FREEDOM MARCH from Dharamsala to New Delhi

Press release from Tibetan Youth Congress
Dharamsala, 6 February 2004.

Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC), which stands for complete independence of Tibet will undertake a "Freedom March" commencing from February 11 to highlight the ever growing violation of the fundamental human rights and freedom in Tibet under the repressive regime of communist China and seek support from the international community in general and the United Nations in particular. Foregoing the celebration of the Tibetan New Year in February, TYC activists from all over India and abroad will take part in the said freedom march. The march will culminate in New Delhi on March 10, the Tibetan National Uprising day.

The Objectives:

1. To highlight the devious Chinese policies in Tibet which deliberately aim at subverting the Tibetans as a race and systematically destroying their very identity.
2. To highlight the deteriorating situation of the fundamental human rights and Freedom in Tibet today.
3. To highlight the nuclear programmes and militarisation of the Tibetan plateau by China which directly threatens the security of India and peace in Asia as well as the world as a whole.
4. To highlight the most inhuman plight of the Tibetan political prisoners in Tibet in general and particularly referring to three prominent cases namely:
1. The 11th Panchen Lama, world’s youngest political prisoner, whose whereabouts are still not known since his arrest in 1995. His safety causes grave doubts in the light of the suspicious circumstances of the deaths of the 10th Panchen Lama in 1989 and Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok more recently.
2. Tulku Tenzin Delek who was sentenced to death on 2 December 2002 with a two-year reprieve, could be executed as early as 7 April 2004.
3. Geshe Sonam Phuntsok, who was unfairly tried and sentenced without proper investigation. He continues to languish in Chinese prison under very poor health condition.
5. To seek the support of the international community in general and the United Nations in particular in the achievement of the above objectives.

Demands:

• The United Nations must pressurise China to stop the ongoing unfair trials of Tibetan Political Prisoners and to guarantee the necessary and equal rights to all the political prisoners of conscience to defend their cases.
• The Chinese authorities must immediately release all political prisoners who are still under their custody.
• The Chinese authorities must stop the massive influx of Chinese population into Tibet which is causing direct threat to the very survival of the Tibetan identity.
• The United Nations must send its representatives to Tibet to monitor and undertake independent investigation of the overall situation there.
• China must withdraw all its troops and nuclear arsenals from Tibet.

Free Tibet to Save India

Tibetan Youth Congress
Central Executive Committee
Mcleod Ganj
Dharamsala
176 219 HP
INDIA
Tel: +91 1892 221554,221239 (220722-Resi)
Fax: +91 1892 221849
e-mail:
www.tibetanyouthcongress.org