Dharamshala, India — On the occasion of the 62 Anniversary of the Tibetan Women's National Uprising Day, on March 12, 2021, Tibetan Women's Association urged the United Nations, the parliamentarians, the world leaders to pressure China to improve the Human Rights situation in Tibet and release all political prisoners in Tibet.
The central and regional Tibetan Women Association(TWA) organized an event to commemorate the 62nd anniversary of the Tibetan Women's National Uprising Day on March 12, 2021, at the parking zone near Thekchen Choeling Tsuglagkhang, Mcleod Ganj, Dharamshala, HP, India. Former minister Rinchen Khado, Geshema Tenzin Kunsel, Tsering Dolma, member of Tibetan parliament, and representatives of Tibetan NGOs, as well as Tibetan women and men, attended the anniversary of the Tibetan Women's National Uprising Day.
“Today as we commemorate the 62nd Anniversary of the Tibetan Women's National Uprising Day, the members of TWA unitedly call upon our Tibetan brothers and sisters, around the globe to honor and pay our deep homage to all those brave women who have sacrificed their lives for our country,” said Dolma Yangchen, the President of TWA.
“On 12th March 1959, a day after the Tibetan National Uprising Day, thousands of Tibetan women voluntarily gathered in front of the Potala Palace, Lhasa on Dribu Yulkhai ground and organized a procession against illegal oppression of China, which was initiated and led by brave Tibetan women such as Gurteng Kunsang, Galingshar Choe la and Pekong Penpa Dolma, etc. A deep sense of patriotism and unwavering courage of Tibetan women at that time ultimately led to the perennial organized Tibetan women's struggle for freedom,” Dolma introduced.
“This was followed by the arrest and imprisonment of Tibetan women leaders and many other Tibetan women who were mercilessly tortured or beaten to death. However, these repressive measures did not dampen their courage. Ten years later, in 1969, during the notorious period of the Cultural Revolution, Gurteng Kunsang kept up her defiance in the prison and was executed at the end of 1970 with fifteen other prisoners. Following the same year Nyemo Ani Trinlay Chodon, the nun leader of Nyemo Uprising was publicly executed at Dode near Sera monastery,” she continued.
“Many Tibetan women including nuns, young and old have also self-immolated in protest against repressive Chinese occupation. Over the last sixty-one years, Tibetan women have displayed courage in the face of the Chinese Government's illegal occupation of Tibet and heroism in exposing the numerous atrocities perpetrated upon Tibetan people. The human rights situation inside Tibet is continuously deteriorating: the Chinese government is not only exploiting the political and religious rights of Tibetan people but also destroying the fragile environment of the Tibetan plateau, she added.
“There have been waves of evictions and demolition of nuns quarters in Larungar and Yachengar between 2016 to 2019 under Xi Jinping's administration. These nuns were held by the state and not allowed to go back to their academics to study. They were forced to attend patriotic re-education at their institution,” the President mentioned. “Human rights situation in Tibet under the leadership of Xi Jinping is further deteriorating by enforcement of strict movement and identity surveillances. To highlight some recent incidences: Lhamo, a 36-year-old mother of three from Diru County in Nagchu died of police torture in August 2020. She was arrested on the pretext of sending money to India to her family and tortured in the prison. The custodial death of Lhamo, portrays the critical reality of how oppressive the Chinese policies are in Tibet for Tibetans,” Dolma stated.
“Since 2009, 156 self-immolations have happened in Tibet. Shurmo. 26 years old Tibetan died of self-immolation in his native village in Nagchu County in 2015, while protesting against China's repression. However, because of China's information suppression and restriction of free speech, the news about Shurmo didn't reach the wider world for more than five years. Through these examples it is clearly evident that the Chinese Government and its leadership have violated the fundamental human rights inside Tibet,” the President revealed.
“Since the inception of Tibetan Women's Association in Lhasa, Tibet in 1959, it has worked unceasingly to mobilize the political struggle and to preserve and promote Tibetan culture and religion. In exile, the Tibetan Women's Association (TWA) was re-established on the 10h of September 1984. It gained its strength and recognition as one of the major non-governmental organization and the only Women's organization in exile. With the greater aim of providing equal contribution from Tibetan women in the struggle for Tibet's freedom, TWA is fully engaged in empowering Tibetan women and bringing positive changes in the exile Tibetan community through community education, publications, and literacy programs. With its extensive regional chapters, it is also known for its social service in the community,’’ Dolma concluded.
On the occasion of the 62 Anniversary of the Tibetan Women's National Uprising Day, the members of the Tibetan Women's Association urged the United Nations, the parliamentarians, the world leaders, and the Tibet support groups all over the globe to join hands in support of the following demands:
1. To put pressure on China to engage in dialogue with the representatives of His Holiness the XIV" Dalai Lama.
2. To urge the United Nations Committee on Enforced Disappearance to exert pressure on China to release His Holiness the XI Panchen Lama and all the political prisoners unconditionally.
3. To oppose China on their intended interference in the selection of the future re-incarnation of His Holiness the XIVth Dalai Lama.
4. To pressurize the Chinese government to improve the human rights situation in Tibet.
After the occasion, Tibetan Women Association initiated a peace march from Mcleod Ganj to Kachari, Dharamshala to commemorate the 62 anniversary of the Tibetan women's national uprising day and highlight the Human Rights situation in Tibet under illegal occupation of China. Hundreds of Tibetan women as well as men participated in the march and waving Tibetan flags and holding posters, and banners, protesters have shouted numerous slogans such as "Tibet belongs to Tibetan”, “China out of Tibet”, “We want Justice", "Release Panchen Lama and other Tibetan prisoners", "We want freedom", "Tibet's Freedom, India's security", "Stop torturing in Tibet", "Stop genocide in Tibet", "Stop killing in Tibet", and "Shame on China”, "Long life Dalai Lama".
