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Tibetan activists begin cross-nation
bike tour
By Loa Iok-sin / Staff reporter
Members of Citizen Congress Watch
announce the results of their performance scorecard for legislators during the
first session of the eighth legislature in Taipei yesterday.
Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Taipei Times
Dozens of Tibetans and supporters of the
Tibetan cause yesterday began a motorcycle ride across the nation, as part of a
global campaign to raise public awareness of the Tibetan issue and to celebrate
Tibetan Democracy Day.
After congregating in front of Longshan Temple in Taipei, dozens of Tibetans and
their Taiwanese supporters marched from the temple along Tibet Road to Liberty
Square, where the eight cross-island riders were given a freedom torch and
khatas ˇX traditional Tibetan scarves made of silk presented to show hospitality
or respect ˇX Tibet Religious Foundation of His Holiness the Dalai Lama chairman
Dawa Tsering, who is the de facto ambassador of the Tibetan government-in-exile
in to Taiwan.
ˇ§The action is aimed at raising international awareness about the ongoing
tragedies in Tibet, and to urge the Chinese government to stop its repression of
Tibetan people,ˇ¨ Dawa said before the march in front of Longshan Temple.
He said that following self-immolations by more than 50 Tibetans in protest
against Chinese repression since March 2009, the Tibetan parliament-in-exile
adopted a resolution earlier this year asking Tibetans around the world to take
action to raise awareness of the Tibetansˇ¦ suffering under Chinese rule.
ˇ§Some marched, some had marathon runs and Tibetans in Taiwan chose to ride
motorcycles around the island. Tibetan communities in different countries do it
in different ways,ˇ¨ Dawa said.
ˇ§We choose to begin the action today because Sept. 2 is Tibetan Democracy Day,
because the Tibetan parliament-in-exile was created on this date 52 years ago.ˇ¨
In a statement, the Tibetans called on the international community ˇX especially
the UN ˇX to show its concern over human rights violations inside Tibet, and
asked the UN to organize a special investigation team to investigate human
rights conditions in Tibet.
Decorating their motorcycles with Tibetan flags, the Tibetan riders plan to make
overnight stops in Hualien, Taitung, Kaohsiung and Taichung, before returning to
Taipei on Thursday afternoon.
Taiwanese Students for a Free Tibet convener Fong Jyun-shan (©^§g¤s) said that the
symbolism behind marching from Tibet Road to Liberty Square was meant to show
that the parade is a march toward freedom for Tibetans.
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