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MARGUERITE BUCKMAN KEARNS: A MINDER’S STORY
July 30, 2004
Four years ago I volunteered to be a minder for Jampel Changchub, Tibetan monk imprisoned in China, for publishing, among other things, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in the Tibetan language. I’d been participating in the holiday “100 Cards Campaign” for several years sponsored by PEN Center USA West and wanted more of a challenge. However, I had no idea how
difficult it would be.
Story Continued...
It’s important to remember that doing something--anything--is progress, and I was fortunate to have the support of FTW staff in LA. As the months passed, they cheered me on. I discovered that numerous minders for Jampel Changchub had preceded me, writing letters, taking a break and then resuming a campaign that felt, at times, like banging our heads against the Great Wall of China.
The Swedish have an expression I like--"Dig where you stand.” It suggests that effective action can be taken by simply standing still, but digging in, doing what you can from where you are. So I did precisely that, with the idea that letter writing often serves the extremely important function of keeping a writer in prison safe from harm. It’s difficult to remember this sometimes when we write and then nothing happens.
When Chinese premier Zhu Ronji visited this country, I contacted my U.S. Senator, Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico, to assist me in requesting an audience to discuss the case of Jampel Changchub. The odds of such a meeting occurring was a million to one, but I made the formal request anyway and ended up writing an op-ed piece for Long Island’s Newsday about the role of a citizen diplomat. It was a self-designated role, but I made my point.
Then my Senator assisted me in scheduling a meeting with a diplomat at the Chinese Embassy in Washington, DC where I made a formal appeal for Jampel Changchub’s release. When on vacation in London, I visited the PEN international office to discuss the effort. Over the holidays, I enclosed a Jampel Changchub support postcard (that I made on a copy machine) with every greeting card I sent to friends and relatives. My appeal to others to help was personal, always emphasizing that I asked only tat they send one
postcard, that it would make a difference. I made a presentation and gathered more postcards from my PEN chapter in New Mexico and continued the writing, always in the belief that someone, somewhere would listen.
It’s not over yet. But given enough time, one contact leads to another. People are generous and willing to help. I’d like to believe that we’re on the home stretch. In late February of this year, with the help of a friend, I printed up one thousand postcards and I’m sending them to friends, associates and anyone who agrees to help. The postcards alone won’t move mountains, but they’re intended to work in conjunction with a concerted effort that’s been sustained over time. I continue believing this, especially late at night like now, when I’m addressing envelopes and writing to friends. Dig where you stand. The impact can be more than you’ll ever imagine.
Marguerite Kearns
Santa Fe, New Mexico