Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, July 27: As its Global Chain Hunger Strike entered its ninth day on Monday, the Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC), the largest pro-independence Tibetan organisation in exile, announced a new international campaign to counter what it described as Chinese disinformation surrounding the self-immolation of Tibetan independence activist Lobga Rangzen.
Addressing the media, TYC General Secretary Tenzin Lobsang said the organisation will establish a dedicated office in New York as part of its expanded advocacy efforts. The office will be led by former TYC Executive Committee members Dhondup Lhadar and Lamsang and will coordinate initiatives aimed at challenging misinformation and amplifying the Tibetan perspective internationally.
Calling for broad community participation, Lobsang urged Tibetans from all walks of life—including scholars, writers, researchers, artists, filmmakers, students, journalists, professionals, social media creators, and concerned citizens—to contribute through research, writing, public engagement, artistic works, videos, and advocacy.
He alleged that the Chinese government has been circulating false narratives portraying Lobga Rangzen as an unemployed individual whose sacrifice should not be taken seriously, while also depicting him as a product of Tibet’s former “feudal serfdom” system. The newly established office, he said, will serve as a platform to challenge such claims and ensure that the circumstances surrounding Lobga Rangzen’s sacrifice are accurately documented and remembered.
TYC Vice President Tashi Targyal stated that the movement, which originated in Dharamshala, has quickly evolved into a global campaign. Under the guidance of the organisation’s Central Executive Committee, solidarity hunger strikes and demonstrations have already been organised in Dalhousie, Kalimpong, Dekyiling, Kullu, Odisha, Rajpur, Tenzingang, and several other Tibetan settlements, with additional chapters and communities continuing to join the initiative.
“The Tibetan Youth Congress will continue to expand this Worldwide Chain Protest until the United Nations responds,” the organisation said in a statement. “We urge governments, international institutions, media organisations, and people of conscience across the world to pay attention, engage with the facts, and stand with the Tibetan people’s right to preserve their identity, dignity, and future.”
The initiative which began in Dharamshala on July 19, has so far drawn the participation of 64 individuals who sat for a one-day hunger strike on a rolling basis. On Monday, members of the Tibetan Market Association joined the relay hunger strike outside the Tibetan Market near the Main Tibetan Temple in McLeod Ganj, Dharamshala, in a show of solidarity with the ongoing campaign.
The announcement comes a week after the TYC launched its Global Chain Hunger Strike following Lobga Rangzen’s self-immolation outside the United Nations Headquarters in New York on July 2. Through the worldwide campaign, the organisation has put forward five key demands. These include a formal and substantive response from the United Nations to the circumstances surrounding Lobga Rangzen’s self-immolation; the repeal of China’s so-called “Ethnic Unity and Progress Law”; international recognition of Tibet’s historical status and right to independence; accountability for China’s policies and alleged repression in Tibet; and the immediate and unconditional release of Tibetan political prisoners, including the 11th Panchen Lama.
