0001|                       SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 48
    |
0002|     43rd legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 1997
    |
0003|                            INTRODUCED BY
    |
0004|                           MANNY M. ARAGON
    |
0005|     
    |
0006|                                   
    |
0007|     
    |
0008|     
    |
0009|     
    |
0010|                           A JOINT MEMORIAL
    |
0011|     REQUESTING UNITED NATIONS AMBASSADOR BILL RICHARDSON AND UNITED
    |
0012|     STATES SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE ALBRIGHT TO SEEK THE
    |
0013|     RELEASE OF TIBETAN RELIGIOUS LEADERS AND INNOCENT STUDENTS FROM
    |
0014|     FORCED DETENTION BY CHINA.
    |
0015|     
    |
0016|          WHEREAS, for over one year the Chinese government has
    |
0017|     forcefully and illegally detained a seven-year-old Tibetan
    |
0018|     child, the Panchen Lama, against his will and as a political
    |
0019|     and religious hostage in order to further solidify Chinese
    |
0020|     authoritarian control over the autonomous nation of Tibet; and
    |
0021|          WHEREAS, the Panchen Lama is the second most important
    |
0022|     religious figure in Tibet, and his abduction by the Chinese in
    |
0023|     May 1995 has politicized a traditionally internal religious
    |
0024|     matter and is viewed by the international community as a
    |
0025|     completely unacceptable intrusion into the most sacred and
    |
0001|     important of Tibetan rituals, the selection, religious training
    |
0002|     and security of the next Dalai Lama; and
    |
0003|          WHEREAS, as further evidence of the current crackdown in
    |
0004|     Tibet, the Chinese just months ago sentenced a Tibetan
    |
0005|     musician, Ngawang Choephel, to eighteen years in prison on
    |
0006|     charges he was a "political spy" for the Dalai Lama; and
    |
0007|          WHEREAS, this total disregard by the Chinese government
    |
0008|     for basic human rights is a part of a new "Strike Hard"
    |
0009|     campaign against Tibet by the Chinese communist party that has
    |
0010|     seen political arrests rise to over two hundred in 1996, the
    |
0011|     continued torture of Tibetan monks and the forced exile of the
    |
0012|     Dalai Lama, winner of the 1989 Nobel peace prize; and
    |
0013|          WHEREAS, New Mexico, home to many Tibetan refugees, has a
    |
0014|     long tradition of support from our congressional delegation,
    |
0015|     state legislature and governors for Tibetan religious freedom
    |
0016|     and Tibetan independence from communist China; and
    |
0017|          WHEREAS, with long-time New Mexico Congressman Bill
    |
0018|     Richardson now confirmed as United States ambassador to the
    |
0019|     United Nations and with Madeleine Albright now confirmed as
    |
0020|     secretary of state, it is most appropriate for the New Mexico
    |
0021|     legislature to petition them to assist in seeking justice and
    |
0022|     religious and political freedom for both the Panchen Lama and
    |
0023|     Ngawang Choephel;
    |
0024|          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE
    |
0025|     STATE OF NEW MEXICO that United States Ambassador to the United
    |
0001|     Nations Bill Richardson and United States Secretary of State
    |
0002|     Madeleine Albright be requested to take all necessary and
    |
0003|     appropriate diplomatic steps to obtain the immediate release of
    |
0004|     the Panchen Lama and Ngawang Choephel from unjust detention and
    |
0005|     confinement by the Chinese communist government; and
    |
0006|          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be
    |
0007|     transmitted to United Nations Ambassador Bill Richardson, to
    |
0008|     United States Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and to His
    |
0009|     Holiness the Dalai Lama.
    |
0010|                                  
    |
0011|     
    |
0012|            
    |
0013|   
    |
0014|                      FORTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE
    |
0015|                        FIRST SESSION, 1997
    |
0016|   
    |
0017|   
    |
0018|                                                  March 18, 1997
    |
0019|   
    |
0020|   Mr. President:
    |
0021|   
    |
0022|       Your RULES COMMITTEE, to whom has been referred
    |
0023|   
    |
0024|                      SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 48
    |
0025|   
    |
0001|   has had it under consideration and reports same with
    |
0002|   recommendation that it DO PASS.
    |
0003|   
    |
0004|                                Respectfully submitted,
    |
0005|   
    |
0006|   
    |
0007|   
    |
0008|                                
    |
0009|   __________________________________
    |
0010|                                Gloria Howes, Chairman 
    |
0011|   
    |
0012|   
    |
0013|   
    |
0014|   Adopted_______________________   Not
    |
0015|   Adopted_______________________
    |
0016|             (Chief Clerk)                          (Chief Clerk)
    |
0017|   
    |
0018|   
    |
0019|   
    |
0020|                     Date ________________________
    |
0021|   
    |
0022|   
    |
0023|   The roll call vote was <u> 5 </u> For <u> 0 </u> Against
    |
0024|           Yes:    5
    |
0025|           No:     0
    |
0001|                Excused:     Aragon, Rodarte, Stockard
    |
0002|           Absent: None
    |
0003|   
    |
0004|   
    |
0005|   SJ048RU1
    |