< FREEDOM FOR TIBET/DEMOCRACY IN CHINA ! - #48 >
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".
Tenzin GYATSO, the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, 1992
Number 48 January 21, 1997
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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THERE ARE ONLY A FEW DAYS LEFT
BEFORE THE PROPOSAL FOR THE CANDIDACY OF WEI JINGSHENG FOR THE 1997 NOBEL PEACE PRIZE MUST BE DEPOSITED IN OSLO.
WE ARE STILL 100 SIGNATURES SHORT OF THE GOAL OF 1,000
ONLY FIFTY DAYS LEFT UNTIL "GENEVA 1997"
There are only a few days left for the collection of signatures of support from Parliamentarians and University Professors for the candidacy of Chinese dissident WEI Jingsheng's for the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize. These few days will determine whether or not we will reach the symbolic goal of 1,000 signatures of support for his candidacy. We invite everyone to go to the University faculties of History, Law, Philosophy, and Political Science and to collect the signatures of the professors. It is a small task, but one that has great importance towards the ends of a campaign that will proceed in other ways after the consignment of the signatures to the Nobel Committee in Oslo on January 31st. it is important to communicate all support immediately (by fax) to the office of the TRP in Brussels at fax # +32-2-230.36.70.
Dear friends,
the countdown towards our future deadlines begins to pressure us, and remind us of the approach of March 9th and 10th, when hundreds of mayors will raise the Tibetan flag and when we will find ourselves 15,000 or 20,000 strong in Geneva for the two days of initiatives for the freedom of occupied Tibet. Last week, in Strasbourg, the 2nd European seminar for the freedom of Tibet took place, where important decisions of responsibility were for the success of the "Geneva 1997" manifestation.
In the following days you will receive the "Geneva 1997" fax, which will include the first political and organizational information on the program of this extremely important event.
We hope that the "numbers" and "names" will provide an added stimulus for the decisive growth of the various initiatives that, in all honesty, appear to us to still be weighed down in the doldrums of winter.
Best Wishes for Good Work.
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A FLAG FOR TIBET 1997:
2,845 ADHESIONS OF SUPPORT TO GO UNTIL WE ARRIVE AT OUR OBJECTIVE OF 3,000.
Few, in fact, very few cities have declared their support for the campaign in the last few days.The number was only 22 declarations.
We invite all of you, but especially the groups that are involved in these campaigns, to contact the community directors and fix appointments with the mayors of cities in order to verify that they received our letter and understood what internal procedure it requires. Obviously, we ask you to keep us current on any developments in this campaign in your region.
* Situation by country as of January 21st
Conf.96 Ades.97 Total
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Belgium 19 14 33
Croatia 1 1 2
France 35 21 56
Italy 25 3 28
Luxembourg 4 - 4
Holland 1 - 1
Czech Republic 2 3 5
Spain 6 7 13
Slovenia - 5 5
Hungary 4 5 9
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Totals 96 59 155
* Adhesions from January 6th through January 21st (22)
From Belgium: Jean-Louis CLOSE, Mayor of NAMUR (a); Christian VAN EUKEN, Mayor of LINKEBEEK (a): from France: Michel DELEBARRE, Mayor of DUNKERQUE (a); Philippe FAURE, Mayor of MALARCE SUR LA THINES (a); Maurice JANETTI, Mayor of ST JULIEN (a); Gilles VINCENT, Mayor of SAINT MANDRIER (a); J. DELOBEL, Mayor of BAILLEUL (c); André DEMARTHE, Mayor of GRANDE-SYNTHE, (c); Claude SUFFIT, Mayor of PEIPIN, (c); Daniel VANHOVE, Mayor of ZOOYCOOTE (a); from Italy: Franco TOMASSI, Mayor of STRANGOLAGALLI (a); Alessandro ORIGO, Mayor of LECCO (c); Aurelio FERRARI, Mayor of LODI (a); from Slovenia: Ludvik BRATUSA, Mayor of LJUTOMAR (a); Pavel RUPAR, Mayor of TRZIC (a); Matjaz KOCAE, Mayor of MORAVCE (a); from the Czech Republic: Petr HUDLER, Mayor of JINDRICHUV HRADEC (a); from Hungary: Lajosne ZAGYVA, Mayor of BODAJK (a).
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WEI JINGSHENG FOR THE 1997 NOBEL PEACE PRIZE
OBJECTIVE: 1,000 SIGNATURES BY JANUARY 31ST.
Another 138 Parlamentarians and University Professors have signed the candidacy proposal, bringing the total number of nominations to 896(620 Parlamentarians, 272 University Professors, two members of government and two Nobel Peace Prize laureates). Many friends of the TSG - from Marseilles to Lione and all the way to the TIL in Lichtenstein - are mobilizing to take the most advantage of these last fruitful hours. We are only a breath away from reaching the symbolic goal of 1,000 signatures to the campaign. The latest signatures that are collected should be sent by fax to the TRP office in Brussels at fax # (32-2-230.36.70). Please remember that the dealine for the consigment of signatures to the Nobel Committee is January 31st..
