Published by: World Tibet Network News, Monday, March 11, 1996

From: M.Sisani@agora.stm.it

Date: Mon, 11 Mar 1996 14:03:14 -0500

For immediate release

Brussels, the 10th of March 1996. Close to 6000 people participated today at the first European demonstration for the freedom of Tibet. After the reading of the Dalai Lama's message and the salutations of deputy Jacques VANDENHAUTE, mayor of Woluwe Saint Lambert, the procession progressively stretched out behind professor SAMDHONG Rinpoche, president of the Tibetan Parliament in exile, the European deputies James MOORHOUSE, Anne ANDRE-LEONARD, Marco PANNELLA, Paul LANNOYE, Gianfranco DELL'ALBA, Jessica LARIVE, the Belgian parliamentarians Pierrette CAHAY, Alain DESTHEXE, Paul STAES, tens of Tibetan Lamas, Tibetans in traditional clothing, in the direction of the cinquantenaire, accompanied with a myriad of Tibetan flags. The flags attracted obviously the attention of numerous members of the police force, since a number of them have acquired them.

In front of the European Commission, the demonstrators were joined by the Commissioner Emma BONINO. At the end of the demonstration these personalities as well as Piero VERNI and Thomas NAGANT in the name of support groups of Tibet, Tenzin EMCHI, in the name of the Tibetan communities and Olivier DUPUIS, in the name of the Transnational Radical Party have made a speech. The artists Julos BEAUCARNE and Ivana SPAGNA have sung the freedom for Tibet.

The organizers, with the slogan "next year at Lhassa", have announced a number of initiatives for the next months, namely:

- the collection of signatures on the text of an appeal to the General Secretary of the United Nations, Boutros Ghali that he may receive the Dalai Lama as soon as possible;

- an international campaign for the liberation of the Panchen Lama, the youngest political prisoner in the world;

- the launch of a new campaign in favor of the nomination of the Chinese dissident WEI Jingsheng for the Nobel Peace Price.

European Coordination for March 10.