Message-Id: <3.0.2.32.19970709091012.007c3520@hella.stm.it>

Date: Wed, 09 Jul 1997 09:10:12 +0200

From: Rangzen@aol.com

Subject: Final Report: 1997 March........Part 1

Final Report: 1997 March for Tibet's Independence (Part 1)

Submitted by: Larry Gerstein Director, International Tibet Independence Movement (ITIM)

www.rangzen.com (website); Rangzen@aol.com (e-mail)

It has been almost three weeks since the conclusion of the 1997 "March for Tibet's Independence" at the United Nations in New York City on June 14th.

Since then, the organizers have reflected on the outcome of this event and they have attempted to reenter "everyday" life (not an easy task). What follows is a summary of the final day of the walk and some comments about the event itself (additional details & images can be found at www.rangzen.com).

Before sharing this information, we want to deeply thank all the organizations and individuals who helped to make the "March" such a great success. Our 600-mile walk was successful because of your contributions. This was the first time that such an extensive, active, ongoing network (Tibetans, western supporters, & Tibet Support Groups) evolved to implement a political action related to Tibet. Hopefully, we will all share our resources again to pursue Tibet's independence through non-violent strategies.

THE LAST DAY: U.S. FLAG DAY

Throughout the course of the entire march, the walkers only made two wrong turns: one in Milford, New York just 2 weeks before the end of the march, and one on this last day, while trying to cross the George Washington Bridge. The correct path was eventually found and the bridge crossing was punctuated by early morning traffic beeps and honks, thumbs up, and waving hands. June 14th was selected to finish the walk because it represented an important, yet rarely celebrated holiday in the United States, U.S. Flag Day. Members of our "March" displayed their respect for the U.S.A. by flying the American Flag while they walked. They also carried the Canadian flag and flags that are not respected by The PRC and illegal to own or fly. Representatives of Tibet, Southern Mongolia, Eastern Turkistan, and Taiwan carried these outlawed flags.

The walk consisted of 500-750 people who blocked traffic in Manhattan and filled a field in Central Park for lunch. After walking twelve miles on hot city streets, the "March" ended across from the United Nations, including over 125 Tibetans from Canada. A small stage was set up with a huge Tibetan flag as a backdrop. Representatives from Eastern Turkistan, Southern Mongolia, and Taiwan held their flags and banners on the stage as well. Sonam Wangdu of the U.S. Tibet Committee and ITIM served as the host for the demonstration to follow. The major purpose of this demonstration was to reveal the truth about the symbols in The PRC flag. On Oct. 1, 1949, The PRC was founded and so was its' flag designed by Ma Hsu-lun. "Like the stripes in the Five-Color Flag, the five stars clearly stand for China proper, Manchuria, Mongolia, Sinkiang (Eastern Turkistan) and Tibet," according to Whitney Smith in his 1975 book, "Flags Through the Ages and Across the World." At this demonstration, representatives from Tibet, Easte

rn Turkistan, Southern Mongolia and Manchuria (a Taiwanese person represented this country) each cut out one star from The PRC Flag.

Dawa Tsering (head of the Office of Tibet in NYC & Representative of HHDL in North America) was the first speaker. Mr. Tsering invited the core group of walkers to the stage and then offered some significant and historic remarks about the Tibet Independence Movement:

"On behalf of the Office of Tibet and myself, I would like to thank everybody for participating in this last day of the independence march from Toronto to New York. Particularly I would like to say a hearty thank you to Professor Jigme Norbu Rinpoche and His other colleagues who have started this long march from Toronto in March 10th and has now ended on the 14th of June, today. They have spent their time for more than 90 days to do this work, and have covered hundreds of miles. Considering the age of Jigme Norbu and the other elderly people on this march, it really is a remarkable effort and self sacrifice of their time.

On the 25th of May in upstate New York I was there, and His Holiness appreciated very much their effort. Also, in Los Angeles I was in the Tibetan community audience with His Holiness and He mentioned about the very good effort taken by Professor Norbu and other walkers. So, this has been personally blessed by His Holiness and this I want to make known to you.

