By Tenzin Lekhden
DHARAMSHALA, Dec. 14: A slew of long-distance rallies has taken place over the last few weeks campaigning and calling for the boycott of the Beijing 2022 Olympics over human rights violations in China. From touring the Himalayan border states along the Indo-Tibetan borders to cross country biking from Bangalore to Delhi, rallies have been prevalent lately.
On December 10th, Regional Tibetan Youth Congress (RTYC) – Delhi kicked off its cross country bike rally from Bangalore to Delhi in calling for Beijing 2022 Olympics boycott over human rights violations. In the press statement, the campaign lists its core aim as to “call upon and appeal to the basic human conscience of all the people and boycott Beijing Olympic 2022 as an expression of solidarity with people in Tibet, Xinjiang, South Mongolia and Hong Kong who are suffering under Chinese repression and oppression.”
Along the Indo-Tibetan border on the world’s highest motorable road, Sonamling Tibetan Settlement Freedom Support Group organised a bike rally from Leh to Kardung La Pass thanking Enes Kanter Freedom for his support and calling for the boycott of the Beijing 2022 Olympics.
On the same day, in Mundgod Tibetan Settlement, a night’s journey from the metropolis, Shri Sandesh Meshram, member of India Tibet Friendship Society (ITFS), started the latter part of an unfinished cycle rally from 2019, due to health concerns. Shri Sandesh has previously completed three separate cycle rallies in 2014, 2016, 2017 covering more than ten thousand kilometres to promote the Tibetan cause. The one-man rally is set to journey through four southern states of Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Union Territory Puducherry. On the front basket of his single-gear bicycle hangs a board that reads, “Free Tibet; Save India.”
Enes Kanter Freedom has emerged as the new poster boy for the Tibetan Freedom Movement, inspiring many campaigns of varying sizes. Independent artists across the internet have created artworks thanking him. Grassroots organisations have arranged sporting events as a tribute to the professional basketball player. Various branches of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) and NGOs based in exile have thanked Enes Freedom for his support.
