Overseas Chinese Democracy Coalition News and Article Release Issue Number: A444-O133

中国民主运动海外联席会议新闻与文章发布号：A444-O133

Release Date: March 14, 2009

发布日：2009年3月14日

Topic: Chinese Tibetan Friendship Society Established in the US Capitol in Washington DC, and also in New York

标题：汉藏友好协会在美国首都华盛顿及纽约成立

Original Language Version: Chinese (Chinese version at the end)

此号以中文为准（英文在前，中文在后）

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Chinese Tibetan Friendship Society Established in the US Capitol in Washington DC, and also in New York

On March 9, 2009, in Washington DC, leaders and activists gathered in the main US Capitol Building in Room HC-6 for the inaugural conference of the Chinese Tibetan Friendship Society - an organization jointly proposed by Mr. Wei Jingsheng, the chairman of the Overseas Chinese Democracy Coalition, and The Office of Tibet -- the Official Agency of H. H. The Dalai Lama and Tibetan Government In Exile to the Americas. The Chinese Tibetan Friendship Society is a non-governmental organization joined together by human rights and democratic organizations of both Tibetans and Chinese. The purpose is to realize a nationality amity, mutual understanding, and to strive for freedom and human rights for people of all the nationalities. Various people of both Tibetan and Chinese from the east coast of USA attended this inaugural conference.

The attendees paid a one-minute silent tribute to mourn those who died under Chinese communist tyranny.

The prominent Chinese human rights activist Wei Jingsheng gave his speech to the conference. "In the past, due to the lies and propaganda of the Chinese Communist Party many Han Chinese did not know the suffering of the Tibetans, did not understand that the Tibetans' struggle against tyranny has the same goal as the Chinese." said Wei Jingsheng. "The Han Chinese and Tibetan peoples must mutually support, mutually help each other." He added: "This is key as it allows us to help end a dictatorship and put power in the hands of the people. This is why we establish this Chinese Tibetan Friendship Society".

The official representative of the Dalai Lama to the Americas, Mr. Lobsang Nyandak, from the Office of Tibet in New York also came to attend the conference. Speaking on behalf of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Mr. Lobsang Nyandak stated that the formation of the Chinese Tibetan Friendship Society has great significance, because it is not only related to the future of Tibetans, but also an amicable coexistence of both Han Chinese and Tibetans. He emphasized that H.H. the Dalai Lama has made statements many times that there is no fundamental conflict between the Han Chinese and Tibetans. He expressed his gratitude to the overseas Han Chinese's long time support to Tibet.

Long time human rights leader and senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Representative Christopher Smith (NJ) attended the conference to send his congratulations. He expressed that Mr. Wei Jingsheng was the most admirable human rights advocate during his 28 years of congressional career. He gave a speech on "the downgrading of human-rights concern in China policy". He criticized that "the Obama Administration has chosen to peddle U.S. debt to the largest dictatorship in the world over combating torture, forced abortion, forced labor, religious persecution, human sex trafficking, 'gender-cide,' and genocide." "We are here to mark the 50th anniversary of the Tibetan uprising against the Chinese Communist dictator, to send a jointly-signed message to Beijing that Chinese and Tibetans are willing to live together "under the conditions of harmony and mutual respect," he said.

Representative Smith criticized US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's conduct to please the Beijing Regime while ignoring human rights. He expressed that he would do his best to urge the Obama administration to take more active action on Chinese human rights issues. He applauded the hard work Wei Jingsheng made for the Chinese and saluted Wei for his leadership in human rights fighting. He finished by saying that he will continue his support of Wei Jingsheng's work.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Congressman Frank Wolf (VA) couldn't come in person but their aides attended the inauguration and gave support.

Other honored guests and speakers included Bhuchung Tsering, vice president of the International Campaign for Tibet; Dr. Ning Ye, Chairman of the Free China Movement; Iris Ho, Representative of the Formosan Association for Public Affairs; Haiyan Wang, Representative for China Democracy Party World Union; and Kexue Zheng, chairman of Freedom and Democracy Party of China, North America. They spoke for their organizations.

