Dharamshala — Tibetan leaders have sent their condolences after the death of Gene Sharp, a lifelong advocate of nonviolent political resistance and multiple nominee of Nobel Peace Prize, who passed away at his home in Boston on 28 January. He was 90 years old.
President of Central Tibetan Administration Dr Lobsang Sangay sent his condolences, saying, “I express my deep condolence on the demise of Gene Sharp, a stalwart, intellectual, and a powerful advocate of non-violence as a potent political tool in motivating grassroots leaders."
“His writings, through which he has advanced the ideas of non violence, has given activists all over the world an ideological base and a hope that people could rebel successfully using non-violent means against repressive regimes,” he added.
“In the din of violence and rise of extremism globally, his ideas are a soothing reflection of maturity and the compassionate notion that violence is a vicious cycle of futile political approach,” Dr Sangay noted.
His the leader of the Tibetan political movement which is based on the key principles of non violence, Gene Sharp and his advocacy of non violence has an even greater resonance with the Tibetan people. His writings have inspired us for decades, and we are confident in his belief that the legacy of non violence will outlive violence in the long run,” Dr Sangay wrote.
In his condolence letter, Speaker Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, Khenpo Sonam Tenphel offered his sympathy and condolences to family members and loved ones of late Gene Spark on behalf of Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile and Tibetans all over the world and added that his works have inspired many people in dismantling seeming powerful repressive authorities around the world and in particular, through his workshops and teachings on various methods of non-violent actions to the Tibetan leaders and people on the Tibetan struggle movement, from old to young, continues to instill aspiration and hope in our non-violent struggle.
“The demise of Mr Gene Sharp, an advocate of nonviolent political resistance is a huge loss, not only for your family members and loved ones but also for all the followers of the nonviolence all around the world and especially for the Tibetan, whose resistant struggle is based on the key principles of nonviolence,” wrote the Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile.
He further wrote, “We considered it our privilege and an acknowledgment of his support when his book, ‘The Politics of Non-Violent Actions’ was translated into the Tibetan language. His institution, ????lbert Einstein Institution’ which is committed to the defense of democratic freedom and opposes repression and violence, is akin to that soft star which shines and dispels the looming darkness of the world in the cacophony of violence. We hope the institution continues to run and defend the democratic freedom of every citizen of the world”.
Winner of numerous peace awards and a multiple nominee for the Nobel Peace prize, Gene Sharp has died peacefully at his home in Boston at the age of 90 on 28 January 2018.
Born on the 21st January 1928, Gene was the founder of the Albert Einstein Institution in Massachusetts. He has authored many books including his seminal work from Dictatorship to Democracy: A Conceptual Framework for Liberation’ expounding the concept of non-violence as a strategic political movement.
He is attributed as the godfather of non-violent revolution, and his writings are believed to have influenced the Arab Spring, the peaceful non-violent revolution that toppled dictators in several Arab nations since 2010.
