10 MARCH 2017
on this day, in 1959, Tibetans from across the social spectrum rose up to organize a defiant but also peaceful uprising against the illegal occupation of Tibet by the People's Republic of China. Hoy, commemorating the fifty-eighth anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising Day, We remember and pay tribute to all those who have sacrificed their lives for our nation's struggle. To date, It is estimated that one million people have perished and that the 98 % of the monasteries were destroyed under the Chinese invasion.
Although today is a day to feel sorry, there are reasons to be proud and hopeful. Hoped by the fact that on this historic day of 1959, Tibetan men and women from the three provinces marched in unison, bravely defying the Chinese invasion, raising the slogans: “Tibet belongs to the Tibetans,” and “Stop meddling with the authority of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.”,” thus making their aspirations known.
Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay
Since then, Tibetans in Tibet have been at the forefront of the Tibetan freedom struggle to protect their political rights, social, cultural and environmental. Despite increasing repression and intensifying crackdowns, they have made clear their genuine aspirations, As reflected in the case of the 145 self-immolations that asked for “Freedom for Tibetans” and the “Return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Tibet.”
The resilience of the Tibetan people and our firm commitment to walking the path of non-violence have earned respect, the support and solidarity of governments and people around the world.
In June of last year, President Barack Obama met with His Holiness the Dalai Lama at the White House and expressed his strong support for the “Middle Way Approach.”” and urged the Chinese government to engage in meaningful dialogue with the envoys of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. I take this opportunity to once again congratulate President Donald Trump on his election.. We are excited to see the new Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, ensure that the Trump administration will continue to support the Tibetan cause, receiving His Holiness the Dalai Lama and promoting dialogue between Beijing and representatives of the “government in exile of Tibet”” and/or “the Dalai Lama.”
In December of last year, The European Parliament demonstrated its concern about the Tibet issue by adopting an urgent resolution on Tibet, calling for the resumption of dialogue with Tibetan representatives to peacefully resolve the Tibet issue. Urgent resolution condemns Larung Gar demolition.
In February of this year, on the eve of the 34thª Session of the UN Human Rights Council, in a rare and bold move, Six independent UN experts issued a joint statement on a series of human rights violations in Tibet, particularly the cases of Larung Gar and Yarchen Gar.. In a high-pitched statement, UN experts expressed alarm over China's violations of international human rights law and large-scale repression in Tibet.
The Chinese government under the leadership of President Xi Jinping has taken an alarming position on Tibet stating that “the security and stability of China depends on the security and stability of Tibet.”,” based on the fact that Tibetans must “give up their security in exchange for gaining harmony.” Such a strategic approach guarantees increasing repression in Tibet.
Article 36º of the Chinese Constitution guarantees “freedom of religion,” but in practice, The State Council of China has revised the “Regulations on Religious Affairs” to directly control all religious affairs in Tibet.
Chinese authorities have begun demolishing the Larung Gar institute since last year. This resulted in the forced evictions of monks and nuns from the institute to carry out their plan to reduce the residents of 10 thousand to 5 mil. Those evicted are forced to sign a document promising not to return to the institute or continue their practices in other monastic institutes in their hometowns.. Similarly, Nearly a thousand nuns were forcibly evicted from the Yarchen Gar Institute. The situation is similar to that of the Cultural Revolution in Tibet.
For Tibetans and Buddhists, This year began with the successful granting of the 34thª Kalachakra initiation by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. However, Chinese authorities called His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s Kalachakra teachings in India “illegal.” Travel restrictions were imposed on Tibetans in Tibet to prevent them from attending these teachings.. Those who returned faced interrogations, their passports were torn or thrown away, and were placed under strict surveillance with their movement rights restricted.
While millions of Chinese citizens are able to travel freely around the world with their passports, to the Tibetans of Tibet, including members of the communist party are denied passports and face travel restrictions, even those for medical or educational purposes, unnecessary to mention those that have pilgrimage purposes. A Tibetan blogger from Tibet wrote: “For a Tibetan it is more difficult to obtain a passport than to enter paradise.”
Not only for trips abroad, strict measures restrict movements within Tibet, from Kham and Amdo in eastern Tibet to the capital city Lhasa, even if the purpose is to visit family or make a pilgrimage. Even within the provinces, Severe restrictions are imposed on native Tibetans as reported during the recent Kumbum Monastery butter lamp festival and annual Cham dance, in Kirti Monastery.
It is a blatant disregard for Tibetan sentiments, one week before the Chinese New Year celebration, the regional government of the so-called “Tibetan Autonomous Region” made it mandatory to place one million portraits of the four generations of the leaders of the communist party in homes, schools and temples.
We call on the Chinese government to end discriminatory policies, issue travel documents for Tibetans and respect their freedom of movement both in and out of Tibet.
