Presented by Jigme Norbu
2003 March for Tibet’s Independence
Monument Circle
Indianapolis, Indiana
It is a pleasure to be able to send my greetings to all of you who have undertaked this walk once more in support of Tibet’s Independence. Today marks the anniversary of the March 1959 Uprising in Lhasa, a day on which thousands of Tibetans gathered in Tibet’s capital to demonstrate their opposition to China’s occupation of their country and to take up arms in defense of their leader and its heritage of culture and civilization.
Since that time, much has happened to the community of Tibetans in exile and to their Tibet. During the last five decades, Tibet has suffered tremendously, as most of you must already know. Tibet’s agony far surpasses that of many of the peoples whose tragic histories are at the heart of renewed thinking about human rights and self determination. I mention this not to down play the sufferings of others but rather to point out how overdue addressing the horror to Tibetans is. We should not forget that in this century few peoples have had their existence threatened in the same manner as the Tibetans have.
When we speak about the destruction that has taken place in Tibet we must realize not only a question of buildings being destroyed or lives being lost, horrible as those things are. It is also a question of a strong culture and its largely Buddhist traditions being smashed.
It is now, more than ever, exceedingly important that all of our actions reflect the desire and wishes of the overwhelming majority of Tibetans who remain in Tibet. The desire for all these Tibetans is for the independence of Tibet. It is urgent we use the opportunity that in the United States gives to work for that goal above all else. The Tibetans who remain in Tibet have no one to speak for them. So I ask all of you not to give up the struggle for Tibet’s independence. This is one goal that all Tibetans inside Tibet, over 95% of all Tibetans are striving for.
All of us here, Tibetans and Non-Tibetans alike, will, I hope, bear this in mind. As society strives to create a democratic environment it is all the more necessary for us to see that the aspirations of the majority of the Tibetan population for independence from China is put at the center of our activities. The fact of the matter is that the will of the Tibetan people has been unambiguously expressed on a number of occasions, and it is fully on the side of freedom for independence for Tibet. Anything less will simply be an agreement for further suffering as was the case with the 17 point agreement of 1951, forcibly signed between Tibet and China. Tibetans then will be forced to continue their non-violent struggle they attain until their just right to self determination and freedom. Remember the United Nations itself guaranteed this right to Tibetans. I ask all of you here today to not forget that Tibet is in reality a nation like any other.
Tibetans are not simply a small ethnic subdivision of some larger entity. We are a people who merit the same freedoms and the same rights as any other. We ask for no more than that and to that, a world that is increasingly sensitive to the once overlooked injustices that have been on various peoples in the last several decades, will look with sympathy on the plight of Tibetan people.
I thank all of you for your support as we continue to work in this direction.
