Melody in Prison: Ngawang Choephel
	UPDATE 26 February 1997

In commemoration of the 38th anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising Day, the Wisconsin State Assembly has unanimously adopted Assembly Joint Resolution 33 declaring March 10th as Tibet Day. The Tibetan national flag will be flown over the Wisconsin State Capitol for the day. Proclamations of Tibet Day issued by the governor of Wisconsin and the mayor of Madison, WI, include statements of support for Ngawang Choephel.

1997 ASSEMBLY JOINT RESOLUTION 33

February 26,1997 - Introduced by Representatives DUEHOLM, BALDWIN, PLouFF, R. YOUNG, RYBA, VANDER Loop, NOTESTEIN, HANSON, J. LE HMAN, SPRINGER, TRAVIS, GRONEMUS, TURNER, BOYLE, L. YOUNG, HASENOHRL, REYNOLDS, WASSER.MAN, BOCK and KuNicKi.

Relating to: declaring March 10, 1997, Tibet Day.

Whereas, the United States Congress has enacted legislation declaring Tibet an occupied country, the true representatives of which are the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government in exile; and

Whereas, the United Nations Human Rights Subcommission has passed a resolution concerning the present threat to the distinct cultural, religious and national identity of the Tibetan people; and

Whereas, the suppression of human rights and freedom in Tibet must be the concern of all freedom-loving people everywhere; and

Whereas, on March 10, 1997, Tibetans throughout the world will gather in their host countries to commemorate the 38th anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising against the Chinese occupation of their country and to honor more than 1,200,000 Tibetans who died in their struggle for the independence of Tibet; and

Whereas, the United States Tibet Committee, a national human rights organization that has sponsored the observances in New York every year, will also sponsor this year's gathering at the United Nations and a march from the Chinese Mission to the United Nations; and

Whereas, it is fitting that we recognize New York community and their plea for justice on this 38th anniversary of Tibetan National Day;

now, therefore, be it Resolved by the assembly, the senate concurring, That the members of the Wisconsin legislature proclaim March 10, 1997, "Tibet Day".

PROCLAMATION FROM THE OFFICE OF GOVERNOR STATE OF WISCONSIN

WHEREAS, the United States Congress has enacted legislation declaring Tibet an occupied country whose true representatives are the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Government in exile; and,

WHEREAS, the United Nations Human Rights Subcommission has passed a resolution concerning the present threat to the cultural, religious, and national identity of the Tibetan people; and,

WHEREAS, the Clinton administration has made the renewal of China's Most Favored Nation trading status conditional upon significant progress towards the protection of Tibet's distinct religious and cultural heritage and the improvement of human rights in China and Tibet; and,

WHEREAS, the Government of the People's Republic of China denies Tibetans their fundamental human rights, as reported in the State Department's Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, and by human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, Asia; and,

WHEREAS, on March 10, 1997, Tibetans throughout the world will gather in their host countries to commemorate the Tibetan National Uprising against the Chinese occupation of their country and honor more than a million Tibetans who have died in their struggle for the independence of Tibet; and,

WHEREAS, human rights organizations around the world will sponsor public demonstration on March 10 to protest the situation in Tibet; and,

WHEREAS, Ngawang Choephel, Tibetan ethnomusicologist, has been sentenced to an 18 year prison term plus four years subsequent deprivation of his political rights on December 26, 1996, when no evidence has been provided that his activities in Tibet involved anything other than purely academic research; and,

WHEREAS, the arrest of a Tibetan scholar, such as Mr. Choephel who worked to preserve Tibetan culture, reflects the systematic attempt by the Government to the People's Republic of China to repress cultural expression in Tibet; and,

WHEREAS, the Tibetan flag shall be flown at the Wisconsin State Capitol on March 10, 1997 to display firm support for Tibetan Independence;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, TOMMY G. THOMPSON, Governor of the State of Wisconsin,

do hereby proclaim March 10, 1997

TIBETAN INDEPENDENCE DAY

MAYORAL PROCLAMATION CITY OF MADISON WISCONSIN

WHEREAS, the United States Congress has enacted legislation declaring Tibet an occupied country whose true representatives are the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Government in exile; and,

WHEREAS, the United Nations Human Rights Subcommission has passed a resolution concerning the present threat to the cultural, religious, and national identity of the Tibetan people; and,

WHEREAS, the Clinton administration has made the renewal of China's Most Favored Nation trading status conditional upon significant progress towards the protection of Tibet's distinct religious and cultural heritage and the improvement of human rights in China and Tibet; and,

WHEREAS, the Government of the People's Republic of China denies Tibetans their fundamental human rights, as reported in the State Department's Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, and by human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, Asia; and,

WHEREAS, on March 10, 1997, Tibetans throughout the world will gather in their host countries to commemorate the Tibetan National Uprising against the Chinese occupation of their country and honor more than a million Tibetans who have died in their struggle for the independence of Tibet; and,

WHEREAS, human rights organizations around the world will sponsor public demonstration on March 10 to protest the situation in Tibet; and,

WHEREAS, Ngawang Choephel, Tibetan ethnomusicologist, has been sentenced to an 18 year prison term plus four years subsequent deprivation of his political rights on December 26, 1996, when no evidence has been provided that his activities in Tibet involved anything other than purely academic research; and,

WHEREAS, the arrest of a Tibetan scholar, such as Mr. Choephel who worked to preserve Tibetan culture, reflects the systematic attempt by the Government to the People's Republic of China to repress cultural expression in Tibet; and,

WHEREAS, the Tibetan flag shall be flown at the Wisconsin State Capitol on March 10, 1997 to display firm support for Tibetan Independence;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the mayor of the city of Madison, Wisconsin, does hereby proclaim March 10, 1997, as:

"TIBETAN INDEPENDENCE DAY"

in Madison, and commend this observance to the people of the city.

Paul R. Soglin, Mayor