Newsletter on the campaigns of the Radical Party for the freedom of Tibet.
"I truly believe that individuals can make a difference in society. Since periods of great change such as the present one come so rarely in human history, it is up to each of us to make the best use of our time to help create a happier world"
His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, 1992
#22, May 15, 1996
Editor: Massimo Lensi, Dorottya u. 3.III.em6. - H-1051 Budapest - tel 36-1-2663486 - 2660935 - fax 1187937 - e-mail M.Lensi@agora.stm.it - WWW-Url: htt//:www.agora.stm.it/pr - Telnet: Agora.stm.it
Distribution: Alberto Novi - rue Belliard 89 - Rem 508, B-1047 Brussels; tel. 32-2-2304121, fax 32-2-2303670.
Published in English, French, Spanish, Italian, Hungarian, Croatian and Rumanian.
THREE CAMPAIGNS
In this "Freedom for Tibet - Democracy for China Fax" issue we intend to define the state of our three current political campaigns. It may look like a boring list of names, numbers, and parliaments, but we would like to point out how politics-- and in particular the Tibet and democracy in China cause--is also made of adhesions, thus, numbers. A matter of a few numbers decided the final vote to the "No Action" Resolution pertaining to Procedure in Geneva, and, again, a few numbers may decide the fate of a motion for the rights of the Tibetan and Chinese people in any international court.
Thus, we maintain, as a moral commitment, the importance of "counting", tally, day-by-day, the consensus resulting from our initiatives. To verify the developments and evaluate the results--even when disappointing--is a chore we should not be afraid to undertake.
We can only recommend to the readers to keep updated on our issues, and possibly help out so that these three political proposals to benefit the Tibetan and Chinese people will finally come through. The appeal to the U.N. General Secretary to receive the Dalai Lama; the campaign for the liberation of the Panchen Lama; and the campaign for the candidacy to the 1997 Nobel Prize for Peace of Chinese dissident WEI.
Positive signs show up, here and there. But not enough!
Keep up the good work!
PARLIAMENTARIANS APPEAL TO THE U.N. GENERAL SECRETARY. AS OF NOW, 548 REPRESENTATIVES SUPPORT THE MEETING.
This week, an additional 65 parliamentarians signed the appeal to the U.N. General Secretary to request him to receive the Dalai Lama. This campaign is, day after day, taking on a global dimension. Thanks to the work of Thubten SAMDUP, President of the "Canadian Tibet Committee," another 12 senators and representatives have joined the initiative this week. Additional adhesions came in from the Bielorussian, French, Ukrainian, Belgian, Russian, Luxembourg, Croatian, and European Parliaments. We are, then, 1,452 signatures short from the 2,000 goal. As usual, the text of the appeal translated in the various languages-- as well as the forms to collect signatures, and the signatories' roster-- are available to anyone at our editorial departments and at the many Tibet Support Group and Radical Party headquarters.
- Adhesions as of May 13.
European Parliament 149
Albanian Parliament 41
Austrian Parliament 12
Basque Parliament 13
Belgian Parliament 17
Bielorussian Parliament 2
Bulgarian Parliament 14
Canadian Parliament 12
Czech Parliament 8
Croatian Parliament 21
Estonian Parliament 15
French Parliament 19
Georgian Parliament 7
Italian Parliament 36
Kossovian Parliament 9
Lithuanian Parliament 31
Luxembourg Parliament 28
Macedonian Parliament 3
Moldavian Parliament 1
Montenegro Parliament 2
Polish Parliament 42
Romanian Parliament 17
Russian Parliament 15
Other Russian Fed. Parliaments 2
Slovenian Parliament 1
Swedish Parliament 19
Ukrainian Parliament 5
Hungarian Parliament 7
------------------------------------------------------
Total 548
FREE THE PANCHEN LAMA CAMPAIGN
As of May 9, the postcards sent to Chinese President Zemin reached 1,350. In the last couple of days, postcards were sent from Nepal and Ukraine demanding the immediate release of the world's youngest prisoner kept captive with his family and a number of monks from the Tashi Lumpo monastery by Chinese authorities in an unknown place. The purchase price for the postcards is U.S.$ 1.50 for 10 counts and $6.50 for 50 counts. For orders above 200 counts a discount will apply. We recently provided to print an additional 60,000 postcards for the liberation of Gedhun CHOEKYI NYIMA, since we ran out of first printing. To request large quantities, we advise to contact the Brussels' Radical Party headquarters (Tel. +32-2-2304121, Fax +32-2-2303670), for lesser orders you may contact any RP or Tibet Support Group headquarters.
