< FREEDOM FOR TIBET/DEMOCRACY IN CHINA ! - #39 >

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 #39, October 14, 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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DECEMBER 10TH, 1996:

24 HOURS OF WALK - AROUND AT THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS FOR THE LIBERATION OF THE PANCHEN LAMA AND WEI JINGSHENG.

Oct. 2nd is now behind us, and now we must invent other arrangements for dialogue with the Ministers of Foreign Affairs for the liberty of the Panchen Lama and Wei Jingsheng. The date for the first of these new engagements is December 10th, the global day for human rights. This was proposed in the final resolution approved at the conclusion of the 2nd Global Conference of the TSG in Bonn. It was re-proposed by Piero Verni, president of Italia-Tibet during our recent fasting dialogue.

After various discussions and hypotheses a "24 hour Walk-Around" for Dec. 9th and 10th seemed to be the most effective instrument. This new initiative will allow us to accentuate our pressure on various Ministers of Foreign Affairs so that they will intervene with force in favor of the liberation of Panchen Lama and Wei Jingsheng and also reinforce our preparation for the "Satyagraha 1998" for the liberty of Tibet.

The "Walk Around" takes part, just as the fasting dialogue, in the tradition of non-violent struggle, of dialogue, and conviction across precise objectives and requests that are limited and possible. It is an

initiative that has the objective of continuing the dialogue with our governments and, also across constant pressure on our Parliaments,

asks of the deputies to approve resolutions on the Panchen Lama, on Wei Jingsheng, the opening of Sino-Tibetan negotiations, and the sustainment of an international campaign for the conferment of Wei jingsheng for the Nobel peace Prize of 1997.

As you can see, and as always, there is much work to be done and there are many hopes to realize. The time is short.

Good work!

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WALK AROUND FOR THE LIBERTY OF THE PANCHEN LAMA AND WEI JINGSHENG.

ORGANIZATION FOR DECEMBER 9TH AND 10TH.

* The Walk Around will last 24 hours. The minimum number of people needed to organize the Walk Around at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, then, is 24 (one for every hour). It will begin at 1:00 pm on Monday December 9th and end at that same hour Tuesday December 10th.

* The Walk Around is characterized by marching, dressed with signs, for the predetermined time around the perimeter of the chosen building, in this case the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in order to best attract the attention of the Minister, but also to attract public opinion and the media to the requests of the marchers. The march should not obstruct traffic or the work being conducted in the offices.

* The Walk Around should be organized primarily in the capitals, with the contribution of persons from the provinces.

* At the end of every hour there will be a symbolic exchange during which

the symbol of our action, the letter that will be consigned to the Minister of Foreign Affairs at 1:00 pm, will be passed along from one marcher to the next marcher or group of marchers. The marchers may obviously walk for more than one hour, as long as there are at every hour of the day and night, dozens if not hundreds of marchers who march together.

* It is important that at the beginning and conclusion of the 24 hours that all the marchers be available for press conferences, photographs, and whatever else may assist in the success of this non-violent initiative.

* It is likewise important that there be immediately established national coordinations that assume the responsibility of requesting the necessary permits, of keeping the list of participants to date, to inform the participants of important news, to begin the contact work with the mass-media, and to communicate various information to Brussels.

* With the next issue we will begin to publish a special section for organizational support and service.

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PARTICIPATION FORM FOR THE WALK AROUND

(image of the Panchen Lama) (image of Wei)

( ) I support the Dec. 9th and 10th Walk Around for the liberation of Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, the 11th Panchen Lama, and for the freedom of Wei Jingsheng, the Chinese dissident.

( ) I intend to work on the preparation committee of the initiative in

............................. (country).

( ) I intend to participate in the Walk Around that will take place in

.............................. (country).

* The hour I prefer to walk is:

- from.......to....... on Dec. 9th

- from.......to....... on Dec. 10th

First and last name:.......................................

Complete Address:..........................................

...........................................................

...........................................................

Country:...................................................

Telephone:.................................................

Fax:.......................................................

E-Mail:....................................................

Profession:................................................

Organization:..............................................

Note:......................................................

...........................................................

...........................................................

...........................................................

* please send this completed form (please print information) to one of the following addresses:

- by mail: Transnational Radical Party, Rue Belliard 97-113, Rem 508, 1047 Brussels (Belgium)

- by fax: +32-2-230.36.70 - 284.91.98

- by E-Mail: pr.bruxelles@agora.stm.it

* you may also declare your participation and that of other people by telephone at +32..2.230.41.21

___________________________________________________

LETTER CAMPAIGN TO THE MINISTERS OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

To continue the dialogue with the national institutions so that they may adopt the maximum level of effort for the liberation of the Panchen Lama and Wei Jingsheng, we suggest, not exclusively to the fasters of October 2nd, to write more personal letters to their Ministers of Foreign Affairs. The letters may be signed by more than one person and should contain the requests of October 2nd.

