From: World Tibet Network News, Thursday, October 27, 1995

Dear Friends,

At 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 26, 1995 the Tibetan hunger strike in front of the United Nations ended after thirteen days, due to a message from His Holiness the Dalai Lama urging them to put an end to the fast. The hunger strike ended with a small ceremony which was attended by Ambassador Karl F. Inderfurth, U.S. Ambassador to the UN, offering glasses of juice to the strikers. Enclosed herewith is a press release.

We would like to thank you for your assistance in our campaign to petition the United Nations and to call attention to the plight of the Tibetan people.

The hunger strike and the peaceful demonstrations resulted in unprecedented attention for the issue of Tibet. The protest received wide media coverage. The New York Times gave four days of continuous coverage to the hunger strike, which included a photo on the front page and an editorial by A.M. Rosenthal. The demonstrations also received coverage on the evening news of all the major television networks.

As you are all aware, the initiative to start the hunger strike came from the National Democratic Party of Tibet. Two of its leaders who are members of the Tibetan Parliament in Exile, Deputy Karma Choephel and Deputy Namkha Tenzin, came from India to initiate and coordinate this effort. Neither the exile government nor this office were involved in organizing the hunger strike. However, once we were informed and the hunger strike was initiated, we focused all of our efforts on assisting them, although we were aware that the demands were not likely to be met by the UN at this stage.

The effort of my office to assist the hunger strikers to get the maximum results was made possible by tremendous support received from fellow Tibetans and friends in North America, particularly the New York based organizations such as the U.S. Tibet Committee, the Tibetan Association, the Tibetan Women's Association, and the Tibetan Youth Association. The support and cooperation I received from leaders of NGO's and interreligious organizations was of great value, making it possible for me to reach out to a large number of UN officials and delegates. I received tremendous assistance and support from the International Campaign for Tibet in seeking help and support from the U.S. Congress and the Administration.

Many religious leaders; NGO's; diplomats; and visiting dignitaries, including Vaclav Havel of the Czech Republic and Foreign Minister Dawa Tsering of Bhutan, visited the demonstrators and expressed their support. We received letters of concern and support from friends such as Nobel Peace Laureate Elie Wiesel; Senators Helmes, Pell, and Moynihan; Congressmen Rose and Gillman; etc. Religious leaders, including the Reverend Dean Morton of the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine, issued statements and visited the demonstrators on several occasions. Statements of support were issued by the Danish delegation to the UN as well as the Executive Committee of Non-Governmental Organizations Associated with the United Nations, which represents 1,500 NGO's. An NGO representative who attended several functions at the United Nations informed us that the UN was buzzing with talk of the Tibetan hunger strike.

Again, we would like to express our deepest gratitude for your support, without which we could not have achieved such substantial results. We are especially pleased as the demonstration called widespread attention to the issue of Tibet, without any loss of life.

Sincerely,

Rinchen Dharlo

Representative of HIS HOLINESS THE DALAI LAMA