NOBEL PRIZE FOR PEACE CANDIDACY CAMPAIGN FOR WEI. ALREADY 100 CANDIDACY PROPOSALS GATHERED!
On page 2 of this issue we are publishing the nominal list of the first 100 parliamentarians and university professors who are supporting Chinese dissident WEI Jingsheng's candidacy for the 1997 Nobel Prize for Peace. Wei is currently imprisoned in China for suspected activities against the "territorial integrity of the country," and "against Government." Wei, who is presently 46 years-old, 14 of which spent in jail, is now risking physical annihilation. We want to remind that individuals entitled to propose candidacy for the Nobel Prize include Nobel Prize graduates, parliamentarians, and tenured university professors in the Faculties of Law, Political Sciences, History, and Philosophy. The campaign, promoted by the Radical Party, the Federation for Democracy in China, and by Human Rights in China, has just taken off and already produced interest and a positive response in the political and academic milieu. The goal is to collect 2,000 proposals by year end. In the next issues of "Freedom for Tibet -
Democracy for China Fax" we will publish Wei Jingsheng's biography, including his political persecution record, to let everybody know the importance of this campaign within the larger "Democracy for China" cause. We are also inviting the press to cover the initiative. For further information on the campaign or to request the forms to collect signatures, we recommend to contact the Radical Party in Brussels, tel.+32-2-2304121, fax +32-2-2303670; e-mail: pr.bruxelles@agora.stm.it
TIBET TELEX
ITALY/MEETING IN MILAN
Saturday May 11 an open meeting of RP members and sympathizers took place at the Radical Association "Enzo Tortora" in Milan to update on recent RP issues. Global abolition of the death penalty; freedom for Tibet and democracy for China; the setting up of a permanent international court; the setting up of an international language of communication; and anti-prohibitionism of drugs. Present at the meeting the RP secretary Olivier DUPUIS. Topics included the re-launch in Northern Italy of the campaign to free the Panchen Lama, the 1997 Nobel Prize for Peace candidacy of Chinese dissident Wei, and the gathering of parliamentarians signatures for the Boutros Ghali appeal.
U.N./ACCREDITING OF HABITAT II
On May 3, ECOSOC (Economic and Social Council) rejected the "Tibetan Rights Campaign" request to be accredited at the "Conference on Human Settlement (HABITAT II)." The decision was taken after 21 votes in favor, 15 contrary, and 16 abstentions, and motivated by the principle that "no organization whose objectives include the sabotage of territorial integrity and sovereignty of a member state may be involved in U.N. activities."
ITALY/PRESS REVIEW
1. From "The Explosive Monk," by Ilaria Maria Sala, Il Manifesto (daily), May 8,1996.
"The news of terrorist attacks in Tibet are proliferating. Signs of the beginning of an armed struggle against China. After 30 years of non-violent resistance to the Chinese invasion, carefully abiding to the Dalai Lama's non-violent predicaments, the Tibetan Youth League (based in Dharamsala, India) is taking on a different approach, resorting to armed struggle as the last chance to attract the world's attention." Ilaria Maria Sala concludes her analysis of the bomb attacks in Tibet claiming that "in the eyes of the TYL, the problem has reached a level of unbearable gravity, mainly because of the Chinese political move of resettling ethnic Chinese families in Tibet (...) The failure of the Dalai Lama's pacifism is set by the TYL against the Palestinian strategy and the international community's attitude toward Yasser Arafat. While the latter, after many years of armed struggle, is welcomed as a statesman and a leader, the highest authority in Tibet (the Dalai Lama), although manages to be received by
several international figures, is not taken seriously. This, allegedly, because the pacific terms of his struggle do not stir international concern."
APPOINTMENTS
* Zagreb (Croatia). Saturday, June 8. Radical Party meeting in Zagreb with the participation of Chope Paljor TSERING, the Dalai Lama representative in Budapest; Tereza GANZA ARAS, Croatian Representative; and Olivier DUPUIS, Radical Party Secretary and European Parliament Representative. The meeting will be chaired by Zdravko TOMAC, President of the Zagreb Town Council and Sabor deputy.
