Newsletter on the campaigns of the Radical Party for the freedom of Tibet.
"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
#17 of March 27, 1996
Editor: Massimo Lensi, Dorottya u. 3.III.em6. - 1051 Budapest (H) - Tel. 36-1-266.34.86 - 266.09.35 - Fax. 11.87.937 - e-mail M.Lensi@agora.stm.it - WWW-Url: htt//:www.agora.stm.it/pr - Telnet: Agora.stm.it
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Published in English, French, Spanish, Italian, Hungarian, Croatian and Rumanian.
THE COLLECTION OF ADHESIONS CONTINUES ON THE APPEAL TO BOUTROS GHALI AND FOR THE LIBERATION OF THE PANCHEN LAMA.
However still too slow, the postcard-campaign for the liberation of the Eleventh Panchen Lama, abducted by the Chinese authorities, with his family and more than 50 monks from Tashi Lumpo, is getting started.
In Paris, on the occasion of the official visit of the Chinese Prime Minister Li Peng in France, responsible of the massacres of Lhasa and Tien An Men in 1989, the Parisian Council "Li Peng, we don't forget Tien An Men - Group for the liberties in China and Tibet" approached President Chirac in order that he asks the Chinese Prime Minister not only the immediate liberation of the Chinese dissident WEJ Jingsheng and all political prisoners, but also the end of the military oppression in Tibet.
More than just an invitation to support the initiative of the Parisian Council, we confirm, as has been announced on the issue of the Brussels March, that we are putting the finishing touches to the preparations of a second international campaign in favor of the nomination of the Chinese dissident WEI Jingsheng for the Nobel Peace Price 1997. A campaign we hope to be able to lead with numerous organizations of Chinese and Taiwanese opposition. This campaign applies, as plans the Nobel Commission, to the parliamentarians and to the university professors. In the following number of "Freedom for Tibet Fax", we will publish the text of the appeal and the information necessary for the favorable ending of this campaign.
CAMPAIGN FOR THE LIBERATION OF THE PANCHEN LAMA
The international campaign of sending postcards for the liberation of the Eleventh Panchen Lama, recognized by the Dalai Lama and at present detained by the Chinese authorities, starts to get off the ground. These last 4 days, 87 more postcards have been sent to the Chinese President Zemin to ask the immediate liberation of Gedhun CHOEKYI NYIMA.
* Situation of the postcard-mail to the Chinese President.
(as for March 25th)
at 3/18 at 3/21 at 3/25
------------------------------------------------
Germany 14 14 21
Belgium 58 70 96
Spain 0 0 1
France 50 60 97
Italy 4 6 11
Luxembourg 1 1 1
Netherlands 6 6 6
United Kingdom 0 2 2
Slovakia 0 2 2
Switzerland 7 9 20
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Total 140 170 257
The purchase price of the postcards is $ 1,5 for 10 carts and $ 6,50 for 50 cards. For orders of more than 200 units, other selling prices can be established. The postcards are available at the different offices of the Transnational Radical Party and at a number of Support and Solidarity Groups for Tibet.
LI PENG IN PARIS
The Chinese Prime Minister Li Peng will make an official visit to Paris mid-April. The Parisian Council "Li Peng, we don't forget Tien An Men - Group for the Liberties of China and Tibet" is preparing to "receive" him and works in order for the French authorities not to honor a Chinese Prime Minister who is responsible of the massacres of Lhasa in Tibet in March 1989 and of Tien An Men in June the same year. The Council is collecting adhesions from parties, organizations, deputies and personalities on a text-appeal "Li Peng in Paris! And what about the human rights?" In this text we can read among other things that "France refused the political asylum to Ms Zhang Shuyun, the doctor who had the courage to denounce the scandal of the orphanages transformed into old people's homes" and that in Bangkok, during the first top Europe-Asia, the President of the French Republic eluded the question of the Human Rights in favour of economic interests". The appeal applies to the President of the French Republic in order
that he asks the Chinese authorities the immediate liberation of WEJ Jingsheng and the other political, religious and trade-unions prisoners, and also the end of the military oppression in Tibet. Who wants to adhere or to obtain supplementary information on the planned initiatives, can directly contact the Council: Rue La Fayette 52, 75009 Paris - tel. 44.83.83.93 fax 42.46.36.76
TIBET TELEX
FIRST ADHESIONS TO THE APPEAL "LI PENG IN PARIS!"
