Former Tibetan prisoner Jinpa rides 800 km on bicycle across US to protest against China

A 40-year-old Tibetan national and former political prisoner under Chinese Community Party, Lobsang Jinpa, took an 800 kilometre-long journey on his bicycle across the US for a profound cause.

The reason was to raise awareness about the Communist Party of China (CPC) and its oppressive rule over Tibet. The former political prisoner, who now currently resides in the US, reportedly set out on his own on his bicycle from Boston to Washington DC. 

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Bike Ride for Tibet

The entire journey took Jinpa 2 weeks, as he cycled through Connecticut, New York and Pennsylvania to reach his destination on July 20 and spread more awareness on the cause for a 'Free Tibet' movement just outside the White House. Jinpa called his awareness drive 'Bike Ride for Tibet'.

Members from the Capital Area Tibetan Association Board and the Regional Tibetan Youth Congress joined Jinpa's cause by riding along with him from the Chinese Embassy in DC to the White House, where his ride ended.

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Protestors who had gathered to cheer and show solidarity with Jinpa, raised slogans against China and questioned the disappearance of the 11th Panchen Lama and vociferously called on the Chinese government to allow the rightful return of Tibet's spiritual leader the Dalai Lama back home.

Speaking to news agency ANI, Jinpa stated that the Chinese regime was an "outlaw" regime and that its authorities have become increasingly more dangerous around the world. "Through this bike ride for Tibet, I wish to bring this into light," Jinpa said.

Recollecting his most challenging leg of the journey, Jinpa said, gale-force winds and torrential rains were the hardest but there was also copious amounts of "blistering" sunshine that lay as an obstacle for him.

However, despite the challenges, Jinpa asserted that he did not once think that he would fail to complete what he set out to achieve.

"China has created so many areas of conflict around the world, lied about the pandemic that has enveloped the world and refuses a reasonable settlement with the people of Tibet and its government in exile, in light of all these things, I do not think my journey was difficult", Jinpa reiterated. 

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Jinpa is a former political prisoner who was imprisoned by China for more than 2 years for filming the 2008 protests in Kham Tawu in Tibet. Upon his release, he was constantly under surveillance, which eventually led to him fleeing Tibet via Nepal and resettling in Dharmashala, the Tibetan bastion in India, from where he continued his fight for the freedom of his people.

In his byte to ANI, Jinpa mentioned that he is convinced about India's involvement in Tibet's freedom struggle and that it will need to play a larger role Tibet independence fight against China.

"India is confronting problems on the border with China, these issues have been completely integrated with the matter of Tibet." 
Jinpa further added that unless the current status quo is resolved, border tensions with China are unlikely to end.

(With agency inputs)

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