http://www.cfax1070.com/newsstory.php?newsId=5287
TIBET TORCH RUN P***** THROUGH VICTORIA
May 9, 2008
A ROVING PRO-TIBET RALLY MADE ITS WAY THROUGH JAMES BAY FRIDAY
EVENING, ESCORTING THE "TIBETAN FREEDOM TORCH".
THE TORCH IS ON A 20-NATION TOUR, AND HAS KICKED OFF ITS WEEK-LONG
CANADIAN TRIP HERE IN THE CAPITAL CITY.
FRIDAY'S RALLY STARTED AT MILE-ZERO WITH A TIBETAN PRAYER AND WOUND UP
AT THE B.C. LEGISLATURE OVER THE SUPPER HOUR.
SEVERAL DOZEN RUNNERS ESCORTED THE TORCH, WITH TIBETAN BANNERS, ALONG
DALLAS ROAD AND OUT THE OGDEN POINT BREAKWATER -- AROUND 150 PEOPLE
GATHERED AT THE LEG AFTER THE RUN.
VICTORIA ACTIVIST JOE PERCIVAL SAYS HE'S GLAD THE WORLD IS WAKING UP
TO THE SITUATION IN TIBET.
"SADLY IT'S TAKEN A LONG, LONG TIME -- ALMOST FIFTY YEARS NOW -- FOR
THE TIBETAN PEOPLE TO HAVE THIS KIND OF A FOCUS PUT ON THEIR PLIGHT,"
PERCIVAL TOLD A-CHANNEL NEWS. "I'M SO HAPPY TO SEE THAT SO MANY PEOPLE
ARE JOINING IN AND MAKING A STAND FOR HUMAN RIGHTS FOR THE TIBETAN
PEOPLE, FOR THE FALUN GONG PEOPLE IN CHINA, FOR THE PEOPLE ALL OVER
THE WORLD WHO SUFFER OPPRESSION."
THE FREEDOM TORCH WAS LIT BACK ON MARCH 10th, THE 49-YEAR ANNIVERSARY
OF THE TIBET UPRISING OF 1959.
THEY LIT THE TORCH IN OLYMPIA, GREECE -- THE SAME PLACE AS THE
OFFICIAL OLYMPIC TORCH WHICH WAS ATOP MOUNT EVEREST ON THURSDAY.
ACTIVIST BRANDY LEITCH SAYS AS THIS SUMMER'S BEIJING OLYMPICS DRAW
CLOSER, NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEOPLE LIKE HER TO SPEAK OUT.
"THIS IS A PIVOTAL TIME FOR TIBET," LEITCH SAYS. "THE WHOLE WORLD'S
LOOKING AT CHINA'S HUMAN RIGHT'S RECORD AND WE HAVE TO SEIZE THIS
MOMENT. BECAUSE IF THERE'S GOING TO BE ANY SUBSTANTIAL CHANGE IN TIBET
IN TERMS OF HUMAN RIGHT AND FREEDOM, RIGHT NOW'S THE TIME, SO THAT'S
WHY WE'RE HERE.
LEITCH SAYS THE B.C. GOVERNMENT SHOULD MAKE THE FEELINGS OF THE
PROTEST MOVEMENT KNOWN TO CHINA.
"STOP TRADING WITH CHINA," SHE SAYS. "ON TRADE MISSIONS, BRING UP
HUMAN RIGHTS. WE NEED TO PRESSURE CHINA -- THE B.C. GOVERNMENT, THE
CANADIAN GOVERNMENT, INTERNATIONAL GOVERNMENTS CAN PRESSURE CHINA FOR
CHANGE."
THE TIBETAN FREEDOM TORCH WILL WIND UP IN TIBET AUGUST 7th, ONE DAY
BEFORE THE OLYMPIC OPENING CEREMONIES IN BEIJING.
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