Date: Tue, 29 Oct 1996 13:30:38 +0000

From: Diana Takata

Organization: Students for a Free Tibet

OCTOBER 29, 1996

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: 212-481-3569

TIBETAN FREEDOM TOUR IN NYC ENDS

WITH MAJOR TIBETAN YOUTH AND STUDENT DEMONSTRATION

AT THE CHINESE MISSION

New York - The Milarepa Fund-sponsored Tibetan Freedom Tour which is traveling throughout East Coast and Midwest colleges and high schools will be ending its 5-day stay in New York City with a major student-led demonstration at the Chinese Mission on 66th and Broadway. Organized by the Tibetan Youth Association and Students for a Free Tibet (SFT), the demonstration will be held from 1:00 to 4:00pm and feature speakers from both organizations, local SFT chapters, a Tibetan nun and former prisoner of conscience, and other special guests.

This demonstration comes at a time when students and concerned citizens throughout the world are participating in peaceful, non-violent actions aimed at pressuring both the U.S. and Chinese governments to take immediate steps to end the illegal occupation of Tibet, begin dialogue with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and to respect human rights as fundamental to all human beings regardless of international trade and political interests. The demonstrators will also be asking the Chinese government and officials at the Chinese Mission to immediately release 7-year Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, the 11th Panchen Lama and world's youngest political prisoner, as well as all Tibetan and Chinese prisoners of conscience, including Fulbright scholar Ngawang Choephel and Wei Jingsheng. Letters will also be delivered to the Chinese Mission making these requests.

The demonstration will also highlight the fact that 2 days before the Presidential election no candidate has addressed the consequences of continued trade with China on the people of Tibet and China. A.M. Rosenthal of New York Times asked today, "Who ruled that the purpose of American foreign policy was no longer to protect American freedom by promoting freedom abroad but to promote trade with the enemies of freedom?" The people are the conscience of the world and the world is waking up to this reality. Change is inevitable.

In his travels throughout the world, His Holiness the Dalai Lama continues to ask for the world's support because the situation in Tibet is most urgent. There is no time to wait. The occupied nation is on the verge of extinction. The supporting organizations therefore ask for immediate assistance by contacting the U.S. Tibet Committee or Students for a Free Tibet at 212-481-3569.