< FREEDOM FOR TIBET/DEMOCRACY IN CHINA ! - #52 >

Newsletter on the campaigns of the Radical Party for the freedom of Tibet and the democracy on China.

"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".

Tenzin GYATSO, the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, 1992

Issue 52, February 25, 1997

Editors office: Massimo Lensi, Dorottya u. 3.III.em6 - 1051 Budapest (H)Tel. +36-1-266.34.86 - 266.09.35 Fax. +36-1-11.87.937

E-mail: M.Lensi@agora.stm.it WWW-URL http://www.agora.stm.it/pr - Telnet: Agora.stm.it

Distribution; Alberto Novi, rue Belliard 89, Rem 508, 1047 Brussels (B)Tel: +32-2-2304121 - Fax: +32-2-2303670

Published in English, Spanish, French, Italian, Hungarian, Croatian and Rumanian

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EVERYONE TO GENEVA

OPENING OF SINO-TIBETAN NEGOTIATIONS

ONLY 12 DAYS TO THE BEGINNING OF THE "TWO DAYS" FOR THE FREEDOM OF OCCUPIED TIBET.

Yesterday, after two weeks of closed dialogue with the authorities of the city of Geneva, the permit to hold the "Freedom for Tibet" manifestations was obtained.

Here is the new program:

- Sunday March 9th:

* 1:00 PM: reunion of the participants at the Place de Nations (Main entrance of the United Nations)

* 1:00 - 4:00 PM: Speeches and music. Refreshments stands and information booths will be set up in the square.

* 4:30 - 6:00 PM: non-violent march to the water front.

* 7:00 - 8:00 PM: candle light vigil on the waterfront.

- Monday March 10th:

* 11:00 PM: Non-Violent sit-in in front of the gates of the United Nations (Place des Nations).

An important edition of "Geneva Fax" will be released in the coming days, featuring updates of all the technical modifications which the new program entails: parking for buses, information stands, public transport, etc...It is important that the respective cities participating in the events immediately reinforce their preparation work for Geneva: from reserving buses to contacting persons to involving the political, social, and cultural entities for support, so that there will be thousands and thousands of us in Geneva on March 9-10 in support for a free Tibet. We do not believe that the death of Deng will change the current status of Tibet. It is up to us, the global movement that is being born, to influence the decisions of leaders and nations and place history on a path of non-violence and democracy. We must do so through the organization of political action and responsibility.

Good news has arrived from the European Parliament. As a result of the proposal of Parliamentarians Dupuis and Dell'Alba, in the name of the ARE group, an important resolution for the UN Human Rights Commission was approved on behalf of the political community of the European Parliament. The resolution directs particular attention to the violation of human rights in China and Tibet. The entire text has been printed on the Second Page.

Good Work!

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A FLAG FOR TIBET 1997:

1,692 ADHESIONS TO GO UNTIL THE OBJECTIVE OF 2,000 IS REACHED.

ROMAN MAYOR RUTELLI DECLARES HIS SUPPORT.

Once more, few adhesions have arrived in recent days: only 61 in 3 days.

We hope this is a positive sign telling us that hundreds more will arrive in the near future. Of particular note are the declarations of support from Franceso Rutelli, the mayor of Rome, and Herbert Scmalstieg, the mayor of Hanover. The first adhesion from Austria has also arrived.

* Situation by country as of Feb. 21

Conf. '96 New. '97 Totals

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Austria 1 - 1

Australia - 12 12

Belgium 20 16 36

Bulgaria - 8 8

Croatia - 2 2

Czech Republic 4 10 14

France 48 51 99

Germany 5 7 12

Holland 1 - 1

Hungary 20 9 29

Italy 37 22 59

Luxembourg 7 9 16

Slovenia - 5 5

Spain 6 8 14

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118 128 247

* Adhesions from Feb. 11th to Feb. 21st (61).

