Just a short post, since I am currently studying for my stats class. Today I had the opportunity to attend a talk by Luis Benitez a world renowned climbing guide who witnessed a horrible atrocity on the slopes of Cho Oyu, in Tibet. Refugees from Tibet were attempting to cross into Nepal to escape the clutches of communist China when the Chinese opened fire on them killing a 17 year old nun! In addition to this there are rumors that 7 more Tibetans were executed and thrown into a crevasse. The response to this by the climbers at base camp was to try and forget these events and move on. If it wasn't for the few who did speak out the first documented and filmed act of murder against the Tibetans wouldn't have been captured for the world to see. To find out more about what happened watch Murder in the Snow. If you want to learn more on how to help the Tibetans please click the link in the sidebar or visit these sites below:Murder in the Snow
Save Tibet
I feel that it is our responsibility as climbers to do all we can for the people who live in the mountains that so many of us either aspire to climb or just admire the sheer beauty of the Himalayas.
As I understand it, Luis Benitez pretty much ruined his guiding career (in Tibet, anyway) by bringing attention to this. The government and other guides were all pissed at him. There was an interview with him on climbing.com a while back.
ReplyDeleteyeah pretty much man, he sacrificed his career for the greater good since that asshole Russell Brice didn't have any morals to stop guiding there further supplying the Chinese with money to kill more Tibetans.
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