Dharamsala, Sep 2 (IANS) To apprise the international community about the tense situation prevailing in Tibet, exiled Tibetans Sunday began a global tour aimed at ending the atrocities there.
The second leg of the “Flame of Truth” global torch relay was started Sep 2, which is also observed as Tibetan democracy day, in five continents – North America, Europe, Southeast Asia, Africa and Australia – to highlight the critical situation prevailing in Tibet, a Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) spokesperson based here told IANS.
He said the torch relay, after passing through more than 30 countries, would culminate World Human Rights Day (Dec 10).
The relay was launched July 6 from this town, where the Tibetan government-in-exile is headquartered. The launch of the relay coincided with the birthday of the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of the Tibetans.
In its first leg, the torch relay travelled to 48 regions in India covering more than 12 states.
“The relay torch has got strong support in India and the people have expressed concern over the prevailing situation in Tibet,” said the CTA statement.
A signature campaign is also being undertaken, urging the United Nations to discuss the issue of Tibet based on its earlier resolutions and to send an independent international fact-finding delegation to Tibet.
“The relay will be concluded World Human Rights Day (Dec 10) with the submission of appeal letters and signatures simultaneously to the UN Headquarters in New York, UN Human Rights Council in Geneva and UN information office in New Delhi,” said the statement.
As many as 46 people have reportedly killed themselves since March 2011, in a string of self-immolations in Tibet, to press for the return of the Dalai Lama and the restoration of freedom to Tibet.
Some 140,000 Tibetans now live in exile, over 100,000 of them in India.
Over six million Tibetans live in what is now known as the Tibet Autonomous Region.
