Tokyo: The Tibetan community in Japan took part in a peace march on the human rights day in Tokyo on Saturday, urging the Chinese government to end its repressive policies in Tibet, East Turkistan, and Southern Mongolia.

The peace march, organised by Uyghur and Southern Mongolia community in Japan with cooperation from the Students For a Free Tibet Japan, took special importance in light of around 1 million Uyghurs being locked up indoctrinated and tortured in prison camps in Uyghur.

Addressing the peace march, the Uyghur community called on the Chinese government to shut down the concentration camps and release the imprisoned Uyghurs. They expressed gratitude to the US Congress for passing a bill to punish those Chinese officials responsible for the incarceration of Uyghurs.

Representative Lungtok spoke about the current situation in Tibet and recent self-immolation protest against China’s repressive policies by a 24-year-old Tibetan youth named Yonten in Ngaba county in Tibet on 26 November.

He spoke about the declaration passed during the 8th international conference of Tibet Support Groups held in Dharamsala which was attended by participants from East Turkestan and Southern Mongolia. The declaration calls on the Chinese government to resume the dialogue with the envoys of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, which occurred on the basis of the Middle Way Approach and engage in earnest negotiations without delay, and urge the UN and members of the international community to persuade the Chinese government to do so.

He also spoke about the recent meeting of Tibetan religious leaders in Dharamsala and the unanimous resolution adopted at the meeting. The resolution said “The authority of decision concerning the way and the manner in which the next reincarnation of the XIV Dalai Lama should appear solely rests with His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama himself. No government or otherwise will have such authority. If the Government of the People’s Republic of China for political ends chooses a candidate for the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan people will not recognize and respect that candidate.”

Mr. Lungtok called on the Japanese people for their continued support for the resolution of the issue of Tibet. He emphasised on reinvigorating efforts and determination not to succumb to China’s repressive policies.

A minute’s silence and prayer offering was observed for those who died under the suffering of China’s oppression. Tens of thousands of locals and tourists in Asakusa area in Tokyo watched as the protestors marched on raising slogans against China’s human rights violations in Tibet, East Turkistan and Southern Mongolia.