[Dharamshala: 26th February, 2009]
On the second day of Tibetan New Year, more than five hundred Tibetans and Tibet supporters took part in the protest rally from Lhagay-ri to Kachari at Lower Dharamshala. The rally organized by the Tibetan Youth Congress was part of the “No Losar” campaign initiated by the organization in honor of our courageous Tibetan brethrens inside Tibet and to protest the ongoing human rights violations inside Tibet.

The program started at 10:00 am. Mr. Lhakpa Tsering the Cultural Secretary of Tibetan Youth Congress introduced the Chief Guest for the event Venerable Palden Gyatso, one of the longest serving political prisoner, who was arrested in 1959 and spent 33 years in Chinese prisons in Tibet until his release in 1992. Ven. Paldent Gyatso lighted the butter lamp in front of the Memorial Statue of Pawo Thupten Ngodup and addressed the gathering. Speaking about the situation of the Tibetan people inside Tibet, especially those who languish in Chinese prisons, he highlighted the responsbilites that all Tibetans have in carrying forward our struggle. He passionately shared the sufferings he and his prisonmates had endured and why he continues to speak out for Tibet. He said, “We represent the voice of the voiceless Tibetans inside Tibet” and further added that when he was in prison in his prisonmate told him that “If you remain alive then you must continue the struggle to regain our independence”.

The gathering at Lhagay-ri was followed by a protest rally which started at 11:00 am. The participants marched from Lhagay-ri towards Mcleod Ganj and to Kachari through Jogiwara Road shouting the slogans “Tibetan Belongs to Tibetans”, “Long Live Dalai Lama”, and “Stop Killing In Tibet”. At Kachari, Mr.Penpa Tsering the International Relations Secretary of Tibetan Youth Congress addressed the public. On behalf of the Tibetan people he conveyed his appreciation to the government and the people of India for providing Tibetans with a home away from home. Relaying about the situation inside Tibet, he said “since last year’s unprecedented peaceful Tibetan people's movement inside Tibet, Tibet continues to remain under an intensified state of repression and appealed to the International Community to stand up for the truth and help stop the ongoing genocide and repression inside Tibet by the Communist Party of China.

The three days hunger strike which began yesterday on the first day of Losar continues at Mcleod Ganj, Dharamshala. The hunger strikers began their day today with prayers for Tibetans inside Tibet. Tomorrow, the Tibetan Youth Congress will hold prayers for the good rebirth of all the Tibetans who have been killed in Tibet and those who continue to endure immense sufferings from 9:30am to 5:00 pm at the Tsuklakhang Temple in Dharamshala.