(TibetanReview.net, Oct01’26) – Police in the Indian capital New Delhi detained dozens of Tibetans as they staged a protest near the Chinese Embassy on Oct 1, the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, reported tribuneindia.com Oct 1. They shouted slogans such as “Tibet is never part of China and will never be”, reported thehindu.com Oct 1.
The Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC), which organised the protest, has said the purpose was to highlight the Tibetan people’s continued struggle for freedom and justice and to draw attention to China’s policies in Tibet.
All the 40 or so protesting men and women were college-going students, who carried Tibetan national flags and stretch banners while shouting “Free Tibet” slogans, said the Voice of Tibet broadcast service Oct 1. It added that all were apprehended and placed under police detention.
The group has accused China of denying fundamental rights to Tibetans and suppressing their distinct identity and culture. It has also criticised China for its continued occupation and political control of Tibet.
It has condemned China’s assertion of sovereignty and political control over Tibet as well as East Turkestan (Xinjiang), Southern Mongolia and Manchuria.
The TYC advocates for Tibet’s independence from Chinese occupation rule, unlike the Central Tibetan Administration, which seeks genuine autonomy for the entirety of the Tibetan homeland through a negotiated settlement.
The TYC has expressed confidence that Chinese laws and policies would not succeed in erasing the Tibetan people’s historical claims, identity or their stated aspiration to determine their political future.
China is observing a week-long National Day holiday from Oct 1 to 7. Flag-raising ceremonies were held across the country to mark the day, with the main event being held at Tian’anmen Square in Beijing, where a giant flower basket added to the festive atmosphere, state-run Xinhua News reported.
At a reception held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing to celebrate the occasion, President Xi Jinping has called on the nation to forge ahead with firm confidence and take solid steps to achieve the great national rejuvenation, calling it “unstoppable’.
On Taiwan, he has called for efforts to deepen exchanges and cooperation across the Strait, resolutely fight secessionist forces seeking “Taiwan independence,” oppose external interference, and promote the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations to advance national reunification.