Minneapolis, Nov. 25, 2009: The fierce wind hustled through the streets of Downtown Minneapolis on a very cold Thanksgiving eve, ushering in sleeting rain and bone chilling cold. Thanksgiving is a day celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada, a time when family members and friends get together to give thanks and express gratitude to each other.
On this evening, the reason was different for over 200 Tibetans and supporters gathered in front of the U.S Courthouse in Downtown Minneapolis. They had to say, “No Thank You President Obama: Tibet is not a part of China,” at a silent rally organized by the Regional Tibetan Youth Congress of Minnesota.
During his recent visit to China, President Barack Obama alongside President Hu Jintao of China acknowledged that the U.S recognized Tibet as a part of the People’s Republic of China. This statement is a complete lie, says the members of the RTYC.
The protestors carrying banners, placards, Tibetan, American flags and black ’50 Years of Resistance’ flags quietly stood on the sidewalk across the U.S Courthouse braving the severe weather.
Carefully positioned in the middle was a huge banner than read – “Pres Obama: Tibet is Not a part of China”. The people gathered were there to set the record straight and announce with one voice that Tibet is not a part of China, but an independent nation under illegal occupation by communist China, according to the RTYC. The crowd then gathered around in a circle and sang the Tibetan National Anthem and observed a moment of silence for all the Tibetans that have given up their lives for the cause and those who are still suffering.
Jigme Ugen, President of RTYC Minnesota gave an impassioned and forceful address, reminding them of the objectives of the Tibetan struggle, and urging people to honor the sacrifices and aspirations of the Tibetans inside Tibet in their resistance to Chinese occupation demanding for independence. Ugen expressed the disappointment of Tibetans at Obama’s statement, which apart from being a distortion of fact and betrayal to the hopes of the Tibetan people for a free Tibet. He conluded that, “if Tibet is part of China then Texas Belongs to Spain!”
The demonstration closed with the chant of Free Tibet filling the increasingly cold air that plunged over the city.
