CHANDIGARH – For these students Tibet is like an unfulfilled dream and the prospective execution of Tulku Tenzin Delek a nightmare. The hunger strike by students of the Regional Tibetan Youth Congress Tibetan got a shot in the arm when some foreign students joined in on Wednesday.
The students are here from Bhutan, Kenya, Maldives and Ethiopia to study at Panjab University. “We have joined the mass blood signature campaign to express our support for the Tibetan cause,” said Richard from Kenya, who is doing research on public administration at Panjab University. The signatures would be sent to the United Nations and the Prime Minister to urge them to pressure the Chinese government for Tulku’s release.
Mohammed Abdi from Ethiopia was anguished over China’s stand on the Tibet issue. “No nation should be allowed to behave in such a dictatorial manner. Ideals of equality exist only in theory. An influential body like the United Nations is also sleeping over the issue,” he said.
The students also criticised the United Nations for its “laid back” attitude and urged people across the globe to join the Tibetans in their cause. They said that freedom of expression and dignified living were the basic rights of all communities. Kring from Thailand said, “People from all parts of the world need to join hands to show that they are against the treatment meted out to Tibetans. “I also come from a country where Buddhism is the most widely followed religion. People like Tulku are being punished for no fault of theirs. As a Buddhist, I feel they deserve freedom, but the Chinese government is violating human rights,” he said.
Ali Zafar from Maldives and Namagi from Bhutan echoed similar views. “We are lending the campaign our voice so it becomes loud enough to be heard across the globe,” said Zafar. Tibetans are demanding the immediate release of all political prisoners, including Tulku Tenzin Delek,who have been sentenced to death by the Chinese government.
