NORTHAMPTON — Some 40 protesters marched through downtown Wednesday, pledging to stop the demolition of a Tibetan Buddhist academy by the Chinese government.
Demolition of the Larung Gar academy began in July as part of a multiyear plan aiming to downsize the academy by 50 percent and evict at least half of its more than 10,000 residents, according to the organization Students for a Free Tibet. Three nuns from the region have committed suicide in protest.
“We have to stop that from happening,” said Kalsang Nangpa, 21, president of the Students for a Free Tibet chapter at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. “This is an issue of human rights.”
Many of the protesters who gathered outside City Hall prior to the short march were students from the five colleges.
Nangpa is a Tibetan from India and has been involved with the organization since high school. She said many people do not know about Tibet’s history and works to spread awareness.
As part of the Global Day of Action for Larung Gar, Nangpa organized the protest along with local chapters of Students for a Free Tibet, Amnesty Chapter 128 and local Tibetan community.
“While we may be low in numbers … we are not alone,” said Sonam Rabgay, president of the Mount Holyoke College chapter said to the crowd.
UMass Amherst student Austin Jacques, 23, became interested in the social justice movement after spending a few days during a study abroad trip to Dharamsala, Tibetan exile community in India. On Wednesday, Jacques stood in the crowd wearing a blue Students for a Free Tibet shirt. A Tibetan graduate student at UMass Amherst, Sherab Wangmo, 37, held a sign reading “China: Stop illegal demolitions, I stand with Larung Gar.”
Mayor David J. Narkewicz was not present, but released a statement in support of Global Day of Action for Larung Gar and urged the immediate halt of the demolitions.
“The City of Northampton has stood in solidarity with our local Tibetan community for years,” the statement reads. “The demolitions and forced removals in Larung Gar demonstrate the extremes China will go to to control religion. Stand with me in supporting Larung Gar.”
District representative for U.S. Rep. James P. McGovern, Keith Barnicle, read a statement from McGovern, “If ever there were a time when the United States and the international community should protest to the Chinese authorities, this is the moment.”
Nangpa said the organization has been collecting signatures for a petition that will be sent to Secretary of State John Kerry, asking him to take action and urge the Chinese government to stop this order.
Students are still collecting signatures for the petition. For more information or to become involved with Students for a Free Tibet visit standwithlarunggar.org.
Caitlin Ashworth can be reached at cashworth@gazettenet.com.