Hundreds hold candlelight vigil in New York to mark one month since Lobga Rangzen's death; renew call for Tibetan independence

Hundreds of Tibetans and supporters gathered in New York City on Saturday to commemorate one month since the death of Tibetan independence activist Lobga Rangzen, who self-immolated outside the United Nations Headquarters in New York on July 2, renewing calls for Tibetan independence and condemning what participants described as China's intensifying repression in Tibet, according to a report by Phayul.

Hundreds of Tibetans and supporters gathered in New York City on Saturday to commemorate one month since the death of Tibetan independence activist Lobga Rangzen, who self-immolated outside the United Nations Headquarters in New York on July 2, renewing calls for Tibetan independence and condemning what participants described as China's intensifying repression in Tibet, according to a report by Phayul. The day-long commemoration was organised by the Tibetan National Congress (TNC) and brought together prominent Tibet supporters, including veteran actor and long-time Tibet advocate Richard Gere, Hong Kong democracy activist Alex Chow, elected officials, and representatives of the Uyghur, Southern Mongolian, and Taiwanese communities. According to the Phayul report, participants expressed solidarity against what they described as the Chinese government's escalating efforts to erase Tibetan identity.

The demonstration also criticised China's recently enacted "Ethnic Unity and Progressive Law," which organisers said further institutionalised assimilationist policies targeting Tibetans and other non-Han communities, Phayul reported. According to the report, the commemorative events began with Tibetan participants performing traditional full-body prostrations from the Brooklyn Bridge to Times Square. Tibetan youth from Students for a Free Tibet (SFT) also staged a "die-in" performance symbolising the 171 Tibetans who have self-immolated since 2009 in protest against Chinese rule and in support of an independent Tibet.

As evening fell, hundreds participated in a silent candlelight vigil before marching from Times Square to the United Nations Headquarters. Participants wore white scarves covering their mouths, which organisers said symbolised both the silencing of Tibetan voices inside Tibet and the international community's continued silence over Beijing's policies, the report stated. Addressing the gathering, TNC member Jigme Ugen argued that decades of international engagement with China had failed to halt Beijing's tightening control over Tibet. According to Phayul, he said Tibetans had long been asked to accept China's occupation, lower their political aspirations, and moderate their demands to align with what global governments considered acceptable.

Ugen further alleged that while the international community urged patience, China had used that period to dismantle Tibetan society through widespread repression, cultural assimilation, restrictions on monasteries, and the expansion of boarding schools that separate Tibetan children from their language, culture and families, according to the report. Speaking about Lobga Rangzen, Ugen described him as a lifelong advocate of Tibetan independence who believed the loss of Tibet's sovereignty was central to the suffering of the Tibetan people. According to Phayul, he said that without political freedom, all other rights remained vulnerable, adding that Rangzen had sacrificed his life in pursuit of Tibet's independence.

Richard Gere also paid tribute to Lobga Rangzen during the event, describing him as a man of unwavering conviction whose sacrifice should inspire action rather than despair. According to the Phayul report, Gere acknowledged that self-immolation remains a controversial act within Buddhist theology but said no one could question Rangzen's sincerity or commitment to his beliefs. Gere urged supporters to channel their grief into advocacy, saying people need not make the ultimate sacrifice but could instead raise awareness by speaking to elected representatives, neighbours and communities. He concluded his remarks by recalling Lobga Rangzen's enduring message, "Nga Bhoepa Yin" ("I am a Tibetan"), and encouraged those present to carry that message forward, the report said.

According to Phayul, the New York event was part of a series of memorial programmes organised by Tibetan communities worldwide to mark one month since Lobga Rangzen's passing. Candlelight vigils, prayers and public gatherings were held in several countries to honour his sacrifice and renew calls for Tibetan independence. The report added that in Dharamshala, the headquarters of the Tibetan diaspora community in India, Tibetans participated in a candlelight vigil from McLeod Ganj Main Square to Bhagsu, paying tribute to Lobga Rangzen and reiterating calls for justice and the protection of Tibet's cultural and religious identity. (ANI)