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Established in 1991, the Gu-Chu-Sum Movement of Tibet is based in Lung-ta House, Dharamsala, in the northern state of HImachal Pradesh. GuChuSum's primary aim is to provide food, shelter, financial help, medical attention, education, job and psychological support to former prisoners of conscience. Many ex-political prisoners arrive in India with nowhere to stay, no job and very little education. Some have long-standing health problems as a result of severe abuse while in custody. Currently, GuChuSum has more than 500 members.

GuChuSum are the Tibetan numbers 9,10,3 standing for September, October 1987 and March 1988-months which saw three massive pro-independence rallies crushed in Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, Many of those who took part were imprisoned, savagely beaten and sentenced to hard labor. Several demonstrators were killed and many seriously injured.

Internal repression of Tibetans still continues today. GuChuSum is working to increase awareness of these issues, to the point where the international community will pressure the Chinese government to respect basic human rights in Tibet.

What We Do At GuChuSum

ACCOMMODATE— We accommodate our members who have nowhere to go. We also accommodate employees of the organization.

PROVIDE subsidized medical care to members. We also give monthly stipend to members who have financial problem.

MAINTAIN an extensive database on political prisoners and their treatment, as well as monitoring and reporting on human rights abuses in Tibet.

PUBLISH the annual magazine ‘Tibetan Envoy’ in both Tibetan and English. We also publish the biographies of ex-political prisoners from time to time. Literature on political awareness and the plight of prisoners in Tibet is also published.

CO-ORDINATE events such as peace marches and campaigns with other NGOs. We also commemorate the founding day of the organization on 27^th September every year and the ‘International Torture Day’ on 26^th June. We also organize exhibition, lectures, talks and interviews with former political prisoner.

Lung-ta House

This is our main building. The building is used for our office, staff quarters, tailoring center, language school and a restaurant.

Learning Center— We run a computer course teaching basic and intermediate computer skills. We also have a language school teaching English and Tibetan to the students who escaped Chinese persecution and didn’t get opportunity to study while in Tibet.

Restaurant--- A very popular Japanese restaurant is based in Lung-ta house. Several members of our organization work as cooks and waiters in the restaurant.

Tailoring Workshop--- Currently, we have twenty-two staffs in our tailoring workshop. We make finely-crafted fashion items for export, as well as Tibetan costumes and accessories.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Although we raise money at the restaurant, shop and tailoring center, it is not enough to support our work. Help is needed in the form of donations, equipments and volunteer teachers.

Donations are much appreciated, and can be made directly to:

The GuChuSum Movement of Tibet

Account no. 2517000100076898

Swift code : PUNBINBBPAR

Address : PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK

Mcleod Ganj-176219 H.P India