By Tsering Tashi (Office of Tibet, London)
LONDON, March 10 – The memorial service held here this morning at the Westminster Abbey near the British Parliament to commemorate the 45th anniversary of the Tibetan national uprising day was marked by the laying of a wreath at the place set aside to remember all innocent victims of oppression, violence and war. It was on March 10, 1959 that tens of thousands of Tibetans were killed in the capital Lhasa when Chinese soldiers indiscriminately opened fire to subdue a massive rally protesting China’s occupation of Tibet.
The memorial service organised by the UK-All Party Parliamentary Group for Tibet (APPGT) was attended by representatives of several Tibet support groups and the Office of Tibet, London. The 10 March 2004 statements of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Kashag (Tibetan cabinet) were also distributed. In his welcome remark, Rev. Chris Chivers, Westminster Abbey’s Presenter of Prayers, briefly referred to the day’s significance.
“It is a great honour on behalf of the Dean and Chapter to welcome the All Parliamentary Tibet Group to this place set aside for the remembrance of the many innocent victims of man’s inhumanity to man in this, as in every, generation. I invite you to lay your wreath here on this the 45th anniversary of the Tibetan People’s Uprising of 1959,” he said.
On the suggestion of Lord Weatherill, former Speaker of the British Parliament, and Mr. John Wilkinson, Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Tibet, the multi-coloured wreath was laid by Emilie Hunter, president of the Students for a Free Tibet-UK, on behalf of the gathering. The tag on the APPGT wreath read: “In memory of the million men, women and children who have died under the Chinese occupation in Tibet”
A minute’s silence was observed to remember and pay respects to all the Tibetans who have died or are suffering in Tibet. As a part of his prayers Rev. Chris Chivers also read a prayer of the Nobel Peace Laureate, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, which said, “Goodness is stronger than evil, love is stronger than hate, light is stronger than darkness, life is stronger than death, so may victory one day be ours through him who loves us.” Archbishop Desmond Tutu is a vocal supporter of the various causes championed by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 for leading the non-violent Tibetan struggle for freedom from China.
The Tibetan prayer for remembrance, peace and well-being of all sentient beings was lead by Geshe Tashi Tsering, resident teacher at the Jamyang Buddhist Centre in London. Dressed in the distinct Tibetan Buddhist monk’s maroon robe, Geshe-la prayed in all seriousness with closed eyes and folded hands while the end of his robe around the shoulder flaped like a prayer flag against the chilly English wind as if sending urgent prayers for the world to save Tibet before it too late.
