New Delhi, June 10: Today marks the third day since fourteen Tibetans, mostly elderly ones, have begun staging indefinite hunger strike in the Indian capital of New Delhi on July 8 under the banner of Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC).
The hunger strike campaign is part of the larger Mass People’s Movement being initiated by TYC prior to the 2008 Beijing Games. As per TYC leaders, the movement is due to gain momentum beginning 8th of next month.
The TYC-led hunger strike started at 11:00 in the morning of June 8, at Jantar Mantar. The 14 participants of the hunger strike came from different regions of India.
On the starting day, just an hour before the hunger strike actually started, a large group of Tibetans living in Delhi staged a protest march from Jantar Mantar to the Indian Parliament street, shouting pro-Tibet slogans.
The TYC leaders say that the Indefinite Hunger strike is part of the major Tibetan Mass People’s Movement which was announced last month by the organisation.
In his introductory talk on the first day of the campaign, Mr. Tsultrim Dorjee, General Secretary of Centrex said that the indefinite hunger strike is the second phase of the Mass People’s Movement, the first being sending petitions.
It was followed by singing of the Tibetan National Anthem and then a minute of silence was observed in remembrance of brave men and women of Tibet who have sacrificed their lives for the sake of Tibet and Tibetans.
Mr. Kalsang P. Godrukpa, President of the Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC) outlined the background, the need and the objectives of the Mass People’s Movement, which includes the Indefinite Hunger Strike.
“Today we are sitting just opposite to the venue of the 1998 Hunger Strike, where martyr Thupten Ngodup set himself on fire after Indian police forcibly interrupted the unto death hunger strike,” Mr Phuntsok said. Today after nine years, we are again sitting here with fourteen committed Tibetans sitting for the hunger strike protest.
Seeking mass participation for the TYC-led movement, Mr Phuntsok said, “Looking back at the history of the freedom struggle around the world; it is the voluntary mass movement of people which were the decisive moments of freedom struggle around the world. At the most critical juncture in the history of Tibetan struggle, Tibetans will have to gear up voluntarily for a massive initiative to strengthen a unified voice to form a movement parallel to that of 10 March National uprising held in Lhasa in 1959”.
“I appeal to every Tibetan, residing in any part of the world, to come and join the Mass People’s Movement, due to begin from 8 August 2007 in Delhi,” Mr Godrukpa said.
Ms Rigzin Choenyi and Ms Lhundup Sangmo, both former Tibetan political prisoners, famously known as Singing Nuns of Drapchi Prison, lit the prayer lamp and then offered scarf to the Dalai Lama’s portrait.
Ms Rigzin, while narrating the brutal torture experience that she and her inmates endured in prison at the hands of the Chinese authorities, remarked: “had there been no protest and outcry against the Chinese Government by the exiled Tibetans, we would have been silently killed by the Chinese authorities. She said that China comes under pressure due to the voice of Tibetans and Tibetan supporters. We must therefore continue to pursue our protest.”
Following is the full text of the TYC’s actual demands of the People’s Movement:
• Gendun Choekyi Nyima, the 11th Panchen Lama, has been missing since 1995. The Chinese authorities have repeatedly stated that he is alive. We demand concrete evidence that he is indeed alive.
• In 2005, Tulku Tenzin Delek was sentenced to life imprisonment on alleged charges of “endangering national security”. Many other Tibetans have been imprisoned after engaging in political activity. The Chinese authorities claim that these people were sentenced by fair judicial process. We demand that the PRC produce convincing evidence that the judicial proceedings have taken place in a fair manner.
• The PRC Government maintains the position that Tibetans enjoy human rights in Tibet, despite many reports of human rights violations, including freedom of religion. We demand that the PRC produce concrete evidence that the Tibetans are enjoying human rights in Tibet.
• China’s new railway line in Tibet is causing a massive population influx of Chinese into Tibet, marginalization of native Tibetans, exploitation of natural resources, destruction of the environment, and eradication of Tibetan culture. China’s stated rationale for this railway is to bring economic prosperity to the Tibetan people. We therefore demand that the PRC produce reliable evidence that the railwayline benefits Tibetans economically.
• The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has aims to improve the human rights situation inside Tibet and China by giving Beijing an opportunity to host the Olympics. We therefore demand that the IOC produce conclusive evidence that the human rights situation inside Tibet is acceptable.
