Exiled Tibetans to hold prayer service, candlelight vigil

Thousands of exiled Tibetans, who have been residing in Dharamsala for decades, are holding prayers and candle light vigil to express solidarity with those agitating in Tibet Autonomous Region. "The worldwide prayer server is to pay their respect and to express solidarity with all those Tibetans, who have self-immolated in protest the 'repressive' Chinese policies in Tibet," Ngawang Choedak, Secretary for Religion and Culture in Dharamshala said here today. The prayer service to be held from 3 PM to 5 PM tomorrow will be followed by a candle light vigil in the evening, which will also be held worldwide to show solidarity with those agitating in Tibet. "Despite the Kashag's (Tibetan Cabinet's) repeated appeals not to resort to drastic actions, since 2009, over 102 Tibetans have set themselves on fire to protest against the Chinese government's continued occupation of Tibet and repression," Ngawang said. Most of Tibetans who set themselves ablaze demand for the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to his homeland and freedom for Tibetans in the region.