Hundreds of Tibetan exiles marched through the streets of New Delhi on Sunday to mark the 65th day of the Tibetan national uprising against China.
More than 300 protesters gathered near the Indian Parliament Building, chanting slogans such as “Tibet has never been a part of China” and “China should leave Tibet.”
Protesters held Tibetan flags and photos of their spiritual leader the Dalai Lama.
The 88-year-old Dalai Lama fled Tibet after a failed uprising against Chinese rule in 1959, making the Indian hillside town of Dharamsala his headquarters. India considers Tibet part of China, although it hosts Tibetan exiles.
The Dalai Lama denies China’s claims that he is a separatist and says he only advocates for Tibet’s substantive autonomy and the protection of its native Buddhist culture.
The Tibetan government-in-exile in India accuses China of depriving the Tibetan people of their most basic human rights and vigorously promoting the eradication of Tibetan identity.
The Tibetan Youth Congress, which organized a protest march in New Delhi on Sunday, said the Chinese occupation of Tibet in 1959 led to a revolt among Tibetans.
“Since then, the Chinese regime has resorted to brutal methods that have resulted in the deaths of more than a million Tibetans who were peacefully protesting against China’s oppressive rule,” the group said in a statement.
