The three Tibetans who have been on a hunger strike in front of the United Nations since February 22, one being recently hospitalized and carrying on his protest from his hospital bed, have ended their protest today.
According to the AFP, the protest concluded today when two UN officials handed the two remaining protesters a letter from UN human rights chief Navanethem Pillay, in which he said that investigators will look into events happening in Tibet. The two men struggled out of their wheelchairs and sang the Tibetan national anthem.
Tsewang Rigzin, the protester’s organizer and President of the Tibetan Youth Congress, said that the letter and assurances led to the protest being called off.
“This is a small victory,” Rigzin said.
Richard Bennett, an advisor to an assistant secretary general for human rights, was one of the persons who hand delivered the letter to the protesters. About the hunger strike, he said, “I think everyone has the right to peaceful protest. But we are also relieved that this particular protest has concluded.”
