Bombay: The World Map showing Tibet as an Independent country was launched in Bombay on December 10, 2007 – World Human Rights Day. The first copy of the “World Map with Tibet” was released by Venerable Geshe Lhakdor, Official Translator of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Director of Library of Tibetan Works and Archives, Dharamshala. He presented the Map with Tibet to the public while pointing at the nation which he had to flee decades ago following the Chinese aggression. This campaign and unique map showing Chinese-occupied Tibet as an independent nation was conceptualised by Rohit Singh, a Bombay-based Friends of Tibet Campaigner who took several laborious hours to do research and creation.
Introducing the ‘The World with Tibet’ Campaign of Friends of Tibet, Sethu Das, founder of the organisation described the map as “The dream of every Tibetan, the dream of six million Tibetans living and suffering under the Chinese occupation and also the dream of people like Rohit Singh”. He also hoped that “One day this dream would become a reality.”
Rohit Singh spoke to the gathering of both Tibetans and Indians about the significance of having Tibet in the world map. He said “A country is identified by its boundaries and presence on the political map. Tibet was an Independent country till china occupied it and diminished it from face of World Atlas. This initiative is for reestablishing Tibet on the World Map, to focus on the aspect of its position, its importance and its existence which china is out to destroy.” Rohit Singh also requested the people to spread the map in order to educate the people in India about the location of Tibet in the World Atlas. He also added that his organisation would soon launch a nation-wide education campaign using a much detailed map with the primary aim of education.
The new world map also illustrates Turkistan, Manchuria and, unified Inner and Outer Mongolia as separate countries along side China.
To know more about the map or to get involved with the campaign, write to: rohit.singh@friendsoftibet.org)
The group believes that Friends of Tibet is a people’s movement to keep alive the issue of Tibet through direct action. Its activities are aimed at ending China’s occupation of Tibet and the suffering of the Tibetan people by supporting the continued struggle of the Tibetan people for independence.
Based on FOT’s report.
