Commemoration of the 63rd Tibetan Women’s Uprising Day in Dharamsala
DHARAMSALA, 12 March: The Mayor of Dharamsala Municipal Corporation said that China will have to bow down before the noble intentions of the Tibetan people and that Tibetans will one day return to a free Tibet.
Mayor of the Dharamsala Municipal Corporation, Onkar Nehria made the remarks at the Tibetan Women’s Association’s (TWA) commemoration of the 63rd anniversary of the Tibetan Women’s Uprising Day.
The Mayor further said that every country in the world should support Tibet so that Tibet will regain its Independence.
TWA, in their statement, paid tribute to all the patriotic Tibetan women who selflessly sacrificed their lives for Tibet on 12 March 1959 and expressed solidarity with those who continue to suffer under China’s repressive and harsh policies in Tibet.
The women’s group further called on the UN, the governments and human rights organizations around the world to press China to resume dialogue with the representatives of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to resolve the Tibetan issue, for the immediate and unconditional release of the Panchen Lama and all the Tibetan political prisoners besides calling for an immediate intervention in the massive human rights crisis happening in Southern Mongolia, Hong Kong and hold China accountable for their abuse of power.
TWA also thanked the 16th Kashag(cabinet) of the CTA for accepting their appeal and repealing the celebration of Tibetan Women’s Day on 12 March a decision made by the previous Kashag.
Tibetan women from every walk of life took part in the Tibetan Women’s Association’s (TWA) commemoration of the 63rd anniversary of the Tibetan Women’s Uprising Day and marched from Mcleod Ganj, the exile headquarters of the Tibetan people to Kacheri in lower Dharamsala after the commemorative function.
Jessica, a student volunteer at TWA from Sweden said that “I am here today to support the women of Tibet because a crime against women anywhere is a crime against women everywhere.”
Sonam Dorjee an elderly Tibetan man who also took part in the peaceful march said that 12 march 1959 Tibetan Women’s Uprising Day is a very important day in the history of Tibet and that he wholeheartedly supports the Tibetan women and the unity of the Tibetans.
On March 12, 1959, two days after the March 10 uprising in the Tibetan capital, thousands of Tibetan women took to the streets of Lhasa, demanded freedom and protested against the illegal occupation of Tibet by the Chinese regime. Tibetans observe the day as Tibetan Women’s Uprising day.
Protest and marches are also being held across the world initiated by the 58 regional chapters of the TWA as Tibetans and supporters of the Tibetan cause commemorate the 63rd anniversary of the Tibetan Women’s Uprising Day with great fervour.