Taipei [Taiwan], March 10 (ANI): The '66th Anniversary Tibetan Uprising Parade' took place in Taipei, the capital of Taiwan, drawing over 100 participants, including Tibetan groups, NGOs, political parties, and the National Human Rights Commission, all marching under the Snow Lion Flag.

The parade, which began at Zhongxiao Fuxing MRT Station, passed landmarks such as the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall and the Bank of China, before concluding at the Xinyi Smoke-Free Demonstration Plaza.

The demonstrators chanted slogans like 'Free Tibet' and 'Tibet belongs to the Tibetans' as they marched, with several NGO workers and Tibetans in Taiwan giving speeches urging the public to recognize China's human rights violations in Tibet.

Gesang Gyaltsen, Chairman of the Dalai Lama's Tibetan Religious Foundation, emphasized that the peace agreement forced upon Tibet by the Chinese Communist Party in 1951 led to the deaths of over 1.2 million Tibetans, the destruction of more than 6,000 temples, and the exile of Tibet's leaders. He argued that China continues to commit genocide, cultural destruction, and religious persecution in Tibet.

The National Human Rights Commission joined the march for the first time this year, with Deputy Commissioner Wang Youling delivering a speech highlighting that the Tibet issue is a human rights matter. Wang noted that human rights are universal and that Taiwan must be concerned about Tibet's plight, as 'today's Tibet may be tomorrow's Taiwan.'

At around 3 pm, the parade paused at the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall for a moment of silence and a traditional Tibetan prostration ceremony to honour those who sacrificed their lives for Tibet. Tashi Tsering, Secretary General of the Tibetan Taiwan Human Rights Alliance, explained that the prostration is a Buddhist act of worship symbolizing courage and perseverance.

The parade ended at the Xinyi Smoke-Free Demonstration Plaza, and the '66th Anniversary Candlelight Vigil for the Tibetan Uprising' will be held at Freedom Square on the evening of March 10.

According to the Tibet Taiwan Human Rights Network, Tibet was invaded by China in 1951, resulting in severe suppression of Tibetan culture, religion, and traditions. On March 10, 1959, a massive uprising in Lhasa was brutally crushed by the Chinese army, leading to significant casualties and the Dalai Lama's exile to India, where he established a government-in-exile. This event marked the origin of 'Tibet Uprising Day.' (ANI)