Tibetan activists storm Chinese Embassy, condemn Larung Gar demolition

By Lobsang Tenchoe

DHARAMSALA, Oct 14: As many as 100 Tibetan activist from Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC) were detained by Indian police as they protested outside the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi, a day ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit for the BRICS Summit in Goa.

Hundreds of Tibetan Youth Congress activists holding Tibetan National flags and posters gathered on the lawn outside the Chinese embassy to protest the illegal demolition of Larung Gar.

About hundred TYC activists were detained by the police and the area around the Chinese embassy was cordoned. The protesters were swiftly loaded in the bus and taken to the Mandir Marj police station.

Tsewang Dolma and Tashi Dhargyal, executive members of the Central Tibetan Youth Congress and Tenzin Choedar, President of RTYC Delhi were among the 100 activists detained earlier today.

Larung Gar, the world’s largest Tibetan Buddhist academy in eastern Tibet has been undergoing forced demolition for a while. Chinese officials in Serta County have put restrictions on the number of monks and nuns allowed to reside at Larung Gar and continue to demolish the residences.

“This is a clear sign of the Chinese government’s policies to wipe out Tibetan language, culture and identity. It also shows that Tibetans in Tibet have no freedom of religion and the right to preserve their culture. We condemn the illegal demolition of Larung Gar and demand Xi Jinping to stop the destruction immediately”, TYC President Tenzing Jigme stated in a press release.

TYC, the largest Tibetan NGO in exile has also petitioned to the US State Department, UN and UNESCO urging for an intervention on this issue.