Tuesday night the University of Wisconsin Students for a Free Tibet held a public discussion on campus with hunger striker Tenzin Dhangsong. Tenzin, currently living in exile in Madison, Wisconsin is one of the seven Tibetans from across the U.S. who are going on a hunger strike in front of the United Nations. The Hunger Strikers are demanding, among the five conditions, that the United Nations recognize Tibet as a country illegally occupied by China and His Holiness the Dalai Lama as its true representative. This hunger strike is designed to coincide with the U.N.'s 50th anniversary and the arrival of dignitaries from around the world including Chinese president Jiang Zemin.

Tenzin told the 70-plus people in attendence that having been raised in Lhasa he was especially aware of the suffering and hardship his fellow brothers and sisters in Tibet were experiencing. He told how many of his relatives in Tibet had been thrown in prison for political activities. His father had been jailed for ten years and his grandfather spent twenty-seven years in prison. Tenzin said that he was willing to die for his country and especially for the millions of Tibetans still suffering in Tibet under Chinese oppression. Tenzin explained how the Chinese system in Tibet forced fear and distrust amongst even family and friends. He even told how on school holidays the Chinese teachers made him and his fellow students witness the public execution of Tibetans.

Tenzin confirmed that the hunger strike would be stopped only if the U.N. accepted their demands or if the Dalai Lama personally ordered them to stop, otherwise the Hunger Strikers were prepared to die. Tenzin said that knowing how valuable a human life is, he very much did not want to die; but since the Chinese refuse to negotiate a solution to the Tibet problem, he knew of no other course of action. The short video from ABC's Primetime Live in 1991 which was shown before Tenzin's talk shocked the audience by revealing the brutal oppression in Tibet. Tenzin's personal stories supported the video and confirmed that nothing other than strong action, such as a hunger strike, was needed to loosen China's oppressive grip. Several people questioned Tenzin as to whether there wasn't an alternate way to convey the message of Tibet's desperate situation to the U.N.; they seemed concerned for Tenzin's life. However, Tenzin was determined to go on the hunger strike on behalf of his fellow Tibetans. He noted that here

in America he has the freedom to speak out, while his fellow countrymen and women in Tibet, India, and Nepal are all silenced, without a voice. For this reason, Tenzin said, he believes this is what he must do.

Nearly everyone in attendance signed letters in support of the hunger strike which the UW-SFFT will forward to the U.N.'s General Secretary, Boutros Boutros-Ghalli. The audience and representatives of Students For a Free Tibet expressed whole hearted support for Tenzin and millions of Tibetans in their struggle for justice and freedom in Tibet.