CTA holds prayers for Tibetan martyrs
Tribune News Service
Dharamsala, March 8
The Department of Religion and Culture, CTA, held the annual prayer service today in memory of the Tibetan martyrs, who protested China’s occupation of Tibet on March 8, 1989.
The hour-long programme was presided over by CTA president Sikyong Lobsang Sangay, chief guest Frantisek Kopriva, vice-chairperson of the committee for European affairs of the Chamber of Deputiesa and founding member and co-chairperson of Czech Parliamentary Group for Tibet, and special guest Dana Balcarova, the chairwoman of the committee of the environment of the chamber of deputies and founding member of the Czech Parliamentary group for Tibet, Chief Justice Commissioner, Deputy Speaker and members of the Tibetan Parliament, Kalons of all the Departments and CTA staff.
Sikyong highlighted the significance of this day. He said from March 8-10, 1989, Tibetans around Lhasa led peaceful protests that ended up in the imprisonment and deaths of thousands of the protesters by the Chinese authorities. Since the Chinese occupation of Tibet in 1949, around a million Tibetans had been killed.
He also expressed concern for Tibetans in Tibet who are dealing with the coronavirus crisis.
Sikyong recalled the enduring support of the Czech Republic which always had strong ties with Tibet as former Czechoslovakia president Václav Havel was a strong supporter and admirer of the Dalai Lama. He shared that the Czech Republic has the honour of being the first country to hoist the Tibetan flag on Tibetan Uprising Day, while this year other countries like France and Germany are doing the same.
