Published by: World Tibet Network News, Tuesday, Mar 12, 1996

Fubmitted by: sdargyay@tibetnet.ernet.in (TibetNet Project)

NEW DELHI, Tue, 12 Mar 96 -- Tibetan Youth Congress, Central Executive Committee has organized a mammoth rally in New Delhi, Calcutta, and Bangalore to commemorate the 37th Tibetan National Uprising day in India on a national scale.

In New Delhi, there were participation of 17 regional Tibetan Youth Congress Chapters including Nepal. In addition, 5 members of RTYC Bodhgaya completed bicyle rally which started on February 17 from Bodhgaya covering approximately 1000 kilometers. The cycle rally participants were received at Jantar Manter by the protester with garlending of traditional khata(scarf).

The protest rally started at 10:30 a.m. from Feroz Shah Kotla ground and ended at Jantar Mantar at 2p.m. More than 3500 Tibetan people took part in the rally. The protestors demanded the immediate release of 11th Panchen Lama and the end of Chinese misrule in Tibet.

At Jantar Mantar, Tibetans were joined by Indian supporters of People's democratic movement, Akhil BharAtiya Vidhiyarthi Manch on free Tibet, Indian Socialist party etc. Prominent Indian leaders like Shri Ravi Ray, Shri Ramakant Panday and many others in their speech demanded the end of Chinese rule in Tibet.

The former speaker of Lok Sabha Shri Ravi Ray said "Tibet as an independent nation had participated in the Asian conference of 1946 held in Delhi". The meeting was addressed among others by Mr. Namkha Tenzin, member of the Tibetan Parliament in exile, Mr. Tseten Norbu, President of the Tibetan Youth Congress. There were about 3500 participants in today's demonstration. About half of the participants were from different regional TYC Chapters and others from the Tibetan settlement of Majnuka tilla .

The programme was ended by burning the effigy of Li Peng and Jiang Zemin in addition to the burning of 37 Chinese flags representing the 37 dark years that the Tibetan people suffered under the Chinese rule. Some of the banners read like this; Stop Chinese state interference in religious freedom in Tibet and Release Panchen Gedhun Choekyi Nyima the 11th Panchen lama etc.

Tseten Norbu PRESIDENT