In observance of the 65th Tibetan National Uprising Day against China, hundreds of Tibetans exiled in India took to the streets of New Delhi. The crowd consisted of Tibetans from diverse backgrounds and age groups. Participants carried the Tibetan flag and signs with messages like “Tibet was never part of China” and “China, stop repression in Tibet,” asserting Tibet’s independence claim.
Rallies also occurred outside the Chinese embassy in New Delhi. The Tibetan Youth Congress, who organized the march, emphasized that everyone born in exile holds the responsibility to fight for Tibet’s freedom.
The significance of March 10 resonates back to 1959 when a series of historical events began that resulted in a continuing conflict between China and Tibet lasting over six decades. On March 10 of that year, thousands of Tibetans in the city of Lhansa protested against the Chinese occupation after the People’s Republic of China (PRC) had claimed its “national sovereignty” over the Tibetan region earlier that year. The Chinese army swiftly responded, forcing many protesters, including the Dalai Lama, to leave Tibet and seek refuge in India.
Tibetans worldwide commemorate March 10 in remembrance of their ancestors’ sacrifice for freedom and independence. This observance is also a position against alleged human rights violations under the ongoing Chinese policy in Tibet.
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