Published by: World Tibet Network News Thursday, November 6, 1997

By Kalpana Srinivasan

The Associated Press

W A S H I N G T O N, Oct. 30 - As dignitaries gathered at the White House to honor Chinese president Jiang Zemin, actor Richard Gere offered his own, somber toast across the street before a group of activists and politicians critical of China. Gere recounted a story from his last day on a visit to Tibet four years ago. He met two nuns at a small shrine who had been arrested and tortured by the Chinese government for marching around their convent with a Tibetan flag. The nuns told Gere that even though they were stripped and beaten, they would take up the flag and raise it again.

He left the next day and never heard from them again.

"I want to dedicate this to the people who are not here," Gere said. "We are their voices."

Enthusiasm at "Stateless" Dinner

Gere and others held their own "stateless" dinner Wednesday night on the roof of the Hotel Washington, just across the street from the White House. While dignitaries at the State Dinner indulged in chilled lobster and whipped potatoes, guests at the Tibet dinner selected from a more modest array of buffet appetizers.

And as the National Symphony Orchestra tuned up for their White House performance, a Tibetan man played folk songs on his damnyen, a string instrument resembling a guitar.

As far as "stateless" guests were concerned, the gala on the other side of Pennsylvania Avenue was no match.

"I can assure you we had greater fun here than those across the street," said Lodi Gyari, president of the International Campaign for Tibet. "We had the real leaders of China in here tonight."

A painted screen of the Potala Palace, once the winter residence of the Dalai Lama, hung in the background as guests took the stage and offered their toasts to freedom in Tibet and demanded an end to religious persecution there.

Tibet is Focus of Protest

Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., noting the stark contrast of the two dinner events, told the attendees, "You stand with the oppressed, the others stand with the oppressors."

Guests were greeted at the reception by colorful, table-sized statues made of yak butter, a Tibetan custom for auspicious occasions. After the toasts ended, some celebrated with a round of Tibetan folk dancing.

Speakers noted the culture and strength of Tibet and lauded the Dalai Lama for his spiritual leadership.

"His Holiness may be stateless, but he is not powerless. No government can endure without legitimacy, and legitimacy only comes from the people," said Carl Gershman of the National Endowment for Democracy.

The two evening ceremonies reflected the dueling schedules of the day: As Jiang met and discussed policy issues with President Clinton, protesters made their way through the capital voicing their dissatisfaction with China's human rights abuses.

Demonstrations Cover Many Topics

Wednesday afternoon, hundreds filled Lafayette Park, bearing signs and shouting chants for freedom in Tibet and Taiwan. A spectrum of activists and celebrities from AFL-CIO President John Sweeney to Beastie Boy Adam Yauche came out to criticize China's treatment of dissidents.

Kerry Kennedy Cuomo, member of a Democratic political dynasty and founder of the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Center for Human Rights, chastised Clinton for meeting with the man who heads the government responsible for murdering peaceful demonstrators in Tiananmen Square.

"Mr. President, there is no common ground," Cuomo said. Several hundred supporters of Taiwan marched through the day from the monument grounds to the

White House and back up to Capitol Hill. Members of Congress addressed the group on the importance of Taiwan independence.

"Taiwan is a friend, Taiwan is independent, we will not accept aggression of any kind against our friend," said Rep. Linda Smith, R-Wash.

Busloads of demonstrators then made their way to the Chinese Embassy, where some protestors defiantly ripped apart and stomped on a Chinese flag.