Dharamshala: The leadership and civil servants of the Central Tibetan Administration, along with monks from Namgyal Monastery, gathered this morning at Tsuglagkhang to offer prayers in memory of the selfless sacrifices made by peaceful Tibetan demonstrators who participated in the protests against the Chinese government between 1987 and 1989.
The prayer service was attended by Sikyong Penpa Tsering, Deputy Speaker Dolma Tsering Teykhang, Education Kalon (Minister) Tharlam Dolma Changra, Security Kalon Dolma Gyari, DIIR (Department of Information and International Relations) Kalon Norzin Dolma, Standing Committee members of the 17th Tibetan Parliament in Exile, Election and Public Service Commissioner Wangdue Tsering Pesur, and Secretaries and staff of the CTA offices.
Following the hour-long prayer service, Sikyong Penpa Tsering addressed the media. Sikyong said, “Today marks the day of the imposition of martial law inside Tibet by the then CCP Secretary of the so-called “Tibet Autonomous Region,” Hu Jintao, following pan-Tibet non-violent protests between 1987 and 1989 by Tibetans. In remembrance of the sacrifices made by these Tibetans and all others who took part in the history of Tibetan freedom struggle, this prayer service was held annually to pay respects to them for their selfless deeds.”
Tibetan political leader further added that this prayer was also held to express solidarity with the Tibetans who are undergoing repressions in Tibet’s Derge (Ch: Dege) County as PRC proposed construction of 13 dams along the upper reaches of Yangtze River. “Despite peaceful appeals from the Tibetan residents, the PRC government consistently ignores the people’s rights and aspiration to fulfil their policies of diverting Tibet’s river and profiting few business tycoons”.
This day marks the 35th anniversary 8 March 1989 when martial law in Tibet was declared after the largest demonstrations began on 5 March 1989 in Tibet’s capital, Lhasa. The 1987–1989 Tibetan unrest was a series of pro-independence protests that took place between September 1987 and March 1989 in the Tibetan areas in the People’s Republic of China: Sichuan, Tibet Autonomous Region and Qinghai, and the Tibetan prefectures in Yunnan and Gansu. Foreign journalists and tourists were expelled from Tibet on 10 March, and the military forces (police and security officers) were used against protesters to put down the protest, resulting in countless casualties.