Swiss Tibetan held 1000-km solo-cycle rally to raise awareness about Chinese violent repression in Tibet
May 25, 2021
Geneva [Switzerland], May 25 : A Swiss-Tibetan held a solo cycle rally of 1000 kilometres from Winterthur to Geneva to raise awareness about the violent repression by China in Tibet.
Tsering Wangdu, the 46-year-old, began his cycle rally on May 7 covering almost 1000 kilometres in poor weather to the Office of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva. He reached Geneva on May 21, the Central Tibetan Administration reported.
The Chinese government occupied Tibet in 1950 and has ever since tried to control the region.
On arrival in Geneva, he was received by the staff of the Tibet Bureau Geneva Kalden Tsomo and Thinlay Chukki, president of Tibetan Community in Geneva Tsesutsang Yonga, accompanied by community's representatives before the UN office at Palais des Nations.
In the meeting, Representative Chhimey applauded Wangdu for his initiative to hold a solo-cycle rally for the Tibetan cause and "for serving as a motivation for others to work towards Tibet's cause."
He promised to support Wangdu in his future endeavours to better plan and amplify his voice for Tibet at the UN.
In coordination with the Tibet Bureau Geneva, Tsering Wangdu submitted the appeal letter to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, to draw her attention to the attacks on Tibetan culture, lives, and religion by China and to call for its end.
He alerted that the mistreatments go against what China itself had "promised" in the 17-Point Agreement which it forced Tibet to sign.
Wangdu presented his five-point appeal to call upon the UN and the international community to press China to hold dialogue with the Dalai Lama's envoys to discuss his return; release of Tibet's 11th Panchen Lama Gedhun Choekyi Nyima along with his family and Chadral Rinpoche and other Tibetan political prisoners; boycott of 2022 Beijing Olympics; reinvestigation into China's handling of coronavirus and pending accountability towards the whistleblowers; and to end oppression in Tibet imposed since the 17-Point Agreement.
