(TibetanReview.net, Mar08, 2015) – Tibetans were reported to have carried flags and pictures politically banned by China while taking part in a huge parade during an important religious festival at a monastery in Ngaba (Chinese: Aba) County of Sichuan Province on Mar 4. Thousands of Tibetan took part in the annual prayer festival and during the parade participants carried flags with pictures symbolizing global peace and of Tibet’s exile spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, as well as of the current and former exile Tibetan administration heads, reported Radio Free Asia (Washington) Mar 6.
The festival took place at the Gomang Monastery and during the parade participants were reported to have also shouted calls for Tibetan unity. Some of the flags carried by the participants had pictures of the Dalai Lama while others bore images of Sikyong Lobsang Sangay and former Kalon Tripa – as the head of the exile Tibetan administration was known until 2011 – Samdhong Rinpoche, the report said. Yet other flags were said to bear pictures of a globe and peace doves.
The local annual prayer festival is said to be organized on rotational basis amongst the six villages attached to the monastery. This year it was the turn of Suwa Village.
China has already rushed paramilitary reinforcement to many Tibetan areas, including Ngaba County, ahead of the 56th Tibetan national Uprising Day of Mar 10.