International Tibet Independence Movement Why Independence for Tibet? Why is Tibet Important for Everyone? What Can I Do? Upcoming Events Related Websites Important Addresses Merchandise Join the E-Mail List International Tibet Independence Movement PO Box 194 Fishers, Indiana 46038-0194 United States e-mail:rangzen@aol.com

Unto Death Hunger Strike TYC HUNGER STRIKE UPDATE: April 28, 1998 Tibetan Youth Congress April 29, 1998, 3.00 am, Dharamsala Mr Thupten Nogdup (age 60) passed away at 12.15 (midnight) at Dr Ram Manohar Hospital, New Delhi. At 10.30 am, his body will be taken to Majnukatilla Tibetan Camp, Delhi. Final funeral will take palce in Dharamsala. Day and time of the final funeral will be informed to you later. Biography of Thubten Ngodup Thubten Ngodup was formerly a monk at the Tashilhunpo Monastery in Shigatse. He was born in Pen-nak in the Tsang province of Tibet. He joined the 22 establishment of the Indian army in the early 1960s and was a veteran of the Bangladesh independence war. He resigned from the army in 1987. He came to Dharamsala around 1988 and worked as the cowherd for Drip Tsecholing Monastery. He also worked as the cook for the monastery. Drip Tsechokling monastery, in view of the fact that he did not have any immediate family members to look after him, gave a small plot of land where he built a little hut. Sometimes he also worked as the cook for the monastery. In April 1996 he joined the Department of Security as its peon. He resigned from his post in December 1996 to participate in the 1997 peace march to Tibet. He had no family members in India. He was a quiet man, not given to speaking much. He was a hard worker and full of patriotism. He participated in both peace marches. During the unto-death hunger-striker he voluntarily attended to the needs of the six hunger-strikers. Recently, six Tibetans undertook a hunger strike unto death, organized by the Tibetan Youth Congress. When I visited the hunger strikers at the beginning of this month, I told them that I was against any form of violence, including hunger strike unto death. Statement by His Holiness the Dalai Lama Yesterday, we witnessed the most unfortunate incident of a Tibetan man burning himself alive. I am deeply saddened by this. For many years, I have been able to persuade the Tibetan people to eschew violence in our freedom struggle. Today, it is clear that a sense of frustration and urgency is building up among many Tibetans, as evidenced by the unto-death hunger strike and the tragic incident of yesterday. This frustration stems from the fact that the Tibetan people, with their unique cultural heritage, are being gradually wiped out from the face of the earth. This is a tragedy for the whole world as the Tibetan culture has tremendous potential to benefit the world most of all millions of Chinese brothers and sisters. Although I disagree with their method, I do admire the motivation and determination of these Tibetans. They were prepared to die not for their selfish ends, but for the rights of six million Tibetans and the survival of their culture. I request the international community to enhance its support to the cause of Tibet in a more substantial way. I request the governments and international fora to make earnest efforts to resolve the problem of Tibet peacefully. The Dalai Lama 28 April 1998