Tibetan activists to hold demonstrations in Delhi, Dharamshala

DHARAMSHALA

: Last month, the foreign secretary asked government functionaries and senior leaders to not participate in Tibetan events in Delhi as it was a crucial time for India-China ties.


Following this, the event - Thank You India - which was to be attended by the Dalai Lama in Delhi was moved to Dharamshala. Tibetan administration here confirmed that events scheduled for March 31 had been shifted.

But ahead of the 59th anniversary of Tibetan Uprising day and 10th anniversary of 2008 mass protests, five Tibetan NGOs in exile will hold a series of events to commemorate the two crucial days of resistance and pay tribute to the resilience and sacrifice of Tibetans who laid down their lives for the cause of Tibet.

Events will be organized in Delhi and Dharamshala.

Tibetans observe March 10 as Uprising Day. A revolt erupted on this day in

Lhasa

against Chinese occupation of Tibet in 1959. The failed uprising resulted in a violent crackdown on freedom movement and flight of spiritual leader the Dalai Lama into exile.

Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC), Tibetan Women’s Association (TWA), Gu-Chu-Sum Movement Association of Tibet, National Democratic Party of Tibet and Students for a Free Tibet-India (SFT) will be organizing the series of events jointly.

Events planned include a peace march from

McLeodganj

to Dharamshala police ground on March 10, then screening of documentary films on the 2008 Uprising on March 11. Public talk, on March 13, then a mass peace march from

Sandasthal

to Jantar Mantar in Delhi on March 14.

National Director of the SFT, Tsehla said that they were going to mark this event in Delhi as per their scheduled fixed earlier. “The events were fixed as per the schedule there was no change as of now” she said adding that China has become a full grown dictator and it India should strengthen its foreign policy towards it.

The event was being organized to commemorate the two crucial days of resistance and pay tribute to the resilience and sacrifice of the courageous heroes.

Tenzin Jigme, president of Tibetan youth congress, stated that he was in Varanasi for a conference and the scheduled is fixed for the uprising day. “It has not been changed. The events would be held as per the plan,” he said.