Message-Id: <3.0.3.32.19970929155458.007c2a60@hella.stm.it>

Date: Mon, 29 Sep 1997 15:54:58 +0200

From: Tibet Bureau (by way of Jack Churchward)

UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Visit to China

Dear Friends,

This is to inform you that the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention will be undertaking an official Mission to China from 10 October this year for 10 days. So far the Chinese authorities (who make the programme of the visit) have not given any indication on whether the Working Group will be allowed to visit Tibet or not. According to the concerned UN official here it seems that the Working Group has asked for the inclusion of Tibet in the itinerary.

The work of this Working Group (under the UN Commission on Human Rights) is important for us to follow, particulary its visit to China, because the Working Group had made important decisions in 1993 and 1995 which determined the detention of more than 50 Tibetan political prisoners as arbitrary. Furthermore, in recent years the Working Group has received from us cases like Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, Chadrel Rinpoche, Ngawang Sangdol, Ngawang Choephel and other detained Tibetan political prisoners.

Tibet Bureau for UN Affairs will be submitting a detailed briefing paper to the Working Group next week after securing a meeting with the Mr. Isaac Bitter, the Secretary of the Group. The International Committee of Lawyers for Tibet (Dennis Cusack) has assisted us in the preparation of this paper.

While posting this information to you all, Tibet Bureau hopes that you will be able to email appeals to the Working Group to ensure that they visit Tibet. Furthermore, send appeals on behalf of any Tibetan political prisoners. We will be asking the Working Group, in particular to ensure a meeting with both Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, his parents and Chadrel Rinpoche.

Send you appeals to Mr. K. Sibal, Chairman, UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, on this email address: ibitter.hchr@unog.ch

Mr. Abdelfatth Amor, the UN Special Rapporteur on Religious Intolerance (UN Commission on Human Rights) is the only UN official who has been allowed to Tibet since the Chinese occupation of Tibet. He visited Tibet in November 1994.

If you know people of the Chinese Democrarcy Movement, Eastern

Turkestanis or Inner Mongolians please pass on the information about the Working Group's visit.

Thanks and Tashi delegs,

Ngawang C. Drakmargyapon

Tibet Bureau

Geneva, Switzerland

tibet@bluewin.ch