The Tibetan Women’s Peace March entered its second week today since its initiation on March 12. The Peace March was flagged off from four different regions in India. It can be reckoned from the emerging reports that altogether it was a successful action to awaken the consciousness of the ordinary Indians to the issue of Tibet and to garner support for an early and actual negotiation on the future of Tibet.
It might sound paradoxical that after living on Indian soil for almost 5 decades, the Tibetans have to reach out to the Indians to explain their political status but this peace march has established beyond doubt that the support from the Indian civil society to the Tibetan cause is tremendous. There is an outpouring of reports about the generosity and warm reception that the marchers received at every hamlet, village and town.
A shopkeeper at Muzaffarnagar refused to charge any money for a woman marcher whose shoes had worn off due to days of walking. The shopkeeper insisted it was just a small contribution to the non-violent struggle of Tibet. Likewise, Kamal, the owner of Himalaya Dhaba (a roadside eatery near Una) served tea and snacks to the marchers free-of-cost. Many Indian villagers offered their help in arranging accommodations and other urgent necessities. Interestingly, the regional media have been very responsive to the march and generous in their coverage. The effect of media coverage was such that most of the villagers knew beforehand where the march was proceeding and promptly prepared warm reception for the marchers.
The Dharamsala to Chandigarh marchers reached Amb on March 16 and participated in a public meeting at a local temple. The guests at the function included Mr. Yash Pal Sharma (president, Bharat Tibbat Sahyog Manch), Mrs. Sushma Sharma (ex MLA, BJP), Mrs. Lakshmi Jariyal (Zila Parishad member) and Dr. Vivek Kumar (secretary, Bharat Tibbat Sahyog Manch). Mrs. Sharma said it was a great initiative of Tibetan women to lead a march for Tibets freedom. Dr. Kumar asked the marchers not to despair and to continue working for the freedom of Tibet. He further expressed his belief that Tibet’s future on the lines of H.H. the Dalai Lama’s Middle Way approach.
A press conference organized at Una’s Hotel Maya on March 17 attracted some 20 different television and print media. TWA general secretary Passang Dolma along with presidents of 6 regional chapters addressed the press conference. This press conference became possible largely due to the help rendered by Mr. Kanwar Hari Singh, a prominent social worker in the area and also the president of Una Press Club. Mr. Singh is also a correspondent for Himachal Kesri, a widely read regional paper in the state.
The press have been unusually inquisitive and asked a flurry of questions ranging from the possibility of any guarantee for the absence of human rights violations from China after freedom is achieved according to the Middle Way proposal to the viability of Middle way approach in a communist state like the PRC.
The marchers from Dehradun to Delhi have reached Shahid Marg and are entering Muzaffarnagar. They had a public meeting organized on March 17 at Pulkaji where Chairman of the area, Mr. Tariq Mustafa and Mr. Bharat Bhushan, Uttaranchal Minister of Business Affairs.
On March 18, the head of Himalaya Parivar, Mr. Indresh Kumar sent 17 members of his organization to join the march. These members reached at a time when the marchers were holding a prayer service for a man whose wife was one of the participants in the March. The bereaved woman has since returned back to her home to perform the last rites.
The Himalaya Parivar organized a meeting where prominent religious leaders were invited. They are Mr. Murtika Mufti (president of Imam Sangh), Mushir Ahmed (president of Minority, BJP) and others. The meeting also saw the discussion of the reservations expressed by Pakistan Cricket board to His Holiness inaugurating the cricket match in Dharamsala.
