Gere, a prominent campaigner against Chinese rule in Tibet, visited three hunger strikers camping on a patch of grass outside the United Nations building. He accused China of carrying out a "50-year genocide" against Tibetans and drew a comparison between the situations in Tibet and in Kosovo.

"We're dealing with obviously a very chaotic and violent world right now and we're seeing in former Yugoslavia the explosion of these ethnic problems," Gere told reporters, adding that he would go on to the Balkans after visiting Geneva.

He praised Tibetans for pursuing non-violent protest against Chinese rule.

"They come here to the U.N. Commission on Human Rights and they've in fact been ignored. The Chinese have been very, very powerful and effective at bullying votes," Gere said.

The Commission, a U.N. forum in Geneva with 53 member states, is currently holding its annual session. On Friday, Beijing gathered enough support to shelve a U.S. motion on China which mentioned concern about Tibet.

"The very reason why this commission exists has been sidestepped by the Chinese lobby," Gere said. "So I think it's very important for the press and for people to know that the Tibetan movement is very powerful."

The Chinese delegation on Friday successfully brought a "no-action motion" against the U.S. resolution, preventing the text being debated or voted upon in the forum. Gere praised U.S. efforts to highlight Tibet and urged European countries to follow suit. Washington's resolution was not co-sponsored by any members of the European Union.

Chinese troops swept into Tibet in 1950, putting an end to centuries of near-autonomy in the Himalayan territory.

Organizers of the Geneva hunger strike say the three protesters have not eaten since April 5.

One of their demands is that China allow a U.N. delegation to visit the young boy who has been designated as the reincarnation of Tibet's second highest spiritual leader, the Panchen Lama, and whose welfare is the object of international concern.

[ Homepage ] [ NewsRoom ]



This site is maintained and updated by The Office of Tibet, the official agency of His Holiness His Holiness the Dalai Lama in London. This Web page may be linked to any other Web sites. Contents may not be altered.
Last updated: 27-April-99