DHARAMSHALA, September 3: A group of 11 Tibetan monks from GadenJangtse monastery, Mungod, in the southern Indian state of Karnataka are starting a pan Indian hunger strike march across the major cities in the country to express solidarity with the freedom struggle being carried out by Tibetans inside Tibet.
LobsangJampa, a monk participating in the hunger strike march told Phayul that the group will carry out the strike march through Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Howrah, Delhi and Dharamshala starting from Pune early in the morning today.
“Recent acts of immolation clearly show how China's oppression in Tibet has forced Tibetans to such extreme measures. We have organised this hunger strike march to express our solidarity with our Tibetan brothers and sisters in Tibet who continue to suffer every day," the monk told Phayul on phone from Pune.
"We will carry out hunger strikes in all the above cities and will distribute pamphlets appealing the people of the world to support Tibetan cause," Jampasaid.
The monks added that they are carrying out the campaign on their own initiative.
"We are very much inspired by the recent self immolation of monks in Tibet and we are very much saddened by the way that Chinese government treating the Tibetans in Tibet." Jampa said "its high time to join the Tibetan sacrifices in Tibet, and appeal for world help to end Chinese suppression in Tibet."
On being asked, how they will manage the strikes in the cities, Jampa told Phayul that they have contacted the office of the Students for a Free Tibet(SFT), India and hoping to get help from the regional SFT groups in respective cities.
The campaign particularly urges Indian and world leaders to put pressure on the Chinese Government to immediately stop the on going curfew imposed on Nyitso monastery in Tawu, eastern Tibet. Tsewang Norbu who set himself ablaze in an anti-China protest August 15, 2011 belonged to Nyitso monastery.
"We being monks, besides demanding human rights in Tibet and the release of all political prisoners, we also urge the Chinese government to grant religious freedom and release Panchen Lama immediately," the monks said.
Source: Phayul.com
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