Almost 800 mayors display their solidarity with Tibet
Number of participants as of 9th March 2007 – 783 town halls
783 cities, municipalities and counties in Germany hoisted the Tibetan flag on 10th March at town halls and offices, including the regional capitals Duesseldorf, Hannover, Magdeburg, Mainz, Potsdam, Saarbruecken, Stuttgart and Wiesbaden. Thereby, town halls from List auf Sylt, to Lindau am Bodensee and from Aachen to Goerlitz affirmed the legitimate right of the Tibetan people to self-determination and protest against the violations of human rights and the destruction of the Tibetan people’s culture, religion and national identity. They were called upon to hoist the flag by Tibet Support Group Germany for the twelfth consecutive year.
By hoisting the Tibetan flag, the cities and counties are also appealing to the Federal Government of Germany, to vehemently support the cause of Tibet, especially now that Germany has taken over the presidency of the European Union’s Council. “This year the Dalai Lama will make several visits to Germany. This would be a good opportunity for the Federal Chancellor to receive him officially as the legitimate head of the entire Tibetan people”, said Monika Deimann, coordinator of the campaign. “It is long since overdue to recognize the Tibetan people as a real partner in international politics. It is a mistake to talk about Tibet’s fate only with China.
The Tibetans should finally get a voice of their own. A political revaluation of the Dalai Lama also would strengthen his position in the talks with China and improve the chances for a peaceful solution of the yet unresolved Tibet issue. The success of the flagging campaign should make clear to the Federal government that by doing so it would also comply with the wishes of hundreds of municipalities all over the country”.
Tibet Support Group Germany’s flag campaign is not a matter of human rights violations or of foreign policy – it is a matter of justice and injustice. It is an injustice that the Tibetan people have had to endure up to the present day.
And this matter does not halt at a communal, regional or national level.
We welcome the fact that an ever growing number of mayors and county-heads adhere to our conviction.
Tibet Support Group Germany would like to thank the participants in the various cities, municipalities and counties for their solidarity and their commitment to global responsibility.
The current list of participants, messages of support from German MPs as well as background information about 10th March and the flagging campaign, can be viewed on www.tibetflagge.net.
Contact:
Monika DEIMANN-CLEMENS
Flag Campaign Coordinator
Phone +49 – 6047 – 7816, Mobile +49 – 174 – 789 6336
or
Wolfgang GRADER
Chairman of Tibet Support Group Germany
Phone +49 173 3708350
