【20080808 PressRelease】Don’t forget about human rights in Tibet!～A Peaceful March for a Free Tibet

Don’t Forget about Human Rights in Tibet
- Peaceful March for a Free Tibet in Taipei

RTYC-Taiwan PRESS RELEASE
AUGUST 08, 2008

The Beijing Olympics will begin this evening, but human rights abuses have been increasing in recent weeks in Tibet and in China. The situation has became worse as the beginning of the Games approaches, which is completely against Beijing's promise to improve human rights when it bid for hosting the Olympics.

We condemned the very decision of making Beijing the host city for this summer Olympics. Officials of Beijing Games Organizing Committee and Foreign Ministry Officials have said many times that sports and politics should be separated and accused human rights organizations and individuals who are concerned about human rights situation in Tibet and China of politicizing the Games.

However, there has been increasing crackdowns on ordinary Tibetan citizens in Tibet. Media censorship is very much there and I would like to question in which century China is heading to. There is no freedom of speech, no freedom of religious rights and all in there isn't any freedom to express the voice that we want His Holiness the Dalai Lama back in Lhasa where he belongs.

Today our Chinese brothers and sisters might be in joy to celebrate the opening of the great Olympics in which people unite and compete in one brotherhood. But we should not forget those who have stood against the tyranny rule of old communist and iron fist ruler of communist China.

And I pledge and appeal all our brothers and sisters of a representative world to be the voice of oppressed people and show your courage and solidarity with those who are still behind the bar for raising their voice against Beijing Government. Your one action of support can make a big difference in what Beijing thinks about the 2008 Olympics.

Tibetan Youth Congress has started a mass movement with Hunger Strike unto death against the Beijing Government and with them demanded immediate end to the brutal suppression of Tibetan inside Tibet and unconditional release all the political prisoner of Tibet.

And we ask for a convincing evidence to prove the well-being and whereabouts of His Holiness Gendun Choekyi Nyima the 11th Penchen Lama of Tibet.

We urge all the countries and particularly human rights organizations around the world to press the government of China to immediately halt all activities of repression and to respect the fundamental human rights and religious freedom of Tibetan People in Tibet.


【A Peaceful March for a Free Tibet on Aug. 8】

Aug. 8, 2008 marks the opening of the Olympics in Beijing, something that catches the eyes of sports fans across the world.

Yet, the Regional Tibetan Youth Congress of Taiwan would like to call on all to stand up to remind the Chinese Communist government and peace-loving peoples around the world that opening and closing of the Beijing Olympics do not mean that China can forget about their promise to improve human rights conditions when granted the right to host the Games.

When: assembly at 9:00am, ends at 11:00am.
Where: 228 Peace Park (Exit 1 of MRT NTU Hospital Station) (二二八和平紀念公園大門；捷運台大醫院站一號出口)
Parade Route: 228 Memorial Park, Gongyuan Rd (公園路), Ketagalan Blvd (凱達格蘭大道), Zhangshan S Rd (中山南路), the Legislative Yuan (立法院).

Contact: Tashi Tsering at 0910-145-117.

Reminder: All those who are concerned about human rights are welcome to join us. You may bring your group’s flags or banners, human rights T-shirts or posters.