Tibetans who live in exile in India have held a blood signature campaign to pay respects to the Tibetans who've set themselves on fire in protest of the opressive rule by the Chinese Communist Party.
Tibetans-in-exile living in Dharamshala India held a blood signature campaign to pay homage to self-immolators on Monday (February 11).
The Tibetan New Year (Losar) was a low key affair and prayers were conducted for self-immolators who gave their lives to protest against repressive Chinese rule.
Nearly 100 Tibetans have set themselves on fire to protest against Chinese rule since 2009.
[Ringzin Chodon, Teacher, Sarah College]:
"They have gathered here today to protest against the Chinese oppression and brutality against human rights inside Tibet as this year the number of self immolations have reached 99 in Tibet."
The aim of the campaign was to bring to the light the atrocities of the oppressive Chinese government.
China had branded the self-immolators as 'terrorists' and criminals, and has repeatedly denounced exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama and overseas Tibetan groups for fomenting the self-immolations.
Beijing considers the Dalai Lama, who fled from Tibet in 1959 after an abortive uprising against Chinese rule, a violent separatist. The Dalai Lama says he is merely seeking greater autonomy for his Himalayan homeland.
