Indian Express

DHARAMSALA, Feb 6: The members of Tibetan Youth Congress across the world will observe token hunger strike on March 11 at different places to build up pressure for release of the 11th Panchen Lama - Ghedun Choekyi Nyima before the United Nation High Commission meeting on human rights scheduled for March 13 in Geneva.

According to the general secretary of the congress, Ms Yangchen Dolkar, the member will sit on strike for four different centres in India including the national capital to register their protest.

The mass letter writing campaign of the youth congress for moblising the call public and government's opinion for all over the world is already in progress. All the Tibet support groups, non- government organisations, students and youth forums have been writing letters to various embassies, foreign ministers and heads of state on large scale under the move.

The letters strongly condemn the Chinese act of "abduction of true Panchen Lama of Tibetans and say that the Chinese authorities want to dampen Tibetan spirit for the Dalai Lama by this.

Besides various governments to take up the matter of politicizing religious affairs seriously with China, the Tibetans Youth Congress has sought immediate and unconditional release of Panchen Lama and his family and above all assurance regarding training by Tibetan through written representations.

Ms Dolkar said the Youth Congress members will also assemble at their respective centres for a peaceful demonstration on March 10 uprising day to commemorate the Tibetans who have sacrificed their lives in struggle for freedom.

The uprising day signifies the day in 1959, when the Tibetans had first revolted against the might of China and had declared their desire for independence for whole of Tibet.