Mayors From Italy: Francesco RUTELLI, (Rome c); Antonio BOGONI (Montefortone d'Alpone n); Roberto MECOZZI (Casape); Flavio ZANONATO (Padua); Paolo BODINI (Cremona); Piero FLORIANI (Pisa n); Tiziana IEMMOLO (Londa c); Rosalba SPINI (Certaldo); Antonio PELLEGRINO (district of Foggia); (disctrict of Padua); Franco GUSSONI (disctrict of Massa); Gian Carlo CORADA (district of Cremona);

Mayors from Germany: Herbert SCHMALSTIEG (Hannover); Klaus ULBRICHT (Vilsburg); Ludwig SEIBOLT (Lich); Helmut HAIDER (Berlin-Koepenick); Kurt MACHENS (Hildesheim c); Joerg RICHTER (Berlin-Pankow n); Ivo GOENNER (Ulm); Rainer KRAETSCHMER (Waechtersbach); Juergen WEBER (Wuerzburg); Franz SCHULZ (Berlin-Kreuzberg n);

Mayors from Belgium: Guy CUDELL (St-josse-ten-noode n); from Hungary: Istvan GYORGY (Budapest X. Ker); Ervin HAJAS (Budapest XXII. KER.); Gabor ZUPKO (Budapest XIX. KER); Sandor SUHAI (Nagykanisza); (Apfatalva); Ferenc GEIGER (Budapest XXIII); from Bulgaria: Ventislav VARBANOV (Dolni Dabnik); from France Pierre COHEN (Ramonville-st-Agne c); Michel ESNEU (Dol de Bretagne); Gustave PLANTADE (Saint-Orens); Raymond VALL (Fleurence c); Rene' OLIVE (Thuir c); M. Bernardht (Sanary); Mme PONS (Le Bousset); M. RITONDALE (Hyeres); M. SUQUET (Bandel); M. TANBON (Le Castlet); Pierre BOULDOIRE (Frontignan); Leon Robert RIMBOD (St-Nicolas- la-Chapelle n); Bernard AUDIGE (Tournefeuille); Louis BARDOU (Castanet Tolosan); Gérard BAPT (Saint-Jean); Michel TACHE (Les Pilles); Françoise VERCHERE (Bougenais c); Jean-Pierre HAMONET (Montaulieu n); Louis CASEILLES (Tolouges); Romain SIRY (Pfaffenheim); Jean-Pierre GIRAN (St-Cyr-Sur-Mer); Rolland JOFFRE (Pradet); Jaques Roux (La Vallette); From Luxembourg: Emile CALMES (Schuttrange

); From Austria: Rudolf SCHRATTER (Huettenberg).

< FLAG NEWS >

* In Cremona (Italy). A joint press conference was organized by the Mayor, the Provincial President, and the promoters of the initiative for the freedom of Tibet.

* Budapest (Hungary). The "Tibetet Segito Tarsasag" is contacting, via telephone, the 2000 mayors who have received the letter requesting their support for the campaign.

* Piombino (Italy). The "Anthology of an Open City" Association has declared its support for the initiative by purchasing a Tibetan flag. The Association will organize a conference on Tibet and the Leon Battista Alberti Linguistic Liceum will distribute pamphlets explaining the current situation in Tibet to students.

* Geneva (Switzerland). The mobilization for the support of mayors in the towns around Geneva and Ticino has begun. The "La Porte du Tibet" Association and the Tibetan community in Switzerland are in charge of the operation.

* Turin (Italy). The friends of the Radical Party in Turin have been working to convince the maximum number of mayors from the province of Piedmont to support the campaign.

< TIBET/CHINA TELEX >

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ITALY/MOBILIZATION OF THE GREENS

The young Italian Greens have sent a letter to all the Green counselors and administrators in Italy in which they plan to take action on the "Flag for Tibet" initiative and for Geneva 1997. Thanks to Stefano Silva, and the national coordinator of the young Greens, Maurizo Baruffi.

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FRANCE/A DAY FOR TIBET

In Villeurbane (Lione), "3 days" of initiatives for a free Tibet took place under the organization of the Cultural Center of Villeurbane and the Committee for the support of Tibetan art and culture. Saturday afternoon, at the conclusion of the splendid dossier "Tibet: Story of a Tragedy" (by Ludovic Segara), a debate took place concerning the future initiatives for a free Tibet at which over 500 people were present. Participants in the debate included the representative of His Holiness, Frederic Rava-Reny (the director of "Tibet Francophone"), Olivier Dupuis ( Secretary of the TRP), and Wuan Ling, a Chinese dissident. During his speech, the secretary of the TRP launched an appeal for the collection of funds to support "Voice of Tibet" radio.

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ITALY/MOBILIZATION OF THE NORTHERN LEAGUE

The "Parliament of the Northern League" unanimously approved an Order of the Day proposed by President Speroni last Saturday in Montova, in which the Northern League commits itself to working towards the success of Geneva 1997 and the "Flag for Tibet" initiative. Palo Pietrosanti of the TRP spoke at the meeting of the League's Parliament.

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65 ITALIAN MUSICIANS ASK FOR THE FREEDOM OF NGAWANG CHOEPEL

The ARPA (Association of Radical Thought and Action) of Lucca has launched an appeal for the freedom of Tibetan musicologist Ngawang Choepel, who was accused of espionage and condemned to 18 years in prison by Chinese authorities. As of today, 65 musicians have signed a letter addressed to the Chinese ambassador to Italy.

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ASSEMBLIES IN TUSCANY

An assembly tour took place in Tuscany (Italy) for the presentation of the "History of a Nonviolent Battle" which tell the story of the campaigns promoted by the TRP for the liberty of Tibet and the mobilization for "Geneva 1997". Arezzo, Florence, Livorno, and Piombino were the sights of assemblies, which were attended by Paolo Pietrosanti and Vincenzo Donvito of the TRP.

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INTERNATIONAL REGISTRY FOR "GENEVA 1997"

OVER 4,000 ATTENDEES HAVE BEEN CONFIRMED.

* The "Agir Ensamble pour les Droits de l'Homme" Association of Lione-Villurbane (France) is organizing a number of buses that will leave for Geneva at the price of 120 FFR (80 FFR for students and the unemployed).

You can contact the association at the following address: 31 Cours Emile Zola, 69100, Villeurbane.

* The "Lions des Neiges" TSG of Lione will organize a "Freedom for Tibet" walk scheduled on March 8th. The march will leave Lione at 3:00 PM on March 8th and arrive in Geneva at 11:00 AM the following morning. The route, which is 150 kilometers long, will be lined every five kilometers with Tibetan flags, an obvious tribute to the "Lion of the Snows."

* Organizational Reunion in Budapest for participation in "Geneva 1997."

It will take place at the TRP office in Budapest. Tel: 36-1-266.34.86.

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INTERNATIONAL REGISTRY FOR GENEVA 1997

* The following are the participation forms that were collected at the meeting of the Strasburg Seminar on January 16-17:

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- 1,500 people from the Tibetan community in Switzerland

- 1,500 people from the Italian coordinators (by bus and train)

- 50-150 people from the Belgian coordinators (1/3 by bus)

- 50 people from Strasbourg (1 bus)

- 10 people from the Hungarian coordinators (by train)

- 20 people from the Slovenian coordinators (by train)

- 50 people from the Croatian coordinators (by train)

- 100 people from the Czech coordinators (2 busses)

- 100 people from the German coordinators (2 busses)

- 30 people from the Austrian coordinators (by train)

- 700 people from the French coordinators (15 busses)

- 50 people form the Louxemburg coordinators (1 bus)

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Total as of Feb. 11th: approx. 4,110 people

(*) busses from Firenze, Bologna, Milan. For further information on schedules and prices please contact Gianni Schiavi at TRP in Rome, phone 39-6-689791

(*) 1 bus from Grenoble, 3 from Marseilles, 1 from Toulousse, 1 from Strasburg, 2 from Paris, 1 from Bordeaux, 5 from Leone.

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GENEVA 1997

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FIRST NAME

____________________________________________

LAST NAME

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COMPLETE ADDRESS

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NATION

____________________________________________

TELEPHONE/FAX

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E-MAIL

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ORGANIZATION

( ) I will participate in the GENEVA 1997 Manifestation

( ) I will be responsible for bringing ___________ other people to Geneva.

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(specify if by train, plane, car, or bus)

( ) I will contribute __________________ to the bank account for

Geneva 1997. (please specify amount)

Account information and number is: "Geneve 1997" no. 310-1075921-83, BBL bank, Agency of the European Parliament, Rue Van Maerlant 2, 1040 Brussels.

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PRESS RELEASE

* "Norway: China Dissident Wei Nominated for 1997 Peace Prize," by Tanya PANG, Reuter, Jan. 31st. Article on the campaign promoted by the TRP for the candidacy of Wei Jingsheng to the Nobel Peace Prize for 1997.

