A prayer meeting and a peaceful march were organised in Dharamshala today under the joint aegis of the Kashag and the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile to mark the 49th day since the sacrifice of Tibetan martyr Lobsang Palden. A large number of people from the Tibetan community and Tibet supporters participated in the event to pay tribute to those who have sacrificed their lives for Tibet’s freedom.

A special two-hour prayer meeting was held in the morning at the Tsuglagkhang Monastery in McLeod Ganj. This was followed by a peaceful march in which Sikyong Penpa Tsering of the Tibetan government-in-exile, accompanied by Members of Parliament and hundreds of Tibetans, walked to the Dharamshala Police Ground. During the march, the participants raised demands for the preservation of Tibetan culture, identity, and rights.

Sikyong Penpa Tsering stated that Lobsang Palden had set himself on fire on July 2nd in front of the United Nations headquarters in New York to protest against China’s policies. The event, held on the 49th day of his martyrdom, honoured the memory of all Tibetan patriots who have sacrificed their lives both inside and outside Tibet. He noted that, in addition to him, 11 other Tibetans have self-immolated for the cause of Tibet’s freedom and rights.

The Sikyong remarked that the sacrifice of even a single Tibetan patriot represents an irreparable loss to Tibetan society and their cause. While acknowledging self-immolation, he emphasised the need to continue the struggle through peaceful and democratic means rather than viewing self-immolation as the sole method of expressing aspirations. He strongly condemned China’s oppressive policies and called upon the United Nations to intervene in the matter as soon as possible.