World Tibet Network News Tuesday, April 07, 1998

Geneva, 7 April - During the past three weeks the Tibetan delegation to the 54th UN Commission on Human Rights has been briefing UN officials, government delegates and NGOs about the demands of the indefinite hunger strike launched in New Delhi by six Tibetans. The main emphasis of the Tibetan delegation's appeal was to request all concerned to extend their support to the demands of the hunger strike campaign so that the lives of the six Tibetans can be saved.

For example, on 24 March, the situation of the hunger strike was raised during a Asia-Pacific NGO Briefing at the United Nations where NGOs from the region were asked to support the demands of the higher strikers. Two days later, Nobel Laureate Mr. Jose Ramos-Horta, at the request of the Tibetan delegation in Geneva, expressed his support to the six hunger strikers in a message faxed to Tibet Bureau in Geneva.

On 27 March, the Tibetan delegation although unsuccessful to secure a meeting with UN Secretary-General during his brief visit to Geneva was able to convey through his Chief Protocol Officer about the issue of Tibet and the hunger strike.

On 30 March, the Tibetan delegation (Mr. Tempa Tsering and Mrs. Chungdak Koren) called on Ambassador Jacob Selebi of South Africa in his capacity as the chairman of the 54th UN Commission on Human Rights to seek the Commission's intervention to end the hunger strike. The Tibetan delegation requested the chairman to issue a statement of concern on the lives of the six Tibetans and to depute his representative to New Delhi to meet with the Tibetans. The request was taken up by the Bureau of the Commission, comprising of the Chairman, three vice-chairmen and rapporteur. Unfortunately, the Bureau decided not a consider any action. However, on 1 April, the Chairman's office cabled the UN Secretary-General about the demands and the situation of the hunger strikers, suggesting that he "issue a call to the Tibetan Youth Congress to discontinue their hunger strike."

On 30 March, Mr. Ngawang C. Drakmargyapon delivered a statement on behalf of the Society for Threatened Peoples to the Commission which raised the hunger striker's plight. The statement said: "Mr. Chairman and distinguished delegates, it is for the above reasons and the lack of UN action on Tibet that six Tibetans, aged between 25 and 70, launched a hunger strike unto to death in New Delhi on 10 March. As their sacrifice for Tibet enters its 21st day today, they call upon this Commission on Human Rights to appoint a Special Rapporteur to investigate the human rights situation in Tibet...Since no one, including His Holiness the Dalai Lama, has been successful to stop this hunger strike, Society for Threatened Peoples remains deeply concerned about the lives of the six

Tibetans. We therefore appeal to this Commission to urgently consider implementing their legitimate demand and save their lives before it is too late."

On 31 March, Tibet Bureau formally requested the Government of Nicaragua, through the Nicaraguan Mission in Geneva, to formally place the issue of Tibet on the agenda of the UN General Assembly this year and to request the UN Secretary-General to appoint a Special Envoy on Tibet.

On 31 March, the Tibet Bureau wrote to the member countries of the Commission to consider the following actions in view of the hunger strikers demands: i) to support the call of the hunger strikers to appoint a Special Rapporteur on Tibet; ii) To move and support a Chairman's statement of concern on the lives of the six Tibetans which may enable the hunger strikers to end their action; and, iii) to request the Chairman to delegate a representative to New Delhi to meet with the hunger strikers to convey the Commission's expression of concern and urge them to end their action.

On 2 April, Mr. Tempa Tsering and Mr. Ngawang C. Drakmargyapon had a meeting with Mrs. Mary Robinson, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, in view of the hunger strikers appeal petitions forwarded to her office by Tibetan Youth Congress. Mrs. Robinson asked the Tibetan delegation to urged the hunger strikers to give up their campaign because their objective to create greater awareness of Tibet has been achieved. She also assured the Tibetan delegation that the UN Secretary-General has been informed about the hunger strike through the official cable communications of the United Nations.

On the same day, Mr. Tempa Tsering briefed about 60 Tibetans in Switzerland who held a Vigil in front of the UN to support the hunger strike in New Delhi about the developments in India and the work the Tibetan delegation was doing inside the United Nations, particularly at the Commission on Human Rights.

On 3 April, Mr. Bhugyal speaking on behalf of Worldview International Foundation made another appeal to the Commission to intervene on the hunger strike: "Mr. Chairman, in view of the deteriorating human rights situation in Tibet and China's failure to start a dialogue with His Holiness the Dalai Lama to bring about a peaceful negotiated settlement to the issue of Tibet, 6 Tibetans are on an indefinite hunger strike in New Delhi for the past 25 days, appealing for UN action. Our organisation, would, therefore, appeal, as others have done, to this Commission to facilitate in saving the lives of these 6 Tibetans by issuing a statement of concern."

On 6 April, the hunger strikers' campaign was again raised by Mr. Tempa Tsering while addressing a special Briefing on China and Tibet held in the afternoon at the United Nations. Mr. Wei Jingsheng who was the keynote speaker at this forum also raised the Tibetan issue. In the morning during a meeting with one of the vice-Chairmen of the Commission, Mr. Wei Jingsheng reportedly raised his concern on the lives of the six Tibetans.

The Tibetan delegation is now seeking NGO support on a petition on the hunger strikers demand and campaign which will be presented to the Chairman of the Commission next week by a group of NGO representatives. The petition currently signed by more than 15 NGOs, including the International Commission of Jurists calls on the Chairman to: i) immediately issue a statement of concern to the Hunger Strikers and ii) recommend to the UN Secretary-General to consider demands of the hunger strikers.

During the past several weeks, the Tibetan delegation has been discussing the plight of the hunger strikers and their demands with the International Commission of Jurists. At the request of the Tibetan delegation, ICJ alerted their 80 chapters around the world to support the objectives of the six Tibetan hunger strikers in New Delhi. ICJ will shortly issue a press statement to express its support and solidarity with the Tibetan hunger strike in New Delhi. Dr. Adama Dieng, the ICJ Secretary-General is now visiting Delhi from 11 to 14 of this month, to personally meet with the six Tibetan hunger strikers. Dr. Dieng is expected to hold a press conference and also have an audience with His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Next week, as the Commission begins the discussion on human rights situations in respective countries more NGOs are expected to deliver statements which call upon the UN to implement the hunger strikers' demands.

Forwarded by

Tibet Bureau for UN Affairs

Geneva, SWITZERLAND