Tibetans here are staying in touch

News of the violence in Lhasa comes a month before the Dalai Lama is to speak in Seattle.

For many Seattle-area Tibetans, phone calls and e-mails to relatives living in Tibet have kept them ahead of media reports of the violence unfolding in Lhasa.

"As a Tibetan in exile, I'm very concerned about the welfare of our brothers and sisters in Tibet," said Ani Sakya, a local attorney who has worked with the Dalai Lama.

The response from this tight-knit community has been one of overwhelming solidarity toward family members and colleagues living in Lhasa and throughout the country. Safety is a major concern for most; so is the belief that the Chinese government is overreacting because of the upcoming Olympic Games.

"We want the Chinese government to exercise restraint," Sakya said.

Tashi Namgyal Khashitsang, president of the Tibetan Association of Washington, said he has been frustrated by the recent violence. He hopes today's march in Seattle will show the international community that Tibetan exiles around the world are supportive of their family and friends still in Tibet.

"It is our job to express what the Tibetan people in Tibet aren't able to express," he said.

About 100 Seattle Tibetans marched earlier this month downtown to mark the 49th anniversary of the failed uprising that led to the eventual exile of Tibet's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama. Few expected that similar marches in Tibet would lead to widespread violence in the county.