- to address the letters it is sufficient to write the first and last name of the Minister and the following address: Minister of Foreign Affairs of ____________ (country), and ____________ (city).

- we ask that you also mail a copy of the letter to the TRP office in Brussels.

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"OCT. 2ND" MANIFESTATIONS

* New Delhi. At the hour of 11:00 a.m.on the 2nd of October an initiative

took place in the Indian capital promoted by the association "Akhil Bharat Achanatmak Samaj"; the association works closely with Prof. SAMDHONG Rinpoche, president of the Tibetan parliament in exile. Groups composed of 11 persons contemporaneously presented a memorandum and a letter signed by Nirmal DESHPANDE to the 120 embassies of the capital.

The memorandum asks for the opening of Sino-Tibetan dialogue without preconditions, to defend the religious, cultural, and spiritual rights of the Tibetan people with particular attention paid to the situation of the 11th Panchen Lama kidnapped by the Chinese and to work so that the transferral of Chinese citizens to Tibet will end.

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NOBEL PRIZE FOR WEI IN 1997

ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE TIBETAN PARLIAMENT IN EXILE NOMINATE WEI.

FROM TAIWAN THE FIRST SUPPORT ARRIVES.

In the last few days an additional 79 Parliamentarians and University Professors signed the proposal of candidacy, bringing the total to 511 signatures (364 Parliamentarians, 146 professors, and one member of government):

* Parliamentarians

Samdhong RINPOCHE (President of the Assembly of representatives of the Tibetan People-ATPD), Thupten LUNGRIG (Vice-president, ATPD), Chi Chang HONG (Taiwan), Albert Jer-Fu LIN (Taiwan), Catherine TRAUTMANN (European parliament, PSE, and mayor of Strausburg), Jose Gabriel MURILLO DUARTE (El Salvador, Democracia Cristiana), Peter REHWINKEL (Holland, PvdA), Constance RAZAFIMILY (Madagascar), Ria JAARSMA (Olanda, PvdA), Jaime Cesar NARANJO ORTIZ (Chile, Partido Socialista), Annemie VAN DE CASTEELE (Belgium, VU), James SUTTON (New Zealand, Labor Party), Son CHHAY (Cambodia, Buddhist Liberal Democratic Party), Sokha KEM (Cambodia, Buddhist Liberal Democratic Party), Georges Alain LARIDON (Maurituis Islands, Rassemblement pour la Reforme), Paul Kibugi MUITE (Kenya, Ford Kenya), Emil KAPUDALIEV (Bulgaria, SDS), Grigor MALEV (Bulgaria, SDS), Yasho MINKOV (Bulgaria, BBB), Guner TAHIR (Bulgaria, DPS), Ivo TRAIKOV (Bulgaria), Orlin DRAGANOV (Bulgaria), Nikolai HRISTOV (Bulgaria, Radical Democratic Party), Nikolay KISSYO

V (Bulgaria), Anastassia MOZER (Popular Bulgarian Agrarian Union), Benjamin Juan Carlos BLANCO QUINTANILLA (Bolivia, Civic Solidarity Union), Franco CORLEONE (Italy, Greens, Undersecretary Ministry of Justice), Sergio FUMAGALLI (Italy, SI), Dino SCANTAMBURLO (Italy, PP), Tadng Choekey ANDRUGSTAN (Assembly of the Tibetan People-ATDP), Tinla Dewatshang CHOEDON (ATDP), Karma CHOPEL (ATDP), Norbu DHARGAY (ATDP), Thokme DORJE (ATDP), Butuk GYARI (ATDP), Dolma GYARI (ATDP), Guru GYALTSEN (ATDP), Tashi GYALSTEN (ATDP), Yonten GYATSO (ATDP), Jigme HORTSANG (ATDP), Ngawang JHAMPA (ATDP) Pema JUNGNEY (ATDP), KALDEN (ATDP), Kirti Dolkar LHAMO (ATDP), Ngawang LHAMO (ATDP), Tsedo LINTSANG (ATDP), Tsering Dolma NANGSO (ATDP), Tsultrim Tenzin NURATSANG (ATDP), Lobsang NYANDAK (ATDP), NYESANG (ATDP), Gojo Tsering PHUNTSOK (ATDP), Yonten PHUNTSOK (ATDP), Zatul RIKZING (ATDP), Jadur Sonam SANGPO (ATDP), Karma Tharchin SHERAB (ATDP), Ngawang TENPA (ATDP), Lodoc THARCHEN (ATDP), Tsering Norzom THONSUR (ATDP), Sonam TOPGYAL (ATD

P), Dawa TSERING (ATDP), Dhukar TSERING (ADTP), Penpa TSERING (ATDP), Pema TSEWANG (ATDP), Gompo TSO MLO (ATDP), Namgyal WANGDU (ATDP), Thhuptn WOSER (ATDP), Cheme YUDON (ATDP).