Tibet has a recorded history of more than two thousand years living independently from any outside occupation. We had our own Kings, our own Lamas as rulers, but we have never in our history had any Chinese dynasty-there isn't any trace of their ruling over Tibet. We had our own national flag, our own postal systems, our own currency, our own rulers, our own country, our own nation. That is why it is our legitimate right to fight for the independence of Tibet.

Also, I would like to make clear to the participants here, that sometimes you may hear that there are some groups of Tibetans who take this kind of stand on the Tibetan issue. On the other side, people say that His Holiness is taking another step on the Tibetan issue. Well, as I said, it is the legitimate right of the Tibetan people to speak the voice to regain Tibetan independence. We are in a free country and we have, in the Tibetan community, a democratic free society, so it is the wish of the people to express their views and whatever sort of activities they want to launch it is up to them.

Well, on His Holiness's side, as you all know, we have taken a number of steps to negotiate with the Chinese on this long standing Tibetan problem. So far, as you know, we have not received from the Chinese side an encouraging response despite many considerate gestures shown by His Holiness and the Tibetan government in exile. So, I think that these kind of activities are appropriate, and perhaps, nobody knows, we will have to go for the worst one day. So, I would like to say to the Chinese, it is high time that the voice of His Holiness The Dalai Lama should be heard. Otherwise the Tibetan people will get more frustrated on this long standing issue and the final outcome may not be in the interest of the Chinese people, as well as the Tibetans.

So, we have these different types of movements from different Tibet support groups in this country. Also, I am very happy that so many people have joined in from Canada and many have just arrived from California after His Holiness's visit. So many people from different groups are here at this rally. This is a very good thing. Thank you to you all. Now, I would like to mention to the support groups and the Tibetans who are launching this type of activity that in the future we should discuss more, so that we have a national coordinated activity in this part of the world so that our movement can be more effective."

Following Dawa Tsering, there were over 20 very articulate and prominent speakers from around the world. Since the major focus of this demonstration was networking the Tibet, Eastern Turkistan, Southern Mongolia, Taiwan, and Manchuria independence movements in their opposition to The PRC, highlights of the speeches given by the major representatives from these countries will be shared. For a complete list of speakers and text of the main speeches, e-mail ITIM.

The first major speaker was Thubten Jigme Norbu (Taktser Rinpoche); a long time advocate for Tibet's independence, co-founder of the Committee of 100 for Tibet & ITIM, and oldest brother of His Holiness The Dalai Lama.

"I'm standing here today, and we are all gathered together asking to stop the killing in Tibet. Just this morning, I walked across the bridge and my friends informed me that recently, maybe two or three days ago, in Shigaste, the Chinese arrested over 50 people. I don't know exactly the numbers, but I think they executed 10 people. This is very sad-those people are lost. I think we should be silent for a minute, please.

I think the Chinese government is not made up of human beings. They are worse than ghosts. When I lived in Tibet in the 1940's, I decided that I could not stay with these guys, so I left Tibet. I came to the United States, and I think I'm very lucky I found this wonderful place, with freedom and everything. In my life, I have made many mistakes, but coming to this country is not a mistake. Because I'm from Tibet and I am Tibetan I have a responsibility. My brothers and sisters in Tibet are dying and being killed.

Anyone the Chinese wants to put in jail, they can put in jail. Anyone they want to execute, they can execute. For these reasons, I felt that I must leave Tibet and inform the world about what was happening in Tibet. This walk for me is like a picnic. Everyday I go out and go for a walk, joke, laugh, and eat nice food, but my walkers who organized this and prepared for it everyday, how many miles we would walk, where we were going to stop-they worked day and night nonstop. I am thankful for them.

I think independence for Tibet is most important. Tibet must belong to Tibetans. I have one reason and maybe you all agree or not, but look, His Holiness The Dalai Lama chose The Panchen Lama. He recognized Gendhun Choekyi Nyima, and when His Holiness announced this, the Chinese took Gendhun Choekyi Nyima away. Why? The Chinese do not believe in any religion. Why did they take The Panchen Lama? Because, The Panchen Lama is our Buddhist way and we are devoted to Him. This is a simple reason why Tibet must be independent. If not, then we will always have problems.

PO RANGZEN!

I have been waiting for that for a long time. Please say it louder!

PO RANGZEN!"..............

It is our obligation as Tibetans, as Tibet supporters, and as simple human beings, to call upon the United Nations to ACT NOW to resolve the crisis in Tibet. We must insist that the UN make a concerted effort to rectify what is perhaps the gravest and longest running tragedy of the post-war world.

Therefore, we demand that the United Nations take the following action immediately:

1. Send UN investigators to Tibet to examine in detail the human rights situation.

2. Publicly and strongly condemn all violations of relevant articles of the International Declaration of Human Rights that are found in Tibet.

3. Grant observer status to the Tibetan Government-In-Exile headed by His Holiness The Dalai Lama and allow His Holiness to address the UN General Assembly.

4. Require that China release the world's youngest political prisoner, Gendhun Choekyi Nyima and His family, along with Chadrel Rinpoche and others involved in the discovery of The Panchen Lama. Additionally, guarantee the safety of these individuals.

5. Stop the transfer of Chinese citizens to Tibet.

6. Implement all UN adopted resolutions on Tibet.

The suffering in Tibet must be brought to an end now. Finally, we demand that the United Nations begin serious investigations into the conditions in other countries illegally occuppied by The PRC Empire, specifically the countries of Southern Mongolia and Eastern Turkistan. In addition, let us not forget the people of Taiwan, who have been struggling for five decades for the right to determine their own future. Although the government of Taiwan has made strides toward democracy over the last several years, this government must allow the people of Taiwan to freely decide on their political future. And, it is my hope that Taiwan as well as Southern Mongolia and Eastern Turkistan are someday independent.

Let me once more thank all of you who have joined us here today for lending your voices to this effort. As I have said before, I will walk until Tibet is independent; you can be certain of this. In fact, next year I am thinking about walking in Europe or the Westcoast of the United States. Those are my plans. What are your plans? I want to encourage all of you to plan similar walks. Imagine if we all walked in different parts of the United States and Europe, Taiwan, Japan, and India at the same time! I strongly request that you seriously consider planning your own walks for next year. A great deal can definitely be accomplished through walking. We must all work much harder, especially we Tibetans. We Tibetans must accept our responsibility to fight for our country. There is no excuse.

Now, I will perform a task that I have anticipated for months. I perform this task with no anger, hatred, or revenge. I simply want to tell the truth and symbolically demonstrate my commitment to justice, compassion, and non-violence. Many of you have heard me say, "Tibet belongs to Tibetans," and "Tibet has never been part of China." As I cut a star out of The PRC flag, I do so with these beliefs in mind. Moreover, as I remove a star from this flag, I ask all of you to be very mindful of our brothers and sisters in Tibet who currently live under the oppression of this flag and who have a similar desire to remove this star. Lastly, I want you to think about the 1.2 million Tibetans who have died fighting to remove this star. Their red blood and that of our Mongolian, Turkistani, and Manchurian brothers and sisters can be easily seen in the background of this flag. Please join me in your mind and heart as I cut this star.

BOD RGYAL-LO!"

Larry Gerstein (Director of ITIM) was the next speaker. Basically, he explained the reason for the flag cutting ceremony. "On October 1, 1949 The PRC was founded and this flag behind me was introduced. For those of you who don't know about this flag, this large star stands for the Han people. The four smaller stars, one of which has been removed, stand for Tibet, Eastern Turkistan, Southern Mongolia and Manchuria. You should realize that this particular flag was introduced before the invasion of Tibet or Eastern Turkistan was completed. So, The PRC had in its mind that it was going to overthrow these countries when it introduced this flag. We are here today to tell the truth about this flag. These four small stars do not belong in this flag. We have no problem with the large star. Our problem is with the smaller stars. As Taktser Rinpoche said earlier, we cut these stars out, not with anger, not with revenge, but with respect, compassion, justice, wisdom, and the desire to tell the truth about this symbol.

