Dharamsala, February 18: Tibetans in the Washington metropolitan area say they will stage a day-long protest in front of the Chinese Embassy in the US capital Washington DC on the first day of Losar (Tibetan New Year), which falls on February 25, to highlight China’s wrongdoings in their Himalayan homeland.
Tibetans in Washington, DC, Virginia and Maryland will take part in the protest led by Capital Area Tibetan Association, the group president Namka Tenzin told Phayul. The protests would be followed by a prayer vigil in front of the embassy later in the same evening.
“Members of the Capital Area Tibetan Association are deeply concerned about the fate and condition of thousands of fellow countrymen who are languishing in Chinese prisons and of those still missing and unaccounted for,” Namka said.
“Rather than celebrate Losar, Tibetans in the Washington metropolitan area resolved to organize a day-long protest in front of Chinese Embassy here in Washington DC followed by prayer vigil as dusk sets in,” he said.
Namka said their planned protests were in tune with the decision of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile and in solidarity with the calls made by Tibetan exiles around the world not to celebrate Losar this time.
Namka said Tibetans in the area “are strongly resolved not to celebrate the forthcoming Tibetan New Year in any form or manner” and added they would instead use the occasion to “pray for the souls of those Tibetans killed by the ruthless Chinese forces” last year during the massive anti-China unrest in Tibet.
Tibet was rocked by widespread anti-China protests, the worst in almost 20 years, in March last year.
Apparently, following the suppression of the initial peaceful protests by monks in Lhasa on March 10, the unrest escalated dramatically and swiftly across the Tibetan plateau, creating headlines in the international media.
Tibetan Government-in-exile says Chinese military crackdown has killed some 200 Tibetans and 1,000s more are missing.
Independent rights groups and observers claim the number could be even much higher.
The region has been tense since the protests broke out last march.
This year will mark yet, another provocatively sensitive anniversary for Tibet. Wary of the situation in Tibet this year, Chinese authorities have recently remarked that fresh unrest in the region cannot be ruled out.
China’s military last month began a crackdown in Tibetan capital Lhasa in the run-up to next month’s 50th anniversary of the failed uprising against Beijing’s rule in Tibet.
According to media reports, Chinese police detained up to 81 suspects during operation “Strike Hard” by Jan. 24.
Amid crackdown, in Tibet, Tibetans are reportedly building up a silent protest not to celebrate traditional New Year later this month to mourn over fellow Tibetans who died under China’s military crackdown last year.
In the past three days, Chinese security forces arrested 21 Tibetans in Lithang, Sichuan province, after staging protest demonstration demanding “Swift return of the Dalai Lama to Tibet” and “Independence for Tibet” through the centre of the town of Lithang. The protesters also called for the “Long live the Dalai Lama” and shouted “No Losar celebration this year,” according to Dharamsala-based Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy.
