Gangtok: More than thousand members of the Tibetan community in Sikkim and Darjeeling hills will join their counterparts from across the country in a mass movement in Delhi from Wednesday. The Tibetan community living in India has planned the campaign coinciding with the one-year countdown to Beijing Olympics to protest against several issues.They are demanding that the International Olympic Association, which aims to improve human rights condition in China and Tibet by giving Beijing a chance to host Olympics next year, should produce conclusive evidence that human rights situation in Tibet is “acceptable”. The Tibetans are also asking the Chinese authority to prove that Panchen Lama is alive and rail network in their homeland benefits them economically.The Tibetans claim that the 11th Panchen Lama has been missing since 1995 and the railway link will encourage influx of Chinese population into Tibet.Tibetans living in Gangtok, Rabongla, Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Kurseong, Salugara, Oodlabari and those in the foothills closer to the Nepal border andthe Dooars will join the movement.Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC) national president Kalsang Phuntsok Godrukpa, who spoke to media over phone from Delhi, has confirmed the presence of 1,000 members from Sikkim and Darjeeling to support the movement.The protest campaign has already taken off on July 8 with an indefinite hunger strike led by the TYC. The agitation entered its 30th day today. Fourteen TYC members of different age groups are on a hunger strike in Delhi’s Jantar Mantar.TYC claims that the movement is a departure from the traditional approach of appealing to the international community for support. “This time we are putting direct pressure on the government of China by creating a situation where they have no choice but to respond to the demands,” he said.
Sikkim Served Fresh Daily
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
Tibetan community from Sikkim Joins Protests In Delhi
Gangtok: More than thousand members of the Tibetan community in Sikkim and Darjeeling hills will join their counterparts from across the country in a mass movement in Delhi from Wednesday. The Tibetan community living in India has planned the campaign coinciding with the one-year countdown to Beijing Olympics to protest against several issues.They are demanding that the International Olympic Association, which aims to improve human rights condition in China and Tibet by giving Beijing a chance to host Olympics next year, should produce conclusive evidence that human rights situation in Tibet is “acceptable”. The Tibetans are also asking the Chinese authority to prove that Panchen Lama is alive and rail network in their homeland benefits them economically.The Tibetans claim that the 11th Panchen Lama has been missing since 1995 and the railway link will encourage influx of Chinese population into Tibet.Tibetans living in Gangtok, Rabongla, Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Kurseong, Salugara, Oodlabari and those in the foothills closer to the Nepal border andthe Dooars will join the movement.Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC) national president Kalsang Phuntsok Godrukpa, who spoke to media over phone from Delhi, has confirmed the presence of 1,000 members from Sikkim and Darjeeling to support the movement.The protest campaign has already taken off on July 8 with an indefinite hunger strike led by the TYC. The agitation entered its 30th day today. Fourteen TYC members of different age groups are on a hunger strike in Delhi’s Jantar Mantar.TYC claims that the movement is a departure from the traditional approach of appealing to the international community for support. “This time we are putting direct pressure on the government of China by creating a situation where they have no choice but to respond to the demands,” he said.