toronto Resource Investment Conference:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYQwr4SRDC8
Protest at China Gold's previous shareholders meeting in Vancouver: http://vancouver.mediacoop.ca/story/protest-against-acquisition-tibet%E2%80%99s-gyama-mine-vancouver-company/4861
Read on-the-ground reports from Gyama:
http://www.highpeakspureearth.com/2010/06/songtsen-gampos-hometown-is-about-to-be.html
Helpful Talking Points:

• I am calling on China Gold International Resources to withdraw its operations from Tibet.
• Until Tibetans can freely chose whether they want mining operations on their land, your company should not be profiting off Tibet's natural resources.
• Mine activities in Gyama are poisoning local water sources and destroying valuable farmland that Tibetans rely on for their livelihood.
• Any Tibetan who speaks out against Chinese government-sponsored projects like mine operations risks arrest, imprisonment, and even death.
• Tibetans want development but oppose projects that do not benefit local Tibetans, are environmentally destructive, and allow China to further consolidate control over their land.