Exiled Tibetans in Kashmir boycott Losar celebrations

Leh, Feb 27 (ANI): The new year celebrations of the Tibetan exiles are muted and subdued this year as they mourn for the loss of lives of those killed in Lhasa by the Chinese.

The Tibetans living in Leh region of Jammu and Kashmir have joined their compatriots across the world in boycotting Losar celebration.

A calm and quiet prevails in the region as the people go about their day to day activities in a normal manner, sans the enthusiasm which usually marks the heralding of Losar every year.

"We are not celebrating Losar this year because in last year so many Tibetan people had died. And Chinese government had led lots of Tibetan people in problem and presently also they are in very difficult situation in Tibet," said Karma Dorje, Vice President, Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC).

Posters about boycotting the Losar celebrations are put up in every nook and corner of the region as children wearing caps with messages of 'Free Tibet'.

"We are not going to celebrate the Losar because many people have died in Lhasa. We pay homage to them," said Tenzin Zangmo, a Tibetan exile.

The protest gains significance as the 50th anniversary of the exile of Tibet's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, who fled to India after an abortive uprising against Chinese rule in 1959, comes close.

Tibetans living in exile contend that Chinese atrocities have increased since the Tibetan uprising in Lhasa in March 2008, whereas China blames the Dalai Lama led clique for instigating unrest in that region. (ANI)