AN APPEAL FOR SOLIDARITY WITH THE TIBETAN PEOPLE
9 March 2008, Warsaw
On the forty-ninth anniversary of the Tibetan national uprising in 1959 and less than 6 months before the beginning of the Olympic Games in Beijing, a united coalition of Tibetan non-governmental organizations and political powers in exile are launching a great march to Tibet. The march will be held under the banner of The National Insurgent Movement.
The Tibetans are leaving Dharamsala – the headquarters of Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Government in exile, on the 10th of March and they are planning to reach their motherland’s boarder during the Olympic Games in Beijing in August 2008.
Tenzin Tsudue – one of the marchers, says in his written message: “It’s obvious that the police in India will be carrying out their duties and the Chinese army will greet us with enthusiasm on the Tibetan boarder. As our march is going to be peaceful, with total commitment to non-violence, I don’t think that anybody, either Indian or Chinese authorities, would be able to harm us. Even if they should try to stop us, we won’t stop, following the footsteps of Mahatma Gandhi. For how many days can they hold us in prison for a peaceful march? And why should the Indian government try to stop Tibetan refugees voluntarily coming back to their homeland on foot?”
As the Tibetans highlight in their message, the Olympic Games in China will be held a few months before the fiftieth anniversary of the Tibetan national uprising when the Dalai Lama and many other Tibetans were forced to go into exile, and when continuing till now oppression against Tibetan tradition and religion as well as Tibetan people themselves began. As a result of mass resettlement, the Tibetans became a minority in their own country.
In solidarity with the Tibetan people in Tibet and in exile as well as European and international pro-Tibetan organisations, we express our support for the united Tibetan National Movement, whose aim is to end the brutal domination of China over Tibet.
Consequently, we appeal to:
– all organizations, political movements and institutions, for joint support for the Tibetans wishing to return to their homeland in a peaceful way;
– the authorities of the Republic of Poland for joint support for the Tibetan National Movement’s demand for release of all Tibetan political prisoners and restoring human rights in Tibet;
– the authorities of the Republic of India for recognition of the peaceful character of the Tibetan March, and to guarantee them security, and freedom of movement and expression;
– the authorities of the People’s Republic of China for recognition of the Tibetan’s right to their own homeland.
[Translation from the Polish]
Tibetan Programme and friends of Tibet gathered in front of Chinese Embassy in Warsaw, Poland, on the 49. Anniversary of the Tibetan Uprising.
Contact: tybet@ratujtybet.org with „appeal” in the message's title.
