World Tibet Network News Saturday, May 16, 1998

Dharamsala welcomes Costa Rican, Norwegian and Polish Governments' willingness to raise the issue of Tibet at multi-lateral fora and the temporary halt of the TYC-organized unto-death hunger strike.

New Delhi, May 15,1998 - "We welcome the assurance made by Ambassador Luis G. Solis of the Costa Rican foreign ministry to the Department of Information and International Relations of the Central Tibetan Administration in which he stated that "The Mission of Costa Rica at the United Nations will remain keenly interested and involved in as much as possible in ensuring that the cause of Tibet is heard and not forgotten in that important universal forum," said Kalon T.C. Tethong of the Tibetan administration in Dharamsala, India. "We welcome the statements made by the representatives of the Norwegian and Polish governments to the first batch of the six unto-death hunger-strikers that their governments would raise the issue of Tibet at multi-lateral fora," said Kalon T.C. Tethong. "We also welcome the step taken by the Tibetan Youth Congress to put a temporary halt to the unto-death hunger strike it organized to let the Costa Rican, Norwegian and Polish governments' assurances take concrete and beneficial shape,

" Kalon Tethong said.

"We express our profound sadness at the tragic death of Mr. Thupten Ngodup who sacrificed his life for the cause of Tibet," Kalon Tethong said. "His sacrifice is an indication of both the desperation and the determination of the Tibetan people to put an end to their prolonged suffering at the hands of the Chinese." "We also express our profound admiration for the courage and determination of the first and the second batches of unto-death hunger strikers who are prepared to sacrifice their lives for the common cause of Tibet," Kalon Tethong said. "We welcome their gesture and the gesture of the Tibetan Youth Congress to halt the unto-death hunger strike movement in response to the three governments' willingness to raise the Tibetan issue at multi-lateral fora, including the United Nations General Assembly." "The principled stand of Costa Rica, Norway and Poland on the issue of Tibet comes as a source of great inspiration to the people of Tibet," the Tibetan minister said. "It has saved the lives of 11 brave T

ibetans and many more to follow," the minister said. The Tibetan minister expressed his appreciation to the United States, the EU and Switzerland for their expression of concern for the fate of the hunger strikers.

Many prominent individuals across the globe expressed their sympathy for the demands of the hunger strikers, which is greatly appreciated by the Central Tibetan Administration, said the Tibetan minister. These include Richard Gere, Mary Robinson, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Adama Dieng, the Secretary-General of the international Commission of Jurists, Jose Ramos Horta, the Nobel Peace Laureate, Benjamin Gilman of the US Congress and many others.

Issued by Department of Information and International Relations, Dharamsala on May 15, 1998