Category: 
For Immediate Release
June 9, 2008
Contact: Mr. Tsewang Rigzin (Tibetan, English, Hindi): +91 9805247259
Dr. B. Tsering (Tibetan, English, Hindi): +91 9418792810
Tenzin Choedon (English, Tibetan): +91 975 696 9133
MARCH TO TIBET RESTARTS AS SIX LEADERS RELEASED FROM JAIL
Leaders declare March will continue despite temporary setback
Nainital - At approximately 2:30 PM today, the March to Tibet restarted from Berinag after overcoming a temporary setback suffered last week when 265 of the marchers were arrested. The marchers broke into song and joy as they saw the snow-capped Himalayan ranges in the horizon. The leaders of the March, who had been jailed for 11 days in Hardwar jail and released on Sunday June 8th, led a group of 50 Tibetans on what is expected to be the most difficult leg of the march. The five presidents and the March Coordinator had been jailed by Indian police since May 27th, charged under Indian Penal Code Section 151 and CRPC sections 116 and 107.
“China’s long arm is oppressing us even in a free country like India,” said Chime Youngdung, President of the National Democratic Party of Tibet, soon after his release from jail. “The Olympics was supposed to bring more freedom to China and Tibet, but instead China is exporting its oppression to the free world in this Olympic year.”
“India has shown us the highest degree of hospitality for the past 50 years and we are grateful for it,” said Tsewang Rigzin, President of the Tibetan Youth Congress. “But now we want to return to Tibet and work in solidarity with our brothers and sisters back home to end China’s illegal occupation of Tibet.”
The march from Berinag to Tibet is expected to take more than a week during which the 50 marchers will traverse approximately 180 kilometers along the historical Himalayan trade route. They will reach Tibet around the time when China’s controversial Olympic torch is expected to pass through Lhasa. In April, a chain of global protests in London, Paris, San Francisco and New Delhi turned China’s Olympic torch relay into a colossal failure.
“It will be a long and arduous journey to Tibet,” said Shingza Rinpoche, looking at the Panch Chuli mountains in the distance. “But we will get there eventually. Even the Himalayas can’t stand between us and our brothers and sisters inside Tibet.”
The 265 marchers detained at Berinag were dropped off at Paonta Sahib, at the border of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, where they received a warm welcome from the local Tibetan communities.
The March to Tibet started on March 10th from Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh, and reached Banspatan after traversing through many states. Tibetans living in exile in India launched the March to Tibet as part of the Tibetan People’s Uprising Movement. On the same day that the march was launched, monks from monasteries in Lhasa, as well as in eastern Tibet, led nonviolent demonstrations, shouting slogans supporting the Dalai Lama and independence for Tibet. Chinese authorities brutally suppressed peaceful protests that continued for days, leading to rioting in the capital and a wave of large public demonstrations that have rippled across the country.
The March to Tibet and the Tibetan People’s Uprising Movement aim to revive the spirit of the Tibetan National Uprising of 1959, and engage in nonviolent direct action to bring about an end to China’s illegal occupation of Tibet.
There are 11 comment(s) so far ;)
we want oour mr.tenzin tusndue back to india since we all knew that nothing gonna come out from this march and we don’t want to loose our most prominent activist like this.However ,
he will and might work better than that in near future rather than just distorying himself like this. thank you
I’m with you, Tenzin Lhamo! Hoorah to you for having the courage to speak out. Nobody in the world, except those of us who love these marchers so dearly, is paying any attention to this march. (Or maybe the Red Chinese are who would be so happy for Tsundue to be dead!!)
And if Mr. Tenzin Tsundue and the other influential leaders choose to die in this way instead of living and growing old, raising their voices loud and clear and long and hard for Tibet, they are going to set a very confusing example for young Tibetans in exile here who admire them so very much.
It takes courage to live long and get old and continue to stand up for what you believe in - past hope and past despair. Dying only takes a minute.
We, the rest of Tibetan have to rethink on how to support the peace marchers. We should not sit idle as if we are different nationalities from them. We should stand up together with them and show to Indian govt and world that we Tibetans are also behind them. I request to the NGO leaders to think on any movement among rest Tibetans.
