The Taiwan-based civic group Taiwan Friends of Tibet announced Monday plans to hold a candlelit vigil on Wednesday, the start of the Tibetan New Year. The event is intended to show solidarity with the victims of the Chinese government’s crackdown in Tibet last year.
The Tibetan New Year, or Losar, is traditionally celebrated by three days of dancing and singing. This year however, many Tibetans within China are planning on not celebrating to mourn the deaths of those killed in the aftermath of last year’s protests.
Head of Taiwan Friends of Tibet Chou Mei-li said Monday that according to official statistics at least 216 people have been killed by Chinese state security and over 1,000 are missing after the crackdown.
The group will hold their vigil in Taipei’s Freedom Plaza on Wednesday evening. They also plan to hold a rally in Taiwan’s second city of Kaohsiung on March 10th, the anniversary of last year’s protests in Tibet against Chinese rule.
