(<- Previous Report) April 25, 1998

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The last day of the 1998 March for Tibet's Independence began in Vancouver with a crowd of over 80 Tibetans and Tibet supporters marching through the streets shouting slogans and waving to the passing cars honking their horns in support. This last leg of the march was a relatively short eight miles to the Chinese Consulate.

About ten blocks away from the Consulate, as the walkers watched a throne for the missing Panchen Lama emerge from the back of the support van and be assembled on the sidewalk, the tone of the walk changed from rowdy slogan shouting to quiet chanting.

"Chang chup sim chok rin po che
Ma kye pa num kye gyur chee
Kye pa nyam ba me par yang
Kong ne kong du pe ba shok"

May the supreme jewel bodhicitta
That has not arisen, arise and grow;
And may that which has arisen not diminish
But increase more and more.
This was repeated all the way to the Chinese Consulate.

By the time we reached the Consulate over 150 people were in attendance and continued to chant as the throne was place on top of a pick-up truck directly under the watchful video eye of the Chinese Consulate.

Overcome with emotion, Dekey and Ani Wangmo la cried their way through the singing of the Tibetan national anthem.

Each of the core members of the walking crew received katas and then Happy Birthday was sung for the 9 year old Panchen Lama.

Ani Wangmo la was the first speaker of the afternoon and began by saying, "After 34 years of life I realized that I haven't lived as a human being. I have lived mostly in fear. In 1985 I tried to escaped from Tibet. The first time I was captured at the border of Nepal and taken back to Tibet and the second time I made it to Dharamsala where I am luckily studying religion and am able to live in peace with the blessings of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. But even then I am unable to live happily in Dharamsala because I realize that the people living in Tibet are still suffering.

The Panchen Rinpoche at the moment is in prison and the previous Panchen Rinpoche went through a lot of difficulties and people in Tibet are still dying under torture and a lot of suffering. In Tibet, the Tibetan religious oppression is so harsh that even carrying His Holiness the Dalai Lama's picture is against the law. This causes a lot of suffering for people. Since 1959 until 1979 people were not allowed to carry His picture. In 1980 they loosened the law and Tibetan people had His Holiness's picture. Now, again, it is not allowed. When His Holiness is able to return back to the Potala Palace and we are able to have His Holiness sit on the throne in the Potala and have the flag flying on top of the Potala Palace, that will be our victory.

In Tibet itself, when we have peaceful demonstrations,the Chinese Communist guards come and take the monks and nuns away when they have only walked a few steps. Now, when people go for demonstrations, what they do is leave their final wishes with their family members and go knowing that they will be brutally beaten and tortured.

At this time I would like to make known a great wish that I've had since we walked up from Portland. We have made many people aware and I hope the support groups that are in existence will get stronger and work harder and that the new friends and new supporters will start up new support groups. The first objective would be to, as His Holiness has said, to preserve Tibetan culture and to do that we need to be able to speak to the Chinese Communist leaders. We must ask the Chinese government to come forward and negotiate with the Tibetan Government In-Exile and speak to His Holiness the Dalai Lama who has even said that He would like to come to the table and ask for autonomy rather than independence."

Larry Gerstein, President ITIM:
"Thank you for joining us here and making the last day of this 1998 walk such a special day. I want to share with you that our organization has been walking for the last four years, but the vision of these walks is not ours, but that of Taktser Rinpoche, His Holiness the Dalai Lama's oldest brother. He has been wanting to walk for many years. His original pilgrimage was from Kumbum monastery in Amdo in Eastern Tibet. At that time, Rinpoche walked six months with 1000 people and 10,000 animals.

I'll mention this now because I think it has already been decided. Our walk next year will be from Chicago to Indianapolis. Next year His Holiness the Dalai Lama will give the Kalachakra teaching in Indiana. We will walk to the Kalachakra. In Tibet, Tibetans would walk to the Kalachakra. That cannot be done in Tibet, so we welcome all of you to join us to do this for the Tibetans in Tibet.

