By Phurbu Thinley
Dharamsala, March 16: As China’s “surrender deadline” ends Monday midnight, exile Tibetans are concerned over the fate of fellow Tibetans in Tibet, fearing worst kinds of repression and crackdown on them.
Five leading Tibetan non-governmental organizations today held another round of press conference here this morning condemning China’s continuing brutality in Tibet and called for international intervention into the grievous situation inside Tibet.
“We fear the worst for our Tibetan marchers and sisters as the Chinese authorities lockdown Lhasa and deploy armed police and troops across the country,” said Ven. Ngawang Woebar, President of Gu-Chu-Sum Ex-political Prisoners’ Movement in Tibet.
“We condemn the violent crackdown in Tibet by China,” said Tibetan Women’s Association (TWA) President B.Tsering and urged international community to persuade China to bear the responsibility in finding a peaceful solution to Tibet issue.
The group were at least not pleased with the kind of response shown by world leaders so far, saying there is a need to put into action their lip-sympathy.
The group said protests in Tibet were result of nearly five decades of Tibetan people’s frustration with China’s repressive policies, increased defamatory campaigns against the Dalai Lama and religious oppressions, and China’s policy of encouraging Chinese migration to Tibet.
The group, who launched the Tibetan People’s Uprising Movement (TPUM), also called on the Indian Government to release all the 101 peaceful marchers held in detention since last Thursday for taking part in “Return March to Tibet” and allow them to continue their peaceful march.
“Protests in Tibet show Tibetans are absolutely not happy under Chinese rule,” said Tibetan Youth Congress President Mr Tsewang Rigizin and called on fellow Tibetans both in and outside to continue “peaceful protests” to ensure Chinese get out of Tibet.
During the press conference, the leaders of the organizations repeatedly appealed Indian Government to show restraint in dealing with Tibetan peaceful protests being staged in different parts of the country.
Attempts by Tibetans in Mon Tawang, in North-East India, to stage solidarity protests has been quelled by Indian authorities by imposing curfew in the region, according to TWA president. Similar legal imposition has also been reportedly placed on Tibetans staging protests in the Himachal Pradesh state capital, Shimla.
Tibetans in Dharamsala, the administrative seat of the exiled Tibetans, have been staging repeated campaign rallies condemning China’s illegal and oppressive rule in Tibet.
Tibetan agitations here and elsewhere around the world are becoming more intense each day as fresh protests are reported inside Tibet, despite Beijing’s “surrender deadline” by Monday midnight.
