Published by: World Tibet Network News, Tuesday, Mar 12, 1996

Submitted by International Campaign for Tibet

WASHINGTON, 12 Mar 96, (ICT) -- Over 400 Tibetans and Tibet-supporters from all over the United States, Canada, and other countries in the region took part in a rally before the Chinese embassy in Washington, D.C. on the afternoon of March 10, 1996 to commemorate the 37th anniversary of Tibetan National Uprising. The gathering carried Tibetan flags, placards and banners asking China to quit Tibet.

Passing motorists honked in support as the gathering began the commemoration with the recitation of the Tibetan Prayer of Truth. After observing a minute's silence in memory of the many Tibetans and other people who have perished on account of China's occupation of Tibet, Mr. Rinchen Dharlo, Representative of H.H.the Dalai Lama read the March 10 Statement.

Thereafter, remarks were made by Mr. Benpa Topgyal of the Boulder Tibetan Association, Ms. Dorji Dolma, representative of the Australia Tibet Council, Dr. Blake Kerr, a physician who had witnessed China's atrocities against Tibetans, Mr. Lobsang Sangay, a member of Tibetan Youth Congress, Ms. Tsering Yangdon of the Tibetan Women's Association (East Coast), etc. The gathering responded in thundering voices as Mr. Douglas Weiner of the US Tibet Committee raised slogans relating to different aspect of the Tibetan issue.

Chinese embassy officials could be seen peeping through the window blinds and taking photographs.

This year, the Tibetan rally was joined by a very active group of Eastern Turkestanians and members of the World United Formosans for Independence. Their representatives also addressed the gathering who responded in approval as slogans such as "Free Tibet", "Free Taiwan", and "Free Eastern Turkestan" were raised.

After the singing of the Tibetan Uprising Song and the Tibetan National Anthem, Special Envoy Lodi G. Gyari and Representative Rinchen Dharlo presented scarves to Prof. Thubten J. Norbu and the group of people undertaking a march from Washington, D.C. to New York city. Prof. Norbu and Ven. Palden Gyatso, the Tibetan monk who had been imprisoned for over 33 years in Tibet, addressed the gathering before they started their historic march. The gathering raised slogans and clapped in support as the marchers began crossing the bridge alongside the Chinese embassy in the first phase of their journey. Some Eastern Turkestanians also joined in the march.

At the close of the demonstration four people engaged in civil disobedience by sitting in front of the embassy doors. They were taken to Washington's Second district and were released after two hours and a $ 50 fine. The misdemeanor charge against them, called "incommoding," will be completely erased from their record if they do not incur any other offenses in D.C. within the next year. The four are John Dinuson of the Milerapa Fund, Bonnie McCala, the director of the Bay Area Friends of Tibet, Sherab Dolma, executive committee member of Tibetan Association of New York and New Jersey, and Paul Donowitz, a student from the University of Wisconsin.