New York, Sep 27: Tibetan activists staged a protest outside the United Nations headquarters on Friday, demanding global support for Tibet’s independence and an end to China’s control over the region.
Chanting slogans such as “Free Tibet” and “China out of Tibet now,” the demonstrators drew attention to what they described as decades of oppression. Tashi Tundup, Vice President of the Regional Tibetan Youth Congress (RTYC) of New York and New Jersey, urged world leaders to act. “We are here to request the United Nations representatives, the world leaders, to support Tibet, for Tibetan independence,” he said.
The RTYC is a chapter of the Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC), the largest pro-independence Tibetan organisation in exile with over 30,000 members worldwide. Established in 1970, the TYC campaigns for complete independence and frequently organises protests and awareness drives highlighting Tibet’s political situation.
The demonstration coincided with the 80th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA), where global leaders convened to discuss pressing international issues. On the same day, China’s Premier Li Qiang addressed the assembly on behalf of President Xi Jinping, emphasising global cooperation while criticising protectionist trade policies remarks widely seen as a reference to former US President Donald Trump’s tariff measures.
The protest underscored the continuing tensions between Tibetan advocacy groups and Beijing, even as China seeks to shape global narratives at the UN.