5 Tibetan NGOs take out peace march to protest China's "Ethnic Unity and Progress" law

The march was jointly organised by five Tibetan NGOs U-Tsang Cholkha, Dhotoe Cholkha, Dhomay Cholkha, the Tibetan Womens Association and the Global Tibetan Peoples Movement for Middle Way Approach (GTPM) and was flagged off by Sikyong (President of the Central Tibetan Administration) Penpa Tsering from Dharamshala.

The campaign aims to generate greater public and international awareness about the implications of the Chinese legislation and mobilise support for the protection of Tibetan identity, language, culture and fundamental rights.

Speaking to reporters, Penpa Tsering expressed concern over the potential consequences of the legislation, adopted by China on March 12, 2026, and scheduled to come into force on July 1.

I have always been saying that we are dying a slow death. We are like being constricted by a python, slowly being deprived of our breath. Even though there is no visible violence, the policies and programmes undertaken by the Chinese government are aimed at eradicating or annihilating the Tibetan identity and Tibetan national identity, he said.

He said the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile had passed a resolution in March condemning the legislation and demanding its repeal. He also referred to concerns raised by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Trk and resolutions and initiatives by various international parliaments, including the Czech Republic.

At a time when the whole world is talking about the rule of law, China thinks it can legitimise its illegitimate actions by framing laws, he said.

Drawing parallels with Chinas anti-separatism legislation concerning Taiwan and the National Security Law imposed in Hong Kong, Penpa Tsering alleged that the new law was another attempt to undermine the identity and rights of Tibetans, Uyghurs and Mongolians.

He appreciated the initiative taken by the five organisations and said the Central Tibetan Administration would continue reaching out to governments, parliaments, think tanks, the media and the international community to counter the legislation. He also urged the Indian public and leadership to extend support to the campaign.

Tenzin Shinyi, president of the Global Tibetan Peoples Movement for Middle Way Approach, said the five organisations had come together to condemn the legislation and demand its repeal.

We believe this law is destroying our identity and taking our culture and language away from our children, she said, appealing to the Indian public and international leaders to support the Tibetan cause.

She said collective support was essential to strengthen the campaign, adding that the march would cover approximately 345 kilometres from Dharamshala to Kurukshetra.

Kelsang Dolma, president of the Tibetan Womens Association, said Kurukshetra had been chosen as the destination because of its religious and historical significance for Indians and the international visitors it attracts.

We want to inform people about the Tibetan cause and explain the implications of this law through this peace march, she said.

She alleged that the Chinese government had been pursuing policies affecting Tibetan identity for decades and that the new legislation would provide a formal legal framework to further these policies, potentially threatening Tibetan cultural and linguistic identity.

The participants will undertake the journey on foot, with buses also being used along the route. The organisers expect to reach Kurukshetra in approximately three to four days.

Following the march, the activists also plan to reach out to various embassies in New Delhi to seek wider international support for their demand to repeal the legislation. (ANI)