Dharamshala — Ten Tibetan activists undertook a seven-day bicycle journey from Paonta Sahib to Dharamshala, paid tribute to the Tibetan martyr Lobga Rangzen, and expressed their gratitude to the Indian people and government. They also condemned China's newly enacted “Ethnic Unity and Progress Law” and called on the UN and the UN Human Rights Council to take a stand on the case of Lobga Rangzen and to address the critical situation in Tibet.
Ten Tibetan activists from the Paonta Sahib Regional Tibetan Youth Congress (RTYC) arrived in Dharamshala on August 19, 2026, after a 171-hour cycling journey that began in Paonta Sahib, Himachal Pradesh. They began their cycle rally on August 13, 2026, from Paonta Sahib and pedaled for seven days, braving hardships, rain, and sunshine, before arriving in Dharamshala today.
The cycling rally aims to honor the Tibetan martyr Lobga Rangzen, who sacrificed his life for the just cause of Tibet, to denounce the repressive laws and assimilation policies implemented by China in Tibet, particularly the “Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress”; and to retore independence for Tibet. The rally also condemned the so-called “the “Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress” and demand its repeal. They further called on the UN and the UN Human Rights Council to take a stand on the case of Lobga Rangzen and to address the critical situation in Tibet.
Upon their arrival in Dharamsala, the Tibetan Youth Congress held a press conference on August 19, 2026, at the site of the TYC hunger strike front of the Tibetan Market, near the Dalai Lama’s temple in McLeod Ganj, Dharamsala, H.P, India.
Ngawang Paljor, President of the Paonta Sahib Regional Tibetan Youth Congress, said: “There are ten cyclists and eight support staff, for a total of 18 Tibetans. The goal of our bike ride is to raise awareness among the general public and Indians in particular about the Tibetan cause. We also held a press conference in Chandigarh and distributed leaflets about the Pawo Lobga Rangzen and the critical situation in Tibet.”
When asked what challenges they had faced along the way, he replied, “We didn’t run into any major problems; the sun and the heat were the hardest things to endure during the bike ride. Some of us got sick, but we still managed to reach our destination (Dharamshala).”
The President said, “We have three demands. First, we call on the UN and international organisations to hold the Chinese government accountable for implementing repressive policies in Tibet, particularly the “Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress”, as well as for the serious human rights violations committed in the region, including detentions, arrests, acts of torture, and the imprisonment of Tibetans who are merely exercising their fundamental rights to protect their language, their environment, and their faith in their spiritual leaders, notably His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Second, we condemn and reject the so-called ‘Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress.’ Third, we thank the Indian government and people for hosting Tibetans for more than 70 years.”
