Ahead of the 66th anniversary of Tibetan Uprising Day on March 10, Taiwanese civil groups gathered outside the Legislature on Wednesday to voice support for Tibetan human rights, culture, and self-determination. Part of the annual “Cycling for a Free Tibet” campaign, the event featured Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC) President Gonpo Dhondup, with DPP Legislators Chen Pei-yu (陳培瑜) and Puma Shen (沈伯洋) also in attendance.
Organized by the Human Rights Network for Tibet and Taiwan (HRNTT), “Cycling for a Free Tibet” has been held in Taiwan for 15 consecutive years. HRNTT Secretary-General Tashi Tsering, who has been advocating for Tibetan human rights awareness through street cycling activities since 2011, said the activity aims to raise awareness about the plight of Tibetans. Tsering emphasized in addition to lives lost, around 160,000 Tibetans remain in exile, unable to return home due to China’s control.
TYC President Dhondup, who traveled from India to participate, said since China’s authoritarian regime illegally occupied Tibet, Tibetans have been forced to undergo ideological indoctrination and cultural genocide. Dhondup thanked Taiwanese civil groups for their continued support of Tibetan human rights and called for solidarity among Tibetans, Taiwanese, Hongkongers, Uyghurs, and Southern Mongolians in resisting China’s authoritarian rule.