Assam, April 8: Around 500 Tibetans from places like Tezu, Miao, Kalaktang, Tuting, Tezingang, Itanagar, Tawang, Dirang, Rupa, Tenga and Bomdila (Arunachal Pradesh) Shillong (Meghalaya), Dimapur and Kohima (Nagaland), Tinsukia and Dibrugarh (Assam) gathered in Dighaliphukri Paar, Guwahati at 10:00am to observe a day long hunger strike.
Under the Tibetan Solidarity Committee the gathering was led by Mr. Dawa Tsering and Mr. Karma Yeshi, members of the Tibetan Parliament in-Exile along with Mr. Lhakpa Tsering, representative of the four NGO’s.
The day began with the National Anthems of India and Tibet. A two minutes silence was observed in the name of the martyrs in Tibet followed by lighting candles in front of the portrait of His Holiness the Dalai Lama by the two MPs and Indian guests.
Many Indian supporters like Mr. Dirang Chakraborty (Veteran Journalist), Mr. Kamala Raj Konwar (President, Buddhist Studies Centre, Upper Assam) and Mr. Dayal Krishna Bora (Pramookh, RSS) were present to express their solidarity towards the cause of Tibet.
Giving the opening speech Mr. Karma Yeshi said that the gathering was to pay homage to the people in Tibet. Living in exile we have the right and the liberty in raising our voice on behalf of the Tibetans suffering in the crisis in Tibet”. He further explained the demands of the Tibetan Solidarity Committee urging the International Community to support the issue of Tibet.
Narrating the history of Tibet as an independent country, Mr. Dirang Chakraborty, on behalf of the local people of Assam and particularly the Hindu community, expressed full support for the cause of Tibet.
In the afternoon many people shaved their heads to mourn the killings in Tibet. The Settlement Officer of Miao Chopheling was among the first to volunteer with a total of 56 people for the head shaving ceremony.
At 5:30pm a candle light vigil was conducted starting from Dighalipukhri paar covering a distance of 4 kms. Popular Indian singer Zubeen Garg also took part in the vigil. Mr Garg said “we must stand behind” the peace loving Tibetan people and urged international community to boycott the Beijing Olympics.
Local people took great interest in the series of happenings throughout the day and it was largely covered by both electronic and print media. Thousands of leaflets in English and Assamese were also distributed to the local people.
