Taiwan/ Tibet: Taiwan Civic Group Commemorates the 60 Years of Tibet’s Fight for Self-Determination
On wednesday January 23rd, also recognized in Taiwan as World Freedom Day, a cycling event was organized in order to commemorate the 60th anniversary of resistance against China. In 1959, the Communist Party of China forced the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government to flee the country, taking full control of Tibet. Ever since the Tibetans in exile and inside Tibet are fighting to retake control of their land.
Article from Focus Taiwan
Taipei, Jan. 23 (CNA) The Human Rights Network for Tibet and Taiwan (HRNTT) embarked on a cycling tour of Taipei on Wednesday as a prelude to a series of activities to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the resistance movement in Tibet against China's control.
The 2019 Cycling for a Free Tibet event began at the 228 Peace Memorial Park in Taipei and ended outside the Legislative Yuan, where a press conference was held to talk about a rally that will be staged in Taiwan in March to commemorate the 1959 Tibetan National Uprising Day.
At the press conference, New Power Party (NPP) Legislator Freddy Lim (林昶佐), who chairs the Taiwan Parliamentary Group for Tibet, urged Taiwanese to join the rally on March 10 to show the international community Taiwan's reverence for the values of freedom, democracy, and human rights.
He said bigger events will be held across the world that day to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Tibetan resistance movement against China's control.
Also at the press conference, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmaker Yu Mei-nu (尤美女) said Wednesday was a good day to speak up for Tibet's freedom since it was recognized in Taiwan and South Korea as World Freedom Day.
Yu said Taiwanese should be made aware of the problems Tibet is facing as some of those same issues could arise in Taiwan.
In his address, HRNTT Chairperson Tashi Tsering also said Taiwan can learn from the Tibet experience.
In 1951, Tibet reached a peace agreement with China, but afterwards more than 80,000 Tibetans, including the Dalai Lama, were forced into exile, he said.
Other members of the HRNTT at the press conferences chanted slogans such as "the Dalai Lama wants to return home" and "Tibet belongs to Tibetans."
The upcoming rally will be the 16th of its kind held in Taiwan to mark the Tibetan National Uprising Day, which is observed annually on March 10 to commemorate the 1959 Tibetan rebellion against Chinese rule.
Photo courtesy from Wikimedia Commons