* "China, blood in Islamic Xinjiang (Western Turkistan)" A number of articles appeared in major international newspapers following the murder of numerous members of the uigura ethnic group of Western Turkistan. Among them were Il Corriere della Sera (Italy), Il Giornale (Italy), Le Monde (France), Reuter (Germany).

* "Human Rights: Radicals, Urgent Resolution Presented," Andkronos, Feb. 7th. Agency report on the TRP proposal to the leaders of the Italian Parliament for a proposal to the Italian Government to support the presentation of a common resolution on behalf of the European Parliament to the UN Commission at Geneva on the grave human rights situation in Tibet and China.

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SECOND PAGE

What follows is the text of the European Parliament's resolution on the communal politics of the European Union that was presented to the UN Human Rights Commission in Geneva. Particular attention is paid to the violation of human rights in China and Tibet. The resolution, which was presented by Parliamentarians Dell'Alba and Dupuis in the name of the ARE group, was approved by a large majority.

* Resolution on the 53rd session of the United Nations Human Rights Commission.

The European Parliament,

- in light of articles J 1.2 of the treaty of the European Union and 130 U of the CE Treaty, which sanction the promotion of human rights as one of the objectives of foreign politic and common security,

- in light of the resolution of December 12, 1996 on human rights in the world and the politics of the Union concerning human rights (1),

- in light of the resolution of March 27, 1996 on the 52nd session of the UN Human Rights Commission (1),

- in light of the preceding resolutions on the abolition of capital punishment, in particular the resolution of May 17, 1995 on the functions of the Treaty of the European Union in the prospective of the intergovernmental Conference of 1996 - actualization and development of the Union (1) in which the introduction of an article specifically requesting the abolition of capital punishment be introduced into the Treaty of the European Union,

- in light of preceding resolutions on the People's Republic of China,

A. considering that the final Act of the Vienna Conference on Human Rights (July 1993) confirmed the universality, indivisibility, and interdependence of human rights,

B. considering that certain states of the European Union are actual members of the UN Human Rights Commission,

1. asks the Council and Member States to follow with determination the relative cases on human rights, as highlighted by the resolutions of the European Parliament, in particular the human rights situation in Birmania, China, Columbia, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Sudan, West Timor, and Turkey;

2. invites the Council and Member States to include China among the priorities of the following session of the UN Human Rights Commission, especially in consideration of the reported worsening of the human rights situation in China, and oppose itself to any attempt to prevent the UN Human Rights Commission from discussing the situation in China, and work in any way possible for the support of the present resolution on behalf of the other members of the UN Commission on Human Rights;

3. invites the working groups of the European Union to immediately begin work on the draft of a resolution on China and suggests that this include points addressing the release of political prisoners, a written guarantee that international humanitarian organizations will have regular access to Chinese political prisoners, the abolition of arbitrary administrative detention, and the celebration of trials in accordance with international regulations, as well as abolition of laws against "counter-revolutionary" activity, the signing of the International Convention on civil and political rights, as well as the International Convention on economic, social, and cultural rights;

4. asks that the European Union and its Member States activate every political and diplomatic means until a resolution on the human rights situation in occupied Tibet, Mongolia, and Western Turkistan is approved by the UN Human Rights Commission in light of the resolutions approved by the European Parliament;

5. proposes that the European Union present a proposal for the organization of an international convention against impunity during the course of the next meeting of the UN Human Rights Commission;

6. requests the adoption of more effective juridical norms of assistance for child victims of sex abuse, labor exploitation, and the effects of war;

7. invites all of the member states to support a resolution for a universal moratorium on executions during the 1997 session of the UN Human Rights Commission as a first step towards the abolition of capital punishment by the year 200;

8. solicits the adoption, at the level of the UN Human Rights Commission, of a UN project declaring the rights of indigenous populations as is convenient for all the parties involved, including the indigenous parties;

9. invites the Council and Member States to contribute to the improvement of the efficacy of the UN Human Rights Center in relation to its mediating reforms as well as its maintenance through adequate financial funding;

10. invites the UN Commission on Human Rights to discuss the accusations of violations of human rights in connection with certain oil companies and multi-national industries;

11. invites the Presidency of the Council to maintain it informed on the activities of that Council regarding the next session of the UN Human Rights Commission;

12. charges its President with the responsibility of transmitting the present resolution to the Council, the Commission, and the States that are members of the UN Human Rights Commission.