Paris — Sonam Dhondup, a Tibetan activist residing in France, launched his cycling campaigns on Tibet on April 1, 2026. His objective is to raise public awareness of the fact that China has illegally occupied Tibet, which caused the deaths of more than two million Tibetans and now the China is implementing repressive policies in Tibet, notably a policy of forced assimilation. He urges the international community to stand with Tibet and support for Tibetan justice cause.
He launched the "Cycling for Tibet" campaigns from Grenoble, France, on April 1, 2026 and will cycling for 3 months for a Free Tibet. He will cross 27 places in France, including Nice, Marseille, Nîmes, Montpellier, Toulouse, Bordeaux, Nantes, Rennes, Caen, Rouen, Amiens, Lille, Reims, Metz, Nancy, Strasbourg, Dijon, Paris, Orleans, Poitier, Limoges Clermont, Ferrand, Lyon, Geneva, Annecy, Chambéry and back to Grenoble.
While cycling in the places, he will distribute below 10 points entitled, "Support the Tibetan cause - 10 truths you need to know”:
1. Occupation brutal since the illegal invasion of Tibet in 1950, the Chinese Communist Party has imposed a bloody repression. Eight million people perished under his regime, including countless Tibetans.
2. I am Tibetan, not Chinese. Tibet is an occupied nation, not a Chinese province. My identity, my culture, my language are Tibetan.
3. 160+ immolations by fire since 2008, more than 160 Tibetans have immolated themselves to protest oppression. This is one of the largest waves of fire protests in modern history.
4. DNA Sampling of Children Since 2019, China has been forcefully collecting the DNA of Tibetan children from the age of 5. This practice of mass surveillance violates fundamental rights.
5. Damages destroying lives Illegal construction of dams in Tibetan territory endangers local ecosystems and threatens the lives of farmers and nomads.
6. Where is the Panchen Lama? The 11th Panchen Lama disappeared at the age of 6 in 1995. He is one of the world's youngest political prisoners. Free him and all the Tibetan political prisoners.
7. Repression all the way into exile The Chinese government spies on and harasses the Tibetan diaspora, even abroad, threatening the safety of refugees and host countries.
8. Forced assimilation of Tibetan children Hundreds of thousands of children are being separated from their families and sent to Chinese boarding schools, where their culture is erased. This is a policy of massive assimilation.
9. Lets respect the name of Tibet is not "Xi Zang". This Chinese name is an attempt at a cultural rewriting. Let's use the legal name: Tibet.
10. Destruction of spiritual heritage More than 6,000 Tibetan monasteries has been destroyed. Religious freedom is severely restricted. Even Larung Gar, one of the largest Buddhist centers, was partially demolished.
