Protecting Tibet's Rivers - Asia's Lifeline

river cover
2 billion people in Asia are dependent on Tibet’s rivers. Under Chinese occupation, Tibet’s rivers are being polluted, dammed and diverted with dire consequences for those living in the downstream countries.

Sign the Petition to urge Asia’s leaders to jointly call for a Trans-boundary Water Sharing Treaty with China to protect Tibet’s rivers and save Asia’s lifeline.

Recipients

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina
Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli
President Tran Dai Quang
President Choummaly Sayasone
Prime Minister Hun Sen
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif
Prime Minister Tshering Topgyal

Contact

*Required fields

* Title:

* First Name:

* Last Name:

* Your Email:

* Address 1:

* City:

* State / Province:

* ZIP / Postal Code:

* Phone Number:

Yes, I would like to receive periodic updates and communications from Students for a Free Tibet.

Remember me. What's this?

I would prefer not to share my personal information with Students for a Free Tibet.

Message

Protect Tibet's Rivers - Asia's Lifeline

Dear [Decision Maker],

* Personalize your message

Asia's water and food security is crucially dependent on our rivers, most of which originate from Lake Mansarovar in Tibet: notably the Indus, Sutlej, Brahmaputra, Irrawaddy and Salween rivers.

As an individual concerned about Tibet's environment and the water security of nearly 2 billion people living in Asia, I urge you to jointly call for a Trans-boundary Water Sharing Treaty with China to arrest the severe impact China's rampant damming, mining and diversion of Tibet's rivers will have on India, Bangladesh, Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.

Since occupying Tibet, China's infrastructure development has enabled easier access to Tibet's vast natural resources. Chemical waste from mining sites have polluted drinking water sources for not only local Tibetans but also almost 2 billion people living in the rivers' downstream countries. There will be no clean and safe water for drinking, agriculture and livelihood.

For thousands of years, people in downstream nations have had access to rivers from Tibet, bringing not only water for irrigation but nutrients for growing crops. However, China's policies in Tibet have led to major environmental degradation: drying up of wetlands, shrinking of lakes, and disruption of the fragile ecosystem at the river headwaters. This has exacerbated a meltdown from Himalayan glaciers causing chronic flooding downstream from Tibet, including in densely-populated areas in downstream countries.

Despite controlling the rivers that 2 billion people in Asia are dependent upon, China has no water sharing agreements or cooperation treaties with its neighbors. As a concerned global citizen, I strongly urge you to make a multilateral call for a Trans-boundary Water Sharing Treaty with China. Together, downstream nations can create a secure water-sharing environment in South and South-East Asia.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[City, State ZIP]