The Kashag (Cabinet) of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) and the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile will jointly organise a prayer service and peaceful march in Dharamsala on August 20 to honour Lobsang Palden, also known as Lobga Rangzen. The programme will mark the 49th day since Palden died following his self-immolation in New York in protest against China’s policies in Tibet, including the recently implemented “Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress Law”.

A two-hour prayer service will be held at the Tsuglagkhang Temple in McLeodganj, in accordance with Tibetan Buddhist tradition, which attaches significance to the 49th day after death and the completion of the traditional bardo period. The service will honour Palden as well as other Tibetans who have lost their lives in connection with the Tibetan cause.

The peaceful march will begin at Tsuglagkhang and proceed towards the Police Ground in Dharamsala. Sikyong (President) of the CTA Penpa Tsering and other members of the Kashag are expected to participate. The CTA has described the programme as an occasion for Tibetans and supporters of the Tibetan cause to come together peacefully and express solidarity over concerns surrounding Tibet’s cultural identity, language, religion and way of life.

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Tsering also cautioned against portraying self-immolation as the only means for Tibetans to express their aspirations. He stressed that the loss of even one Tibetan patriot represented a significant loss for the Tibetan cause. Palden set himself ablaze on July 2 in front of the United Nations Headquarters in New York, with Tibetan groups describing the act as a protest against China’s policies and what they characterise as continuing repression in Tibet.

The CTA has instructed Tibetan Settlement Offices and Offices of Tibet to organise similar prayer services in their respective regions. It said Tibetans in several parts of the world have conducted campaigns, events and peaceful protests following Palden’s death, with members of Uyghur, Mongolian and pro-democracy Chinese communities also participating in some solidarity initiatives. The CTA further pointed to concerns raised by several countries and international institutions regarding the “Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress Law”, including its potential implications for minority-language education and religious and cultural freedoms.

Meanwhile, Kalon of the Department of Religion and Culture Tsegyal Chukya Dranyi began an official visit to the Mundgod Doeguling Tibetan Settlement in Karnataka, Dehradun in Uttarakhand, Dolanji Tibetan Settlement (Bonshi) and Shimla in Himachal Pradesh on August 16. The visit is scheduled to continue until September 1 and includes visits to monasteries, meetings with revered Lamas and interactions with members of Tibetan communities in the regions.

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