DHARAMSHALA, December 1: Tibetan exiles Saturday welcomed the lone Tibetan cyclist on a mission to generate awareness about China’s atrocities in Tibet and garner support for the Tibetan people’s struggle for freedom in Tibet. Rinpo Yak, a Tibetan originally for Amdo Ngaba, one of the most restive regions since the 2008 nationwide protests in Tibet, was greeted by hundreds of Tibetans and supporters as he pedalled through the bi-lane of McLeod Ganj. Well-wishers garlanded him the Tibetan traditional well-wishing scarves at a modest function in his honor at the TCV day school, where Rinpo concluded his cycling mission.
Penpa Tsering, the speaker of the Tibetan parliament thanked Rinpo and appreciated him for his dedication and service to the Tibetan cause. He also thanked all those individuals who have carried out various campaigns for the Tibetan cause in the past.
Addressing the gathering, Rinpo said his was a small effort with a hope to bring some attention to the deplorable situation inside Tibet. He said unity among the Tibetans all over the world is very important for the Tibetan cause. He said there may be differences in personal ideologies but there should be unity among the Tibetans when it comes to the Tibetan cause.
During the past 8 months, he has pedaled through 400 different towns and cities in 15 countries in Europe and Asia. He had met with more than 150 Members of Parliament and submitted memorandum. He said he wanted to let the world know the true aspirations of the self-immolations in Tibet.
In Nepal he met with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and also the US ambassador in Kathmandu.
Earlier, between 2000 and 2012, Rinpo Yak organized similar campaigns. He organized peace marches, pilgrimage by prostration and a cycle rally during which he toured 44 US states to highlight the plight of Tibet’s political prisoners, especially of His Holiness the XIth Panchen Lama, Gendun Choekyi Nyima.
5 Tibetan NGOs – RTYC, RTWA, GuChuSum, NDPT and SFT India – here have jointly organized the reception event for Rinpo.
