FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 15, 2006

CONTACT: Brendan Daly/Jennifer Crider 202-226-7616

Pelosi Welcomes Tibetan Nun Phuntsog Nyidrol to Freedom She Has Been Denied for so Many Years

Washington, D.C. – House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi released the following statement today on the arrival of Tibetan nun Phuntsog Nyidrol to the United States after she was released by China, a month before Chinese President Hu Jintao visits the United States:

“I welcome Tibetan nun Phuntsog Nyidrol to the United States and to the freedom that has been denied to her for so many years.  This brave and heroic woman endured 15 years in a Chinese prison for participating in a peaceful protest of China’s occupation of Tibet.  Today, she arrived in San Francisco on her way to Washington, D.C. after finally being released by the Chinese government. 

“Phuntsog Nyidrol is the last of the ‘Drapchi 14 Singing Nuns’ who secretly recorded songs proclaiming their love for their Tibetan homeland and their families. The tapes were smuggled out of the prison and the recordings gained worldwide attention.  Phuntsog Nyidrol’s release came after many years of pressure from the U.S. government and Members of Congress. 

“Despite the good news of Phuntsog Nyidrol’s release, the human rights situation in China and Tibet continues to worsen and too many members of the international community continue to be silent.  There are currently hundreds of Tibetans like Phuntsog Nyidrol in prison for peaceful expressions of political or religious beliefs. 

“I again call on China’s leaders to release others held for peaceful expression of their religious beliefs, including the 11th Panchen Lama who was abducted as a young boy and Tenzin Delek Rinpoche.  The situation in Tibet is a challenge to the conscience of the world, and we must answer the call to assist the Tibetan people in their ongoing struggle.”

“ Democrats are united in presenting a New Direction for America, one that will make our nation as strong as its people, one that brings opportunity, security, and prosperity to all Americans. ”

Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi