March 07, 1998 Next Report

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On March 7, the Portland Tibetan community and their supporters, warmly recieved the 1998 March walkers who had arrived to a potluck dinner, many kind words, and strong support.

Jigme Topgyal, president of Northwest Tibetan Cultural Association, addressed the group:

"Welcome, the ITIM group from Indiana. You guys are great people. We love you. What you're doing here is what we truly call the buddhist work. Even though some of you are not Tibetan, but you are working for us, and we thank you very much. This is for Tibet, this is for us. Independence for Tibet is every Tibetans job-it's our work they are doing for us. Our job is to support them, help them, as much as possible. . .I mean we all talk about independence, but now we have a chance to do something, and this is great. So please join the walk."

Julie Crow, walk co-ordinator showed her appreciation to be able to participate in the movement, and the impact of everyone working together.

"Thanks to everyone in Portland for their great support. These walks are (Taktser) Rinpoche's idea, and this year he wanted to walk on the west coast. We started putting this walk together in September. It was a big surprise in January when he was invited to go to Taiwan, and that is why he can't be here, but I know he sends his regrets-- he would like to be here, he'll be back in the country on the 16th. He's walking, they're walking, completely around Taiwan. We got an e-mail from them-- they're being met by a lot of counter-demonstration and some of the confrontations are pretty heated. So this is pretty exciting to be part of this international movement. The Portland community has been great. We showed up in January and announced we were going to do this walk. We kind of surprised Jigme especially, and he's been really good."

This year we are joined by two walkers, Altanbat and his son Togbo, from Inner Mongolia also suffering under Chinese occupation:

"We Mongolian people support the freedom and independence of Tibetans. We are brothers. The fate of Tibetans and the fate of Inner Mongolians are the same. All must fight for our way of thinking. . .Inner Mongolians people happy-- last year demonstrations in New York fighting for freedom against Communist China."

Ani Tensin Wangmo, a nun from India has also been able to join the March.

"I came from India, spent most of my life in Tibet. I was born there. I want to thank-you, all of you for working for Tibet from the bottom of my heart."

Wangchuk Dorjie, the North American Representative to the Tibetan Government in Exile had this to say.

"Tibet belongs to Tibetans. We Tibetans are getting lots of support world wide reason being because it justifies Tibetan history. Tibet was one of the oldest nations in the world and because of that we Tibetans have special responsibilities to struggle to get our country back as well as the Mongolians and the Turkistans. We Tibetans deserve our country back. Because of that our support for the Marchers who come all the way from the middle of the U.S. and now they're going to walk all the way to Vancouver, over 45 days. This is not easy, but our Tibetan supportors feel their sympathy, their support, their help is needed for Tibetans-because of that they're here today.

We do appreciate on behalf of the Tibetan people in Oregon, in exile, as well as Tibetans in Tibet, from the bottom of our heart. We really feel so great that we have supportors. When Tibetans will get freedom we don't know, but we are working on it and if it is going to happen this life, next life we Tibetans are never going to quit we are going to carry on under His Holiness's leadership and our support is growing and there is a great hope. I would like to say thank-you very much Marchers and all the support presented here."

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International Tibet Independence Movement
PO Box 592 Fishers, Indiana 46038-0592 United States
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