By Tenzin Monlam
DHARAMSHALA, March 10: Hundreds of Tibetans and supporters today gathered at the courtyard of Thekchen Choeling Tsuglakhang laden with people carrying Tibetan flag to participate in the official commemoration of the 57th Tibetan National Uprising day.
A minute’s silence to pay a tribute to all the Tibetan martyrs was followed by the official addresses by the Tibetan Prime Minister (Sikyong) Dr. Lobsang Sangay and TPiE Speaker, Penpa Tsering. Also present were dignitaries, CTA officials, and representatives of various NGOs.
“Though decades have passed by with Tibet controlled by China, the Tibetan people have been able to maintain their identity and spirit despite living under difficult situation. New generations, inspired by the sacrifices made by their elders, have taken the responsibility to strive for the cause of Tibet. The courage and conviction of our compatriots inside Tibet deserves deep admiration,” said Sikyong Lobsang Sangay.
He said his administration believes in resolving the Tibetan issue through dialogue between the envoys of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and representatives of the Chinese government. “It is hoped the leaders in Beijing will see reason with the Middle Way Approach, instead of distorting it, and step forward to engage in dialogue with His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s envoys,” the Tibetan PM said.
The speaker of the Tibetan Parliament in exile said that the Chinese government’s claims of Tibetans enjoying religious freedom in Tibet is not true. “In reality, the Tibetan people are forbidden to even put on display a photo of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Permanent work teams have been stationed in monasteries and residential neighborhoods to exercise strict control and supervision over every aspect of religious and day to day life activities of the Tibetan people,” said Speaker Penpa Tsering against the Chinese claims of Tibetans enjoying freedom in Tibet.
Both the Kashag and the TPiE expressed their deepest gratitude towards His Holiness on his 80th Birth Anniversary.
They also snubbed Chinese proclamation of right to recognize the reincarnation of the 14th Dalai Lama and their online database of ‘authentic Living Buddhas’ of Tibetan Buddhism.
The commemoration was followed by a procession jointly organized by five Tibetan NGOs – the National Democratic Party of Tibet (NDPT), Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC), Students for a Free Tibet (SFT), GuChuSum and Tibetan Women’s Association (TWA).
The march started from Tsuglakhang and ended at Kacheri, a local Indian judiciary and administrative premises. Hundreds of Tibetans and supporters marched with Tibetans national flag, placards and banners shouting slogans such as ‘Free Tibet’, ‘Long Live the Dalai Lama’, ‘People of the world, Support us’ etc.
“This gathering will be a loud and clear message to Beijing that we have not given up and we will do everything in our power to free Tibet again,” said Lobsang Tseten, Program Coordinator of SFT (India).
Tibetan Diaspora allover the world observe this day as the National Uprising Day in commemoration with the failed Tibetan uprising on March 10, 1959 in Lhasa, which resulted in death of many Tibetans.
