(TibetanReview.net, Mar11’21) – In a first action of its kind, the Tibetan national flag was hoisted on the the Valdštejn Palace in Prague on Mar 10 to mark the 62nd Tibetan national uprising day. The decision on this move was made by the President of the Senate Miloš Vystrčil and the organizational committee of the Senate.
The Flag was hoisted at 9 am local time by 1st Vice-President of the Senate Jiri Ruzicka in the presence of Senator Premysl Rabas, who is also the President of the Czech Senate Group for Tibet; Senator Marek Hilser; Senator Petr Štěpánek, and Secretary of the Czech Senate Group for Tibet Katerina Bursik Jacques, said the Tibet Bureau, Geneva.
The gathering at the ceremony was limited due to the Covid-19 pandemic which is currently raging in the Czech Republic.
A press release for the occasion by the Czech Senate said, “As part of the Flag for Tibet event, the hoisting of Tibet flag commemorates the victims of the suppressed national uprising that broke out in the capital of Tibet, Lhasa, 62 years ago.”
Speaking on the significance of the event Vystrčil has said, “the Flag for Tibet and similar initiatives are not empty gestures. Public and political support from the free world is important for the Tibetans.”
He has recalled that in1998, the Senate, led by Petr Pithart, had commissioned its representatives to act actively for the protection of human rights of the people of China and Tibet by issuing a decree for this purpose.
In his speech, Růžička has said, “Let’s take a moment today to think and meditate on the people of a small tenacious nation, which in the distant mountains, aside from the world’s interest, is desperately fighting not just for freedom and the right to decide for themselves, but importantly for self-preservation.”
He has said “we have to fight the evil” because remaining silent or taking its side was not an option.
While calling on democratic countries to support Tibet, Rabas has said, “The Senate is showing again that Havel´s politics based on ethical and moral principles has a strong tradition in our country. I consider it natural that democratic countries support those countries where freedom is denied.”
Chhimey Rigzen, Representative of the Central Tibetan Administration for Central and Eastern Europe at Tibet Bureau, Geneva, took part in the event.
