[LESS INFO] 1 VIEWS | ADDED 13:30:42 06/19/08
Shimla – Two exile Tibetans were detained by Indian border forces on June 19th, at approximately 10:30am as they attempted to cross the Indian border into Tibet near Shipkila Pass in Himachal Pradesh. With Tibet in view, the two Tibetans staged an iconic protest, raising a Tibetan national flag, calling for an end to China's occupation, and denouncing China's plans to take the Olympic torch into Tibet. Chime Youngdung, President of the National Democratic Party of Tibet, aged 33, along with Konchok Yangphel, Public Relations Officer of Tibetan Youth Congress, aged 29, held up Tibetan flags and a banner reading, "Free Tibet Now," and started marching the last ten kilometers toward Tibet when they were arrested by Indian border forces. Legdup Tsering, 20, who helped document the incident, was also arrested a few hours later.
"We came to demonstrate to China, and to the world, that Tibet belongs to Tibetans and we will never give up in our fight for freedom," said Chime Youngdung. "We have taken this action today to show our solidarity with our six million Tibetan brothers and sisters who are living under siege and being brutally oppressed by the Chinese authorities."
