Published by: World Tibet Network News Saturday, December 13, 1997

NEW DELHI, Dec 10 (AFP) - Some 50 young Tibetans on Wednesday staged a demonstration near the Chinese embassy here to demand independence for their homeland, witnesses said.

The youths chanted slogans and approached the embassy gates after arriving in the secluded diplomatic area by bus, but were pushed back by the police.

The demonstration was organised by the militant Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC) to mark UN Human Rights Day, TYC vice-president Karma Yeshi said. Wednesday marks the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human rights.

"We want independence" and "Long live the Dalai Lama," the protesters shouted. As the Tibetans tried to near the heavily-guarded embassy, scuffles broke out with police.

A police officer said that no arrests were made.

"We pushed them back into their bus and told them to get away," the officer said. "The Tibetans said they planned to give a memorandum to Indian authorities."

A statement by the TYC accused China of stepping up "religious and political persecution" in Tibet. "The number of political prisoners in Tibet has crossed 1,100 and is still on the increase.

"We appeal to the international community to continue to support the just and non-violent freedom movement of the people of Tibet.

"A just solution to the issue of Tibet can be found by a negotiated settlement between the government of China and the Tibetan government-in-exile headed by the Dalai Lama."

India is home to the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader who fled his homeland in 1959 following a failed anti-China uprising, as well as some 100,000 Tibetan exiles.

The Dalai Lama's government-in-exile, not recognised by any country, is based in the northern Indian hill town of Dharamsala.