Dharamsala (AsiaNews) – More than 250 Tibetans are now on their way to Tibet in the ‘Return March to Tibet’ that should bring them to the border with China where they plan to cross in order to claim the right for exiles to go back to their homeland. However, threats by the Nepali government and the hostility of Indian authorities are making it increasingly difficult.
Tenzin Choeying, director of Students for a Free Tibet, told AsiaNews that “despite the repressive attitude of the Indian government, which prevented us from demonstrating during the Olympic torch relay, we are happy that thousands of Indians have shown their support, ordinary folks like ourselves who were not able to have their voice heard.”
As for Nepal where government sources said that anyone demonstrating during the torch relay in the Himalaya would be shot at, “that’s shameful,” Tenzin said. “We Tibetans are very close to the Nepalis from a social and historical point of views. The fact that guns are waved in front of peaceful demonstrators shows to what point we have come to.”
“Kathmandu should be careful of the concessions it makes to Beijing because Nepal might suffer the same fate as Tibet,” Tenzin added.
“In any event we shall to continue to protest. We are only asking the world for our rights, to go home to see the Dalai Lama back in Lhasa.”