July 13, 2001 – the day when IOC gave China the license to kill and became a party to China’s gross violation of human rights in Tibet and China.
February 24, 2006 – the day when IOC accepted their blunder in giving China the honour to host the Olympic Games by paying heed to the demands of the Tibetan Youth Congress Indefinite Hunger Strike.
Two days in the calendar of sports linked together in the history of mankind by three brave Tibetans’ struggle for justice and freedom.
On the 11th day of the TYC led Indefinite Hunger Strike in Turin, Italy, IOC deemed it imperative and compelling to positively react to the demands of the three Hunger Strikers. Mr. Jacques Rogge, President of IOC delegated Mr. Mario Pescante, Executive member of IOC and President of European Olympic Committee to visit the Hunger Strikers and to convince them that the IOC had heard their demands. Mr. Maza Pierpaolo, Vice President of Organising Committee for the XX Olympic Winter Games (TOROC), Turin, Italy accompanied Mr. Mario Pescante.
Mr. Mario Pescante, with the authority vested in him to represent the IOC acknowledged the demands of the Hunger Strikers and urged the Hunger Strikers on behalf of Mr. Jacques Rogge to conclude the Hunger Strike. Mr. Pescante gave assurance to the Hunger Strikers that he will raise the issue of Tibet’s human right during the official IOC Press Conference on Sunday, the concluding day of the Turin Winter Olympic games. He further pledged of personally taking up the issue of Tibet as effectively as possible in the coming years with the concerned authorities.
Reacting to the assurances pledged by the IOC, Ms. Pema Yangchen, Organisational Secretary, TYC and Coordinator of the Indefinite Hunger Strike thanked Mr. Jacques Rogge through his representative for the consideration shown by IOC on the ’11th day’ of the Hunger Strike. Speaking on behalf of the Hunger Strikers, Ms Pema Yangchen expressed the regret of the Hunger Strikers of not being able to comply with the requests of the IOC and further pledged of continuing the Hunger Strike until a written assurance from the IOC is tendered.
Earlier in the day the IOC Representatives requested a meeting with the Hunger Strikers at the Administrative Office of Regional Councilor of Piemonte. Ms. Pema Yangchen Organisational Secretary of TYC, Mr. Tamding Choephel, Vice President and Thupten Tenzin, General Secretary of Tibetan Community, Italy, accompanied by Mr. Claudio Tecchio met Mr. Pierpaolo Maza, Vice President, TOROC, Maria Cristina Spinosa, member of the Presidency Bureau Secretary General of Councilor of State Peimonte, Mr. Giampiero Leo, Regional Deputy Coordinator of Association of Italian Councils, Provinces and Region for Tibet and Mr. Ronaldo Bontempi, Ex- Vice President of Toroc and writer of the Charter of Intents for TOROC. The meeting was followed by the official visit of the IOC at the TYC Indefinite Hunger Strike tent.
The visit of Mr. Pescante was warmly received by the media. La Striscia la notizia, Italian National TV programme continued to cover the Hunger Strike after it had carried an appeal letter from the Hunger Strikers to IOC. La striscia la notizia today returned to the site as witness to the visit and the declaration of Mr. Mario Pescante.
While the TYC Indefinite Hunger Strike succeeded in bringing the IOC to the talking table, support and solidarity continued to pour in from all over the world. In a letter from the Swiss Parliamentary Group for Tibet and Swiss Tibetan Friendship Association, Ms. Ruth Gonseth, on behalf of the two Organizations expressed her support for the Hunger Strikers in Torino. The letter wished the Hunger Strikers ‘ a lot of courage and determination’ and stated that ‘No Olympic Games in Beijing without Human Rights’ was also a big concern for the Organization.
Contact Details: Ms. Pema Yangchen, Organisational Secretary, TYC and Coordinator+393332542727
Mr. Tamding Chomphel, Vice President, Tibetan Community, Italy +393332542727Mr. Lobsang Yeshi, Acting President, Tibetan Youth Congress, Dharamshala, India +91-1892-221554/9816106224 Email: tyc@vsnl.com
Established in 1970, Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC) is the largest non-governmental organization within the Tibetan community fighting for the complete independence of Tibet, having over 30,000 active members in 80 Regional chapters across the globe.
