Dharamshala: Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile hosted a dinner in honor of the high-level delegations from the NED, the European Parliament, Mexico & Lithuania, the guests of the official commemoration of the 64th Tibetan National Uprising Day, in the evening on 10th March 2023.
The high-level delegations included MEPs Mikulás Peksa, Salima Yenbou, Hannes Heide, & Aura Maldeikien; President Damon Wilson of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED); Lithuanian Parliamentarian Arunas Valinska; and Mexican lawmakers Lidia Garcia Anaya, Dulce Maria Corina, Ines Parra Juarez, Salvador Caro Cabrera, Ma Teresa Rosaura Ochoa Mejia, Julieta Mejia Ibanez, Lidia Perez Barcenas, and Jose Miguel De La Cruz Lima.
Welcoming the guests, the Speaker extended his gratitude to them for coming all the way to Dharamshala to show their solidarity with the just cause of Tibet which would give inspiration to Tibetans, especially those who are still suffering under the oppression of the CCP.
He spoke on the significance of the ‘10th March 1959’ in Tibetan history and the evolution of democracy in the Tibetan community including the devolvement of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s political authority in 2011.
Speaking on the concerning situation inside of Tibet where Tibetans are deprived of basic human rights including the right to practice one’s own religion and language. “Recently the forceful DNA sample collection drive, sending Tibetan children to Chinese colonial boarding schools and making them learn the Chinese language is nothing but their attempt to erase our Tibetan identity,” added the Speaker.
The Speaker added, “We have chosen the Middle way Approach as our policy and since the 9th round of negotiation with the Chinese government in 2010, everything has come to a halt and there is no sign of willingness to have a dialogue from their end. Xi Jinping continues to be the president of China and likewise, the one-party policy continues to govern. Although China is economically strong, its system lacks far behind in terms of upholding international laws and operating according to geopolitics. In order to become a trustworthy nation, China definitely needs to change and lead in a better way.”
“Last November, the Mexico Congress headed by Deputy Salvador Caro Cabrera launched the Deputies friends of Tibet in the congress. Despite China’s pressure on them directly or indirectly, the group was successfully launched and we are deeply proud and grateful to each of the members. Similarly, an Inter-Parliamentary Group for Tibet was launched in the Spanish Senate on 21 February 2023 which also happened to be our Tibetan New Year- Losar. We are really happy and thankful to receive such support and we hope to see more such support from different countries in the future too.
Likewise, President Damon Wilson of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), Lithuanian Parliamentarian Arunas Valinska, MEP Mikulás Peksa, and Mexican lawmakers Salvador Caro Cabrera gave their addresses showing their support to the just cause of Tibet and commitment to continue supporting it.
Over the dinner, the guests discussed varied issues with Speaker Khenpo Sonam Tenphel and members of the Standing Committee and Budget Estimate Committee.
