DENVER– As Tea Partiers at the capitol here Wednesday railed against Obama’s “government takeover” of health care and met with legislative leaders to further their movement for liberty from taxes, roughly 30 supporters of Tibetan independence circumambulated the building. The slow circling and chanting marked the anniversary of the murderous 1959 Chinese crackdown on a Tibetan uprising in the Himalayan country that forced the Dalai Lama to flee to exile in India. China has occupied Tibet for more than 60 years. Sponsored by the Tibetan Association of Colorado, the rally called on Coloradans to boycott Chinese goods.
“Basically what we are here for is to commemorate the events of 1959. This day was a day we actually stood up in nonviolent protest, like we did today but in our own country, and the Chinese Military just killed all the nonviolent protestors,” said Tenzin Chokteng. “Today is a special day because it commemorates that spirit of solidarity against oppression. Today is a day that all small [Tibetan] settlements all over the world stand up and unite and we express our emotions.”
A supporter named Kathleen from Boulder County said she was here to support a human rights boycott of Chinese products.
“Prisoners are being killed in Tibet today. Many of these are monks and nuns and they are being killed and tortured in prison simply for demonstrating.”
The Dalai Lama commented at a celebration in Dharmasala, India, where the Tibetan Government In Exile resides. He said China is trying to “annihilate Buddhism” in Tibet as part of a policy of assimilation, a flattening of long distinct Tibetan culture meant to wipe out the past.
