Hundreds of Tibetans yesterday held a march in Taipei to commemorate an uprising by Tibetans against China 47 years ago.
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) voiced support for the demonstration, urging China to give up imperialism and the persecution of Tibet and Taiwan through military force.
Tibetans living in Taiwan gathered at 228 Memorial Peace Park in the morning and set out on a march after singing Tibet's national anthem and reading a declaration from the Dalai Lama.
PHOTO: CHIANG YING-YING, AP
Shouting out "we want freedom and human rights" and "release political prisoners," the marchers and their supporters also chanted "support Tibet's and Taiwan's independence" when passing before the Legislative Yuan.
Holding signs and banners bearing such slogans as "anti-annexation, anti-invasion, supporting Tibet's independence," many DPP members joined the march.
When the line of marchers passed the Legislative Yuan, DPP legislative caucus whip Yeh Yi-jin (
The statement released by the marchers said that on March 10, 1959, Tibetans mounted a protest against China's violent occupation, and the opposition of tyranny became a campaign that united their country.
Over the past 40 years, the Chinese Communist Party has controlled Tibetan society by dominating its politics and religious life, suppressing Tibetans civil rights and depriving them of a voice in their country's future, the statement said. Human rights in Tibet are continuing to deteriorate, it said.
The statement also said that China is still imprisoning the 11th Panchen Lama, who is now 17 years old, and thousands of other Tibetans, branding them as separatists and national security threats. Of even greater concern, the statement said, is that Beijing has engineered the migration of a large number of ethnic Han into Tibet in an effort to assimilate ethnic Tibetans.
Yang Chang-chen (
"The people of Taiwan can empathize and sympathize with the hardships and suffering that Tibetans have encountered," Yang said. "We urge China to give up its imperialism and military persecution of Tibet and Taiwan."
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