As Tenzin Jigdal of Students for a Free Tibet explained, "This Human Rights Day we urge our governments to stand together, to work in partnership to build a multilateral response to this crisis in Tibet, that will increase pressure on China to address the Tibetan people's desire for freedom and the return of the Dalai Lama to Tibet."
Efforts to mobilize protestors in Dharamshala were made by several groups including: Tibetan Women's Association, Gu Chu Sum, the National Democratic Party of Tibet, the Regional Tibetan Youth Congress (Dharamshala), the Regional Tibet Women's Association (Dharamshala), and Students for a Free Tibet (India).
Protestors hoped to raise awareness and gather support concerning the intensified crisis within Tibet. In the month of November alone, 28 Tibetans have self-immolated protesting the Chinese rule and pleading for the return of his Holiness the Dalai Lame to Tibet. Various leaders of movements to help the Tibet issue spoke, citing the need for help from the international community.
This march comes days after the Chinese government had announced that anyone found guilty of aiding or encouraging self-immolations would be charged with murder. As Chinese authorities have continued to crackdown in Tibet, the number of immolations continues to increase, as there have now been 95 self-immolations since 2009. Protests have also increased in recent weeks, as one thousand Tibetan students protested against the Chinese occupation of Tibet on November 26th and were met with brutal responses by the Chinese police.