The brave spirit that risks life, imprisonment,and/or torture to alleviate the suffering of all sentient beings, emboldens others to do what is uncomfortable and is a sacrifice in service to the highest order of the pristine nature of the compassionate heart. This is bodhicitta in action. The fear that prevents right action is the same fear that causes laziness and confusion to rule the life thus preventing true service to humanity from occurring. Thank you brave Bodhisattva’s for continuing to march home. Sending you consistent prayers of safety and victory. Per galo
The whole marching is pretty much pointless except for serving as a publicity stunt. Unfortunately the tide has already turned and I doubt very much how much attention you will get.
Whatever you claim, it is against Chinese law to cross into China without permission. It doesn’t matter whether you have any root there. Just think about what the U.S. would say when Mexicans want to cross into California. It’s nothing about anything else but sovereignty. Challenging this other than anything else is not only stupid, but destructive. The fact that you choose this route makes people more likely to buy into China side of the story —– that those Tibetans are seeking damaging things, rather than improving things.
It’s not likely China is going to do anything to you guys even if you managed to cross into China — they will probably round you up and ship you back to India. But it’s not likely China is going to allow you to do anything inside China either. Of course if you would like to kill yourself in front of the camera and then blame that on the Chinese suppression then it’s a different story. But even if that’s your plan, you probably won’t get the camera time you hoped once you set foot on China.
To sum it up: You guys have already got a lot of sympathy, which you probably deserve. But don’t over play it. When that sympathy runs out, people look for constructive moves and real improvements. By purely being noise makers, you will get people’s attention first, but you will get people annoyed if don’t know when to stop.
HIS HOLINESS’S HARD WORK SINCE 1949 NEEDS A ENERGY BOOSTING ,NOT JUST FROM WESTERN WORLD BUT FROM THE STANDPOINT OF TIBETAN PEOPLE WISHING TO HAVE OUR HOMELAND BACK..ITS THE TIME FOR EVERY TIBETAN PEOPLE TO DO OUR VERY BEST IN WHICHEVER WAY POSSIBLE TO SHINE LIGHT ON HIS HOLINESS’S WORK…THE GROUPS MARCHING HOME TO TIBET IS DOING THIS..HIGHLIGHTING HIS HOLINESSS’S STANDPOINT AND OUR NEEDS : NO OPTIONS TO CHINESE THIS TIME….WHETHER WE ARE BUDDHIST OR NOT WE CANT ENDURE ANOTHER CHINESE TWIZZER ON OUR NECK …SO DEAR TIBETAN ..DONT TAKE IT TO HEART THE MESSAGE OF THIS GIRL tenzin lhamo..YA MAJEY AAH ..IT’S ANOTHER CHINESE TRICKS OR ANOTHER DHOLGYAL PROPAGANDA…<<>>
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
All Tibetans are behind, Please keep on your selfless great march for the cause of Tibet. Please keep going. We are inspired by your strength and determination.
Tenzin Lhamo what do you mean by nothing is going to come out from this march? How do you know that? Don’t ever give a shitty talks here.
I respect Tenzin Tsundue a lot but that doesn’t mean he is the only Tibetan who can represent outside world.
New generation is coming up. Tibetan world is no more in 70’s…
Dear NGO Presidents,coordinators, OC group and marchers,
Be safe and Take good care of yourself.
FREE TIBET!! BHODGYALO!!
Gekhyong
FREE TIBET!!!
GOOD LUCK
I am 100% against what Tenzin Lhamo has said and agree with Namgyal soepa’s viewpoint. There are many external things that might distract the good work that the people involved in the ‘March to Tibet’ face.
I salute you all for the courage and determination with which you all have started this movement and still continue to do so.
Doesn’t really matter even if you all land up in another Indian jail; you all have given your best shot and for that matter on what moral ground we as mere spectators have to say on this historic March to Tibet.
I appreciate all your efforts and defy those who bark like a dog and in reality do nothing for the cause of Tibet.
ITS EASIER SAID THAN DONE!
If people like Tenzin Lhamo have a courage then as a Tibetan saying goes, “If you have the guts and courage to fight then the battlefield is empty”. So why not do something which is louder and better than the “March to Tibet”.
Thank you all for your tireless efforts; we love you all.