(TibetanReview.net, Jul06’22) – The 87th birthday of Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, was observed by Tibetans in a seemingly more tolerant Nepal, in capital Kathmandu, with a street procession and an open ground event attended by diplomats from several countries. Nepal previously banned any such open display of even religious devotion to the Dalai Lama, claiming it violated the country’s ‘one China’ policy.
The Chargé d’Affaires at the US Embassy Kathmandu Manuel P Micaller and diplomats of Japan, France and the European Union among others were present on the occasion, reported the theannapurnaexpress.com Jul 6.
The birth anniversary programme, coordinated by the Tibetan Refugee Welfare Office in Lazimpat, was organized at Jawalakhel in Lalitpur, the report said.
Photos of the event show a procession with a monk carrying a cutout portrait of the Dalai Lama, children marching with their school band, and so forth as riot police stood in line passively on one side of the street. Other photos show a large gathering of people, both seated and standing, on the event ground.
The report cited a Tibetan Community leader as saying the birthday of their religious leader was celebrated not for political motives but as per religious beliefs.
The main exile Tibetan commemoration of the occasion was held on the Tsuglakhang compound, attended by top functionaries of the Central Tibetan Administration, with Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur of Himachal Pradesh as the chief guest.
The event could not be marked openly over the past two years due to Covid-19 restrictions.
In many parts of occupied Tibet, China launched a crackdown on any Tibetan plan to mark the occasion, carrying out searches of people’s homes and arresting those found with pictures of their exiled spiritual leader.