By Gashon Thupten Tenzin
Milan, Italy – On Wednesday 10th march, around 10 AM, many Tibetans especially young women in colourful traditional chupas gathered in front of the Chinese Consulate in the northern city of Milan in Italy to commemorate the 45th anniversary of the insurrection of the Tibetan against Chinese invasion in 1959. The manifestation was organized by association of Tibetan community in Italy in collaboration with Italy- Tibet association and association Compagna solidarieta` con il popolo tibetano.
With Tibetan flags and the portraits of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche and Panchen Rinpoche hanging over their neck, demonstrators called for the release of these two most known political prisoner of tibet and protested against the Chinese illegal violation of Tibetan freedom.
The sky was drizzling but the characteristic cold and humid climate of Milan did not stop many Italians from showing their sincere support to the Tibetan people. Many participants, both Tibetan and Italians came from different provinces out of Milan. Around 11 AM, the demonstrators were numerous and colorful Tibetan flags were every where. The Tibetans performed Tibetan national anthem and the tsemen yonten “words of truth” composed by Dalai Lama.
Later, while the press were interviewing to the only tibetan monk present Geshe Tenphel at the back of the crowd, the Vice chairperson of assembly of tibetan people’s deputy Mrs. Gyari Dolma read the official 10th march message of H.H Dalai lama. She called the Chinese govt to come up with more concrete measures to improve the human right records in Tibet and also the need from the Chinese side to more sincere commitment to negotiate with Dharamsala with an intend to solve Tibetan Chinese dispute for which H.H. the Dalai lama is ready.
Claudio Tecchio of “Campagna solidarieta` per il Popolo Tibetano” criticized that European community must take more important stands against china regarding Tibet issue and that the European community leaders must not forget to apply the principles of Democracy and human rights while signing business contracts with China. He is irritated that the present Italian president Mr. Silvio Berlusconi had used his portrait with Dalai Lama in his last election Campaign booklet but did not meet with H.H the Dalai lama during his last visit to Italy in November.
The President of the Italian Tibet friendship association Mr. Gunther Cologna expressed that their support for the Tibetan people will always continue and that they will be with the Tibetans in the quest for the freedom and dignity of the Tibetans. Same support also came from the representative of the Italian Radical party.
Around 1 PM the colourful crowd marched towards the Piazza Duomo under the drizzling sky attracting curious faces many of whom did not know about Tibet`s political situation, phamplets showing the facts of Chinese invasion of Tibet and its destructive consequences were distributed and slogans were carried out, among the most active was this youngest Tibetan participant, Tenzin, a boy of twelve years, born in Italy, speaks perfect Tibetan and Italian.
Panino time was already passed and slowly slowly the colorful crowd dispersed. Every body returned to their respective home with renewed hope and moral strength for further activities for tibetan freedom. Personally my greatest satisfaction of the day was Tenzin`s confirmation that the tibetan culture is being preserved and that the struggle for the Tibetan freedom will be continued by future Tibetan generations even outside Tibet until the freedom and the dignity deprived to their parents and all Tibetans by Chinese will not be regained.
