Dawa Tsering (left) and Tenzin Chogyal of the Maui Dharma Center lead dozens of marchers through the entrance to Baldwin Beach Park during the Maui Torch Relay late Sunday morning

Dozens of marchers gathered at Baldwin Beach Park where a rally was held.

Itaj Zeegers of Holland holds a Tibetan flag.

Marching on Maui for freedom in Tibet

PAIA, Hawaii, 24 March 2008 (Maui News) The Maui Dharma Center led dozens of marchers through the entrance to Baldwin Beach Park during the Maui Torch Relay late Sunday morning.

Participants were hoping to raise awareness about the treatment of the Tibetan people by the Chinese government, which invaded the formerly independent nation in 1959.

China is host to the Summer Olympics this year, but it will not allow expatriate Tibetans to compete.

A Tibetan Olympics will be held in India, at Dharamsala, the seat of the Tibetan government in exile, in May, and it is being publicized by the Torch Relay, which began Jan. 30 in Delhi.

The Maui leg of the relay started at Maui Dharma Center in Paia and ended at Baldwin with a prayer for peace.

Copyright © 2008 Maui News

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Photos by Amanda Cowan (Maui News)