China is proud to launch its first ever railway in Tibet, also popularly known as the roof of the world. Yet, as with so much else in China’s often harsh 56 year rule over Tibet, the 710 mile long railway to the Tibetan capital has drawn controversy even before the first train departs on July 1st. China considers it as a major triumph or a show of material accomplishment in Tibet, where as Tibetans in exile consider it as a symbol of colonization and a catalyst to cultural dilution and exploitation of Tibet’s natural resources.
A mass demonstration outside the Chinese Mission and Chinese Consulate in New York City was organised by Regional Tibetan Youth Congress of NY & NJ in conjunction with Students for a Free Tibet to protest the launch of China’s railway to Tibet on July 1.
The day also coincided with the celebration of the Dalai Lama’s 71st birthday as Tibetans in Americans observe the event in advance of the actual date on July 6. Around 500 Tibetans left in the middle of the fetivities to stage the protest. Around 3 in the evening, protestors started gathering in front of the Chinese Mission and in a loud chrus of slogan shouting demanded the immediate halt to the railway line in Tibet. The demonstrators shouted slogans like “No Freedom, No Railway”, “China’s Railway out of Tibet Now,” “Stop the Genocide in Tibet” and other relevant slogans. One of the demonstrators silently walked towards the front gate of the Chinese Mission and was able to drop in some protest letters and hook a black flag to the gate.
After the demonstration at the Chinese Mission, the participants then marched towards the Chinese Consulate at West 42nd Street and continued their protest demonstration there till 5pm. The President of Tibetan Youth Congress of NY & NJ told the reporters that China’s railway link to Tibet is actually designed to colonize Tibet and deplete the rich natural resources thereby directly endangering the Tibetan culture as well as the ecology of the region.
