For Immediate Release
April 18, 2008

Tibetan NGOs Resume March to Tibet: 250 Tibetans continue March homeward after participating in Nonviolent Direct Actions in New Delhi

New Delhi, India - The March to Tibet will resume at 6am tomorrow from Majnu ka Tilla, New Delhi. The 200 Marchers, who embarked on the journey from Dharamshala, were joined by 50 more exiled-Tibetans from all over India. The 250 Marchers are headed home to Tibet via Nainital in Uttranchal State.

“The camaraderie of the Marchers is inspiring especially at this critical period for Tibet,” says Mr. Tsewang Rigzin, President of Tibetan Youth Congress. “The Marchers are truly banding together to show their support for the Movement inside Tibet. They realize the present urgencies and have vowed to push forward with the March to Tibet.”

Before leaving New Delhi, Marchers participated in the three days of peaceful protest at Jantar Mantar, which included a 24-hour fast, candle-light vigils and demonstrations from Jantar Mantar to Parliament Street.

Since March 10, Chinese authorities have brutally cracked down on Tibetans resulting in the death of hundreds of Tibetans and mass arrests of over 2300 Tibetans.

The March to Tibet began on 10th March from Dharamshala and reached New Delhi on April 9th. The first group of 100 Core Marchers were arrested and put under judicial custody within four days of beginning the March. They were detained for 14 days. A second group of Tibetan exiles resumed the March two days after the arrest on 15th March. Both groups of Marchers were reunited in Chandigarh and walked to New Delhi together.

Tibetans living in exile in India have launched a March to Tibet as part of the Tibetan People’s Uprising Movement. This historic Movement aims to revive the spirit of the Tibetan national uprising of 1959, and by engaging in nonviolent direct action, bring about an end to China’s illegal occupation of Tibet.

Contact:

Sherab Woeser: +91 9418 394 426 Dhasa /+91 9868 332 883 Delhi (Coordinator)
Tenzin Choeying: +91 9816 368 335 Dhasa (President, Students for a Free Tibet India)