USA: WASHINGTON: FREEDOM FOR TIBET RALLY STAGED

(15 Jun 1998) English/Nat Thousands of students gathered for a rally on the steps of Capitol Hill in Washington on Monday to call for freedom for Tibet. Some of Hollywood's hottest names were there, along with members of Congress With less than two weeks to go before President Clinton travels to China, they called on him to speak out for Tibet when he meets Chinese leaders. The rally was the culmination of a weekend full of events, including a two-day concert which drew a crowd of 120-thousand people. It might have been the third day of rallying for Tibet, but the crowd was no less enthusiastic. Over two thousand people filled the plaza on the west side of the Capitol building to call for freedom for Tibet. The protesters urged President Clinton to address human rights abuses in Tibet and push for negotiations between Chinese leaders and the Dalai Lama. The rally followed a concert in Washington which lasted all weekend and starred some of the world's top rock stars, who performed for a crowd of around 120-thousand. The rally attracted its fair share of exiled political prisoners, rock stars and lawmakers. SOUNDBITE: (English) "The situation in Tibet has challenged the conscience of the world. And the world has failed to meet the challenge." SUPER CAPTION: Representative Nancy Pelosi Republican, California But the main focus of the rally at the Capitol was President Clinton himself, who many claim has ignored the Tibetan cause in the name of trade with China. The Himalayan region was invaded by China in 1950 and annexed nine years later, provoking an outcry from civil rights groups all over the world. When Clinton travels to Beijing next Thursday, he will be the first U-S president to make the journey since the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown. Musician Sean Lennon - son of John Lennon - was one big name who called on Clinton to take up the issue of Tibet during his visit. SOUNDBITE: (English) "We cannot allow Bill Clinton to ignore Tibet any more. As many first world countries have developed their economy and their technology, Tibet has been developing its spirituality. That spirit must be preserved. Once it's gone it will be gone forever. We cannot let the Tibetan culture disappear like so many other cultures have under the hands of larger and more powerful nations." SUPER CAPTION: Sean Lennon, Musician Adam Yauch of the Beastie Boys was another star who criticised Clinton for not being more aggressive with Chinese leaders about human rights abuses, particularly during Chinese President Jiang Zemin's visit to the United States last autumn. SOUNDBITE: (English) "I think that it is all of our responsibilities to put that pressure on him and to let Bill Clinton know that he is not going to get away with this. That this is going to be remembered." SUPER CAPTION: Adam Yauch, Beastie Boys Although he was absent for the festivities over the weekend, one of Hollywood's loudest voices for Tibet took centre stage as Monday's rally drew to a close. While he had harsh words for the Clinton administration, Gere also had a message for the Tibetans. He said the rally should remind them that people all over the world were thinking of them. SOUNDBITE: (English) SUPER CAPTION: Richard Gere, Actor If Gere wasn't reward enough for the crowd who stood in the sweltering heat all day, rock band R-E-M was one of a number of rock bands to make a special guest appearance. UPSOUND: R-E-M Music fans had already heard Radiohead and Pearl Jam during the weekend concert. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...