(TibetanReview.net, Jul07’26) – Some 60 members of the Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC) staged a loud protest outside the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi on Jul 7 to express solidarity with Lobsang Palden, known by his activist name Rangzen Lobga, who had carried out a protest self-immolation in front of the UN Headquarters in New York City on Jul 2. All were taken away by police, said the Tibetan-language tibettimes.net Jul 7.
The protesters shouted slogans especially against China’s so-called Ethnic Unity and Progress promotion Law, which came into force on Jul 1 and is condemned worldwide as a tool for assimilating the ethnic minorities in the People’s Republic of China. They also shouted for the restoration of Tibet’s independence – which Lobga Rangzen had clamoured for in his last message before his self-immolation – and for China to quit Tibet.
TYC President Tsering Choephel has said the protesters had travelled to Delhi from Tibetan communities in different parts of northern India, including Herbertpur, Poanta, Puruwala, Nainital, and Rajpur. Most of them were stated to be relatively senior adults.
An AP video shows the protester running around outside the embassy compound, displaying portraits of Rangzen Lobga and shouting slogans as they tried to avoid being caught by police. All were eventually rounded up and taken away in a police bus. Delhi police have usually freed the protesters later in the evening.
TYC was also stated to have tried to present a memorandum to the Chinese Embassy, making it clear that China will never succeed in its assimilation move in Tibet, nor will it succeed in its effort to rewrite the history of Tibet; asserting that force can never transform a people’s mind, or destroy a people as such. It was stated to have cited Rangzen Lobga to say the fundamental issue concerning Tibet was that it was invaded and illegally occupied by China, resulting in the loss of its independence, which was the basis of the existence of the TYC and its vow to succeed in this mission.
The memorandum was also stated to underline the importance for China to engage in talks to resolve the Sino-Tibetan dispute. It was stated to call Rangzen Lobga’s sacrifice a symbol of the Tibetan people’s determination.
The memorandum was stated to put forward a list of demands, including that China end it illegal occupation of Tibet and respect the Tibetan people’s right to self-determination and their desire for independence, with a vow to continue the struggle to achieve it.