by Bhuchung D Sonam
Boston, Feb. 24 – Tibetan Association of Boston (TAB), in solidarity with Tibetans inside Tibet, decided not to celebrate Tibetan New Year and to donate the money to a local homeless shelter in Cambridge.
“Given the tragedy meted to brave men and women during the last Spring Uprising in Tibet, this is a mourning at a national scale. Tibetans everywhere are not observing New Year in solidarity with hundreds who were killed and thousands who are still in Chinese prison,” Dr. Lobsang Sangay, a Tibetan scholar at Harvard University, said.
Tibetans living in the greater Boston area will gather at Kurukulla Buddhist Center in Medford to hold special prayers and raise five-colored prayer flags, which represent the five elements and are believed to bring good luck. Later they will gather at Harvard Square, where on a large banner they will display names of all those killed in Tibet, distribute handouts and former political prisoners will narrate their stories. Individual Tibetans are expected to make donations from the money they would otherwise spend for New Year shopping.
“We are suffering politically and they are suffering economically. And I feel it is important to share what we have with the homeless people here in Cambridge,” said Tsering Tsering, the Cultural Secretary of the Tibetan Association of Boston.
Losar, or Tibetan New Year, is one of the most festive holidays of the year, during which Tibetans visit monasteries, burn incense, raise five-colored prayer-flags, prepare great feasts and set off fireworks. However, this year Tibetans have declared a freeze on celebrating the holiday to mourn those killed during last year’s protests against Chinese rule. Losar falls on February 25 and is generally celebrated up to 15 days.
“Not celebrating our new year is a strong political statement that we are sending to the Chinese Government. We are with Tibetans inside Tibet in fighting for our freedom,” Tsering said.
The No Losar campaign is a non-violent grassroots movement launched by the ‘Say No to Losar’ group made up of individual activists and creative artists based in Dharamshala, the site of the exiled Tibetan Government in India. The campaign has spread all over the world and attracted media attention. Recently a lone Tibetan man, Lobsang Lhundup from Lithang in Eastern Tibet, made headlines when he shouted “Independence for Tibet,” and “No Losar celebration this year.” He was soon arrested by the Public Security Bureau, according to media reports.
“This is a profound message and assertion that Tibetans inside and outside Tibet are united as one nation and one people,” Sangay said.
China has shutdown most of Tibet to outside tourists and journalists, and has deployed a large number of armed security forces in most major towns and cities in Tibet.
“It’s [Losar is] deeply connected with Tibetan culture, the idea that after such a horrible year filled with death, how can we celebrate?” Woeser, a popular Tibetan poet and writer said. “Instead, it should be a memorial.”
“The Chinese Government is forcing Tibetans to celebrate Losar, pretend to be happy, to perform dance and songs and smiling so that they can show the world happy images of Tibetans to tell that everything in Tibet is fine,” said Tenzin Dorjee, the Deputy Director of Student for a Free Tibet, an NGO based in New York City.
Even the Tibetan Government-in-Exile based in India, which has initiated a policy of rapprochement and is engaged in an unsuccessful dialogue with the Chinese Government, supports the movement.
In an interview with Voice of Tibet radio service, Ven. Tsering Phuntsok, the minister for the Department of Religion of the exiled government, said, “It is customary for a Tibetan family not to celebrate Tibetan New Year if a family member has passed away. No Losar celebration is a voluntary movement by Tibetans inside and outside Tibet to mourn those who were killed, jailed and being tortured by the Chinese authorities.”
This movement will culminate in large-scale peaceful protests and demonstrations across the world till March 10, which is the 50th anniversary of Chinas occupation of Tibet.
Tibetan Association of Boston will conclude No Losar Celebration on February 25th with a candlelight vigil and singing of Tibetan national anthem.