Fédération pour la Démocratie en Chine, Maison chinoise de la Démocratie, Communauté Tibétaine en France, l'Association des étudiants taïwanais en France, Amicale des étudiants chinois venant de Taïwan-République de Chine, France-Tibet, Comité de Soutien au Peuple Tibétain, Commission d'enquête internationale contre la répression en Chine, Ligue des Droits de l'homme, Fondation France Libertés, S.O.S. Racisme, Réseau Voltaire, UNEF ID, Union des Etudiants Juifs de France, MNEF Solidarité, FEN, F.S.U., Lycéens Solidaires, Union Nationale Lycéenne, Mouvement International pour la Réconciliation, Cedetim, Mouvement Humaniste, Robin des Bois, AREV, L.C.R., Convergences Ecologie Solidarité, Les Verts, Mouvement Ecologiste Indépendant, Radical, Ecolo-J, Convention pour une Alternative Progressiste, Communauté République, Union démocratique bretonne, Parti Occitan, Parti Radical Transnational.
MARCH 10TH 1996: TBILISI
We learnt with some delay that a manifestation has taken place in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, on last March 10th. About 25 people demonstrated on the Rustaveli square in the presence of numerous representatives of the Georgian press.
MARCH 10TH: MINSK
In spite of the interdiction of the Bielorussian authorities, the Transnational Radical Party has organized an action together with other organizations to commemorate the massacre of Lhasa in 1959: hundreds of small balloons with the inscription "Save Tibet" were launched in the sky of Minsk on the 10th of March. In April, still in Minsk, a round table will be held on the Tibetan question with the representative of the Dalai Lama in Moscow, Nawang RABGYAL.
CHINA/HUMAN RIGHTS: INTERPELLATION AT THE ITALIAN PARLIAMENT
An interpellation on the position of the Italian Government on account of the Resolution on China at the Commission of Human Rights at the United Nations has been proposed on March 20th to the Chamber of Deputies by Italian Deputy Lorenzo STRIK-LIEVERS, from the Reformers group and member of the Radical Party. In the proposed text, STRIK-LIEVERS asks information about "the position of the Italian Government on the contents of the Resolution and in particular concerning the persistence of the violations of the human rights and the fundamental liberties in China, including the insufficient protection of cultural, ethnic, linguistic and religious distinctions as well in Tibet as with regard to other ethnic groups represented in the in the Popular Republic of China.
VIDEO "MY TIBET"
The video "My Tibet" has been represented on March 27th at the European Parliament in Brussels, during a press conference at which Adelaide AGLIETTA, a European deputy of the Greens who is the producer of it, and Richard GERE, American actor and co-president of the "International Campaign for Tibet" participated. The video, containing numerous rare images from archives, has been filmed and realized by the video-journalist Piero VERNI, president of "Italy-Tibet" Association and written by Karma CHUKEY, a Tibetan born in Dharamsala and at present vice-president of the Tibetan community in Italy.
PRESS REVIEW "MARCH 10"
The work of integration of the international press reviews on the 10th of March continues. Thankful to everybody who has sent us press releases or radio and TV communications, we remind that in order to be able to establish a file as complete as possible, it is important that anyone who possesses presscuttings sends them by fax at the seat of the Transnational Radical Party in Brussels (+32-2-284.91.98 or 284.91.97).
* France
- Le Crosne (monthly) n.111, March. "Tibet Freedom"
- Le Dauphiné Libéré (daily) 3/10. "For a freed Tibet"
- Nord Eclair (daily) 3/10. "A flag for Tibet in the sqare"
- Voix du Nord (daily) 3/10. "Solidarity with Tibet"
- Ouest France (daily) 3/12. "A flag for Tibet"
- Le Rennais (monthly) 3/13. "A flag for Tibet"
- Les Petites Affiches (weekly) 3/13. "Operation: a flag for Tibet"
- Le Républicain (daily) 3/14. "A flag for Tibet"
