Darjeeling, Dec. 9: Tibetans across the world continue to fight their battle although 49 years have passed since they fled their homeland and a generation was born in exile.

The community has decided to come together once again on World Human Rights Day in Darjeeling tomorrow as part of the fight for its payul (fatherland). Whether it is the Dalai Lama’s birthday or a special occasion to mark the movement, the Tibetans leave no stone unturned to showcase their cause.

“We will observe World Human Rights Day at Central School of Tibetan tomorrow. We do not know when our fight will end but whenever it is, till then our enthusiasm will always be high,” said Nima Dorjee, the president of the Tibetan Youth Congress in Darjeeling.

This year, the Tibetans decided to press the implementation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was adopted by the United Nations in 1948.

“Since then the UN General Assembly has passed three human rights resolutions on Tibet in 1959, 1961 and 1965. They have not been implemented despite the fact that China had adopted the Declaration of 1948. It continues to ignore and violate all articles of the Declaration,” said Dorjee. Calling upon the United Nations and its member states to take concrete action against China so that the Tibet issue is resolved, Dorjee said: “Mere criticisms of the cultural genocide in Tibet without meaningful international pressure has emboldened China.”

The demand comes in the wake of anti-Chinese riots in Tibet earlier this year. “China had jailed 30 Tibetans in April and 55 others in November unfairly for their participation in peaceful protests. The current trial is also an eyewash before the international community,” said Dorjee.

“China’s colonial occupation has resulted in the death of 1.2 million Tibetans, destruction of over 6,000 monasteries and the displacement of 100,000 people since 1959. We resolve once again to renew our commitment to our homeland,” said Dorjee.