GENEVA: Hundreds of Tibetans and supporters from Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Spain, Austria and France braved the cold winter weather in Geneva to express solidarity with all those Tibetans who self-immolated in Tibet since February 2009. The rally was organised by the Tibetan Community in Switzerland and Liechtenstein.
 
A petition on Tibet signed by 351,000 people during the flame of truth relay in 90 countries was submitted to Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. A Tibetan delegation – comprising two members of Tibetan parliament-in-exile, Ven. Thubten Wangchen and Mrs Chundgak Koren, the president of Tibetan Community, Mr Lobsang Gangshontsang and  His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s Representative based in Geneva, Mr Tseten Samdup Chhoekyapa – briefed the UN Human Rights Officers on the present situation in Tibet and the flame of truth campaign. They also thanked the High Commissioner for her recent statement on Tibet.
 
The UN officials promised to bring the petition on Tibet to the High Commissioners’ attention.
 
The letter from the Tibetan Parliament in Exile urged immediate UN intervention in the ongoing Tibetan crisis and to send an independent fact finding mission to Tibet to investigate the situation at ground level.
 
Mr René Longet, a long time supporter of the Tibetan cause, expressed his personal sympathy and solidarity with the Tibetan people in his address. Ms Tenphün Tsalung, speaking on behalf of the Tibetan youth Association in Europe, called on Tibetans to be more actively involved. The president of the Tibetan Women’s Association in Switzerland appealed to the international community to step up its effort for the Tibetan cause.

Ven. Thubten Wangchen, member of Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, also addressed the rally. Mr Tenzin Samphel Kayta, an official of the Tibet Bureau in Geneva, thanked the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights for her recent statement on Tibet.
 
From the Palais Wilson, the Tibetans walked to Palais des Nations, front of the UN offices in Geneva.
 
Mrs Chungdak Koren, a member of Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile representing Europe, called on the exile Tibetan community to shoulder a greater responsibility for the Tibetan cause.
 
Mr Wang Longmong, a Paris-based dissident Chinese and president of the Initiatives for China Association, in an emotive address to the crowd expressed his personal solidarity with the Tibetan cause. He said after years of unbiased research, he realised that Tibet was a free country before the forceful military occupation by China.
 
Ven Thubten Wangchen, Mr Tseten Samdup Chhoekyapa and Mr Tenzin S. Kayta met with Mrs. Laura Dupuy Lasserre, from Uruguay, the President of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva at her office. Ven. Wangchen briefed Mrs Lasserre in Spanish language on the present situation in Tibet and the flame of truth campaign.
 
The rally in Geneva ended with chanting of Dentsik Monlam or the prayer of truth, followed by the Tibetan national anthem.