Press Release: National Rally in Bern – Support for Tibet
It’s Time for the Federal Council to speak out
Bern, 26 April 2008 – «The torch for Tibet», which represents true Olympic values, is stopping for a while in Bern on its way around the world. On the occasion of this event, a national rally for Tibet will take place. The organizers want to provide an opportunity for the people in Switzerland to express their solidarity. And the organizers are calling on the Swiss government to engage with the Chinese leadership and the Olympic Committee to finally speak out.
Swiss Federal Council Doris Leuthard is strongly encouraged on her forthcoming trip to China, to pressure the Chinese government into allowing an international fact-finding commission into Tibet as soon as possible, demanding that an immediate stop is put to the killing and that urgently needed humanitarian assistance is carried out in aid of those injured and arrested. The Federal Council is invited to work for the release of all political prisoners in Tibet and, for the first time, to officially receive the Dalai Lama on a visit this year. It should also put pressure on the Chinese government to take up substantive talks with the Dalai Lama.
People in Switzerland have expressed their deep concerns about the approach of the Chinese troops in Tibet. Within three weeks, more than 25,000 people signed the Tibet Petition and 176 parliament members, from all political parties, urged the government to act. Swiss students also spontaneously joined together to support the rally. Despite this nationwide support for Tibet, disappointingly, the government reflects itself as very cautious.
The attitude of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) concerning the repression of peaceful protests in Tibet is unacceptable. It is reprehensible that the IOC criticism largely follows the reasoning of Peking. The Swiss citizens and the government are called upon to remind the IOC and Chinese government of the promise made on awarding the games, and to make a rapid improvement in the human rights situation.
At the end of the rally, Tibetans will present all those present with a Kathak - a Tibetan symbol of good fortune in the form of a broad white band similar to a scarf - and symbol of certainty, that with a pure heart, even under the worst enemies, reconciliation and friendship can be achieved.
The initiative for the alternative torch run is supported world-wide by over 150 groups. It is a symbol of hope and aspiration of the Tibetan people for freedom and justice. On Sunday the “torch for Tibet“ is in Rapperswil and on Tuesday in Lausanne in front of the IOC. Then it will continue to travel to Denmark.
The rally is carried and supported by the Tibetan Community Switzerland/Liechtenstein, the Association of Swiss-Tibetan Friendship, the Tibetan Youth Association in Europe, the Tibetan Women’s organization in Switzerland, the Society for Threatened Peoples, the Alliance Sud as well as the Green Party and the SP and its youth organizations.
Contact:
Chimie Tender, Press Speaker +41 76 434 24 44
Phuntsok Gangshontsang, Press Speaker +41 79 201 01 50
More on the torch for Tibet: www.Tibetanfreedomtorch.org