Beijing – Wangpo Tethong (43), a Tibetan activist from Switzerland, today called upon the Chinese leadership meeting in Beijing at the National People’s Congress, to seriously review their Tibet policies and to find and implement a sincere solution to the Tibet conflict. The Olympics countdown clock in front of the National Museum displaying ‘884 days till the opening of the Games 2008’, acted as a backdrop as he unfurled a banner on which was written, “Hu, you can’t stop us! 2008-FreeTibet.org“.
“Many people in the world are concerned about what is happening in Tibet. A drastic change in the policy of the Chinese leadership is urgently needed. It is high time the Chinese leadership recognised that a political solution must start with the unreserved recognition of the right to self-determination of the Tibetan people”, said Wangpo Tethong.
In his role as co-ordinator of the International Tibet Support Network’s Olympics Campaign, Tethong met with journalists and briefed them on the goals of the campaign. “It only follows that if no concrete progress on the question of Tibet is made, the protests will intensify in the next two years until the Olympic Games”, he said. “Tibetans in Tibet have already been arrested and given long prison sentences for their peaceful protests against the holding of the 2008 Games.
Speaking from Hong Kong, Tenzin D. Sewo, President of the Tibetan Youth Association in Europe and member of the international Olympics campaign, stated: “The main focus of our campaign is to remind both the Chinese leadership and the International Olympic Committee that hosting the Games in Beijing goes hand in hand with a responsibility to create the necessary political climate. In other words: human rights must be guaranteed and the right of Tibetans to freely determine their future must finally be respected.”
It is not clear how the protest ended and the whereabouts of the activist are currently unknown. Wangpo Tethong is a Swiss citizen.
Press contacts:
Hong Kong: Ms Dechen Pemba +852 608 462 55 (English)
Mr Tenzin D. Sewo +852 608 462 66 (Tibetan, German)
Switzerland: Mr Chompel Balok +41 78 638 79 90
For more information visit: http://www.2008-FreeTibet.org