* University Professors

Carmen LECCARDI (University of Milan), Edmondo LUPIERI (University of Udine), Jacques RUPNIK (University of Paris), Ivan M. HAVEL (University of Prague), Martin BUTORA (University of Trnava - Slovakia), Shpend BENGU (University of Tirana), Adriatik KALLULI (University of Tirana), Spiro THEODORI (University of Tirana), Robert RADOJA (University of Tirana), Bahri BECI (University of Tirana), Gjovalin SHESTANI (University of Tirana), Mario Alessandro CATTANEO (University of Milan).

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MAILING OF POSTCARDS FOR THE LIBERATION OF THE PANCHEN LAMA

The total of the postcards sent to Chinese president Zemin has reached 6,549 from 43 nations as of October 8th. Six European deputies sent cards, as did 9 Belgian, 2 Danish, 4 Irish, 8 French, 5 German, 5 Norwegian, 4 Portuguese, 3 Swiss, one Spanish, and one Swedish deputy of Parliament.

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PRESS RELEASE "OCT. 2ND"

* Austria

- "International Solidarity for the kidnapped Panchen Lama": APA (Vienna) 1/10.

- "Solidarity Action for the Panchen Lama": Wiener Zeitung (Daily, Vienna) 2/10.

* Croatia

- "Agents" Globus (weekly, Zagreb) 2/10.

- "Thoughts not hidden: Tibetans": Slobodna Dalmacija (Daily, Spalato) 2/10.

- "On the fasting": HINA (news agency) 2/10.

* Czech Republic

- "On the manifestation of Oct. 2nd": CTK (news agency) 4/10.

* France

- "Three days of fasting for Tibet": Le Provencal (Daily, Marseilles) 2/10.

- "Fasting for occupied Tibet": Le Meridional (Daily, Marseilles) 28/9.

- "2 days of fasting for Tibet": Le Meridional (Daily, Marseilles) 1/10.

- "Fasting protest in favor of Tibet": La Depeche (daily, Toulousse) 1/10.

* Hungary

- "Global fasting": Pesti Hirlap (Weekly, Budapest) 27/9.

- "Fasting for dialogue": Nograd Megyei Hirlap (Daily, Salgotarian) 1/10.

* Italy

- "Italy-China: the radicals write to Dini for civil rights": Ansa (News agency, Rome) 9/10. On the letter that TRP Counsel General Paolo PIETROSANTI sent to Italian Foreign Minister Dini after he refused to receive a delegation of fasters.

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TIBET CHINA TELEX

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PE/WEI CANDIDATES FOR SACHAROV PRIZE 1996

The Foreign Affairs commission of the European Parliament has selected three candidates for the Sacharov prize for 1996.The Socialist group and the United Left nominated Don Samuel RUIZ (Chiapas), the PPE group and Union for Europe chose Cuban national Council delegate Leonel MOREJON ALMAGRO, and the liberals and radical Alliance candidated WEI Jingsheng.

The winner will be chosen by the Conference of Presidents (President of Parliament and Presidents of Political groups) on October 17th.

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NOBEL COMMITTEE/NOBEL PEACE PRIZE FOR 1996 AWARDED

On October 11th the Nobel committee assigned the Nobel peace Prize for 1996 to Carlos Filipe XIMENES BELO, bishop of East Timor, and Jose RAMOS-HORTA, two persons who symbolize the non-violent struggle of the inhabitants of East Timor against the ferocious oppression of the Indonesian dictatorship. The TRP, in a press release, applauds the important decision of the Oslo committee and also announces the immediate re-launching of the campaign, already underway for many months, to nominate Wei Jingsheng for the Nobel peace prize in 1997. A telegram of congratulations, signed by secretary of the TRP Olivier DUPUIS and by TRP representative at the United Nations and secretary of the "No Peace Without Justice" committee Marino BUSDACHIN, was sent to Jose RAMOS-HORTA. In the text Hortas' abundant effort during the most recent works by the UN Commission on Human Rights in Geneva was remembered, and the full support by the TRP for independence, peace, and democracy was stated.

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USA/FOREIGN RELATIONS ACT

With the "Foreign Relations Authorization Act, H.R. 1561" for the fiscal years 1996-1997 "The United Special Envoy for Tibet" of the U.S. Department of State was made responsible for the promotion of negotiations between the Dalai Lama or his representatives and the members of the government of the People's Republic of China (WTTN).