After negotiating between representatives of the two sides of Chinese and Tibetans, Mr. Wei Jingsheng was named chairman for Chinese-Tibetan Friendship Association. Lhundup Dorjee was appointed deputy chairman. Namgyal, Kalden Lobdoe and Dr. Ning Ye were appointed directors. Pengcheng Si, Esq. was appointed secretary.

In New York on March 8, 2009, more than 100 Han Chinese and Tibetan human rights and democracy advocates participated in the inauguration of the Chinese Tibetan Friendship Society (New York) hosted by Wei Jingsheng, at the China Democracy Journal's conference room in the Bally Building, Flushing, New York. This conference concentrated on the Communist persecution of Han Chinese and Tibetans and expressed willingness that the Han and Tibetan peoples must mutually support and help each other.

Thuten Thokmey, president of New York's Tibetan Buddist Institute, was elected to be chairman for Chinese Tibetan Friendship Society (New York). Phunbu Dorjee, president of the Tibetan Association of New York and New Jersey; Jun Wang, chairman of China Democracy Party World Union; Yan Sun, chairman of the Chinese Democratic Front, North America; Tsering Phuntsok, Tibetan painter; Kexue Zheng, chairman of Freedom and Democracy Party of China, North America; and Lobdoe Shara, of Dokham Chushi Gangdruk were elected as the council members. They then appointed Tsering Manchu and Jia Hu as secretaries.

During the 50th anniversary of the Tibetan uprising period, Wei Jingsheng and members of the Overseas Chinese Democracy Coalition also participated in other activities with the Tibetans, including speaking at a rally in Lafayette Park facing the White House at noon on March 9. For the related report by Agence France-Presse, please visit Washington Post's web page at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/09/AR2009030902106.html. One may also view the Getty Images of Wei Jingsheng being interviewed by Tibetan reporters at: http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/sg8tUGT2zRL/Rally+Protest+Commemorates+50th+Anniversary/YaNyGYHEMPI/Wei+Jing+Sheng.

1. Chinese dissident Wei JingSheng speaks to the media during a rally on "free Tibet" at the Lafayette Square, north of the White House, March 9, 2009 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

http://www.weijingsheng.org/pic/newsletters/newsletters2009/newsletters2009-2/WeiJSrally090309Tibetan50th.jpg

2. Congressman Chris Smith speaks to the Chinese Tibetan Friendship Society in US Capitol in support of Chinese and Tibetans' freedom struggle:

http://www.weijingsheng.org/pic/newsletters/newsletters2009/newsletters2009-2/ChineseTibetanFriendship090309SmithCspeech.jpg

3. Wei Jingsheng as the Chinese Tibetan Friendship Society in the US Capitol in Washington DC:

http://www.weijingsheng.org/pic/newsletters/newsletters2009/newsletters2009-2/ChineseTibetanFriendship090309WeiJShosts.jpg

4. Some of the Chinese and Tibetan participants attended the Chinese Tibetan Friendship Society established in Washington DC:

http://www.weijingsheng.org/pic/newsletters/newsletters2009/newsletters2009-2/ChineseTibetanFriendship090309formedDC.jpg

5. Chinese and Tibetans attended the Chinese Tibetan Friendship Society in New York:

http://www.weijingsheng.org/pic/newsletters/newsletters2009/newsletters2009-2/ChineseTibetanFriendship090308NY.jpg

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中文版

Overseas Chinese Democracy Coalition News and Article Release Issue Number: A444-O133

中国民主运动海外联席会议新闻与文章发布号：A444-O133

Release Date: March 14, 2009

发布日：2009年3月14日

Topic: Chinese Tibetan Friendship Society Established in the US Capitol in Washington DC, and also in New York

标题：汉藏友好协会在美国首都华盛顿及纽约成立

Original Language Version: Chinese (Chinese version at the end)

此号以中文为准（英文在前，中文在后）

如有中文乱码问题，请与我们联系或访问:

http://www.weijingsheng.org/report/report2009/report2009-03/ChineseTibetanFriendshipSociety090314establishedA444-O133.htm

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汉藏友好协会在美国首都华盛顿及纽约成立

2009年3月9日上午，汉藏友好协会代表大会暨成立大会在美国国会大厦召开。该协会是由中国民主运动海外联席会议主席魏京生和达赖喇嘛驻美代表处倡议，汉藏两族各人权及民运组织协商合作共同建立的民间团体。协会力图实现民族和睦、相互理解，并争取各族人民的自由和人权。来自美东各界的多位汉藏民主人士出席了本次成立大会。

