Despite innumerable efforts by the world community and Tibetans, the socio-political situation inside Tibet continues to be poor. The execution of Lobsang Dhondup on 26 January 2003, the death sentence of Tulku Tenzin Delek and judgement of Geshe Sonam Phuntsok only proves the prominence of arbitrary detention and imprisonment, unfair trials, torture and ill treatment and execution in Tibet. Despite China having signed and ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, the XIth Panchen Lama is still under Chinese custody and his safety and whereabouts is still a matter of grave concern. The issue of Panchen Lama revolves around the denial of Rights to Religious Freedom, Rights of the Child and Right to Education.
In 2003, Katarina Tomasevski, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Education gave a harsh critique on the China’s education policies regarding the Chinese government’s ban on religious schooling and Chinese government’s interference in the functioning of monasteries and Buddhist institutions. Report also states that education imposed upon minorities violates their human rights when it denies their religious and linguistic identity. It has been pointed out that China does not conform to the international legal framework defining the rights to education and that China ‘s law must be reviewed using the yardstick of its international human rights obligations so that human rights and minority rights can be integrated in education policy, law and practice. Recommendations were made to review the strong emphasis on ideology of education and on the adoption of a cross-sectoral strategy based on the indivisibility of human rights.
UN General Assembly has failed to implement the resolution adopted on Tibet in 1959, 1961 and 1965. Recommendations to the UN Commission on Human Rights by International Commission of Jurist are yet to be implemented. Chinese authority refused to acknowledge the genuine efforts by His Holiness the Dalai Lama in resolving the Tibet ‘s issue. Thus, deeply concerned over the continued human rights violations in Tibet and that the International community and the UN Human Rights mechanism has failed to end the human rights abuses in Tibet, Tibetan Youth Congress is left with no option but to observe non violence voluntary indefinite hunger strike in front of UN Building in New York from 2nd April 2004. The indefinite hunger strike is being voluntarily participated by Ms. Dolma Choephel, Joint Secretary of Central TYC, Mr. Gyatso, Vice President of RTYC, Gangtok and Mr. Sonam Wangdu, an active member of RTYC New York and New Jersey as the first batch and the hunger strikers has offered their precious life for pressing the following demands of Tibetan people and strongly appeal the United Nation to fulfill them.
They are:
- To urge China to Repeal Tulku Tenzin Delek’s death sentence and must undertake a fair trial under the monitoring agent of international body.
- To urge China that the XIth Panchen Lama, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima must be entitled to religious education at Tashi Lhunpo monastery. China must also disclose the details concerning the safety and whereabouts of the Panchen Lama.
- To adopt a resolution in the 60th UNCHR to appoint Special Rapporteur to monitor and undertake independent investigation to review the Rights to Religious Beliefs and Human Rights situation in Tibet, including the implementation on the recommendations made by Katarina Tomasevski, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Education.
- To urge China for an unconditional release of Geshe Sonam Phuntsok and all the other Tibetan political prisoners.
- UN General Assembly must resume its debate on the question of Tibet based on its resolutions passed on 1959, 1961 and 1965.
Tibetan Youth Congress, the largest and most active world wide Tibetan non-governmental organization with a mission to struggle for the restoration of complete independence of Tibet, highly appeals the United Nation member countries, the Office of the UN Secretary General, the UN Committee on Rights of the Child, the UN Commission on Human Rights and the Office of the UN High Commission for Human Rights to urge all concern authorities to meet the demands of this hunger strike movement in New York. We are confident that our legitimate demand will receive due recognition and support from the international community.
Simultaneously released at: New York, Dharamsala and Geneva
PROFILE OF HUNGER STRIKERS
Name: Ms. Dolma Choephel
Father’s Name: Mr. Passang
Mother’s Name: Mrs. Tsering Lhamo
Place of Birth: Forsyth Ganj, Dharamsala
Date of Birth: 15-09-1973
TYC ID No.: 0017
Marital Status: Unmarried
Personal Bio-data:
Ms. Dolma Choephel was born in exile. She was graduated from Punjab University through Government College for Girls, did her Class Xth from Tibetan Children’s Village School lower Dharamsala and completed her +2 from Central School for Tibetans Dalhousie. She obtained her post-graduate diploma in Public Relations from Dr. Rajendra Prasad Institute of Communication & Management, Mumbai through Dayanand College of Communication & Management, Chandigarh. During her days in College, she was very actively involved with TYC activities and held the post of Public Relation Officer (PRO) of RTYC Chandigarh from 1994-1995 and the President of Regional Tibetan Freedom Movement, Chandigarh 1996-1997. She served in the TYC office as the Executive Secretary and the Circulation Manager of the TYC’s Rangzen publication. During the Xth GBM of TYC in 1998, she was elected for the post of Organisational Secretary and Joint Secretary of Central Executive Committee of TYC and in the XIth GBM she got re-elected in the post of Joint Secretary of TYC in 2001. During her two terms as an executive member of TYC, she led demonstrations, peace march and got herself detained in police custody for several times too. She had attended many national and international conferences such as United Nations Commission on Human Rights in year 2000 by representing TYC.
Permanent Address:
Tibetan Youth Congress
Central Executive Commmittee
P.O. Mcleod Ganj
Dharamsala (HP)
Name: Mr. Gyatso
Father’s Name: Mr. Ngodup
Mother’s Name: Mrs. Migmar
Place of Birth: Changgu, Sikkim
Date of Birth: 03-03-1969
TYC ID No.: 01188
Height: 5’2”
Marital Status: Married
Spouse Name: Yonton Choekyi
Personal Bio-data:
Mr. Gyatso was born in Changgu, Sikkim. He did his primary education in Central School for Tibetans, Kalimpong from 1976 and there after he left his schooling and start engaging in business. He joined the Regional Tibetan Youth Congress, Gangtok in 1992 and he participated in the Peace March from Dharamsala to New Delhi, which was jointly organized by Eighth committee of Tibetan NGOs in 1995. He worked as a cashier of Regional Tibetan Youth Congress, Gangtok from 1998 to 2001. He even participated in the 24 hours Hunger Strike in Siliguri and 72 hours Hunger Strike at Calcutta respectively led by North-East RTYCs in solidarity and support of TYC led Unto- Death Hunger Strike in Jantar Mantar, New Delhi in 1998. In 2001 he was re-elected to the post of Vice President of Regional Tibetan Youth Congress, Gangtok.
Permanent Address:
Tsongo Lake
C/0 The Gift Shop
P.O. Sherathang
East Sikkim, Gangtok
Name: Mr. Sonam Wangdu
Father’s Name: Mr. Kalu Dhargay (Late)
Mother’s Name: Mrs. Pema Dolkar
Place of Birth: Sharkumbu, Nepal
Date of Birth: 06-07-1968
TYC ID No.: 14187
Marital Status: Married
Spouse Name: Tamding Dolma
Personal Bio-data:
Mr. Sonam Wangdu was born in Sharkumbu, Nepal in 1968. He did his schooling from Central School for Tibetans, Dalhousie from 1976 to 7th standard and there after he left school and joined business in Kashmir from 1984 to 1990. In 1991 he worked in carpet factory in Kathmandu, Nepal and there he also served as the executive member of Ex-Dalhousie Student Association and joined Regional Tibetan Youth Congress, Kathmandu. Later in 1997 he migrated to United States of America and where he served as the member of Regional Tibetan Youth Congress, New York and New Jersey.
Permanent address:
215 Maujer St. 3L
Brooklyn NY 11206
U.S.A.
