Dharamshala, India — "We pray for Tibetan Heroes and Martyrs who have sacrificed their lives for Tibet," said Dr Lobsang Sangay, President of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA).
Marking the 3rd anniversary of the 15th Kashag led by the Tibetan President Dr Lobsang Sangay, the CTA Thursday organised a prayer service at the main Tibetan temple in Dharamshala, India, to express solidarity with the sufferings of Tibetans inside Tibet, including Tibetan self-immolators and their families. The monks from the Namgyal Monastery, India led the Prayer session, attended by Tibetans and supporters.
Over 150 self-immolations have occurred inside Tibet. Of these, around 130 are known to have died while the status of the rest remains unknown. Most of the self-immolators called for the return of the Dalai Lama and freedom for the people of Tibet and while many of the self-immolators called out for independence for Tibet.
Dr Lobsang Sangay, the democratically elected political leader or President of the CTA, attended the prayer service along with the members of Kashag, Secretaries of various departments, Tibetan Parliamentarians, Tibetan Justice Commissioners, Tibetan civil servants, and the Tibetan community.
The prayer service is held annually to recall and pay tribute to those Tibetans who have sacrificed their lives and limb for the greater cause of Tibet, said the official media of the CTA. It said, "Since the occupation of Tibet by China, tens and thousands of Tibetans have passed away under their repression. Many have also been imprisoned and oppressed inhumanely and still continues to do so".
“We pray for Tibetan Heroes and Martyrs who have sacrificed their lives for Tibet, and for their families. And also attain Genuine autonomy through Middle way approach and return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Tibet. We pray for that,” President Dr Sangay told members of the media.
Marking the 2nd anniversary of the 15th Kashag last year, President Dr Sangay reiterated His Holiness’ recent statement on Middle Way Approach and reaffirmed Kashag’s unwavering commitment to the Middle Way Approach to resolve the Tibet issue.
The Chinese Communist totalitarian regime (PRC) began their invasion of Tibet in 1949, reaching complete occupation of the country in 1959. Since that time, more than 1.2 million people, 20% of the nation's population of six million, have died as a direct result of China's illegal invasion and ruthless occupation. In addition, over 99% of Tibet's six thousand religious monasteries, temples, and shrines, have been looted or decimated resulting in the destruction of hundreds of thousands of sacred Buddhist scriptures.