* Bonn (Germany). June 15-17. Tibetan Support Group's Second International Conference, organized by the exiled Tibetan Government's International Relations and Information Department in cooperation with the Friedrich Naumann Foundation. In the next "Freedom for Tibet - Democracy for China Fax" issues we will publish further news on this international event which is of crucial importance to the Tibetan people and its supporters around the world.
* San Francisco, CA (USA). June 15, 16. "Tibetan Freedom Concert". On June 15 and 16 a major musical event to benefit the Tibetan cause will take place here. The concert, organized by the "Milarepa Fund" will feature important artists as John Lee Hooker, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Richie Havens, Yoko Ono/IMA, and others . For further information contact Tashi D. Sharzur or Sonam Tashi, tel. (415)474-0866. E-mail: milarepa@igc.apc.org.
LIST OF WEI JINGSHENG'S SUPPORTERS FOR 1997 NOBEL FOR PEACE PRIZE
Updated to May 13.
Members of Parliament (57)
* European Parliament (21)
- Amadeo AMADEO (NI) (ITALY)
- Niall ANDREWS (UPE) (IRELAND)
- Ernesto CACCAVALE (UPE) (IRELAND)
- Luigi CALIGARIS (UPE) (ITALY)
- Bernard CASTAGNEDE (ARE) (FRANCE), Professor of Law, University of PARIS I
- Gianfranco DELL'ALBA (ARE) (ITALY)
- Olivier DUPUIS (ARE) (ITALY)
- Winnie EWING (ARE) (UNITED KINGDOM)
- Raimondo FASSA (ELDR) (ITALY)
- James FITZSIMONS (UPE) (IRELAND)
- Jean-Francois HORY (ARE) (FRANCE)
- Odile LEPERE-VERRIER (ARE) (FRANCE)
- Allan MACARTNEY (ARE) (UNITED KINGDOM)
- Elena MARINUCCI (PSE) (ITALY)
- Cristiana MUSCARDINI (NI) (ITALY)
- Pierre PRADIER (ARE) (FRANCE)
- Dominique SAINT-PIERRE (ARE) (FRANCE)
- Kenneth STEWART (PSE) (UNITED KINGDOM)
- Jack VANDEMEULEBROUCKE (ARE) (BELGIUM)
- Graham WATSON (ELDR) (UNITED KINGDOM)
- Jup WEBER (ARE) (LUXEMBOURG)
* Austrian Parliament (10)
- Rudolf ANSHOBER, Gruene Klub (Greens)
- Thomas BARMUELLER, Liberales Forum
- Reinhard FIRLINGER, Liberales Forum
- Friedhelm FRISCHENSCHLAGER, Liberales Forum
- Klara MOTTER, Liberales Forum
- Helmut PETER, Liberales Forum
- Maria SCHAFFENRATH, Liberales Forum
- Heide SCHMIDT, Liberales Forum, President of the party
- Andreas WABL, Gruene Klub (Verdi)
* Belgian Parliament (1)
- Hugo VAN DIENDEREN
* Croatian Parliament (17)
- Djurdja ADLESIC, HSLS (Croatian Social-Liberal Party)
- Juraj BISCIN, HSS (Croatian Popular Party)
- Mirko BUTKOVIC, HSLS (Croatian Social-Liberal Party)
- Boris FRANUSIC, HSLS (Croatian Social-Liberal Party), University
Professor
- Tereza GANZA-ARAS, HSLS (Croatian Social-Liberal Party)
- Vlado GOTOVAC, HSLS (President of the Croatian Social-Liberal Party)
- Ivan HERAK, HSLS (Croatian Social-Liberal Party)
- Marko IVANOVIC, HSLS (Croatian Social-Liberal Party)
- Ivan KOLAR, HSS (Croatian Popular Party)
- Marko LAPAINE, HSLS (Croatian Social-Liberal Party)
- Vladimir PRIMORAC, HSLS (Croatian Social-Liberal Party)
- Jozo RADUS, HSLS (Croatian Social-Liberal Party)
- Stjepan RODES, HSS (Croatian Popular Party)
- Ivan SKARIC, HSLS (Croatian Social-Liberal Party), vice president of
Croatian Parliament
- Zdravko TOMAC, SDP (Democratic Reform Party), Professor at the
University of Zagreb, Faculty of Political Science
- Ivan TRETINJAK, HSS (Croatian Agrarian Party)
- Peter ZITNIK, HSS (Croatian Popular Party)
* French Parliament (2)
- L,once DEPREZ
- Suzanne SAUVAIGO
* Moldavian Parliament (1)
- Ion DEDIU (Ecological Party)
* Russian Parliament (2)
