Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, Aug. 6: A series of coordinated activism unfolded in Dharamshala on Thursday as Tibetan non-governmental organisations and individuals intensified calls for Tibetan independence and renewed international attention to China’s policies in Tibet, with initiatives paying tribute to the late independent activist and martyr Lobza Rangzen.
The Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC), the largest pro-independence organisation in exile, convened a press briefing to provide an update on its ongoing Global Chain Hunger Strike, which entered its 19th day.
Addressing media representatives, TYC Vice President Tashi Targyal announced that members of Parliament Wangdue Dorjee, Khenpo Kada Ngedup Sonam, and Gyaltsen Choekyi of the 18th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, along with former Delhi University graduates, joined the chain hunger strike on Thursday in a show of solidarity with the movement. As a symbolic tribute to late activist Lobga Rangzen, MP Wangdue Dorjee and fellow participant Tenzin Tsering shaved their heads today. He noted that the campaign has so far garnered the participation of 131 individuals, ranging from nine-year-old Ngawang Gelek, the youngest participant, to elders aged 75 and 76.
Responding to a question from Phayul regarding the TYC’s newly established advocacy office in New York, Targyal said the initiative remains under development. He noted that the organisation has launched a Facebook platform, FactGuard Tibet, dedicated to fact-checking, verifying information, and countering what it describes as China’s disinformation campaign on Tibet. The initiative is currently being managed by former TYC Executive Committee members Dhondup Lhadar and Tashi Lamsang, with further updates to be shared as the project progresses.
Meanwhile, Tibetan couple Tenzin Wangdue and Dawa Choedon from Miao Choephelling in Arunachal Pradesh arrived in Dharamshala on Thursday after completing a 15-day peace ride spanning more than 2,700 kilometres across nine Indian states.
The couple said the journey was undertaken to honour Lobga Rangzen’s sacrifice, amplify his call for an independent Tibet, and protest China’s implementation of the so-called “Ethnic Unity and Progress Law.”
Reflecting on their journey, Wangdue said no symbolic act could equal the magnitude of Lobga Rangzen’s sacrifice. “His sacrifice cannot be measured by the ride we undertook. We were deeply saddened and angered by his passing, but we wanted to contribute in our own way by carrying forward his message. Every Tibetan can support the movement through whatever means they have,” he said.
Wangdue said the couple encountered a few major obstacles during the ride, although they occasionally struggled to find accommodation because they were travelling without a tent. Along the route, fellow Tibetans frequently covered their food and lodging expenses, while many Indians generously assisted them with directions.
In a separate demonstration, the Central and Regional Tibetan Women’s Association (TWA) staged a silent protest in McLeod Ganj, with participants covering their mouths with black masks to denounce what they described as the United Nations’ continued silence over China’s implementation of the “Ethnic Unity and Progress Law,” which came into force on July 1.
Organisers argued that the legislation represents a systematic effort by Beijing to erode Tibet’s language, culture, identity, and heritage. They expressed particular concern over Article 63, which they said grants the law extraterritorial reach by holding organisations and individuals outside China legally liable for activities Chinese authorities deem to “undermine ethnic unity” or “create ethnic division.”
Addressing the media, TWA President Tsering Dolma noted that five weeks had passed since Lobga Rangzen’s death. While acknowledging that the United Nations had publicly expressed condolences, she criticised the international body for failing to address the underlying human rights concerns that, she said, compelled Lobga Rangzen to take his own life, or to formally respond to the demands raised by the Tibetan community.
The association called on the United Nations, democratic governments, Tibet advocacy organisations, and international human rights defenders to take decisive action by endorsing four key demands: urging China to immediately repeal the so-called “Ethnic Unity and Progress Law” and cease its implementation in Tibet; holding the Chinese government accountable for the repression that culminated in Lobga Rangzen’s self-immolation; formally responding to the ongoing human rights crisis by monitoring enforcement of the law and ensuring Beijing’s compliance with international human rights standards; and recognising Tibet’s right to self-determination while supporting international mechanisms to protect Tibetan identity, culture, language, and fundamental freedoms.
Thursday’s demonstrations reflected a growing convergence of political advocacy, grassroots mobilisation, and symbolic acts of solidarity within the Tibetan exile community, with participants united in their calls for justice for Lobga Rangzen and renewed international scrutiny of China’s policies in Tibet.
