TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The 65th anniversary of the Tibetan uprising was commemorated on Sunday (March 10) with a large parade in Taipei.
Tibetan monks led the public in singing the Tibetan national anthem before leading a group down Zhongxiao East Road. The parade route went past the Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall, where a moment of silence was held to commemorate Tibetan sacrifices, per Liberty Times.
Further along the parade route was a drama staged in front of the Bank of China Taipei Branch. The performance protested China’s demolition of Tibetan temples and demanded the release of human rights defenders.
Kelsang Gyaltsen Bawa, a representative to Taiwan of the Tibetan government in exile, said China invaded Tibet more than 70 years ago and has continued to exercise a policy of Tibetan genocide. He said the Chinese government has controlled freedom of movement in the autonomous region and has limited free speech, housing, and food supply.
Kelsang Gyaltsen Bawa said Chinese policies towards Tibetans have forced them to abandon their national identity, language, and Tibetan Buddhist teachings. He called upon the Chinese government to stop the brutal treatment of Tibetan people and expressed gratitude for international support.
Protestors march through Taipei demanding justice for Tibet. (CNA photo)
Tibetan Youth Association in Taiwan President Kunchok Lhakpa said today’s protest is to fight for the independence of Tibet. "Tibet was an independent country before it was ruled by the Chinese Communist Party. Now, 65 years have passed, and Tibetans still have no freedom or human rights. We ask the Chinese Communist Party to stop persecuting Tibetans," Kunchok Lhakpa said.
Minister of the Council for Hakka Affairs in Taiwan Yiong Con-ziin (楊長鎮) participated in the Tibetan protest, noting Taipei has been hosting this protest event for 21 years. He drew parallels between the protection of Tibet and the war in Ukraine.
Yiong added that Tibet, much like Taiwan, is facing threats from the Chinese Communist Party. He said, “Tibet is not just a matter for Tibetans. All mankind must pray and work hard for Tibet’s freedom.”
DPP Department of International Affairs Director Wen Lii (李問) said that after Tibet and China signed an agreement in 1951, in less than 10 years, the People's Liberation Army entered Tibet, sending the Dalai Lama into exile, with Tibet's religious freedom suppressed.
Lii said that in the past six months, Chinese pressure has increased, with many Tibetan children being sent to technical schools, depriving them of learning their mother tongue and Tibetan culture. Lii said Taiwanese people must continue to monitor Tibetan issues.
