Following a wave of protests in the run up to the arrival of the Indian leg
of the Olympic torch relay, Tibetan exiles have now set out on a return march
to their homeland Tibet.

NEW DELHI, INDIA  (APRIL19, 2008) AN I -

Scores of Tibetan exiles resumed their peaceful march to Tibet on
Saturday (April 19) from the Indian capital New Delhi.
    After the successful conduct of the Olympic torch relay in New Delhi on
April 17, they set out on foot towards Tibet to support their brethren facing
oppression under the Chinese regime.
   With grave faces and determination in their eyes, the Tibetans could be
seen encouraging each other as they stood together holding hands.
   The marchers started out at around 5.30 a.m. (local time) from Majnu ka
Tila, which has the largest number of Tibetans living in exile in New Delhi,
with a prayer on their lips, hopeful of reaching their homeland without any
disruption.
   The marchers said, they had no complaints against the Chinese people,
it's the policies of their government that they were opposed to.
    "We have no grievances against the Chinese people, it is their
government and its policies which trouble us. There are no human rights, no
democracy and we want them to release the prisoners in Tibet, stop oppression,
give proper medical aid to the needy.  And if possible we would like to appeal
to the people not to take part in the Olympics as it is being held in a
country which has no respect for human rights. We have embarked on this
peaceful march to Tibet to share the sorrows of our brethren in Tibet,"
said Tsering, a marcher.
    After more than a month of protests that began soon after the March 10
Chinese crackdown on protesters in Lhasa and nearby provinces, the 1,00,000
strong Tibetan diaspora in India is restive over Chinese stranglehold and
hegemony over Tibet.
    Several members of the Tibetan diaspora are keen to return to their
homeland and fight alongside their brethren for the just rights of the
populace in the Himalayan region.
    The marchers participated in peaceful protests, hunger strikes,
candle-light vigils and demonstrations over the past few weeks in the run up
to the Beijing Olympics.
    The exiles seeking an end to Chinese repression in Tibet have been
staging a wave of protests across the country and especially in the national
capital New Delhi and in Dharamsala, home of the Tibetan spiritual icon, the
Dalai Lama.
   India has had to tread a careful line as the country's growing ties with
China have to be balanced with allowing the Tibetans the right to stage their
protests.