Five Leading Tibetan Organizations Launch Major Protest

Five leading Tibetan organisations launch a major protest march from India to Tibet demanding for the peaceful resolution of the Tibet issue. Below is an article written by Bijender Sharma published by Punjab News Online:

Five leading Tibetan organizations announced today [19-02-2008] the launch of the "Tibetan People's Uprising Movement", a new coordinated Tibetan resistance effort in the lead up to the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Exiled Tibetans led by five organizations have announced a plan to take a major protest march from India to Tibet demanding China for the peaceful resolution of Tibet issue.

The groups announced that hundreds of Tibetans would depart from Dharmsala, the home of the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Government-in-Exile, on March 10 [2008], this year the day Tibetans would be observing the anniversary of the uprising against Chinese rule, with the hope to walk to Lhasa, Tibet's capital. The long-distance protest march is part of a series of global protest actions Tibetans and their support groups are planning to disrupt the symbolic relay of the Olympic torch as it is carried through 20 cities on five continents. "China is hoping to showcase itself as a global leader and forever silence any challenges to its rule in Tibet," Tsewang Rigzin, president of the Tibetan Youth Congress, and others told reporters at a press conference in Lower T C V in Mcleodganj near Dharmshala on the concluding day of three day workshop on Tibet.

Tsewang urged Tibetans around the world to take to the street and take actions wherever China takes the torch, but called on Tibetans to refrain from using violent means."The march to Tibet is an initiative by exiled Tibetans to strengthen Tibetan resistance by taking the struggle home," Tsewang said. The group members, however, refrained from divulging further details on the march, including the route they planned to take. China has ruled Tibet since Communist troops forcefully invaded the region in 1950. China's illegal occupation of the once peaceful cultural nation subsequently resulted in the death of an estimated 1.2 million Tibetans and destruction of thousands of monasteries. Besides, China is accused of carrying on unabated gross violation of Human rights in Tibet, other ethnic regions and China at large. With the world's attention drawn on China as it prepares to host the 2008 Games in China, Tibetans have long vowed not to miss the moment to press for their cause. And Tibetans are not alone in their struggle.

There are other endless lists of international activists and human rights campaigners desperately pushing China for a better change and expose their wrongdoings.

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