On December 7 about thirty Tibetans, mostly youths, set out on a long peace march from Shillong to Guwahati, only stopping at three places in 3 days. They will converge at Guwahati along with their confreres from the seven states on December 10, which is International Human Rights Day. The message of the peace March is simple. It is to protest the deaths of 92 Tibetans who have self immolated since 2009 on account of Chinese oppression. Those who have taken their own lives include monks, nuns, mothers, students, artists, writers, farmers and Tibetan nomads. Over the years the Chinese Government has arrested several Tibetans on flimsy grounds of creating unrest. Being under a Communist regime also means that Tibetan culture, language and religion are suffering attrition because they are not allowed to be promoted and propagated.
In Shillong there are at present about 200 Tibetan families. A larger population lives in Arunachal Pradesh’s Tawang District which is closest to Tibet. The Tibetan community in Shillong, one might say, live in a communal ghetto. But they are a peace loving and largely disciplined community pursuing their livelihoods with a certain dignity. Seventy eight year old Kalsang is the oldest walker on this 105 kms distance. He is determined to do it as a mark of solidarity with fellow Tibetans across the world. Kalsang has lived in Shillong for decades. He joined the march to encourage young Tibetans to continue their non-violent struggle for a free and independent Tibet.
The Tibetan community demands among other things (a) Unrestricted and free press and media in Tibet (b) That the Chinese government should have a concrete and meaningful dialogue with the Central Tibetan Administration (c) Allow freedom of language, culture and religion (d) Give basic human rights to Tibetans (d) Allow the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Tibet (e) Address the genuine and long standing grievances of Tibetans all over Tibet (f) Release of all political prisoners.
There is a certain tenacity of purpose in people who have had to struggle for a homeland. The grit and determination is writ large in every Tibetan face. But the angst to reclaim their homeland from a repressive regime does not push then to so violence to others. In the true essence of Buddhism they prefer to hurt themselves rather than hurt the oppressor. This forbearance is construed as a sign of weakness by China which believes in ruling with an iron fist. What is troubling is the silence of the developed world on this pernicious issue of Tibet’s independence from China. It seems like a long walk to freedom but the Tibetans have to persist.