UN Secretary-General reacts to Tibetan hunger strikers in New York

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5. Tibetan hunger strike outside UN hits 1-month milestone

By David Common, CBC News
Posted: Mar 22, 2012 6:07 AM ET
Last Updated: Mar 22, 2012 1:07 PM ET

Dorjee Gyalpo is intent on starving himself to death so it was little surprise when the NYPD turned up Monday and forced the 69-year-old into an ambulance. Gyalpo is a Tibetan-American activist who along with two other Tibetans began a hunger strike in front of the United Nations headquarters in Manhattan a month ago Thursday.

When police officers arrived at the site of the protest on Monday evening, he was unable to stand. They gave him no option but to leave by ambulance, and since then, the remaining two hunger strikers have been asked to show that they can stand up by the officers who pass by periodically to check on their protest.

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Gyalpo, Tenzing and Gyalsen have spent a month sitting or lying quietly on the sidewalk — 12 hours a day, seven days a week — leaving only to sleep in the homes of supporters, since city rules prevent them from camping on the street overnight. They return no later than 7 a.m. the next day.

The UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon sent his delegate for human rights to meet with the men, but the protesters want to speak to Ban himself. So far, he has said no.

More: Canadian Broadcast Corporation Story