The indefinite relay hunger strike

January 6, 2000

Why we are launching this relay hunger strike? Firstly, between 1959-1979, there has been no communications between the H.H. The Dalai Lama and the Chinese on the question of Tibet. However, since 1979-1999 there had been some talks through various channels of communication. During this 20 years of communications H.H. The Dalai Lama has offered negotiations with the Chinese in resolving the question of Tibet, short of independence, for the mutual benefit of both the Tibetans and Chinese risking criticisms from his own people. Since, the Strasbourg declarations this offer had been made known to the whole world through various forums as often as possible. However, the Chinese are pussy-footing on this offer and the situations in Tibet are getting worse every passing day. The photos of H.H. The Dalai Lama are banned and the basic religious rights are curtailed in Tibet. Tibet these days looks like a mass concentration camp. There obviously had been no sign of change in the hearts of the leaders of Communist Chi

na. Outwardly, to please the world community, they just show false intention of having negotiations with H.H. The Dalai Lama. But in real terms they are buying time on their own theory of waiting for H.H. The Dalai Lama to pass away with the question of Tibet! It is true that recently, Jiang Zemin had clearly declared as a state policy decision in one of the meeting that H.H. The Dalai Lama is getting old and hence they are in no hurry to negotiate which they believe the question of Tibet will automatically vanish with the Dalai Lama in due course of time! Naturally, the Tibetan people are angered to great extend and are getting very desperate.

In this new millennium we are re-dedicating ourselves to struggle for the total independence of Tibet and nothing less.

Secondly, quite recently the Kosovo and East Timor received a fair amount of support from the United Nations Organisation even though they were fraught with violence. Where as for the last 40 years of Tibet's peaceful and non-violent struggle did not get any fair support from the UNO except it passed three resolutions in 1959, 1961 and 1965 which so far seems to have no intention of implementing them! We are not even recognised as a refugees in exile! This is big question to every Tibetan. Is it that only violence pays dividend?

It is because of the above two circumstances that we, the United Bod Cholkha Sum, on behalf of the 6 million Tibetans, as the per the resolution passed in our Third Annual General Meeting, are launching this relay hunger strike to press the UNO to implement its 3 resolutions on Tibet and to put appropriate pressure on the Chinese to respect these 4 point key issues on Tibet. This peaceful struggle will go on indefinitely until our key demands are addressed in some way or other and our options are wide open and series of other movements are in the pipeline.

The United Bod Cholkha Sum - is a Tibetan non-government organisation involved in cultural, political and social activities based in Dharamsala, India.