Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, July 7: Activists from the Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC) carried out a protest outside the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi on Tuesday, condemning China’s newly enacted Ethnic Unity and Progress Law while paying tribute to the late Tibetan independence activist Pawo Lobga Rangzen, whose final public message called on Tibetans to continue the struggle for Tibetan independence.
Speaking to Phayul, TYC President Tsering Choephel said at least 80 activists from eight regional chapters participated in the demonstration. The protesters were later detained by Delhi Police and taken to the Mandir Marg Police Station. He added that beginning Wednesday, the organisation would submit appeal letters to 162 foreign embassies in New Delhi to highlight Pawo Lobga Rangzen’s ultimate sacrifice, made in pursuit of the Tibetan cause.
In an open letter addressed to the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi, TYC said the protest was inspired by the “final sacrifice” of Pawo Lobga Rangzen, describing his self-immolation as an act of resistance against what it called China’s continued occupation of Tibet. “This is not merely a letter. It is a message carried by the final sacrifice of Tibetan patriot Lobga Rangzen,” the organisation wrote, adding that his last public act and message, “Free Tibet, China Out of Tibet,” reflected the enduring aspiration of Tibetans for freedom.
The organisation argued that Lobga Rangzen’s sacrifice was rooted in what it described as the “occupation” of Tibet and decades of political repression, restrictions on religious freedom, cultural destruction, and the implementation of China’s newly enacted Ethnic Unity and Progress Law.
TYC accused Beijing of using the legislation to institutionalise assimilation rather than promote unity. “You call it a law of unity. In reality you are trying to legalize the genocide, a legal procedure designed to erase the identity of oppressed people. A law that weakens a nation’s language, religion, culture, and history cannot be called unity,” the letter stated.
Reaffirming its long-held political position, TYC stated that it remains committed to restoring what it described as Tibet’s independence. “The Tibetan Youth Congress has never wavered in its position. We firmly believe that the Tibetan people have the right to determine their own future, and our mission remains unchanged: to reclaim our country, Tibet, from foreign occupation,” it said.
The organisation also called on Beijing to resume what it described as “sincere and meaningful dialogue” with the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), arguing that dialogue demonstrates confidence rather than weakness.
Concluding the appeal, TYC urged the Chinese government to “end its illegal occupation of Tibet,” respect the Tibetan people’s right to self-determination, and choose “justice over oppression, freedom over domination, and peace over continued confrontation.”
