Letter from Nirmala Desphande, president of "Akhil Bharat Rachanatmak Samaj"
October 16, 1996
Dear Friend,
thank you very much for your two fax messages. We are extremely happy and feel encouraged by the report of your fastingProgramme.
Our programme organized by Akhil Bharat Rachanatmak Samaj and friends was held on 2nd October - birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi - was a grand success. Large number of Embassies responded positively to my first letter to them informing about our programme and fixed up appointments on 2nd or 3rd October. As 2nd October was a holiday in India, we had to shift the programme to 3rd at the request of the Embassies. But three Embassies, viz. Austria, Spain and Mauritius specially opened their offices to receive our delegations. When the leader of our delegations met them, the Ambassadors where heard saying "what better way than Ggandhiji's birth day for the noble cause of Tibet?
On third October 800 delegates including representatives from all the 22 States of India belonging to Akhil Barat Rachanatmak Samaj and many other friends gathered at a place in Delhi, offered prayers and meditations and then divided into groups heading to the respective Embassy. Many Embassies received our delegates very cordially and expressed sympathy for the cause of Tibet. The Embassy of Russian Federation spent over an hour with our delegation and discussed various point of our memorandum. Barring a few Embassies, at all the other missions our delegations and the Memorandum were received very cordially.
Seven Embassies, viz. Cuba, Yugoslavia, Tanzania, Pakistan, Myammar (Burma), Nauru, New Zealand sent letters expressing their inability to accept the Memorandum, but we sent the Memo to all of them by post. In five Embassies, the key persons were out of town on that day and they sent us telephonic messages that our delegations were welcome on any other mutually convenient day. Accordingly, our delegations visited them later.
In many Embassies, a detailed discussion took place and interest was shown in the cause of Tibet. Even some valuable suggestions were also made by the Embassy officials to further the cause of Tibet.
Attractive banners were displayed depicting the photographs of HH the Dalai Lama and Mahatma Gandhi. The benners carried the following message:
Appeal to the Governments and Peoples of World
We support nonviolent movement of Tibet
Akhil Bharat Rachanatmak Samaj & Friends
Lunch was served by a member of Parliament when all the delegates returned and later a meeting was held which was attended by Prof. Samdhong Rimpoche, among others.
Among others who participated in the programme
- Mr. Raby Ray, former Speaker of Indian Parliament
- Sardar Buta Singh, Former Home Minister of India
- Mr. H.M. Joshi, Former Director General of Police
- Many Professors from various Universities of Delhi and surrounding areas
- Students, Lawyers and social workers in large numbers.
Presence of large number of University students prompted many Mission Heads to say that such a youth dominated movement is bound to succeed.
H.H. The Dalai Lama wrote a personal letter to me which is reproduced hereunder:
"I want to express my deep sense of appreciation to you and your close associates for presenting a petition to the various diplomatic missions in New Delhi in Gandhi Jayanti this year. I understand that the petition contained issues such as the lack of human rights and genuine religious freedom in Tibet, the huge Chinese population influx to Tibet and the need for the Chinese Government to hold talks with us to solve the Tibetan issue. I am particularly happy and encouraged by what you have done, because coming as it does from our Indian friends, I consider it extremely important. Such actions and support from our Indian brothers and sisters will definitely send a powerful message to the Chinese authorities. With prayers and good wishes".
With personal regards,
Nirmala Desphande
