Himachal Pradesh: Tibetans in Dharamshala hold protest rally against China
Dharamshala, July 18
About three thousand Tibetans in exile gathered in the North Indian hill town of Dharamshala to hold a protest march against China.
Six major Tibetan NGOs, including Tibetan Youth Congress, Tibetan Women's Association, Gu-Chu-Sum Movement of Tibet, National Democratic Party of Tibet, Students for a Free Tibet - India, and the International Tibet Network, have organised this protest march.
They hold this protest to honour the supreme sacrifice of Martyr Lobga Rangzen, who set himself on fire outside the UN Headquarters in New York and to condemn China's so-called "Ethnic Unity and Progress Law."
The participating organisations also call on the United Nations and the international community to recognise martyr Lobga Rangzen's sacrifice, address the worsening human rights situation in Tibet, reject China's policy of forced assimilation, and support the Tibetan people's right to freedom.
Tenzin Yingsel, project officer, Tibetan Women's Association, told ANI, "Today, the six NGOs have organised this rally and lots of Tibetans have joined this rally. We are starting it from the main Tibetan Temple, Tsuglagkhang, to the Police Ground in lower Dharamsala. We are holding this rally for a call on the governments and especially for the recent self-immolation by Martyr Lobga Rangzen, who set himself on fire outside the UN headquarters just one day after the implementation of the ethnic unity law. So this is a call to the United Nations that his sacrifice should not go unseen, and we want justice."
Tsering Chomphel, president of Tibetan Youth Congress told ANI "the Tibetans in Dharamsala have gathered to participate in the protest and demonstration against the Chinese government, as recently, our brother Lobga Rangzen self immolated in front of United Nations headquarters in New York, so we are here to show our solidarity for the Tibetan people and we urge United Nations to address the issues of Tibetan people and we think that China should take the responsibility of this self immolation."
Tenzin Passang, director of Students for Free Tibet, told ANI, "Today, we are holding this protest march for Martyr Lobga Rangzen who sacrificed his life for the freedom of Tibet. He is the one who ignites the fire in our freedom movement once again... and this protest is also against the ethnic unity law, which is going to eradicate our identity, language, and culture... so we request all of the world leaders to listen and support us."
— ANI
Reader Comments
Our government should mediate diplomatically rather than letting these protests escalate. Tibetans have been living peacefully in Dharamshala for decades, but we cannot ignore China's sovereignty concerns either. A balanced approach is needed. 🇮🇳
Self-immolation is a desperate act that should never happen. But let's be honest — China's policies in Tibet are clearly suppressing cultural identity. The UN should investigate human rights violations there. India must raise this issue in international forums without being confrontational.
As Indians, we should support peaceful protests for human rights everywhere. Tibetans have suffered enough. China needs to understand that forced assimilation only breeds resentment. The ethnic unity law sounds more like cultural genocide to me. 🙏
I've lived in Dharamshala and seen the Tibetan community. They're hardworking, peaceful people. But we must also remember our own border issues with China. These protests should not be used to fan anti-India sentiment. Let's hope dialogue prevails over confrontation.
The UN's silence on Tibet is deafening. If the international community truly believes in human rights, they must act. India hosting these refugees is humanitarian, but we cannot be the only voice. Let's urge a multilateral approach to protect Tibetan culture and lives. 🌏
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.