< TIBET: GENEVA 1997 - #2 >

Newsletter of the European Coordinating Committee

Number 2 January 23, 1997

Editor: Rue Belliard 89 - REM 5.08 - 1047 Brussels (B)

Tel: +32-2-2304121 - Fax: +32-2-2303670

Published in English, French, Italian

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GETTING 15,000 PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE IN GENEVA

ON MARCH 9 & 10 FOR THE OPENING OF SINO-TIBETAN

NEGOTIATIONS

Now that the work session for the 2nd seminar for the freedom of Tibet and the organization of "Geneva 1997" has closed, the preparations for the two-day rally for the freedom of Tibet have entered the final stage. Less than 50 days remain before March 9th, and less than 50 days before we must bring thousands and thousands of people to Geneva to call for the opening of Sino-Tibetan negotiations, just as the Dalai Lama has requested for years. This is a season of important dialogue with the United Nations, which, along with the governments of the world, could begin to finally resolve the Tibetan question with Geneva 1997. It can also be a platform for non-violent initiatives that form a global movement of citizens who support Tibet's autonomy.

In this edition of the "Geneva Fax" we publish the political declaration of the rally, the program for the "two days," and the first press release of the European Coordination Committee.

New editions of "Geneva Fax" will be distributed in the coming days. These will contain the political conclusions of the Strasbourg Seminar, which took place thanks to the work of European Deputies Adelaide Aglietta of the Green Party and Olivier Dupuis of the ARE group, who agreed to arrange the practical and financial organization, as well as the first technical and financial organization of the manifestations.

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DECLARATION FOR THE RALLY OF 9-10 MARCH 1997 IN GENEVA

Geneva 1997

The citizens of Europe, Tibet and other countries, gathering in Geneva on 9 and 10 March 1997 to call for the liberation of Tibet,

- whereas an vital stage for the future of humanity is presently enacted in Tibet: the survival of a people whose struggle is based on non-violence;

- considering that it is the duty of the citizens of the world to support this struggle in the name of universal responsibility and non-violence,

urgently appeal to:

- the General Assembly of the United Nations

- the Secretary General of the United Nations

- the Security Council of the United Nations

- the Member States of the UN Commission on Human Rights

- the Heads of State and Government of the world

- the Parliaments of the world

- the representatives of the Bussiness Community

to use all possible political and diplomatic channels to open negotiations as soon as possible to realise the peaceful settlement of the Tibetan question, under the auspices of the United Nations, between the government of the People s Republic of China and the Tibetan government in exile, as has been requested continuously by the Dalai Lama.

The participants also call for:

1. an immediate end to all violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms in Tibet and the release of all political prisoners, including Ngawang Choephel et Ngawang Sangdrol;

2. the respect of religious freedom in Tibet and, in particular, the release of Gedhun Choeky Nyima, the Eleventh Panchen Lama, and his family from incommunicado detention;

3. an immediate end of the Chinese policy of population transfer of Chinese settlers into Tibet and a start of the decolonisation process by returning land and properties to those Tibetans who have been expropriated during 40 years of Chinese occupation;

4. an immidiate end of the Chinese policy of coercive birth control practices in Tibet which includes abortion, sterilisation and infanticide;

5. the UN Decolonisation Committee to urgently put the question of the decolonisation of Tibet on its agenda;

6. the release of all political prisoners in China, Eastern Turkestan and Inner Mongolia, including Wei Jingsheng, leader of the Chinese Democracy Wall Movement and winner of the 1996 Sakharov Price laureate, and Wang Dan, one of the leaders of the Chinese student movement of 1989;

7. the closure of all Chinese labour camps, the notorious gulags , where millions of prisoners are presently detained under inhuman and slavery conditions;

8. the governments of the world to take immediate action to end the import of products manufactured through forced labour in the Chinese labour camps and prisons;

9. the adoption of a resolution by the UN Commission on Human Rights during its 53d session, which condemns China s persistent policy to suppress human rights and fundamental freedoms in Tibet;

10. the European Union and the governments of its Member states to act in accordance with the resolutions on Tibet adopted so far by the European Parliament, as well as by the parliaments of Germany, Belgium and Luxembourg.

