DHARAMSHALA, March 9: 55 marchers including an Indian supporter who left here on Feb. 8 for the Indian capital have reached their destination Sunday. Each marcher of the Tibetan Youth Congress, the largest pro – independence group of the exile Tibetans – symbolizes “a dark and painful year under Chinese rule,” said TYC.
The marchers will officially conclude their campaign Sunday at the 55th Tibetan National Uprising Day commemorations at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.
The month-long Tibetan Uprising March has covered around 500 kilometres on foot. Members from various Tibetan and Indian NGOs received the marchers with Tibetan ceremonial scarf (khatak) and floral garland at Majnu Ka Tilla TCV Dayschool.
Tamdin Hrichoe, Vice-President of the Tibetan Youth Congress said his organization’s March has been “successful” in highlighting the situation inside Tibet. “The local Indian media in the cities and towns we went through were keen and the Indian people showed great support for our just cause, ” said Hrichoe.
“The marchers did not face any major problems except for sore feet, bristles and the cold winter wave in the north. However, the marchers were very determined that the problem they faced was nothing compared to the sufferings the Tibetans inside Tibet,” added Hrichoe.
The march, TYC says, aimed to highlight the current crisis inside Tibet, support the demands and aspirations of the Tibetan self-immolators, and to show solidarity with Tibetans inside Tibet.
Since 2009, 127 Tibetans have set themselves on fire in Tibet to protest against the China’s occupation of Tibet and its hard-line policies.
The marchers will submit appeal letters to the United Nations Information Centre in the Indian capital on March 11. The youth group will also present a memorandum outlining their demands to the Chinese Embassy and submit appeals to embassies of other nations in the Indian capital.
The youth group’s demands include the release of all Tibetans political prisoners, allowing international media into Tibet and addressing the aspirations of Tibetan self-immolators positively.
On March 10, 1959, Tibetans rose up against the Chinese occupying forces in the capital city of Lhasa, leading to the death of thousands of Tibetans and forcing the Tibetan leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama to flee to India. Each year, Tibetans observe the day as the National Uprising Day all over the world.