You saw Taktser Rinpoche cut a star out of this flag. What you'll see now are representatives of Eastern Turkistan and Southern Mongolia cut a star out of the flag. Unfortunately, we have searched for months now, and have not been able to find a Manchurian freedom movement. If you know of any Manchurian freedom movement contact us. Apparently, the Manchus have been totally absorbed by The PRC. We will cut a star out for the Manchurians in respect for those people who have died wanting to preserve their country. A Taiwanese individual will do this for us."

Erkhtemtsel Borjigin (Vice Chairperson, Inner Mongolian People's Party) spoke next and he cut out a star for the Southern Mongolians.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I come before you, speaking on behalf of millions of Inner Mongols who live under total repression and fear, and in total denial of their basic human rights. From a historical perspective, the Chinese and the Mongols are completely different nationalities, traditionally separate societies as well as nations. We Mongols have our own national alphabet. Our culture is based on an agrarian, herding lifestyle and our country falls geographically in the northern part of Asia. The Great Wall of China was built over a thousand year period as a physical expression of the separateness of the two peoples.

In 1911, following the collapse of the Ching Dynasty, Mongolia declared its independence. This event opened the door to the eventual creation of the modern state of Mongolia. In 1921, the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party, with the help of the Soviet Union, brought down the so-called "feudal state" of the recently formed Mongolia, and founded the Mongolian People's Republic. Despite the active participation of Inner Mongols in both of these events, the region known as Inner Mongolia was not included in the territory of the new republic, primarily due to opposition from the Soviet Union, and was ceded to China.

Nevertheless, we have never given up on our struggle to achieve independence from China. In the first half of this century, under the leadership of Prince Demchugdongrub, a strong independence movement flourished right through the 1940's. In September of 1945, following a meeting of representatives from all parts of Inner Mongolia, we declared our independence. But this was short-lived. In the face of these independence movements, our country was invaded and forcibly occupied by the Chinese. On May 1, 1947, with promises made to us of "self-government," similar to promises being made to Hong Kong today, an "Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region" was formed under the gun of the Chinese communist army.

Today, as we review the past 50 years of Chinese communist occupation of Inner Mongolia, we Inner Mongols have not seen one day of self-government. Furthermore, the ecology of Inner Mongolia has suffered great destruction, and Mongol ethnic identity is on the verge of extinction. The Chinese colonialists have mounted a policy of ethnic annihilation, and they have transferred 20 million Chinese peasants from other provinces of China into Inner Mongolia. Fifty years ago, the population of Inner Mongolia was 80% Mongol. In 1996, it was only 14% Mongol. We have become a minority in our own lands. The rampant farming of our grasslands has turned 150,000 square kilometers of pastures into desert. More than 1,500 Buddhist temples and memorials have been destroyed, and more than 600,000 Mongols have been killed or maimed through campaigns of ethnic violence directed against the Mongols.

Inner Mongolia is rich in natural resources, such as coal, oil, timber and minerals. These have been ceaselessly exploited by the Chinese occupiers, transported out of our lands, with little direct benefit to our people. In their place, they have dumped their nuclear wastes and poisoned our environment. Future generations of Mongols will show the deadly health effects of the massive burial of poisonous nuclear wastes in our land.

The fact is that all Chinese know that Mongolia is forcibly occupied by the Chinese. Up until now, they have succeeded in perpetuating their big lie, about "self government" for Inner Mongols. It has not happened and it cannot happen for as long as we are forcibly occupied and denied our human rights. Therefore, on the basis of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we call upon the good-hearted of the world to join with us in our demands for freedom and justice for our people:

1. Support economic sanctions against the government of China until such time as they recognize the freedom of Inner Mongolia, Tibet and Eastern Turkestan;

2. Respect the human rights of the Mongols to practice their customs;

3. Stop the policy of genocide and assimilation;

4. Stop all nuclear testing;

5. Stop the policy of mass population transfer of Chinese into our lands;

6. Immediately release all prisoners of conscience, including Hada and Tegexi;

7. Establish a day of mourning marking that fateful day, May 1, 1947, when the CPC created the autonomous region of Inner Mongolia.

Ladies and gentlemen, this is the plight of my people. Please lend us your moral support. Now on behalf of the Mongols of China, I will remove one more star from the flag of the PRC, so that the world will know that we Mongols do not belong to China."