New Delhi (AsiaNews) – Hundreds of exiled Tibetans are planning a protest march from India to Tibet to protest against the decision to have China host the upcoming Olympics.  Some of also plan to hold protests on April 17th next when the Olympic torch is due to arrive in Mumbai.  The five major Tibetan groups in exile have confirmed plans to exploit world attention on the Games to remind the international community about the tragedy of their homeland.

Tsewang Rigzin, President of the Tibetan Youth Congress told AsiaNews: “The march to Tibet is an initiative by exiled Tibetans to strengthen Tibetan resistance by taking the struggle home.This march will begin from Dharmsala on March 10; the anniversary of the 1959 of the Tibetans the uprising, and our goal is to reach to the Tibetan capital, Lhasa by the Olympics”.

The Chinese government he adds have said in the past that Tibetans are welcome to return home, so we are going to test that. This is a return march to Tibet. This march is one of our campaigns to show the Chinese and the International community that Tibetans want to go back to our country”.

According to Rigzin, international support is fundamental: “beyond general considerations regarding the nature of our cause, it must be underlined that it has always been non violent.  We are well aware to the violence in this world and if the international community supports our cause- this non-violence campaign, then it would be a powerful positive message to the world that Non Violence does pay off and it would lead to a more peaceful world.”.

Organizers say they have not yet asked the Indian government for permission to march, and they will not seek approval for the event from the Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, who “is fighting a different battle, which is a just battle but of a different nature”.