Dozens of Tibetan protesters clashed with police outside the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi on Monday as they marked the 66th anniversary of the 1959 uprising against Chinese rule.
The demonstrations, which also took place in other parts of India, highlighted the ongoing tensions between Tibetans in exile and the Chinese government.
In New Delhi, Tibetan protesters attempted to approach the Chinese Embassy but were blocked by police. Scuffles broke out as officers wrestled some demonstrators to the ground and briefly detained them. The protesters carried Tibetan flags, shouted anti-China slogans, and played the national anthems of Tibet and India.
A separate gathering of about a hundred Tibetan women took place at Jantar Mantar, a designated protest area near the Indian Parliament. The women joined in chanting slogans and displaying banners calling for Tibetan freedom.
March in Dharamsala
In Dharamsala, the seat of the Tibetan government-in-exile and home to the Dalai Lama, hundreds of Tibetans marched through the town. Many participants had their faces painted in the colors of the Tibetan flag, while monks, nuns, activists, and schoolchildren carried banners reading, “Free Tibet” and “Remember, Resist, Return.”
The demonstrators observed a minute of silence to honor those who lost their lives in the struggle against Chinese rule.
Penpa Tsering, president of the Central Tibetan Administration, addressed the gathering, accusing China of pursuing a “deliberate and dangerous strategy to eliminate the very identity of the Tibetan people.”
This marks the darkest and most critical period in the history of Tibet. As we commemorate the Tibetan National Uprising Day, we honor our brave martyrs, and express solidarity with our brothers and sisters inside Tibet who continue to languish under the oppressive Chinese government.
Historical context
The 1959 uprising against Chinese rule in Tibet was brutally suppressed by the Chinese army, leading to the exile of the Dalai Lama and thousands of his followers to India. Since then, Tibetans in exile have continued to advocate for their cause, accusing China of denying basic human rights and attempting to erase Tibetan culture and identity.
However, China maintains that Tibet has been an integral part of its territory for centuries and rejects claims of oppression. The Chinese government also labels the Dalai Lama a separatist, though he denies this.
Meanwhile, India officially recognises Tibet as part of China but has hosted the Tibetan government-in-exile and the Dalai Lama since 1959. The annual protests in India serve as a reminder of the unresolved tensions between Tibetans and the Chinese government, as well as the complex diplomatic balancing act India must navigate in its relations with both Tibetans and China.
The protests underscore the enduring resilience of the Tibetan community and their commitment to preserving their cultural and political identity.
