By Tashi Namgyal
Madrid, March 29 – Tibetans living in Barcelona left for Madrid, the capital city of Spain on the evening of the 28th to make a manifestation out side the Chinese embassy in solidarity with the recent happenings in Tibet. Organized by Tibet House Foundation and Tibetan community Barcelona along with Commite Apoyo al Tibet, Madrid (CAP), there were two full buses with Tibetan people and friends supporting the Tibet cause.
Tibetans in Barcelona have been carrying out events like candle light vigils, interviews and public explanation on recent news about Tibet. They also led a strong demonstration outside the Chinese consulate where around 350 people took part. This time Tibet house and Tibetan community decided to organize it on a larger scale in front of the Chinese Embassy in Madrid. Besides Barcelona, there were Tibetans and friends of Tibet from a few other cities like Valencia, Murcia, Leon, Alicante.
The manifestation started with a press conference by Ven. Thupten Wangchen, the director of Tibet house foundation wherein he explained the aims and objectives of the manifestation. After that Tibet house member Senor Carlos read the speech by His Holiness the Dalai Lama translated in Spanish. Then a solidarity letter to His Holiness by Nobel laureate (1992) Rigoberta Menchu Tum of Guatemala was read out.
The people started shouting pro-Tibet slogans even before the end of the speech. ‘Tibet libre, larga vida Dalai Lama (Long live the Dalai Lama), No Olympic until Tibet is free.’ While the demonstrators were shouting slogans the Chinese people were taking photos and recording everything from inside. There was also a huge media turnout and they were covering the entire process and showing it live. Some Tibetans became so emotional that they fainted and had to be carried off.
Even though a few Spanish celebrities who were expected to join could not make it, there were around 500 supporters in the end. The event concluded with the Uprising song (LONG SHO), TSEMEY YOUNTEN( a prayer for long life of the Dalai Lama) and the Tibetan national anthem. Ven Thupten Wangchen gave a thank you speech to all the Tibetan supporters who joined the manifestation by sacrificing their weekend. He also requested everyone to keep supporting the Tibet cause. He then put a letter into the letter box of the Chinese Embassy which mentioned the aims, objectives and demands of the Tibetan people.
Announcing that a candle light vigil led by women would be organized on the evening of 31st march from Casa del Tibet to the main Town Hall of Barcelona, Ven. Wangchen invited all women to join in and show their solidarity with the brave men and women who lost their lives for Tibet. This is not the end but just the beginning.
Aims and objectives of the manifestation:
1. To stop the killings in Tibet.
2. For China to start a meaningful dialogue with His Holiness.
3. Stop accusations against His Holiness without proof.
4. Release all protestors in Tibet.
5. UNO to send a special group to investigate in Tibet as soon as possible.
