DHARAMSHALA: Tibetans living in northeastern India last week joined a group of 47 Indian supporters from seven different states of India for a peace rally to Tawang, a border town situated between Tibet and India. It was organised by Bharat Tibet Sayog Manch to urge the Chinese government to end its repressive policies and address the underlying causes behind the increasing self-immolations by Tibetans.
The rally kickstarted from Guwahati on 11 October and it travelled through Tezpur and Bomdila. 36 Tibetans participated in the rally. On the way from Tezpur to Bomdila, former minister of state, Narsh Glow, and Tibetan residents of Bomdila gave a r ousing reception to the rally.
Addressing the rally, Mr Indresh Kumar, an executive member of the RSS and Bharat Tibet Sahyog Manch, urged the Chinese government to end its brutal repression in Tibet and redress the genuine grievances of the Tibetans who have self-immolated against its rule over Tibet.
He said one of the core objectives of organising the rally was to send an unequivocal message that Tawang was never a part of China and to pay tribute to all those Indian soldiers who died fighting for a national cause in 1962 war.
As the rally reached Bumla pass on the Indo-Tibetan border, emotions ran high among Tibetans as they could see Tibetan areas on the other side of the border. Both Indians and Tibetans raised the Tibetan national flag.
Later, on its return journey a reception was hosted at the Tawang Monastery. In his address, Tsona Rinpoche thanked the Indian supporters for organising the rally to highlight the critical situation in Tibet and urged the local people to actively take part in such campaigns.
The Tibetan community in Tawang and Bomdila jointly organised a farewell ceremony in Tawang on the morning of 14 October. Mr Nyima Dorjee, chairman of the local Tibetan assembly of Tenzingang settlement, honoured the Indian supporters with traditional greeting scarves and requests for their continued support until the Tibetan people succeed in restoring complete freedom in Tibet.
