Tibetan Uprising Day rally held in Taiwan
DHARAMSALA, 6 March: Hundreds of demonstrators marched in Taiwan declaring “oppression continues, resistance persists” to show their solidarity with Tibetans and other minority groups facing oppression in China ahead of the 64th anniversary of the Tibetan national uprising day on Sunday.
Tibet and human rights supporters gathered before the Zhongxiao Fuxing MRT Station in Daan District and marched toward Taipei City Hall carrying the Tibetan flag and holding play cards with slogans such as: “Tibet belongs to Tibetans,” “Free Tibet” and “Stop killing in Tibet,” among others.
The annual parade, held in Taiwan’s capital for the 20th time was jointly organised by several organisations including the Taiwan Tibetan Welfare Association, Human Rights Network for Tibet and Taiwan, Students for a Free Tibet-Taiwan, and Judicial Reform Foundation among others.
The president of the Taiwan Tibetan Welfare Association, Tashi Tsering has thanked the Taiwanese people for their support.
“ Annual 10th March parade has become a very important event for the Taiwanese or at least the Taiwanese social movement, and the number of participants is increasing,” he has said.
The organisers have set “oppression continues, and resistance persists” as the theme of this year’s protest march to show their solidarity with Tibetans and other minority groups facing oppression in China.
According to a report in Taipei Times, the organisers have said that the annual commemoration “has grown over the years in terms of its size and agenda,” adding that this year’s event is also meant to show support for people facing oppression in East Turkistan and Hong Kong.
Around 500 Taiwanese youth have participated in the rally which also saw representatives from several political parties in Taiwan including Freddy Lim, Chair of the Taiwanese Parliamentary Group for Tibet, vice chair Sun Han Hung and Kelsang Gyaltsen Bawa, the representative of the Tibet Office in Taiwan take part in the event.
The organisers have further announced that they will lead a prayer at 7 pm (local time) on 10th March, the 64th anniversary of the Tibetan national uprising day at Liberty Square in Taipei.
On March 10, 1959, sensing a Chinese plot to abduct His Holiness the Dalai Lama, more than 300,000 Tibetans surrounded his summer palace, Norbulingka to protect his life and to protest against the Chinese occupation.
Seven days later, His Holiness the Dalai Lama left Lhasa and fled to India followed by 80,000 Tibetans into exile.
