"Oh my God", I have yelled out, and I was completely shocked, extremely saddened, when I first read the news of tragic death of Jigme Norbu la. This shocking news has been flashed in most major wire news and they all have attributed his walk for Tibetan independence as a cause for his untimely death. Jigme Norbu meet his tragic end on a Florida highway, when he is walking for global peace and Tibetan independence. He was hit by a sport utility and killed on the spot.
http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=29110&article=Dalai+Lama%E2%80%99s+nephew+killed+by+a+car+while+walking+for+Tibet
He is dead while on duty. He gave up his life for the Tibetan people. A Tibetan hero's tragic death is a great loss for peace loving people and those who fought for Tibetan independence.
I saw him few times, and one was in Chicago, when he addressed a public gathering to commemorate the March 10th anniversary. His determination and sense of urgency for the Tibetan movement is very palpable. He has beguiled the audience with fearless rhetoricism. Giving his background and upbringing, (he is married to a Chinese with two kids and he doesn't speak Tibetan ) his involvement with the Tibetan cause and his promise to continue the legacy of his late father's walking for Tibetan independence is remarkable. Jigme Norbu has walked hundred of miles trans-crossing American states and cities and towns.
His walk for Tibetan independence has not generated the much required publicity in media, including Tibetan media. I did a webnews cast on his His recent walk to Washington D.C and using images from their walk. Despite of the scant media publicity and attention their campaign brought, he has still a dogged determination to carry on with the "walk for Tibetan movement". But what is imaginable is how many people on the way have seen the Tibetan flags, their slogans, and touched by his and his team of peace marchers and by their simple message to the world. He has set an example, of personal responsibility for a national cause. Tibetan in Tibet gave up their lives for voicing freedom and protesting the oppressor, while Jigme Norbu la has given up his life to amplify the voice that come fromm inside Tibet.
The looming danger and risk faced by such long ventures, didn't deter his determination to make a dent for the cause of Tibetan freedom.
leaving behind his families, and comfort, he has embargoed on a journey and that has no sight of ending. But the sense of urgency has pushed him to move on, and so did he .
It is too early to assess, what would be the impact of his walk for Tibetan independence. All the effort and hardwork that he has put on so far. It appears to me from conversation with early organizers of the walk for Tibetan, that Jigme la has shown little stubbornness and being little uncooperative in their endeavour. Most of the early walks were organized in conjecture with International Tibetan Independence Movement, a Tibetan supporter group based in Indiana, however, some of Jigme la's recent walks were all handled single- handedly with no involvement of the organization.
His life is so precious for a people who fights for freedom, his spirit and determination so strong. We only hope that he would have shown little more care to the danger of such walk and. one would have done anything to have him in our admist to continue to inspire and lead.
What people needs to remember, is "Here lies a person, who lived true to his salt". Jigme Norbu's sacrifice will inspired millions and his tragic death will not be in vain. May his soul lay in peace.
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