I am an Australian woman currently residing in Dharamshala India with the Tibetan community in exile. I have lived here now for six months. With the olympics approaching the Tibetans were firstly wondering why the world had bestowed such an honour on China and secondly how they could use the event to bring a global focus once again to thier long and arduous struggle. There are atrocities committed everyday in countries around the world but this does not change the real and poignant pain when it is happeniong around you. Tibetans in exile often feel guilt at being separated from their fellow countrymen however, in the current situation I remind them that with China's ban on tourism and censorship of media, they are currently the voice for thier country. Without Tibetans in exile we would know alot less than we do now. The uprising's are a result of continued frustration at the harsh and violent rule the Chinese have maintained in Tibet since succeeding in occupying the country in 1959. Reports arrive in Dharamshala regulalrly and Tibetans have been protesting since the 10th march unfailingly. Last night I saw pictures of people from Amdo dead from gunshot prior to the deadline given by China regarding the use of force. I saw pictures of people dead on the ground at protests. I heard testimonies from friends who have spoken with friends or relatives in Tibet in the last few days that the thousands of people have disappeared since the protests and some have lost family members already. The looks on the faces of the Tibetan community in Dharamshala are grim and full of pain. many here have experienced torture at the hands of the Chinese; their favourite technique being inserting electric cattle prods into peoples anus' and vagina, and many have lost numerous family members and friends in a variety of brutal ways. They have been struggling for fifty years, enduring military invasion, famine, torture, oppression and genocide. How does the inetrnational community respond to this? we sign massive trade deals with China and give them the Olympics. In effect we have funded the military force of China that occupies Tibet fulltime. What is our response now? to wag our fingers and say please don't use brute force when anyone who knows anything about Chinese politics and tactics knows they lie, lie, lie to save face. Questioning Tibetan behaviour at the moment is of no use, who could endure such hardship and not at some point retaliate? They do not engage in warfare but use protest that sometimes deteriorates into minor violence to continue issuing their message. The Dalai Lama is staying close to his people and loving and supporting them as always. This time he will not ask them to stop as he knows their pain is now too much to ask such a thing of them. India like the rest of the world cowtows to Chinese requests. When will Tibetans receive real support like South Africa and Kuwait did?