MAYORAL PROCLAMATION

CITY OF MADISON, WISCONSIN

WHEREAS, the United States Congress has enacted legislation declaring Tibet an occupied country whose true representatives are the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Government in exile; and,

WHEREAS, the United Nations Human Rights Subcommission has passed a resolution concerning the present threat to the cultural, religious and national identity of the Tibetan people; and,

WHEREAS, the Clinton administration has made the renewal of China's Most Favored Nation trading status conditional upon significant progress towards the protection of Tibet's distinct religious and cultural heritage and the improvement of human rights in China and Tibet; and,

WHEREAS, the ongoing suppression of human rights and freedom in Tibet must be the concern of all freedom-living people everywhere; and,

WHEREAS, on March 10, 1996, Tibetans throughout the world will gather in their host countries to commemorate the Tibetan National Uprising against the Chinese occupation of their country and honor more than a million Tibetans who have died in their struggle for the independence of Tibet; and,

WHEREAS, human rights organizations around the world will sponsor public demonstration on March 10 to protest the situation in Tibet; and,

WHEREAS, the new Tibetans in Madison are to be congratulated on rapidly becoming self-supporting, contributing residents of our city;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the mayor of the city of Madison, Wisconsin, does hereby proclaim March 10, 1996, as:

"TIBETAN INDEPENDENCE DAY"

in Madison, and commend this observance to the people of this city.

Paul R. Soglin, Mayor

Signed and sealed this 28th day of February, 1996, at City Hall