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Toronto Marks 65th Tibetan Uprising Anniversary With Rally Against the CCP

Alina Wang
By Alina Wang
A native of New York, Alina has a Bachelors degree in Corporate Communications from Baruch College and writes about human rights, politics, tech, and society.
Published: March 12, 2024
This year's commemoration in Toronto, which was held on March 10, was organized by a coalition of five Tibetan organizations and drew the participation of nearly 1,900 supporters. (Image: Vision Times Staff)

On the 65th anniversary of the Tibetan uprising, a large rally unfolded in Toronto to echo the voices of Tibetans in exile, along with local and Chinese activists sympathetic to their cause.

The annual event, held every March 10th, serves as a somber reminder of the day in 1959 when Tibetans rose in a large-scale rebellion to shield the Dalai Lama from the grips of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) — a movement that eventually led to the forced exile of the Dalai Lama and thousands of Tibetans to India.

This year’s commemoration in Toronto was organized by a coalition of five Tibetan organizations and drew the participation of nearly 1,900 supporters. Demonstrators marched for three hours from the heart of the city to the Chinese consulate, expressing their discontent and calling for change along the way.

This year’s commemoration in Toronto, which was held on March 10, was organized by a coalition of five Tibetan organizations and drew the participation of nearly 1,900 supporters. (Image: Vision Times Staff)

The gathering was significantly bolstered by support from various groups advocating for democracy in China, including the Federation for a Democratic China, the Canadian Committee of the Chinese Democratic Party, and the Toronto Association for the Support of the Chinese Democracy Movement.

RELATED: Over 1,000 Tibetans Arrested in Southwest China as Dam Project Sparks Major Protests, Threatens Local Heritage

During the event, representatives from the Ontario Tibetan Association of Canada and the Toronto Tibetan Students’ Freedom Group shared updates on the latest instances of Tibetan resistance against CCP control. Tragically, since 2008, over 160 Tibetans have resorted to self-immolation as a form of protest against the CCP’s oppressive policies and brutal crackdowns.

Ethnic cleansing of Tibetans

The recent warning by United Nations experts about the forcible removal of over 1 million Tibetan children from their families to undergo “sinicization” in boarding schools was highlighted as a grave concern. Additionally, the arrest of over 1,000 Tibetans in Derge County for protesting a government-imposed hydroelectric dam project underscored the ongoing strife. This construction threatens to displace thousands, wreak environmental havoc, and submerge sacred sites and invaluable Tibetan Buddhist murals underwater.

This year’s commemoration in Toronto, which was held on March 10, was organized by a coalition of five Tibetan organizations and drew the participation of nearly 1,900 supporters. (Image: Vision Times Staff)

The plight of Tibet under communist Chinese rule is often shrouded in silence, with censorship on Chinese social media platforms and extremely low freedom rankings from watchdogs like Freedom House — Tibet consistently scores near the bottom, with this year’s score falling to a record low.

Despite these challenges, the resilience and spirit of the Tibetan people remain unbroken. A recent victory against Thermo Fisher Scientific, which halted the sale of equipment that the CCP used to collect DNA from Tibetans, stands testament to the enduring strength and unity of the Tibetan resistance.

This year’s commemoration in Toronto, which was held on March 10, was organized by a coalition of five Tibetan organizations and drew the participation of nearly 1,900 supporters. (Image: Vision Times Staff)

Former Senator Consiglio Di Nino shared his personal experiences and emotional turmoil after visiting Tibet, leading him to dedicate his life to amplifying the struggles and faith of the Tibetan people. On the 65th year of CCP’s relentless persecution of Tibetans, Di Nino called for global action to end the CCP’s occupation of Tibet, emphasizing that supporting Tibet is a crucial stand for justice.

Activists unite

Sheng Xue, vice chairperson of the Federation for a Democratic China, delivered speech highlighting the unique courage demonstrated on the 65th anniversary of the uprising. She praised Tibetans as exemplars of resistance, vital not only to their community but to all under CCP’s oppression. She urged all those yearning for freedom from CCP’s rule to unite and form a strong alliance against tyranny.

This year’s commemoration in Toronto, which was held on March 10, was organized by a coalition of five Tibetan organizations and drew the participation of nearly 1,900 supporters. (Image: Vision Times Staff)

The gathering also served as a platform for the Toronto Association for Democracy in China, which issued calls to the international community and the Canadian government to stand firm against the CCP’s human rights abuses and to join in the upcoming commemoration of the Tiananmen Square massacre.

As the event came to a close in front of the Chinese consulate, with chants of “Free Tibet” and calls to end the CCP’s brutalities, it was a powerful reminder of the collective struggle for freedom and justice. Participants — whether Tibetan, Uyghur, Hongkonger, or mainland Chinese — stood in solidarity, reaffirming their commitment to the fight against the CCP’s rule and its egregious violations of human rights.

With reporting by Xiao Ran, Vision Times Staff.