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AUSTRALIA/RESOLUTION ON THE PANCHEN LAMA

The Australian Senate approved at the beginning of October a resolution condemning the violation of Human Rights in Tibet with particular mention of the sequester of the 11th Panchen Lama, which "is contrary to the freedom of religious practice." In the resolution the whereabouts and health of the Panchan Lama are requested (WTTN).

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PRESS RELEASE

- "Cancer et totalitarianisme tuent Chen Ziming", by Christine Ockrent, in Liberation (France) 23/9. Article on the death in prison of Chinese journalist Chen Ziming.

- "Liu Xiaobo arrete a Pekin" in Liberation (France). On the arrest in Peking of famous literary critic Liu Xiaobo, who has worked for years to guarantee the freedom of religion and expression in China. Shortly before his arrest he had requested the opening of talks by the Chinese authorities with the Dalai Lama.

- With the arrest of Lui Xiaobo the WTTN diffused on Oct. 10th a declaration by Kalon Tashi WANGDI, minister of the Tibetan government in exile, in which a profound admiration was expressed for the courage and honesty of LUI for his words in favor of the Tibetan cause.

- "Les aspirations separatistes du Xinjiang inquietent Pekin" by Francois DERON, in Le Monde (France) 5/10. Analysis of the situation in East Turkistan (the Chinese region of Xinjiang) from rare information on the repression by the Chinese government in that region.

- "The Italian flea and the Chinese giant" by Gad Lerner in La Stampa (Italy) 4/10. A long article on Italian economic investments in China that take advantage of the local workers and low cost of production. The Italian factory of Piaggio motorcycles is first on the list.

- "The Minister with the suitcase" by Ilaria Maria SALA in Il manifesto (Italy) 10/10. On the possible and probable effects of Foreign Prime Minister Dini's trip to China, on which he is accompanied by a group of industrialists (IRI, Finmeccanica, Eni, Fiat). Dini's agenda includes meetings with Qian Qichen (Chinese Foreign Minister), Wu Yi (minister of commerce) and Li Peng and Jiang Zemin.

- "La Chine estime que le 'delinquant' Wei Jingsheng ne doit pas avoir le Nobel," AFP from Peking on october 10th. Declaration by Shen Guofang, spokesman of Chinese diplomacy, on the candidacy of Wei for the 1996 Nobel peace prize. Wei, according to Shen, is a "common criminal."

- "Toto Nobel for Peace" by R.E., in Il Corriere della Sera (Italy). One day before the assignment of the Nobel prize for 1996 the Italian daily publishes a possible list of winners among whom Chinese dissident Wei Jingsheng is included.

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APPOINTMENTS

* Dalai Lama in Europe

- Strasbourg Oct. 23rd and 24th: European parliament

- Dusseldorf Oct. 26th: Gala UNESCO

- Budapest Oct. 27th and 28th: encounter with representatives of Hungarian political parties and the Budapest club. Public assembly Monday Oct. 28th (9;00 a.m.) at the Congressional palace of Budapest.

- Paris Oct. 29th: encounter with the people at the Sport Palace, Porte de Versailles (6:30 p.m.).

* Brussels: 15 days for Tibet. The organization "Les Amis du Tibet-Belgique" will organize a 15 day conference for Tibet in Brussels (Community of Schaerbeek - Province of Brussels). Oct. 15th (8:30 p.m.) conference with Claude Levenson; from Oct. 16th to Oct. 30th exposition "Le Tibet Millenaire"; from Oct. 21st to Oct. 30th creation of a Mandala of sand; Oct. 25th recital of Tibetan music. For more information: "Les Amis du Tibet" tel. 32-2-217.02.83

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

In the preceding issue of "Tibet-China Fax" we printed a list of the leaders and presidents of the TSG who participated in the fasting dialogue. Larry Gerstein of the International Tibet Independence Movement (ITIM)" rightly noted the involuntary omission of the list of the ITIM, which was one of the most active organizations. We ask you to forgive our error.

"Tibet-China Fax" Circulation Numbers

No. 38 of this bulletin had the following distribution:

Total Fax E-Mail

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English Edition 567 239 328

French Edition 242 197 45

Italian Edition 256 240 16

Spanish Edition 66 63 3

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1.131 739 392

In addition the TRP offices in central-eastern Europe distributed circa another 400 copies of the Hungarian, Croatian, Polish, Romanian, Bulgarian, and Albanese language editions for a comprehensive total of 1.500 copies, a somewhat limited number of copies. If you are in possession of a mailing list or fax list of persons potentially interested in the campaigns for Tibetan liberty and democracy in China, we ask you to forward it to E-Mail a.novi@agora.stm.it or call or fax us at our office in Brussels.

Thank You.