The last point that I want to make is that this throne behind us. We thought about this throne for a few days, and we had great, great difficultly getting everything we needed to get this throne together. But Nyingje said to us last night, "all good things have many obstacles." Today we worried a great deal about the ornaments, worried that they would not show up from Seattle in time. We finally decided that, OK we'll carry it without the double dorje. As soon as we made that decision and took the throne out of the van the double dorje showed. For me one of the lessons learned today is that we face many obstacles when fighting for Tibet, Inner Mongolia and Eastern Turkistan, and fighting for our brothers in sisters in Taiwan who want to keep their own country. There are many obstacles. We need to stay on the path and face the obstacles because in time Tibet will be free, Inner Mongolia will be free, Eastern Turkistan will be free and Taiwan will have the right to remain free. Please stay on the path with us."

Julie Crow Treasurer and Walk Coordinator for ITIM shared some quotes from the hunger strikers in New Delhi:

Karma Sichoe: "We have got many supporters; government and not in government all over the world who are working just for world peace, but unfortunately I have got a statement from the United Nations General Secretary. This letter is disappointing for me. It does nothing. There is nothing about our demands. This is a great disappointment to me. Also, I have got a statement from the Human Rights Commissioner, Mary Robinson. She states she may visit in Beijing. She seems to be only concerned for Chinese human rights. With regard to Tibet there is no signs of our demands, so it is very sad that the United Nations is only watching when there is violence and killing and brutal power. Not watching, not supervising a peaceful country like Tibet. It means no more justice in the UN. The UN is unjust because they are only acting when there is brutal power. Killing and violence they are running after, but they are not looking after us. This is very sad for the world. I'm expecting that maybe in the next few days there will be justice from the UN as we are following non-violence for Tibet's 6 million people."

Dawa Gyalpo: "We have been on hunger strike now for 44 days and so far we have not got any response, but I appreciate all the non-government supporters and the parliaments that support us. I really appreciate this. It is important to support us and what we demand from the UN. Put the pressure on the UN. Since the last 39 days the UN does not respond to the Tibetan cause. In Tibet the situation is getting worse. We are dying. We are already finished. It is so sad. Until now the United Nations cannot respond to our cause and to what we demand and so it very sad. It is important to keep the pressure on China. Right now we have been on hunger strike for 44 days, but we have not got the right letter from Kofi Annan. It is very sad that Kofi Annan cannot respond to our demands. So, it is very important to respond. If not we continue to hunger strike and we are going to die and also many Tibetans are going to die."

Crow then turned to acknowlegde the video camera which had been pointing at the speakers all afternoon. As she said the following, the camera averted it's gaze from her and swept the crowd. The only time the camera moved during the entire rally.

"I'd like to address this camera over here. I know you¹re watching everything we are saying. I'm an American and I'm participating in this activity with Canadians, Tibetans and Americans and we do not support you! We are going to go to the UN, and to our governments and we are going to seek justice for the people of Tibet! I do not support your government policy!

I was told before I got up here on the truck that the Indian police are planning to perhaps intervene and stop the hunger strike. I don't know exactly how that makes me feel because I feel that these people have under taken to do this. Interfering is somehow committing an act of violence against them. I want their lives to be saved, but I don't want their lives to be saved like that."

Wangchuk Dorjee, North American Representative to the Tibetan Government In-Exile

"I'm kind of speechless, but at moments like this, and at a location like this we cannot remain speechless. We have to speak up what we believe and what we think and what is our right. First of all, I'd like to take this opportunity on behalf of Tibetans in Tibet and out of Tibet and especially the Tibetan communities in North America, to say thank you to all the Tibetans who are here today and also our Tibetan supporter who are here today to show support. Also, especially, our peace marchers who for the last 45 days have been working for Tibetans to get Tibet free and back to Tibetans. I was in Portland on March 10 when the peace marchers started their walk. It was my responsibility to speak on behalf of Tibetans to the peace marchers for their dedication, hard work and their determination. Unfortunately, that day I was sick and the next day I left to Dharamsala to attend a Tibetan Assembly meeting, so I couldn't attend the start of the peace march from Portland to Vancouver. I really regret this, but I'm happy to be here today to finish with the peace marchers in this nice warm weather and in this beautiful country. When I was attending the meeting I conveyed about the peace marchers from Portland to Vancouver in our Tibetan Assembly meeting and all the members of Tibetan representatives and also the members of Kashag who are very happy and say Œthank you very much¹ and also they say, ³Wangchuk, this is your responsibility. Make sure you represent our government to say, Œthank you, thank you all of you for all the Tibetans, especially the members of parliament and the Tibetan cabinet.¹² And that is my message for all of you."

