Dharamshala: - A Vietnamese freedom fighter who planned to self-immolate to protest the communist regime in her country attended the opening of an office of a Vietnamese-Tibetan campaign group in McLeod Ganj, India
Nguyen Thi Ngoc Hanh, 56, who has been jailed in Britain, The United States (US) and Vietnam for anti-Vietnamese government activities spoke at the Vietnam-Tibet Alliance Fighting for Freedom's opening ceremony alongside the organisation's president, Soepa Alias Phuntsok Wangdu, on Saturday, October 6.
Addressing the meeting, the mother of four, who in 2001 attempted to set herself alight in the ballroom of San Francisco's Marriot hotel during a visit from Deputy Prime Minister of Vietnam, Nguyen Tan Dung, to protest the U.S.-Vietnam trade agreement, said: "I have and will always support you in any way I can.
"We all know that any organisation will gather more strength and consolidation when its leaders are best endowed with spirits of commitment, devotion and sacrifice.
"We are a fighting team with a dream and motto. The Vietnam - Tibet Alliance Fighting for Freedom organisation is always our ideal.
"We will do our best to honour our 54 Tibetan self-immolation heroes who offered their lives for the ultimate and sacred goal - freedom for Tibet. There are many Tibetans who are voluntarily putting their names on a list of self-immolation for the freedom of Tibet.
"Freedom for Tibet will set the stage for Freedom for all humankind."
The ceremony was attended by a number of Vietnam-Tibet Alliance Fighting for Freedom staff including Vice President, Thupten Tenzin, Advisor, Lama Ngawang Woeber, Secretary, Ms Ringzin, and Treasurer, Mrs Passang. The attendees were also joined via Skype by members Quang Nguyen from the US, Tr?n Qu?c Vi?t from Vietnam and Hoàng Hoa from Europe.
Ms Ngoc Hanh announced that the next important task is to select new team leaders for the organisation.
