< FREEDOM FOR TIBET/DEMOCRACY IN CHINA ! - #32 >
Newsletter on the campaigns of the Radical Party for the freedom of Tibet and the democracy on China.
"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
Issue #32, August 29th, 1996
Editors office: Massimo Lensi, Dorottya u. 3.III.em6 - 1051 Budapest (H)Tel. +36-1-266.34.86 - 266.09.35 Fax. +36-1-11.87.937
E-mail: M.Lensi@agora.stm.it WWW-URL http://www.agora.stm.it/pr - Telnet: Agora.stm.it
Distribution; Alberto Novi, rue Belliard 89, Rem 508, 1047 Brussels (B)Tel: +32-2-2304121 - Fax: +32-2-2303670
Published in English, Spanish, French, Italian, Hungarian, Croatian and Rumanian
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OCTOBER 2:
FREEDOM FOR THE PANCHEN LAMA,
FREEDOM FOR WEI JINGSHENG
The repression by Peking's militaries against monks from Drepung, Sera and Ganden still continues in Tibet. India does not want to subscribe the treaty project for the total interdiction of nuclear experiments because it wants to leave the monopoly to the five nuclear countries: the United States, Great Britain, France, Russia and China. These are signs that, with different news that arrives daily from Tibet, urge us to pass from reflections to actions, to embrace the weapons of the dialogue, tolerance and nonviolence. These methods were recently confirmed during the meeting between the Dalai Lama and president Nelson Mandela in South Africa: this was, during the last days, one of the few positive signs that can doubtless strengthen a campaign which aims at a Sino-Tibetan negotiation without any precondition.
It is time to act, with the awareness that the way which leads to the liberation of occupied Tibet and to the start of the democratization process of China and its institutions only passes through the commitment of the democratic nations. The Western countries must stop to play "the ostrich policy", which brings them to have economic trade with China, while at the same time they don't see the total absence of democracy, the disaster of the colonialist policies and the complete violation of human rights, not only in China, Tibet and Burma, but also in other ways in our own countries.
35 days left to October 2nd, anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the day chosen to make the public opinion worldwide aware of the need of freedom of Tibet and the democracy in China. 35 days left for a first attempt of nonviolent initiative to the largest campaign for the freedom of Tibet.
Only 35 days left for the 3 days of fasting dialogue for the liberation of the Panchen Lama and of Wei Jingsheng. This occasion, we believe, is of fundamental importance to ask our own governments to take clear positions on occupied Tibet, and also start concrete and strong actions for the liberation of the Panchen Lama and of Wei Jingsheng.
The collecting of adhesions for the fasting dialogue has already started. So far, we received 36 from Albania, Belgium, Croatia, Hungary, France, Italy, Switzerland and the United States, members of the Tibet Support Group and of the Transnational Radical Party. We like to remind you that we are still waiting for your adhesion.
Keep up the good work !!!
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OCTOBER 2:
NON-VIOLENCE, DIALOGUE, FREEDOM FOR TIBET
The fasting dialogue starts on September 29 at 12,00 a.m. and will finish on October 2nd at the same time with a demonstration in front of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of several capitals. As of August 28, 36 people have already decided to participate, for one or more days at this non-violent initiative asking their own Ministry of Foreign Affairs
to intervene in favour of the Panchen Lama and of Wei Jingsheng's liberation. We advise the fasters to contact local or national mass-medias, in order to communicate their adhesion to the fasting dialogue and explain the reason of this initiative. In one of the next issues of "Tibet - China Fax", we will publish an example of an "open letter to the Ministry of the Foreign Affairs" for each single country, that fasters could sign and send before October 2nd.
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2 OCTOBER:
FIRST ADHESION AT THE FASTING DIALOGUE FOR THE LIBERATION OF THE PANCHEN LAMA AND WEI JINGSHENG.
