TYC thanks people for supporting peace march

GANGTOK, 30 Nov: The recent Peace March by the Tibetan community was very successful and fruitful in highlighting the Tibetan cause, informs Tibetan Youth Club [TYC], Gangtok, president, Chung Chung Bhutia.
Addressing a press conference today, Mr Bhutia expressed his gratitude on behalf of the TYC to everyone who contributed in making the rally successful. He thanked T Lachungpa for his support to the cause and to the local people at 32 Mile and Tar Khola. He especially thanked the local people, youth of Rambi along with the Rambi Police personnel and locals of Sevoke for supporting the rally.
Mr Bhutia stated that the number of self-immolations has now reached 89 and in view of this a campaign for the Tibetan cause will be organized at the North Eastern regional level. He added that on 12 December presidents of Regional Tibetan Youth Congress of North East region will tour the region to create awareness on the cause.
Mr Bhutia also urged members of the Tibetan community living in India to come forward and fight for the Tibetan cause in earnest.
A rally was taken out by members of the Tibetan community living in-and-around Gangtok led by TYC Gangtok from Chandmari here in Gangtok to Salugara in Siliguri, West Bengal on 23 November.

‘Leave Permit’ formality hiccup for Tibetan rally

GANGTOK, 25 Nov: The solidarity protest march being undertaken by Tibetans from Sikkim hit a small hiccup when it reached Rangpo yesterday, 24 November. As per reports, the rally comprising of around 150 Tibetans settled in Sikkim, was halted at the Rangpo check post as they had not secured the required permits to leave the State.
It is now learnt that as per directions issued by the Union Home Ministry, Tibetan refugees, if more than a certain number, are required to present a leave permit in order to leave Sikkim. As per SP East, Dr. MS Tuli, he had given permission to the rallying Tibetans for a rally up to Rangpo which is as far as his jurisdiction stretches. At the Rangpo gates, personnel at the Foreigner’s Registration Office directed that the Tibetan Youth Club members produce the Leave Permit. An application was hurriedly written and sent to the FRO office in Gangtok which then proceeded to provide them with the required permit.
Though Tibetan refugees have been settled in Sikkim [as also elsewhere in the country] for more than half a century, they are still, officially, foreigners. Hence, the rule of the Home Ministry on the requirement of a ‘leave permit’ when more than a certain number of Tibetans leave the State. However, it is also understood that this particular rule is not invoked too often by the authorities.

Tibetans come together for solidarity march

GANGTOK, 23 Nov: The Tibetan Youth Club [TYC] and the Tibetan community living in and around Gangtok began their peace march from Chandmari, here in Gangtok, to Salugara in Siliguri, West Bengal this morning after offering prayers at a monastery here.
The five-day march will end on 27 November at Salugara.
Around 150 people from the Tibetan community are participating in the peace march which has been organized to protest against the atrocities being suffered by the Tibetans in Tibet.
The rally will be joined by other Tibetans from Ravangla, Kalimpong, Darjeeling, Mirik and Kuresong. While the people from Ravangla will join them today, others will join them during their march to Salugara.

Meanwhile, members of the Tibetan community of Ravangla in South Sikkim also marched off today to join the peace march to Salugara.
President, TYC-Ravangla, Tenzing Bhutia, informed that the march has been organized by the TYC and Tibetan Women’s Association of Ravangla. He explained that the rally was a solidarity march to protest the atrocities being carried out by the Chinese government against Tibetans living in Tibet.
To date, 78 Tibetans are confirmed to have self-immolated inside Tibet since 27 February 2009, of whom 64 are reported to have died following their protest. “There are a number of ways to interpret this ultimate offering of one’s life. One interpretation is that it is an act of utmost hopelessness and the Tibetan Youth Congress completely rejects this suggestion”, he added.
He further said that the Chinese government can no longer view these actions in Tibet as merely uncomfortable and embarrassing incidents but instead as very real and significant threats.
“They should understand the potential for further actions and the magnitude of what they represent. The Chinese government and the world at large should not misinterpret these acts as ethnic conflicts or simply a struggle for religious freedom, so long as China continues to occupy Tibet and oppress the Tibetan people, they will continue to resist the fundamental denial of their freedom”, he further added.
The rally started from the monastery at the Tibetan settlement of Ravangla where they offered prayers and then marched to Ravangla bazaar. They will be covering 25 kilometers per day.