Tibetans' appeal to boycott Beijing Olympics

Bilaspur(CG), March 19 (UNI) Tibetan refugees in Mainpaat and 52 other settlements in India have issued an appeal to boycott the Beijing Olympics despite their supreme spiritual leader Dalai Lama reaffirming his open support to the mega event.

''We appeal to the International Olympic Association, India and all other countries to boycott the Beijing Olympics'', president of Mainpaat Chapter of the Tibetan Women Association (TWA) Tshiring told UNI over telephone.

''Republic of China is brutally suppressing the Tibetans seeking freedom and the Chinese security forces have so far killed at least 80 innocent people in Tibetan capital Lhasa and Sichuan province of China'', she said.

On the contrary, Dalai Lama, the supreme Tibetan spiritual leader and head of the Tibetan Government-in-exile, has time and again extended his support to the Beijing Olympics.

Replying to a question, Tshiring said the Dalai Lama has deep faith in the Gandhian principle of non-voilence and that is his greatness. But young Tibetans are feeling restless as their motherland is in the Chinese occupation for 50 years.

Dozens of youth led by Tibetan Youth Congress Vice-President Dundung Tshiring took to the streets in Mainpaat in Chhattisgarh for the third consecutive day today and held a candle light march, in protest against the brutal killings by China in Lhasa.

UNI ABS CS AS1703