March 10th 2010View Images here March 10 2010-NY,NY- Today marked the 51st anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising. This event was jointly organized by Students for a Free Tibet, Regional Tibetan Youth Congress of New York and New Jersey, The Tibetan Association, US Tibet Committee and Tibetan Women’s Association. This year’s demonstration shown to be a great success with a turn out of approximately 2,000 demonstrators who comprised of Tibetans and Tibet supporters in the tri-state area.The 12 hour program began 8am in Cadman Plaza in Brooklyn where early demonstrators gathered and coordinated their routes. At 9AM, the group crossed into Manhattan marching in sync towards the United Nation arriving at 12PM. Speeches were made by Ngawang Tashi, President of Regional Tibetan Youth Congress of New York and New Jersey (RTYCNYNJ), Tendor, Director of Students for a Free Tibet (SFT), Ngawang Sangdrol (Former political prisoner), Sonam Wangdu, US Tibet Committee, Kunsang la, Tibetan Women’s Association (TWA), and Phurbu Dorjee, Tibet Committee of New York and New Jersey. Union square was the last site for the program. Beginning at 5PM, series of speeches kept the attention of city bystanders as diverse issues were raised. One speech in particular from High school students from East Turkestan expressed their support for the Tibetans illustrating how similar their struggle was. With no cultural freedom and religious freedom in their home country, they explained the irony of having these rights here and cultivating it to a much higher degree than in their homeland. Much like the Tibetans living in exile. The program ended with local Tibetan rap artist MC Rebel who performed his song “Yes-We Can”. A song that illustrates the daily struggles and reality of an exiled Tibetan through different generations. |