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Tibetan activists affiliated with the Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC) chapters in New York and New Jersey have begun a 90-hour hunger strike outside the United Nations Headquarters, seeking urgent global attention to the worsening conditions in Tibet. The protest started on April 6 and is set to conclude on April 10, as reported by Phayul.
According to Phayul, Lobsang Tsering, president of the regional TYC chapters, said the demonstration is part of the 19th instalment of the group's "10th Day Movement," a monthly campaign initiated by its 18th executive committee. Since August 2024, the campaign has been marked through consistent actions, including marches, relay runs, and protests outside the Chinese Consulate, regardless of turnout or weather conditions. Tsering expressed concern over limited participation from the wider Tibetan diaspora, despite an estimated population of 15,000 Tibetans in New York and New Jersey. He said only a small group continues to sustain the hunger strike, urging broader community involvement through participation, funding, or solidarity efforts. The protest aims to spotlight what activists describe as a critical situation inside Tibet and to warn that continued global inaction could undermine the Tibetan struggle for cultural preservation and political rights. Tsering emphasised that the United Nations remains a crucial platform for raising awareness and demanding accountability. Among the key demands is the immediate release of the 11th Panchen Lama, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, who was detained by Chinese authorities in 1995 at the age of six and has not been seen publicly since. Protesters have also called for an end to policies they claim suppress Tibetan identity, including state-run boarding schools accused of erasing language and culture, as highlighted by Phayul. Environmental concerns were also raised, with activists opposing Chinese projects such as mining, dam construction, and deforestation on the Tibetan Plateau, citing ecological risks. Additionally, demonstrators urged China to stop interfering in the recognition of Tibetan Buddhist reincarnations and to repeal laws they say enforce assimilation. The protesters further condemned alleged transnational repression targeting Tibetans globally and called on the international community to urge China into meaningful dialogue, as reported by Phayul. (ANI)
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