DHARAMSHALA, September 3: Coinciding with the 52nd Tibetan Democracy Day, the second leg of the ‘Flame of Truth’ torch relay was simultaneously flagged off from different corners of the world.
The relay, initiated by the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile to express “solidarity with the courageous and selfless acts” of Tibetans inside Tibet, has been campaigning all over India since it began on July 7, the 77th birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
The campaign calls on the United Nations to discuss the issue of Tibet based on its earlier resolutions, to send an independent international fact-finding delegation to Tibet and to take special responsibility to ensure that the basic aspirations of the Tibetans inside Tibet are fulfilled.
In Taipei, the capital city of Taiwan, Tibetans and supporters began a cross-country motorcycle ride as part of the torch relay to raise public awareness on the Tibetan issue. Dozens of Tibetans and supporters gathered in front of Longshan Temple and marched to Liberty Square, where the eight cross island riders were handed the ‘Flame of Truth’ torch.
The Tibetan riders plan to make overnight stops in Hualien, Taitung, Kaohsiung and Taichung, before returning to Taipei on Thursday afternoon.
“The action is aimed at raising international awareness about the ongoing tragedies in Tibet, and to urge the Chinese government to stop its repression of Tibetan people,” media reports quoted Dawa Tsering, representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Taiwan as saying.
Yong Cong Ziin, Vice-President of Taiwan Friends of Tibet and the President of Students for Free Tibet Taiwan remarked on the “urgent need of global intervention to end the self-immolation crisis in Tibet by pressing the Chinese government to address the legitimate grievances of Tibetans through dialogue.”
In the island continent of Australia, the ‘Flame of Truth’ began its campaign journey from the capital city of Canberra with the Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Sonam Dagpo handing over the torch to Lhamo Tenzin, President of the Tibetan community in the Australian Capital Territory.
The torch will take its campaign to Sydney in the next few days, following which relays will be held across various cities in Australia and New Zealand.
In Russia, the ‘Flame of Truth’ was carried from capital Moscow to the Buryat Republic, where it was received at Ulan Ude airport by Geshe Jampa Thinley, Spiritual Director of Green Tara Center in Ulan Ude and Ngawang Tenzin, President of Tibetan Community in Buryatia.
The torch also took its global campaign from Moscow to Kalmyk Republic accompanied by Ven. Geshe Lhakdor, Director of the Tibetan Library of Works and Archives, Dharamshala, Rev. Telo Tulku Rinpoche, Spiritual Head of Kalmyk Republic, and Dr Nawang Rabgyal, Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Russia and Commonwealth of Independent States.
More stops in Russia include the Tuva Republic in the north-east of the federation.
The Relay, after travelling around hundreds of cities all over the world will conclude on December 10, World Human Rights Day, with the submission of appeal letters and signatures, simultaneously to the UN Headquarters in New York City, UN Human Rights Council in Geneva and UN information office in New Delhi.
