By Tenzin Monlam
DHARAMSHALA, March 8: The Department of Religion and Culture of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) today organized a prayer service at Tsuglakang to commemorate and honor the Tibetans who lost their lives.
Geshe Dawa, former Abbot of Namgyal Monastery presided the prayer that was attended by Prime Minister (Sikyong) Dr. Lobsang Sangay, Speaker Penpa Tsering, cabinet ministers, other dignitaries of CTA and staff.
Speaking to media, Dhundup Dorjee, Secretary of the Department of Religion and Culture, said, “The service is to honor those Tibetans who died or were imprisoned during the March 8, 1989 protest. Since then China has ruled Tibet with an iron fist. We also pray for those who had resorted to self-immolation as a form of protest against Chinese repressive rule in Tibet.”
He said that the service is also to pray for the long and healthy life for His Holiness the Dalai Lama and for the liberation of the scores of political prisoners including 11th Panchen Lama Gendun Choekyi Nyima under Chinese detention.
“We also pray that the CTA propitiously fulfills all the wishes of His Holiness,” he said.
The prayer is held every year by the department on 8 March to pay respect to all the martyrs who have sacrificed their lives for the Tibetan cause.
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Hu Jintao, then Party Secretary of the so-called Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) and former President of China declared Martial Law in Lhasa. The police opened fired at the protesters killing many Tibetans.
The demonstrations began when thousands of Tibetan including monks and nuns took to the streets to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising Day.
