Dharamshala: TibetPost-16-April-2009 - 33 Tibetan students from Tibetan Children's Village School in Bylakuppe today staged a mock Die-in at the Chinese Embassy, chaining themselves to the fence outside the building, throwing shoes and chanting Free Tibet slogans. The protest was staged in an effort to stand in solidarity with Tibetan NGOs and supporters of the Tibet cause in marking 17 April as the Global day of protest against the sentencing of two Tibetan protesters to death in Tibet. Similar protests took place all around the world. Lobsang Gyaltsen and Loyak were tried for their alleged involvement in last year's March protests in Lhasa. They were both sentenced to death without reprieve. Another two Tibetans, Phuntsok and Kangtsuk, were sentenced to death with a two year reprieve, and Dawa Sangpo was sentenced to life in prison.
"The Chinese authority routinely deny Tibetans their basic legal rights and protections within the so-called judicial system in China," Said Wangchen, one student protesters. "There is no reason for us to believe the cases of Lobsang Gyaltsen and Loyak are any different."
Tibetans and Tibet supporters all around the world are protesting the death sentencing and denouncing China's human rights violations and denial of legal rights to Tibetans.
Monday in New Delhi, as well, saw heated protests concerning the death sentences. Nine Tibetan students were arrested for demonstrating outside the Chinese Embassy. The students chained themselves to the barbed wire fence outside the building, half-naked, shouting protests against China.
"We call on the International Community to come forward and help us stop China execute innocent Tibetans." said Dekyi, another protestor at today's demonstration. "This is the time for all people of conscience to step in and halt China from committing this heinous crime."
This year marks the 50th year of China's Occupation in Tibet. Since 1959, when His Holiness the Dalai Lama fled into exile, 1.2 million Tibetans have been killed under the military occupation. Mass demonstrations were staged in all parts of Tibet in 2008, 220 Tibetans have died, 1,294 have been injured, 290 sentences, 5,600 arrested or detained, and over 1,000 have disappeared.
