Press Statement
28th July, 2008  

Tibetan People's Mass Movement
No Olympics in China until Tibet is Independent

To protest against the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and the continuing colonial occupation of Tibet and oppression of Tibetans by the illegal Communist Chinese regime in Tibet, Tibetan Youth Congress is launching today "Indefinite Fast for Tibet - without Food and Water" as part of the Tibetan People's Mass Movement. TYC will also launch People's Mass demonstration on 07th August 2007 based on the principles of Gandhi's nonviolence and 'Satyagraha' (insistence on truth). The Mass Movement will also include many other campaigns to bring awareness to the International Community regarding the dire situation inside Tibet under the colonial occupation of China. Over 25,000 Tibetans from all over the world gathered on 08th August, 2007 in New Delhi to support the demands laid down by the 14 Tibetans who were on an 'Indefinite Hunger Strike unto death' for 33 days. TYC passed resolutions during its General Body Meeting in September 2007 at Dharamshala and Annual Working Committee Meeting in July 2008 at Manali to carry out the second phase of "Tibetan People's Mass Movement" before Beijing Olympic Games. All regional chapters of TYC will organize campaign activities in their respective regions throughout the world.

Deeply concerned and frustrated over the continued sufferings of the six million Tibetan people and human rights violations in Tibet, the Tibetan Youth Congress is left with no option except to organize these non-violent direct action campaigns against the Chinese authoritarian rule in Tibet.  Starting from today, six Tibetans will sit in 'Indefinite Fast for Tibet - without Food and Water' to represent the plight of the six million Tibetans with the following demands and appeals: 

Demands:

• Immediate end to the brutal suppression of Tibetans inside Tibet and unconditional release of all the Tibetan political prisoners.
• Convincing evidence to prove the well-being and whereabouts of His Holiness the Gedun Choekyi Nyima (the 11th Panchen Lama of Tibet).
• Allow independent and neutral international fact finding delegation, media and humanitarian organizations to assess the current situation inside Tibet.
• Immediate end to dumping of nuclear and toxic waste in Tibet and stop plundering of Tibet's natural resources.
• Immediately end the demographic aggression of Chinese settlers into Tibet.

Appeal:

• To all world leaders to boycott the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics.
• To all athletes to return Beijing's blood stained medals and podium protest to show your solidarity with the Tibetans.
• To seek a meeting with IOC President or his representatives to update the IOC on the current grim situation inside Tibet.
• International community to Boycott Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

The recent pro - independence demonstrations in Tibet will go down in history as yet another example of man's indomitable spirit in fighting against tyranny and oppression. The unanimous call for "Independence for Tibet", "Long Live the Dalai Lama", "Release Panchen Lama, and "China quit Tibet" from Tibetans inside Tibet in all the traditional three provinces of Tibet are the true aspirations of the six million Tibetans. Their courageous defiance against the colonial Chinese regime by shedding their blood brought to fore the deeply held resentment Tibetans feel against the repressive and discriminating policies of the Chinese Communist Party since 1949.

Olympics are a symbol of freedom and peace, an international event where friendship and brotherhood is celebrated. It is a tradition that brings the world under a single umbrella embodying peace and harmony through sport. But the International Olympic Committee (IOC) went against its ideals and made the biggest blunder by awarding this prestigious event to the illegal Communist Chinese regime that is responsible for the killings of over one million Tibetans, the illegal Communist Chinese regime that has razed over 6000 Tibetan monasteries to the ground, the illegal Communist Chinese regime that has flooded Tibet with Han Chinese reducing Tibetans to an insignificant minority in our own country.

The Chinese people deserve to host the Olympic Games but what the Tibetans and the Chinese people deserve more now is freedom; freedom of speech, of religion, of association, of equal opportunity, of electing their own government, of feeling safe in their own homes. The day might not be far when Tibet will again be an independent nation and our Chinese brothers and sisters would be free from the inhuman communist regime, only then it will be the right time for Beijing to host the prestigious Olympic Games. But not now. Not while the butchers of 1.2 million Tibetans remain in power. Not while the communist butchers of 70 million Chinese remain in power.

We request responsible citizens and governments worldwide to stand up against China's appalling human rights record in Tibet and not commit moral violence by remaining indifferent to the sufferings of the six million Tibetan People. We appeal to the conscience of all freedom loving people of the free world to raise your voice for the freedom of the peace loving Tibetan people and help us restore our lost Independence.

Issued by: The Office of Central Executive Committee, Tibetan Youth Congress
Contact: Mr. Tsewang Rigzin, President Cell: 999-026-1954