* First 36 fasting dialogue adhesions
Albania (1): Artur NURA, TRP (Tirana); Belgium (2): Olivier DUPUIS, TRP (Brussels), Inès WOUTERS, PR-Amis du Tibet, (Brussels); Croatia (7): Zeljka DUK, one day, TSG (Zagreb), Suzane IVANOVIC, one day, TSG (Zagreb), Dijana KLICEK, two days, RP (Zagreb), Stefanija KLICEK, one day, TSG (Zagreb), Nives SEVER, one day (Zagreb), Marina SIKORA, two days, RP (Zagreb), Branka SIMUNOVIC, two days, TSG (Zagreb); France (3):
Dalila BENZOUEL, one day, (Margueritte), Sylvain DWORCZAK, one day, (Margueritte), Sabine OLIVANTI (Margueritte); Hungary (2): Tibor HENDREY, TSG (Budapest), Massimo Lensi, RP (Budapest); Italy (4): Antonio BACCHI, RP (Florence), Vincenzo DONVITO, RP (Florence), Paolo PIETROSANTI, RP (Rome), Donatella Poretti, RP (Arezzo); Romania (1): Mihai ROMANCIUC, RP (Bucarest); Russia (3): Nikolaj KHRAMOV, RP (Moscow), Sergej VORONCOV, RP (Moscow), Julija PETRISHINA, RP (Moscow); Switzerland (2): Isabelle DUBOIS, (Prilly), Walter OBERMOSER (Prilly); U.S.A. (11): Marino BUSDACHIN, TRP (New York), Lawrence Hayes, TRP (New York), Kalden LODOE, Tibetan Youth Association, Dhondup NAMGYAL, U.S. Tibet Committee, Lobsang NGONDUP, Tibetan Association of NY/NJ, Marco PERDUCA, TRP (New York), Diana TAKATA, Student for a Free Tibet, (New York), Chime THONDEN, U.S. Tibet Committee (New York), Yodon THONDEN, U.S. Tibet Committee (New York), Dechen WANGDU, U.S. Tibet Committee (New York), Tsering Yangdon, Tibetan Women's Association
(New York).
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OCTOBER 2:
6 REASONS FOR WEI NOBEL PEACE PRIZE 1997
In the context of the preparation of October 2nd, we are starting a publication of several issues, in order to give more information on the reasons and the objectives of this fasting dialogue. We report a first list of reasons below, in which we explain, why for us, Wei's candidature for the Nobel Peace Prize 1997 is important. We want to remind that parliamentarians, executive members, university professors in law, philosophy, history and political sciences are entitled to present a candidature for the Nobel Peace Prize. The adhesion coupon for the candidature and the list of the first supporters are available at every Radical Party office. So far, we collected 312 adhesions (196 parliamentarians and 116 university professors). The campaign has to finish, according to the Nobel regulations, within January 1997 in order to present the proposal to the Norwegian Committee.
- The Nobel Peace Prize to WEI
1) could be an excellent way of reconciliation, dialogue, nonviolence and democracy.
2) could reinforce the weakened democratic opposition in China, which is almost completely ruined by the lager of Deng's communist regime.
3) could condemn the expanded nationalist pan-Chinese policy against Hong Kong, Pakistan and Burma; could condemn the ethnic cleaning, the lack of respect for human rights and the sinicization of Tibet, Interior Mongolia and East-Turkistan.
4) could give a strong signal to the government leaders worldwide concerning the serious risks that include a policy towards China which is only based on economic and commercial considerations.
5) could represent a continuation of this intelligent and noble tradition which was important for the progress of humanity and which saw the attribution of the Nobel Peace Prize to people like Lech Walesa, Gorbachov, Nelson Mandela, Rigoberta Menchu, His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Aung San Su Chi, who were and are of so much merit in the struggle for peace and democracy in the world.
6) could recognize, by a concrete and human political gesture of solidarity, the merit and the respect of all, who, in a context of isolation, exile or prison, daily confirm the values of dignity and hope of man.
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The FIFTH MODERNIZATION
Wei Jingsheng has been one of the "Wall of Democracy" movement's leaders, who became at the end of the seventies a reference point for hundreds of young people who opposed in China to the Deng regime, asking democracy guarantees for freedom and individual rights. With a "dazibao" that remained famous, Wei contested the "four modernizations" proposed by Deng, in which he only saw an expedient of economical efficiency to maintain an authoritarian system. What is necessary, Wei wrote, is the Fifth Modernization: the democracy. In this issue of the "Tibet-China Fax" we publish a short but significant passage of this document. Wei is now detained in the Chinese prison of Tangshan, where he has to serve his time in bad health conditions for another 15 years on top of the ones he already passed in prison from 1979 to 1993.
<> (from "The Fifth Modernization", December 5th 1978)
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OCTOBER 2:
CAMPAIGN FOR THE PANCHEN LAMA'S LIBERATION
Another objective of the fasting dialogue on October 2nd, is the release of Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, the seven years old boy recognized by His Holiness the Dalai Lama as the Eleventh Panchen Lama, second Tibetan Buddhist spiritual authority. In June 1995, only one month after the recognition, the little boy was kidnapped with his parents and detained for six months in a secret place that the Chinese authorities only recently admitted as being Peking. Some 50 monks from the monastery of Tashi Lumpo in Tibet, historic seat of the Panchen Lama, are detained with the Panchen Lama. Four months after the start of the postcard campaign to the Chinese President Zemin for the liberation of the young Panchen Lama, 5.539 people adhered to the initiative, and we address them in the first place, asking to reinforce this political initiative in view of the fasting of October 2nd. In the next days, the amount of distributed and sent postcards has to increase to become also a moment of information on the fasting dialogue: with
each distributed postcard you shouldn't forget to communicate the initiative of October 2nd.
