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Germany raises the flag for Tibet - 1059 mayors display their solidarity
10. März 2010
Press Release for March 10th, the 51st commemoration of the Tibetan National Uprising
Number of participants as of March 10th, 2010 (6 p.m.) – 1059 towns and cities
1059 cities, municipalities and counties across Germany are raising the Tibetan flag on March 10th at town halls and public buildings and displaying it on their internet sites, including the regional capitals Bremen, Hannover, Magdeburg, Potsdam, Saarbruecken, Stuttgart and Wiesbaden. By doing so, the democratically elected leaders of cities, municipalities and counties, who represent thousands of citizens, are affirming the legitimacy of the Tibetan people’s right to self-determination and protest against the violations of human rights and the destruction of the Tibetan people's culture, religion and national identity. This is the fifteenth time that the Tibet Support Group Germany has organised this event.
The number of cities and towns has increased again this year – this clearly demonstrates that public interest in issues concerning Tibet is still growing and that despite Beijing’s continuous efforts, the question of Tibet is not considered to be merely China’s „internal affair“. China’s sometimes crude attempts to apply pressure to participants in the flag campaign only prove how much importance the Chinese leadership attributes to this symbolic act.
After all, the flag campaign is neither a call for „Independence for Tibet”, nor „Freedom for Tibet“ – it is up to the Tibetan people to decide the way forward in this respect. What matters is the protection of the right of Tibetans to have a voice of their own, to make decisions about the future of their people and their country and to lead a dignified life. Even China will not be able to deny the right of self-determination to the Tibetan people forever.
More than one thousand Tibetan flags flying in Germany, and more than two thousand in Europe, are a challenge to national and international policymakers to take a clear position: unconditional support for the legitimate rights of the Tibetan people! Good relationships with the People’s Republic of China are certainly desirable, but they should not be pursued at the expense of the Tibetans. To shun meetings with the Tibetan leader and representatives of the Tibetan Government-in-exile in order to avoid irritating China is a betrayal of our own democratic values.
“The Federal Government of Germany should enhance the status of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile and strengthen its position with relation to Beijing,” said Monika Deimann, the campaign’s coordinator. “The Sino-Tibetan dialogue is after all not about the Dalai Lama’s person but about the fate of six million Tibetans. Given all the initiatives from the Tibetan side, it is now China’s turn to come forward with a meaningful proposal. Beijing should finally realize that the Dalai Lama is not the core problem, but on the contrary an indispensable part for a peaceful solution.
”Flying the Tibetan Flag on March 10th is a commitment to global responsibility in politics. Nelson Mandela once said: “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have choosen the side of the oppressor." One thousand and fifty six lord mayors, mayors and heads of cities, municipalities and counties are not remaining neutral. They are joining together to display their solidarity with Tibet, thereby also testifying to the universal validity of the values laid down in the Charter of the United Nations, to which all people are equally entitled.
The current list of participants in 2010 and messages of support from politicians as well as background information about March 10th and the flag-campaign can be viewed at www.tibetflagge.net. There is also a digital Tibetan Flag available for download.
Participants in 2010 (as of March 9th): Baden-Württemberg 176, Bavaria 163, Berlin 5, Brandenburg 28, Bremen 12, Hesse 155, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania 20, Lower Saxony 116, North Rhine-Westphalia 113, Rhineland-Palatinate 69, Saarland 33, Saxony 81, Saxony-Anhalt 57, Schleswig-Holstein 21, Thuringia 10.
Regarding further information and requests for interviews please contact:
Monika DEIMANN-CLEMENS
Koordination Flaggenaktion (flag campaign’s coordinator)
Phone +49 - 6047 - 7816, Mobile +49 - 174 - 789 6336
Email: tibetflagge@web.de
or
Wolfgang GRADER
Vorsitzender TID e.V. (chairman of the TSG Germany)
Mobile +49-173 3708350
Email: grader@tibet-initiative.de