T.N. Shakabpa, Executive Director of Tsepon Wngchuk Deden Shakabpa Memorial Foundation in Seattle and Former President & Representative, Tibetan Association of Washington, attended the rally and inspired the crowd with a proposal for future action of Tibetans that is, "peaceful and non-violent, yet both gently disruptive and enormously constructive."

"I was told by some in the Seattle media, where I come from, 'Your activities are not news for our city. They have no affect upon our community and therefor no cause for joy or concern. Your activities do not help sell our papers nor find sponsors for our television news.'"

Shakabpa proposed, "In the name of Tibet and for the benefit of all Tibetans, we should, from henceforth, organize and engage in nonviolent civil disobedience." In addition to this he also proposed, "In the name of Tibet and for the benefit of the weak and poor, the lame and slow of all nations, we should form brigades of Tibetan crusaders who will reach out and go into the inner cities and rural outposts of this and other nations. A Tibetan Peace Corp, so to speak. We should give the poor, the sick and the suffering in those areas every help possible. A simple gesture as cleaning the streets of a poor neighborhood or providing sandwiches to the hungry will bring blessings beyond measure and support from politicians who need the majority's votes, not just the votes of a few Tibetans. We must reach beyond ourselves in a meaningful way if we are to successfully raise awareness of our status and achieve support for our issues."

Judy Tethong, Canada Tibet Committee - Victoria

"There have been some amazing messages given here today and I feel a little humble. I don't know that I have anything I can add except that as we came along on the march today and we arrived on the corner down there at 41st and Granville there was this incredible banner. 6 Tibetan hunger strikers, as we've heard, are dying in New Delhi. I am ashamed that we are hearing nothing about this in our media about these brave Tibetans who are dying. I had a conversation yesterday with Thupten Samdup, head of the Canada Tibet Committee in Montreal, he said that there are several hundred more Tibetans in South India who are volunteering their lives to take the place of these hunger strikers in New Delhi when they die. Two of them are not expected to make it through this week end. They cannot stop what they have started until the world pays attention. I had visions of the movie Gandhi when those people with Gandhi at their head took on the might of the British Empire and row after row after row of marchers marched up to be beaten by the British military. That vision came to me with the Tibetan hunger strikers in New Delhi in a desperate plea to get the rest of the world to pay attention. I'm so disappointed to hear that the Secretary General of the United Nations said, 'I feel sorry for the hunger strikers, but Tibet is a part of China and it's not a security threat to the world. I guess that means the hunger strikers can be ignored and Tibet can be ignored. If these people carry on, surely the world is going to have to pay attention, but it is up to everyone of us here to go back to our communities, and our media and be the local hook to the hunger strike and try to get attention to the strikers cause."

Nyingje read the speech of Munkh Altanbat, the Inner Mongolian man who walked from Portland, but was unable to cross the border into Canada.

"Inner Mongolians will never cease fighting for freedom and never surrender to Chinese occupation. Inner Mongolian students often demonstrate in the capitol, Huhe Hot. Various anti-Chinese groups and organizations are fighting underground. I want to notice the Southern Mongolian Democratic Alliance, SMDA. The leaders of SMDA Hadaa and Tegshe have been arrested by the security organization of China for only critisizing the brutal policy of China. Hadaa was sentenced for 15 years and Tegshe for 10 years in prison. We call for the government of China to immediately release Hadaa and Tegshe."

To end the day, Julie, Ani la, Michelle and Anne faced the video camera and again began chanting:
"Chang chup sim chok rin po che
Ma kye pa num kye gyur chee
Kye pa nyam ba me par yang
Kong ne kong du pe ba shok"

From the bottom of my heart I'd like to thank everyone who has followed the 1998 March for Tibet's Independence online. I have received much joy and inspiration from the knowledge that thousands of people have walked with us via the internet.
-Katie Murphy

ORIES FROM THE MARCH...

International Tibet Independence Movement
PO Box 592 Fishers, Indiana 46038-0592 United States
e-mail: rangzen@aol.com