- Arkadij JANKOVSKI (Jabloko)
- Renat SULTANOV (Jabloko)
* Ukrainian Parliament (3)
- Myroslav GORBATIUK (Ukrainian People's Rukh)
- Jurij KARMAZIN ("Reformy" group)
- Eugen PRONIUK (URP-Republican Party)
* University Professors (43)
- Martha ACKELSBERG, University of NORTHAMTON (Smith College) (USA);
- Gjergj ANDONI, Professor, University of TIRANA (Albania);
- Bruce BAUGH, University College of CARIBOO (Canada);
- Dusan BILANDZIC, University of ZAGREB (Croatia);
- Mieczyslaw BOCZAR, University of WARSAW, Faculty of Philosophy
(Poland);
- Marija BRATANIC, University of ZAGREB, Faculty of Political Science
(Croatia);
- Andrew BROOK, University of CARLETON (Canada);
- Fisnik BROVINA, Vice-Rector of the University of TIRANA (Albania);
- Joan BRYANS, University College of CARIBOO (Canada);
- Esad CIMIC, University of ZAGREB, Faculty of Sociology (Croatia);
- Fons ELDERS, University of Humanistic Studies, Utrecht (Netherlands);
- Bianca FONTANA, University of LAUSANNE (Switserland);
- Hubert GERARD, University of LOUVAIN (Belgium);
- Guy HAARSCHER, Vice-Teacher, Faculty of Philosophy and Letters, Free
University of BRUSSELS (Belgium);
- Vilim HERMAN, University of OSIJEK, Faculty of Law (CROATIA);
- Andrew IRWINE, University of British Columbia, VANCOUVER, (Canada);
- Gezim LARO, Professor, University of TIRANA (Albania);
- Alberto MURA, University of PISA (Italy);
- Daniel PERAYA, University of LOUVAIN (Belgium);
- Philip L. PETERSON, University of SYRACUSE (USA);
- Jean-Claude POLET, Erasme College, University of LOUVAIN (Belgium);
- Mexhit PRENCI, Professor, University of TIRANA (Albania);
- Rupert READ, Professor of History, MANCHESTER Metropolitan University
(United Kingdom);
- Gabriel RINGLET, Vice-Rector of the University of LOUVAIN (Belgium);
- Andrea SCHMIDT, University of LOUVAIN (Belgium);
- Michael R. SCOLLEN, American University of Paris (France);
- Michael J. SEIDLER, WESTERN KENTUCKY University (USA);
- Zvonimir SEPAROVIC, University of ZAGREB, Faculty of Law (Croatia);
- Shehmedin SHPENDI, Professor, University of TIRANA (Albania);
- Henri SIMONART, University of LOUVAIN, Faculty of Law (Belgium);
- Tonci SITIN, University of ZADAR (Croatia);
- Zofia SOKOLEWICZ, University of WARSAW, Faculty of History (Poland);
- Jacques SOLE, University Pierre Mendes France from GRENOBLE (France);
- Irmgard STEINISCH, Professor of History, YORK University (Canada);
- Ange-Marie STRANART, Free University of BRUSSELS, Faculty of Law
(Belgium);
- Bujar SYKA, Professor, University of TIRANA (Albania);
- Pierre TROTIGNON, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy, University of LILLE
III,(France);
- Maurits VAN OVERBEKE, Professor, University of LOUVAIN (Belgium);
- Kudret VELCAJ, Professor, University of TIRANA (Albania);
- Guillaume WUNSCH, University of LOUVAIN (Belgium);
- Agim ZAJMI, Professor, University of TIRANA (Albania);
- Franjo ZENKO, University of ZAGREB, Faculty of Philosophy (Croatia);
- Gjergj ZHEJI, Rector of the University of TIRANA (Albania);
* French Parliament (2)- Leonce (Belgium);
- Guy HAARSCHER, Vice-Teacher, Faculty of Philosophy and Letters, Free
University of BRUSSELS (Belgium);
- Vilim HERMAN, University of OSIJEK, Faculty of Law (CROATIA);
- Andrew IRWINE, University of British Columbia, VANCOUVER, (Canada);
- Gezim LARO, Professor, University of TIRANA (Albania);
- Alberto MURA, University of PISA (Italy);
- Daniel PERAYA, University of LOUVAIN (Belgium);
- Philip L. PETERSON, Univ
