March 10, 1959: Tibetans rise up against the oppression of Chinese military occupancy. His Holiness the Dalai Lama fled. He continues to lead his people in exile.

Fifty-one years later, Tibetans across the world commemorate this day — and Victoria is no exception.

Hosted by UVic’s chapter of Students for a Free Tibet and Victoria’s branch of the Canada Tibet Committee, the Saturday, March 6, event will begin with a 12:30 p.m. march from Centennial Square to the Legislature, where a rally will go on from 1 to 2 p.m. Although it’s been half a century, Tsering Dolma of the Canada Tibet Committee says little has changed for Tibetans.

“In Tibet, there’s still unrest,” she confirmed. “Tibetans are protesting, despite the fact that they know by doing so they could be imprisoned and tortured and death can be possible.”

The march offers an opportunity for Tibetan-Canadians and supporters to educate the public about what’s going on in Tibet, she said.

Dolma hopes for 75 to 100 people to show up, although she cautions that turnout depends on the weather. The group will then go to Vancouver for a big rally on Sunday.

“We are hoping the Canadian government steps forward and talks to China. His Holiness (the 14th Dalai Lama) has been always wanting to talk with China to negotiate,” she said. “He doesn’t want Tibet back as an independent nation. He wants it to be an autonomous region.”

Autonomous region status would give Tibet access to basic human rights legislation and freedom of religion, two important things that Tibetans don’t have now,  she said.

Tibet and China have a complex history. The debate about Tibet’s governance has been an ongoing topic since China occupied Tibet, 10 years before the uprising. Although Tibet had de facto independence from China from 1912, the Chinese argue that Tibet was not independent during that time. Tibetans argue that many have been imprisoned and tortured for religious and resistance reasons, and that Tibetans are becoming a minority in their country because of Chinese immigration into Tibet.