* Parlamentarians
From the European Parliament: Willy DE CLERCQ; Doeke EISMA; Phillipe MONFILS; Antoinette SPAAK), Astrid THORS, Enrique BARON CRESPO, Philippe DE COENE, Raymonde DURY, Fiorella GHILARDOTTI, Klaus HäNSCH, José HAPPART, José Maria MENDILUCE, Nicole PERY, Pasqualina NAPOLETANO, Francisca SAUQUILLO, Jan M. WIERSMA, Maria COLOMBO SVEVO, George DIMITRAKOPOULOS, Nicole FONTAINE, Marlene LENZ, Edward McMILLAN-SCOTT, Arie OOSTLANDER, Doris PACK, Carlos PIMENTA, Leo TINDEMANS, Vincenzo VIOLA, Christine BARTHET-MAYER, Michel DARY, Antonio GONZALEZ, Catherine LALUMIERE, Alfonso NOVO, André SAINJON, Daniel COHN-BENDIT, Gianni TAMINO, Johanner VOGGENHUBER, Riccardo GAROSCI, Lucio MANISCO, Richard BALFE, José BARROS MOURA, Roberto BARZANTI, Rinaldo BUONTEMPI, Antonio CAMPOS, Marie-Arlette CARLOTTI, Richard CORBETT, Quinidio CORREA, Edy D'ANCONA, Biagio DE GIOVANNI, Antoinette FOUQUE, Luciano VECCHI, Elmar BROKE, Francisco LUCAS PIRES, Inigu MENDEZ DE VIGO, Undine-Uta BLOCH von BLOTTNITZ, Friedrich-Wilhelm GRAEFE zu BARINGDO
RF, Heidi HAUTALA, Monica BALDI, José SALAFRANCA, Wielfried TELKÄMPER, Hadar CARS, Gijs DE VRIES.
The following National Deputies have also signed their support of the candidacy: Hilde Frafjord JOHNSON (Norway, PDC), Vlasta SVOBODOVA (czech Rep., ODS), Bertil PERSSON (Sweden, Moderate Party), Parris H. CHANG (Taiwan, Democratic Progressive Party), Georg PFANNESTEIN (Germany, SPD), Roy N. WETTERSTAD (Norway, ILP), Marie Luise BECK (Germany, Greens), Angelika BEER (Germany, Greens), Freimut DUVE (Germany, SPD), Magdeline WILLAME (Belgium, PSC), Günter GRAF (Lichtenstein, SPD), Christel HILTI (Lichtenstein, Freie Liste), Oswald KRANZ (Lichtenstein, Vaterländische Union), G. MEIER (Lichtenstein, FBPL), Valter WOLK (Lichtenstein, VU), Klaus WANGER (Lichtenstein, FBPL), Einar STEENSNAES (Norway, Christian Democratic Party), Michaelt TSAI (Taiwan, DPP), Bernard BARRAUX (France, UC), Jean Pierre CAVE (France, UDF), Robert HUGUENARD (France, RPR), Michel VOISIN (France, UDF), Kjielle Magne BONDEVIK (Norway, Cristiani-democratici), Juraj BISCAN (Croatia, HSS), Valenti PUZEVSKI (Croatia, HSS), Marinko FILIPOVIC (Cr
oatia, HSS), Luka TRCONCIC (Croatia, HSS), Malcom BRUCE (Great Britain), John HEPPEL (Great Britain), Ieuan Wyn JONES (Great Britain).
* University Professors of Law, Political Science, Philosophy, and History.
