Tibetan activists affiliated with the Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC) have launched a 90-hour hunger strike outside the United Nations Headquarters, seeking urgent global attention to what they describe as worsening conditions in Tibet.
The protest, which began on April 6 and is scheduled to conclude on April 10, is part of the 19th instalment of the group’s “10th Day Movement”, a monthly campaign initiated by its 18th executive committee.
According to Phayul, Lobsang Tsering, president of the TYC chapters in New York and New Jersey, said the demonstration aims to highlight the urgency of the Tibetan cause and press for international intervention.
Tsering noted that the campaign has been ongoing since August 2024, marked by consistent actions such as marches, relay runs and protests outside the Chinese Consulate, regardless of turnout or weather conditions.
He, however, expressed concern over limited participation from the wider Tibetan diaspora in the region. Despite an estimated population of 15,000 Tibetans in New York and New Jersey, only a small group has sustained the hunger strike, he said, urging greater community involvement through participation, funding and solidarity.
The activists said the protest seeks to draw attention to what they termed a critical situation in Tibet, warning that continued global inaction could undermine efforts to preserve Tibetan culture and secure political rights.
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Tsering emphasised that the United Nations remains a vital platform for raising awareness and demanding accountability.
Among the key demands raised by the protesters is the immediate release of the 11th Panchen Lama, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, who was detained by Chinese authorities in 1995 at the age of six and has not been seen publicly since.
The demonstrators also called for an end to policies they allege suppress Tibetan identity, including state-run boarding schools that they claim erode Tibetan language and culture.
Environmental concerns were also highlighted, with activists opposing Chinese projects such as mining, dam construction and deforestation on the Tibetan Plateau, citing ecological risks.
In addition, the protesters urged China to stop interfering in the recognition of Tibetan Buddhist reincarnations and to repeal laws they say enforce assimilation.
They also condemned alleged transnational repression targeting Tibetans globally and called on the international community to push for meaningful dialogue with China.
The hunger strike is set to conclude on April 10, with organisers hoping it will galvanise broader support for the Tibetan cause.
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