Tibetans celebrate their Democracy Day

Dharamsala, Sep 2: Tibetans on Tuesday celebrated their 54th 'Democracy Day' and reiterated their commitment towards the "middle-way approach" for resolving the Tibet issue with China.

Asserting that the "middle-way approach" of their spiritual leader the Dalai Lama is the only way to resolve the issue, the cabinet of the Tibetan government-in-exile here said: "It's a win-win proposition to both sides."

"We once again reiterate our firm commitment towards the middle-way approach. We have successfully completed visits by the kalons (ministers) and secretaries to Tibetan settlements to educate and raise awareness about this approach among people at grassroot level," it said in a statement.

The "middle-way approach" favours "genuine autonomy" for Tibetans within the framework of the Chinese constitution and does not speak of independence.

"The police brutality in Karze (last month) is only a fragment of the repression imposed on the people of Tibet. To express their outright rejection of such repressive policies, 130 Tibetans have set themselves on fire in an attempt to draw attention of the international community on their suffering," the cabinet said.

The Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), based in Dharamsala, has dedicated 2014 as the year of the 14th Dalai Lama.

"We have invited the Nobel Peace laureates to Dharamsala to observe the 25th anniversary of conferment of the Nobel Peace Prize on him (the Dalai Lama). The event will be held Oct 2, the day on which champion of peace and Father of the Indian nation Mahatma Gandhi was born," it said.

The Dalai Lama has lived in India since fleeing his homeland in 1959.

IANS