Italy, December 10: “Free Tibet” banners were hung in important landmark buildings in three major Italian cities of Rome, Bologna and Milan by Associazione Italia-Tibet to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the 18th anniversary of the conferment of the Nobel Peace Prize to His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
The group said that action campaign was to “bring to the attention of the general public and the media the ongoing violation of all fundamental liberties inside Tibet, occupied since 1950 by the People’s Republic of China”.
The group told Phayul that the Monday’s action primarily consisted of hanging long banners with “Tibet Libero” (Italian for “Free Tibet”) down the Coliseum in Rome, the Milan Cathedral and the Asinelli Tower in Bologna.
With less than eight months to go before the start of the 2008 Beijing Games and alleging that the heavy repression still persists in Tibet, the Italian group argues that China does not deserve to host the Olympic Games, which they say is “founded in order to create a peaceful and better world in the spirit of reciprocal comprehension, friendship and solidarity”.
The Association for Tibet further alleges that “civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of the Tibetan people are continuously and grossly violated” due to Chinese presence in Tibet. “Individual liberties, like personal safety, freedom of religion, of opinion, expression and association, lack any kind of guarantee” in Tibet the group said.
”Denouncing these grave circumstances, which are in clear opposition to the rights sanctioned in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and offend the conscience of those who cherish the fundamental values it expresses, Associazione Italia-Tibet expresses its complete solidarity with the Tibetan people and all those in the world, who lack the dignity and liberties, which are a birthright to every member of the human family” the group proclaimed in its Monday’s press statement.
Based on report filed by Associazione Italia-Tibet
