The heat wave of Delhi is increasing along with the number of days of the hunger strike of fourteen Tibetans led by Tibetan Youth Congress in New Delhi, now going into its fourth day. Having to live underneath a tent in harsh weather is hard enough for strong and healthy persons, but imagine how it is for people who have not eaten anything for four days. The situation is very tough, but the hunger strikers are also tough as they beat the heat and the odds with their determination.
This morning at 11 a.m., at the hunger strike venue, the Tibetan Youth Congress called a press conference exclusively for Tibetan media to brief them about the progress of the hunger strike movement. TYC also stated its official stand on the joint Olympic Campaign activity organized by four Tibetan NGOs.
The General Secretary of the TYC, Mr. Tsultrim Dorjee Chunang, briefed the press about the report of the three days’ hunger strike and TYC’s visit to the Prime Minister Office and the Indian Olympic Committee to submit petitions. He told the Tibetan press that the “although the health condition of the participants are showing signs of declining, the determination of the hunger strikers are ever stronger”. He further stated that the regional chapters of Tibetan Youth Congress in India, Nepal, Bhutanand abroad have already started campaign activities in support of “The People’s Movement” in which the hunger strike is a part, like sending appeal letters, signature campaigns, and collecting donations.
Confusion has arisen over two separate Olympic Campaign activities: one on 4th August 2007, and TYC’s previously-planned action on 8th August 2007. On request from the regional TYCs to clarify the situation to the Tibetan community,TYC made the following announcement. “In principle, TYC is in full support of all the campaigns against the China Olympics. However TYC has strong reservations against the manner and the timing of the 4th August campaign being organized jointly by four Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs).”
TYC made it clear that it is not a part of the 4th August 2007 action. In fact TYC has given in writing to the three Tibetan organizations (Tibetan Women’s Association, National Democratic Party of Tibet and Gu-Chu-Sum Movement) that the 4th August 2007 Olympic Campaign activities announced by the four organizations would interfere with the momentum of the hunger strike movement prevailing around that time in Delhi, hence they are urged to find alternate ways and times to their scheduled campaign program. The campaign activities of the four organizations for the 4th August include dance, performance, and other different methods of campaign. TYC feels that these kind of activities would go against the serious public mood at that time, because the hunger strikers will have reached a critical stage. Beside, it will also affect the number of people participating in the mass people’s protest.
Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC) would also like to appeal to the Tibetan general public not to entertain any donation to any organization or individuals in the name of the Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC), unless it is by the Tibetan Youth Congress executives for The People’s Movement, in which the ongoing hunger strike is a part.
