Paris, 14 March: “Your gathering here is a major inspiration to the Tibetans in Tibet. They will be encouraged. This is a message of hope,” said Sikyong Dr. Lobsang Sangay who had especially come from Dharamsala to address the Europe Stands with Tibet rally in Paris.
Thousands of mostly young Tibetans dressed in their national costume and Tibet supporters came from across Europe to express their solidarity with fellow Tibetans in Tibet under China’s occupation. The Tibetan Communities and Tibet Support Groups in Europe organized the rally with the main slogan Europe Stands with Tibet.
The marchers carried a large portrait of His Holiness the Dalia Lama. In the city where liberty, equality and fraternity were fought for during the French revolution, a sea of Tibetan national flags fluttered in the cold winter wind of Paris. The slogans of the marchers echoed across the streets of Paris as they marched.
Sikyong Dr. Lobsang Sangay, the Tibetan political leader in his address at the rally said hundreds of thousands of Tibetans have died since China’s occupation of Tibet. He spoke of the grim political situation in Tibet, environmental destruction and economic marginalization. The repression and oppress in Tibet that had lead 136 Tibetans to self-immolate.
He said that the security surveillance has been increased and the introduction of second-generation chips ID cards to monitor the movements of Tibetans by the Chinese security authorities.
He called on the French and European leaders to support the Tibetan people in their demand for democracy and human rights in Tibet.
Four days earlier, on 10 March Tibetans across the world commemorated the 56th anniversary of the Tibetan Peoples National Uprising against China’s occupation of Tibet.
The former French Justice Minster Mr. Robert Badinter also addressed the rally amongst prominent speakers and activist.
The Paris Declaration for the Freedom Struggle of the Tibetan people was read which called for a coordinated and robust policy on Tibet from the European governments. A signature campaign by prominent European personalities was launched and will continue until the 80th birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama on 6 July 2015. Mr. Badinter, Ms Claudia Roth, German Parliament Vice-President and respected voice for human rights and Mr Karel Schwarzenberg, the former Czech foreign minister were the first three signatories of the Paris Declaration.