On the environmental front, increased activities in unregulated open-air mines in the sacred mountains of Amchok and Minyak, last year, was met with widespread protests from native Tibetans. In accordance with international environmental law, the natives, who are the true stewards of the earth, They must be the true beneficiaries of mining activities. Given the seriousness of the case, UN experts have questioned China over the environmental impacts of mining activities in Amchok.
The arrest and detention of Tashi Wangchuk, an advocate for the rights to bilingual education, was accused of separatism and is now awaiting sentencing is a clear reflection of China's violation of its own Constitution and the Law on Regional Ethnic Autonomy that guarantees minorities the right to use and develop spoken and written language.
Such horrific human rights violations have led Tibetans in Tibet to resort to desperate measures such as self-immolation to protest China's repressive policies.. In December of last year, Tashi Rabten de 33 years died in a self-immolation in protest. Tashi Rabten's first cousin, Tsering Kyi, of 20 years, another language rights advocate, died the same way 2012.
The repression in Tibet is stated in several international reports. The annual report of 2016 of the Executive Committee of the US Congress., designated China again among Countries of Particular Concern (CPC, by its acronym in English). The Amnesty International Report 2015/2016 noted increasing restrictions on Tibetan monasteries, by the Chinese government. The report of 2016 of Freedom House noted the imposition by Chinese authorities of “severe limitations on the religious practice of Tibetan Buddhists, in particular the veneration of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.” The report also mentioned the “new measures imposed since November 2012, among them, the punishment for assisting self-immolators, the cancellation of permits prior to festivals, increased restrictions on private religious practices, and more proactively manipulating Tibetan Buddhist doctrine and selecting Buddhist leaders.”
Given international condemnation of Chinese policies in Tibet, We once again ask the Chinese leadership to review its failed policies in Tibet, to address the legitimate grievances of the people and resolve the long-standing issue of Tibet. This can be best done by adhering to the Middle Way Approach proposition and resuming dialogue with the Dalai Lama's envoys., as reiterated by the United States government and the European Parliament.
in exile, The Central Tibetan Administration is putting its best efforts to strengthen the social foundations of the Tibetan political struggle. In December 2016, His Holiness the Dalai Lama conferred the historic title of Geshema on 20 tibetan nuns. This year, The Kashag released the revised version of the “Tibetan Women Empowerment Policy”” and subsequently convened the first “Tibetan Women's Empowerment Conference.”” Such concerted efforts are intended to realize His Holiness the Dalai Lama's vision of seeing Tibetan women contributing to peaceful and global leadership in the 20th century. 21. The Kashag has designated the 12 March of each year as “Tibetan Women's Day.”
The “Five-Fifty Vision”” del Kashag, designed under the maxim of His Holiness to “hope for the best while preparing for the worst.”” envisions solving the Tibet issue in the next five years through the Middle Way Approach, but at the same time ensures that the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA, by its acronym in English) will survive, will be strengthened and sustained in order to carry out the struggle for Tibetan freedom for the next fifty years.
While exile is a successful model and the Tibetan nonviolent movement continues to inspire other global movements, There is still a radical group of the Tibetan propitiator Dholgyal, the one who under the garb of freedom of expression and religion, continues to denigrate the achievements of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and discredit the CTA. They have sadly become a pawn in the Chinese government's political power game.. While we condemn such vicious insinuations, We urge you to amend your vices, change the trajectory and walk the right path.
To further galvanize the global Tibetan movement, the Kashag is observing the year 2017 like a year of campaign. Year 2018 will mark the 60 years since the first Tibetans set foot in exile. That is why we will observe the 2018 as a year of gratitude to express our deep appreciation to governments and people around the world, particularly from India, for extending their determined support to us over the last half century.
We thank National Endowment for Democracy, a nonprofit organization of the United States Congress, for submitting a citation to recognize and honor the democratic institution of the CTA as envisioned by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. We also thank USAID for delivering the certificate of excellence to the Tibetan Medicare system.
We thank the governments, leaders, parliamentarians, Tibet support groups and freedom-loving people from around the world, for supporting the just cause of Tibet. We thank you for giving us the impetus to move forward., no matter the indomitable challenges that come our way.
During the long life prayer ceremony on the final day of Kalachakra, His Holiness reaffirmed his commitment to live for more than 100 years. Yo, on behalf of all Tibetans, I offer our sincere gratitude to His Holiness the great 14º Dalai Lama for the wonderful news. At the same time, I urge every Tibetan to take into account the advice of His Holiness and gain collective karma. While we remain united as the highest objective, we must put aside trivial and regional affiliations.
Finally, let us pray for the joyful reunion of all Tibetans in their homeland. We express our fervent prayers for the long life of our beloved leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama. ¡May all your desires be satisfied! ¡May the non-violent cause of Tibet prevail!
Dr. Lobsang Sangay
Sikyong
