Free Tibet leads fast for nuns

IU Students for a Free Tibet participated in a nationwide fast Tuesday to show support for the last two nuns of the "Drapchi 14."\nThe "Drapchi 14" is the name given to 14 Tibetan nuns imprisoned by the Chinese government in Drapchi Prison between 1989 and 1992. Since then, nine of the nuns have been released. Two remain: Phuntsog Nyidron and Namdrol Lhamo. \nAccording to a press release, "Drapchi Prison is notorious for its poor living conditions. Torture and ill-treatment by prison officials are commonplace. Political prisoners are often beaten severely and shocked with electric cattle prods. Rape of nuns and other female prisoners is a regular occurrence."\nGraduate student Taryn Firkser planned the event for IU. Firkser said her and several members of IUSFT intend to join in the fast. \n"Through this fast, we're targeting (U.S. Secretary of State) Colin Powell," Firkser said, "We're letting him know what is going on."\nFirkser came to IU from Simon Fraser University in Canada, where she first became interested in the Tibetan situation. There she founded a chapter of Students for a Free Tibet.\nMary Oreovicz, a master's student in central Eurasian studies, said IUSFT put pressure on the U.S. and the Chinese governments through massive amounts of letters and postcards. \n"The other nuns were given early release due to organizations like Amnesty International and Students for a Free Tibet," she said.\nSophomores Liz Jones and Katie Kaupke were a few of the students who volunteered to man the table they had set up in the Indiana Memorial Union. \n"It's an issue I've been interested in," Kaupke said. "When I saw signs, I decided to be a part of it." \nKaupke had shown up for a shift at 10 a.m. She said she had not received many signatures yet, but that student traffic was low. An hour later, she said she noted a significant increase in the number of students passing through.\nA large part of the reason for tabling was to let students know about the situation. \nJones said she joined IUSFT because she had friends in the Tibetan Cultural Center. \n"I hadn't heard about it before," she said. "I wanted to help raise awareness. I don't think a lot of people know what is going on."\n-- Contact staff writer James E. Klaunig Jr. at jklaunig@indiana.edu.