* Postcards sent to President Zemin (as August 28)
as of 6/24 as of 8/28
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Australia - 3
Austria 10 27
Belarus - 10
Belgium 359 465
Brazil - 5
Bulgaria 20 71
Croatia 20 72
Czech Republic 27 50
Denmark 12 16
Finland - 1
France 851 1059
Georgia - 1
Germany 228 552
Hungary 5 9
Iceland 1 1
India 5 7
Ireland 15 39
Italy 406 1045
Japan - 1
Liechtenstein 4 9
Luxembourg 15 15
Nepal 1 1
Netherlands 48 60
New Caledonia - 2
New Zealand - 66
Norway 377 440
Poland 52 55
Portugal 7 7
Russian Federation 36 71
Slovakia 10 10
Slovenia - 1
South African Republic - 11
Spain 102 215
Sweden 19 33
Switzerland 440 813
Ukraine 27 57
United Kingdom 40 191
United States 3 11
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3140 5539
Postcards are available at the Brussels Radical Party headquarters
( Tel.+32-2-2304121, Fax.+32-2-2303670 )
* TIBET-CHINA TELEX *
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AUSTRIA
HUTTEMBERG TOWN
The city council of Huttemberg (Austria) required ten Tibetan flags.
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MAILING FOR WEI AND MEETING DALAI LAMA/BOUTROS GHALI
A big mailing started in view of Deputies and Senators in Europe and Parliaments worldwide to support Wei's candidature for the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize and the meeting between His Holiness Dalai Lama and
the UN General-Secretary, Boutros Ghali. The mailing organized by the Transnational Radical Party also wants to facilitate the contact between
the Parliamentarians and everyone who wants to contribute to the success
of these important campaigns. More information on the matter will be available in the next issues of "Tibet/China Fax" or at the T.R.P. offices.
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ITALY
COMMITTEE FOR THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE 1997 TO WEI JINGSHENG
On Matteo Mecacci's initiative, the first Italian Committee for the attribution of the Nobel Peace Prize 1997 to Wei Jingsheng is being organized. The Committee aims to contact University Professors and Italian Parliamentarians, in order to collect adhesions for Wei's candidature.
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INDIA
APPEAL TO ALL POPULATIONS AND TO GOVERNMENTS WORLDWIDE
The Indian organization "Akhil Bharat Rachanatmak Samai", based on Gandhi's message, released an "appeal to all populations and governments" to express its full support for the Tibetan cause. The appeal also contains indications on specific nonviolent initiatives for October 2nd, anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, and for December 25 and May 3, anniversary of Buddha. The association would also like to organize a nonviolent "Satyagraha" for the liberation of Tibet.
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ITALY
CITY COUNCIL OF AREZZO
Our Friends of ARPA (Radical Thought and Action Association) required the City Council to support the liberation of Tibet and to invite the Dalai Lama in the Tuscan city Arezzo.
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PRESSREVIEW
* "Wei Jingsheng, veilleur de l'ame chinoise", by Hélène CIXOUS, Le Monde, August 18-19. A sorrowful defence by the French writer of
Wei's political opinions and of his struggle for human rights
in China.
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APPOINTMENTS
* Fall (France): from August 25 to September 1. Tibet week. Exhibition of Tibetan art and culture organized by the association "Don et Action pour le Tibet", in collaboration with Tibetan artists and supported by the Community of Autun. For further information: Gauthier and Pascale Jacquelin. Tel:+33-72.00.03.36 (Lyon).
* Orléans (France): September 29. Forum on Human Rights organized by the Community of Orléans in collaboration with several Tibet Support Groups.
OCTOBER 2nd: ADHESION COUPON FOR THE FASTING DIALOGUE
(The Panchen Lama's picture) (Wei's picture)
( ) I adhere to the fasting dialogue for the liberation of Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, XIth Panchen Lama, and of the Chinese dissident Wei Jingsheng.
* I have the intention to fast during ( ) 1 Day
( ) 2 Days
( ) 3 Days
* We would like to know the dates of your fasting:
( ) September 30th
( ) October 1st
( ) October 2nd
Name ...........................................................
Complete address ...............................................
................................................................
Country ........................................................
Telephone ......................................................
e-mail .........................................................
Profession/function ............................................
Organization ...................................................
Declaration (optional) .........................................
................................................................
................................................................
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(your declaration will be distributed on the multilingual telematic system Agora - telnet Agora).
* We would like to ask you to send this adhesion coupon to one of the addresses listed below:
- via-mail: Radical Party, Rue Belliard 97-113, Rem 508, 1047 Brussels (Belgium);
- via-fax: +32-2-230.36.70;
- e-mail: pr.bruxelles@agora.stm.it
* It is possible to communicate an adhesion by phone on the following number: +32-2-230.42.21
