We are commemorating today a momentous occasion in the history of our nation, marking the 66th anniversary of the 10th of March 1959, when Tibetans from all the three provinces, being of one mind, united in a non-violent, spontaneous action to stage an uprising against the violent mentality and perpetrations of the Communist Chinese government. It is a day so deeply ingrained in the psyche of our people as to remain exceedingly difficult to erase from our collective memory. Today is also the Tibetan Martyrs’ Day to commemorate the patriotic valour of the Tibetan men and women who sacrificed their all, including their very lives, for the sake of the Tibetan religious, political, and national causes. The tragedy of the Tibetan nation began with the establishment of the People’s Republic of China in 1949 which in due course undertook an armed invasion of the country. This was followed by communist China’s launch of all manners of campaigns, including violent ones, against the Tibetan people. It all culminated in China coercing the government of Tibet to sign under duress the so-called 17-Point Agreement in 1951. Nevertheless, following it, the Tibetan government strived to coexist with the communis...