The participants,

- express their support to the Tibetan people, the Chinese democratic movement, to all the victims of Chinese occupation in Tibet, Eastern Turkestan and Inner Mongolia, and the Chinese communist dictatorship;

- express their support to the brave and ceaseless efforts of the Dalai Lama to restore the political, cultural and religious freedoms of his people through dialogue and non-violence;

- call upon the Chinese people and its rulers to commence a peace process based on dialogue and negotiations, which is the only way to end Tibet s tragedy;

- appeal to the democratic governments of the world to recognise their responsibility and use all political means at their disposal to defend the fundamental human rights, the political, civil, religious and labour rights of the peoples of China,, Eastern Turkestan, Inner Mongolia and Tibet;

- appeal to the Business Community to recognise their responsibility and to ensure that their commercial activities respect human rights.

- Tibetan Communities in Europe

- Tibet Support Groups in Europe

- Intergroup on Tibet in the European Parliament

- Transnational Radical Party

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SCHEDULE FOR "GENEVA 1997"

Sunday March 9th

- 11:00 AM Gathering of the participants in front of the Chinese mission in Geneva.

- 11:35 AM: Reading and consignment of the Memorandum to the Chinese mission to the United Nations.

Beginning of the march from the Chinese mission to the United Nations. The requested route is: Chinese mission - University of Geneva (Bastions) - Planpalais - Quai du Mt. Blanc - Avenue du France - Palais de Nations.

- 1:10 PM: Brief speeches at Bastions.

- 3:00 PM: Arrival at Palais des Nations

- 3:30 PM: Speeches

- 5:30 PM: Conclusion of program

- 6:00 PM: Departure for Quai du Mt. Blanc

Candlelight March from the lighthouse (Bains de Paquis) and Fountain (Jet d'Eau). From Quai du Mt. Blanc to Quai Gustave Ador.

- 9:00 PM: Conclusion of Candlelight March

Monday March 10

- 10:00 AM: Gathering of the participants at the Palais des Nations

- 11:00 AM: Opening speeches

- 12:30 PM: Conclusion of opening ceremony

- 12:30 PM: Consignment of the Memorandum to the Chairman of the UN Commission on Human Rights.

- 1:00 PM: Consignment of the petition of the children for the release of the Panchen Lama to the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights.

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BANK ACCOUNT OF THE EUROPEAN COORDINATION

As has been mentioned before, the European Coordinators have opened a bank account in which contributions to the organization of "Geneva 1997" can be made. As of today, $ 2.000 has been received, but we need at least $ 50.000. To this date, $17,000 has been committed by the European Tibet Support Groups and the Tibetan community. We ask these organizations to deposit their contributions at their earliest convenience.

Bank Account: "Geneva 1997" No. 310-1075921-83, BBL Bank, Agency of the European Parliament, Rue Van Maerlant 2, 1040 Brussels (B).

We will keep you informed on the proceedings of this self-financing campaign through this bulletin. We will publish the promises of financial support and the deposits made in the account for the organization of "Geneva 1997" from time to time.

< PRESS RELEASE >

(To be sent to the maximum number of local and national media. Substitute the address of the European Coordination with that of the national contact address.)

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FREEDOM FOR TIBET.

15,000 PEOPLE IN GENEVA ON MARCH 9-10.

A DECLARATION FOR THE OPENING OF SINO-TIBETAN NEGOTIATIONS.

Brussels, Jan. 23, 1997. The Tibetan Community in Europe, along with the European Tibet Support Groups, the Tibet InterGroup of the European Parliament, and the Transnational Radical Party, have agreed upon March 9-10, 1997 as the dates for the second European manifestation for the freedom of Tibet.

The objective is to gather no less than 15,000 people from all over Europe in Geneva. They will call for the immediate opening of negotiations between the Chinese government in Beijing and the Tibetan government in exile, as the Dalai Lama has constantly requested for years, for a peaceful resolution to the Tibetan question.

Three stages of demonstration are scheduled in Geneva: on March 9th, a march will proceed from the Chinese mission to the gates of the United Nations. In the evening of the same day, a candlelight march and vigil will be held. On March 10th, the commemoration day of the non-violent Lhasa uprising of 1959, a gathering will be held at the gates of the United Nations. Numerous European political figures will participate, as well as leaders of Chinese dissidents abroad and internationally known artists who are dedicated to the Tibetan cause.

See the attached Political Platform and Schedule of Events

European Coordination for "Geneva 1997" (Brussels)

Tel. +32-230.41.21 - 284.71.98

Fax. +32-230.36.70 - 294.91.98