Dear Tibet Supporters,

On June 14, the 1997 March for Tibet's Independence will conclude at the United Nations in New York City. This particular day was selected to finish the walk because it represents an important, yet rarely celebrated holiday in the United States, U.S. Flag Day. Historically, Flag Day provided U.S. citizens with an opportunity to demonstrate their appreciation and respect for the freedoms enjoyed in their democratic society. Such respect was symbolized by the flying of the U.S. Stars and Stripes. Recently, little attention has been given to this holiday.

On June 14 this year, members of our "March" will display their respect for U.S. Flag Day by flying the American Flag while they walk. We will also carry flags of other free nations (e.g., Canada) and flags that are not respected by The PRC and illegal to own or fly. Walkers will proudly display the flags of Tibet, Southern Mongolia, Eastern Turkistan, Manchuria and Taiwan. We strongly encourage all of you to fly these flags on June 14, especially the flag of Tibet.

Finally, on this day, we will reveal the truth about the symbols in The PRC flag. During our press conference in front of the United Nations at about 5 p.m., representatives from Tibet, Eastern Turkistan, Southern Mongolia and Manchuria will each cut out one star from The PRC Flag. On Oct. 1, 1949, The PRC was founded and so was its' flag designed by Ma Hsu-lun. "Like the stripes in the Five-Color Flag, the five stars clearly stand for China proper, Manchuria, Mongolia, Sinkiang (Eastern Turkistan) and Tibet," according to Whitney Smith in his 1975 book Flags Through the Ages and Across the World.

At our press conference, representatives from each of the four countries occupied by The PRC will use a scissor to remove a star from The PRC flag. These persons will then deliver the cut up flag along with their own true flags to The PRC Mission in NYC. The four cut out stars and the true flags of these countries will also be delivered to the President of the U.N. General Assembly.