Rome, Italy, March 29 – Tibetans in Italy held a protest demonstration yesterday against China’s celebration of the day that it calls “serf emancipation day” at the Chinese embassy here and Chinese consulate in Milan.
Hundred of Tibetans and supporters gathered to express their disappointment at the “provocative” festival and “distortion” of Tibet ‘s history. They held placards, banners and shouted anti China slogans.
The president of the Tibetan community in Italy, Thupten, strongly condemned China’s lies saying that the day is no more than a propaganda exercise for the Chinese government. He said that the “serf emancipation day” is provocative especially since Tibet is currently reeling under intense repression. “This day is created to cover up its repressive policy of crackdown on the Tibetans in Tibet.”
“Any kind of invasion cannot be justified by branding it as liberation. China claims it liberated the Tibetans but I think liberation can not be force or using military troops,”Thupten said.
Few Tibetans with Italian supporters wrote “Tibetan Martyrs of Lhasa 2009” on the board showing street name where the Chinese embassy is situated.
The protest was organised jointly by the Tibetan community in Italy, Regional Tibetan Women’s Association. Italy – Tibet association, Italian radical party, students for free Tibet Italy and AREF also joined the protest.