Paolo TONINI (Univ. of Florence), Dino FIOROT (Univ. of Padua), Gianni RICCAMBONI (Univ. of Padua), Daniela ANDREATTA (Univ. of Padua), Luciano FERRARI BRAVO (Univ. of Padua), James W. EISWERT (Univ. of Northwest Missouri), Karen F. JONES (Univ. of Ithaca, NY), Harold HODES (U.S.A.), Ignace VANDEVIVERE (Univ. of Lovanio), Enzo PACE (Univ. of Padova), Renato STELLA (Univ. of Padova), Alison BAILEY (Univ. of Illinois), Clementine FAIK-NZUJI (Univ. of Lovanio), Nicolas PIROTTE (Univ. of Lovanio), Sully FAIK (Univ. of Lovanio), Cees J. HAMELINK (Univ. of Amsterdam), Felice DASSETTO (Univ. of Lovanio), Stanley G. FRENCH (Canada), Thomas W. SIMON (Univ. of Illinois), Andrew BROOK (Univ. of Ottawa), Paul LOWENTHAL (Univ. of Lovanio), Philippe R. DE VILLE (Univ. of Lovanio), Michael SINGLETON (Univ. of Lovanio), Maurits VAN OVERBEKE (Univ. of Lovanio), Philippe VAN PARIJS (Univ. of Lovanio), Richard GAY (USA), Corinne BLAKE (Univ. of New Jersey), Isabelle CASSIERS (Univ. of Lovanio), Maurice MARCHAND (Univ. of Lovan
io), Carman BICKERTON (Canada), Dragutin PAVLICEVIC (Univ. of Zagreb), Hartmut ELSENHANS (Univ. of Leipzig), Klaus BREMER (Finland), Daniel COLIN (France), Michel PAILLET (Univ. of Toulon), Michel REYDELLET (Univ. of Toulon), Jean Jacques SUEUR (Univ. of Toulon), Anatolij SOBCHAK (Univ. of St. Petersburg), Ludmila NARUSOVA (Univ. of St. Petersburg), Dominique TABUTIN (Univ. of Lovanio), Harold HODES (USA), H.S. VERSNEL (Univ. of Leiden), Jean-Manuel LARRALDE (Univ. of Caen), Gerd JUNNE (Univ. of Amsterdam), Ibrahim ABDULLAH (USA), David R. APPLEBAUM (Univ. of New Jersey), Joan McGREGOR (Univ. of Arizona), Edward WANG (Univ. of New Jersey), Ryna ABBOTT (USA), Roderick PHILLIPS (Univ. of Ottawa), Olivier OHL (Univ. of Grenoble), Carl GINET (Univ. of Ithaca, NY).
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A PLAZA FOR TIBET
This year, together with the request to raise the flag of the "Lion of the Snows" by the mayors, we also ask that the cities participating in the campaign name a street or plaza after occupied Tibet. As of today there are not many communal administrations that have begun the procedure toward the fulfillment of this request. It is significant to note that numerous large cities such as Bologna have made the decision to do so.
The initiative may be an opportunity in many cities for us to relaunch the entire campaign by organizing, for example, a collection of citizen's signatures on petitions that will be submitted to the mayor and community council. This collection can begin by setting up stands or tables on the street that distribute information for "Geneva 1997" as well.
* List of mayors supporting the "Plaza for Tibet" campaign.
- in Belgium: Sonja CLAES, Mayor of HEUSDEN ZOIDER; Jacques VANDENHAUTE, Mayor of WOLUWE-SAINT-PIERRE, deputy;
- in Spain: Pablo R. ISASI AGUIRRE, Mayor of AMURRIO;
- in France: Gerard CAUDRON, Mayor of VILLENEUVE D'ASQ, European Deputy; M. MELLAN, Mayor of LES-PENNES-MIRABEU;
- in Italy: Mario CALIGIURI, Mayor of CATANZARO; Marco VITALI, Mayor of BOLOGNA.
< TIBET CHINA TELEX >
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POSTCARDS FOR THE PANCHEN LAMA IN CHINA
Certain friends of ours who recently returned from a visit to China informed us that they saw the postcards for the freedom of the Panchen Lama on sale in the marketplaces in Peking and Shangai. They were being sold to postage stamp collectors. This is another reason for us to multiply the number of cards we send.
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POSTCARDS FOR THE PANCHEN LAMA/OBJECTIVE: 10,000
As of today the number of postcards that have been sent to the
Chinese President Jang Zemin for the immediate release of the XI Panchen Lama have reached 9,148. They have been sent from 51 different nations. The objective is to reach 10,000 before "Geneva 1997." On that occasion, on the proposal of Ngawang Drakmargyapon of the Tibet Bureau of Geneva, the parts of the postcards that were mailed to the TRP office in Brussels will be consigned to the Special Investigator of religious intolerance of the UN. We remind you that the postcards are available from our Brussels office.
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ITALY/TIBET/MOTION IN PERUGIA
Councilor Mario VALENTINI deposited a motion at the community council of Perugia on January 14th. It included a request to bestow honorary citizenship on the Dalai Lama.
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GENEVA 1997 FAX
In only a few days the 2nd "Geneva 1997 Fax" will be distributed. It will contain all of the technical and organizational material for the preparations of the demonstration in Geneva on March 9th and 10th as well as the Political Platform and various political conclusions reached at the Strasburg seminars on January 16th and 17th.
< PRESS RELEASE >
"Das Martyrium einer Kultur der Sanftmut" in Karnter Tageszeitung (daily, Austria) of Dec. 15th. An article appeared following the Walk Around - organized by Save-Tibet Austria in Vienna on Dec. 10th - for the liberation of Wei Jingsheng and the Panchen Lama.
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APPOINTMENTS
- January 24-25. Torino (Sala Avogadro Institute). two nights of solidarity with the Tibetan people organized by Iscos Cisl Piemonte and the Italia-Tibet Association. Among the videos that will be shown: "Brussels, March 10th, 1996", a video produced on the occasion of the European march for "Liberty for Tibet" For information, call: Italia-Tibet, tel. and fax. # 39-2-706.38.382.