会议开始前，全体与会者首先为中共暴政下的各民族死难者默哀致意。

中国著名流亡异议人士魏京生先生到会并发言。他认为，在中共统治下，由于当局的刻意操控和误导，汉藏两族民众产生了很多误解，而加强交流、澄清事实，对解决西藏问题非常重要。他强调，民族矛盾引发的流血只会给共产党机会，延缓其政权的灭亡，最终则是全体人民遭殃。魏京生先生表示，“西藏问题的解决，汉族老百姓的理解非常重要，我们一定要让汉族老百姓知道西藏事件的真相。成立汉藏友好协会的原因也正在于此。”

西藏精神领袖达赖喇嘛派驻美洲的代表洛桑年扎也出席了会议。洛桑年扎指出，汉藏友好协会的成立意义重大，因为这不仅关系到西藏人民的未来，也关系到未来汉藏两族民众的和睦共处。他说，达赖喇嘛多次发表声明强调汉藏两族人民之间并没有根本矛盾。对海外汉族民众就西藏问题长期以来的支持，洛桑年扎表示了感谢。

众议院国际关系委员会主席，来自新泽西州的克里斯托弗﹒史密斯(Christopher Smith)到场祝贺汉藏友好协会的成立。他表示，在自己28年的国会议员生涯中，魏京生先生是他最钦佩的人权斗士。他说，“50年前，善良平和的西藏民众遭到一个独裁政权的镇压。50年后的今天，我们在这里纪念，并向人们传递讯息：西藏人民愿意和中国人民和睦相处，成为朋友。”

史密斯议员批评了希拉里﹒克林顿（Hillary Clinton）国务卿迎合北京、无视其人权劣迹的做法。他表示，自己会竭尽所能，促使奥巴马行政当局，就人权问题向中国采取更积极的行动。他并且对魏京生先生在中国人权事业上的领袖作用表示敬意。他强调，自己会一如继往地支持魏京生先生的人权活动。

众议院议长南希﹒波洛西(Nancy Pelosi)和弗吉尼亚州的国会众议员弗兰克﹒沃尔夫（Frank Wolf）也派代表到会祝贺、表示支持。

此外，国际声援西藏组织的副主席布琼，自由中国运动主席叶宁，台湾人公共事务会代表何燕青，中国民主党世界同盟代表王海燕，中国自由民主党美洲主席郑科学等也代表各自的组织到会讲话。

经汉藏双方协商。一致同意由魏京生先生担任汉藏协会主席。由伦珠多杰先生担任副主席。南迦夏斯提先生，噶旦洛知先生，叶宁博士担任理事。由司鹏程先生担任协会秘书。

2009年3月8日，纽约汉藏友好协会成立大会在纽约法拉盛百利大厦《中国民主报》会议厅召开。纽约、新泽西汉族和藏族民运人士一百多人参加了大会。大会由魏京生先生主持。到会代表们控诉了中共几十年来对汉藏各族人民的迫害；表达了汉藏各族人民需要加强团结的愿望。

大会经协商提名选举土登托美大师（纽约藏传佛教佛学院院长）为纽约汉藏友好协会的主席。选举普布多吉（纽约和新泽西西藏协会主席）；王军（民主党世界同盟主席）；茨登拉加（四水六岗协会主席）；孙延（民主中国阵线北美主席）；才仁平措（藏画家）；郑科学（自由民主党美洲主席）和洛迪夏拉（四水六岗联络员）为理事。理事会任命才仁明珠和胡佳女士为协会秘书。

西藏起义50周年期间，魏京生等还与藏人一起参加了其它的一些活动，包括在华盛顿白宫北面拉法耶特公园里的集会里讲话支持藏人争取自由。相关报道请参阅华盛顿邮报登载的法新社报道：http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/09/AR2009030902106.html及盖提图片报道：http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/sg8tUGT2zRL/Rally+Protest+Commemorates+50th+Anniversary/YaNyGYHEMPI/Wei+Jing+Sheng。