Washington, D.C. — To mark the 61st Anniversary of the Complete Control of Tibet by the People's Republic of China, the speaker of the United States House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi, released a statement saying "China’s cruel crackdown on the religious liberty, cultural heritage and freedom of speech of Tibetan men, women and children remains a challenge to the conscience of the world."
Thousands of Tibetans all over the world on Tuesday observed the 61st anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising Day — revolted against China’s illegal occupation of a sovereign Tibet, holding objection rallies outside Chinese consular offices and also consular offices and also at the United Nations, while a program of pressure inside Tibet showed up to suppress commemorations.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi released this statement in observance of the 61st anniversary of Tibetan Uprising Day, which commemorates resistance to occupation by Chinese government forces in Tibet and the subsequent exile of His Holiness the Dalai Lama:
“On the 61st anniversary of the Tibetan Uprising, we honor the many brave Tibetans who sacrificed their lives in the fight for freedom," Speaker Nancy Pelosi said, adding: "Today, we also celebrate the aspirations of all Tibetans to live in peace, autonomy, and security, free from China’s brutal repression."
“China’s cruel crackdown on the religious liberty, cultural heritage and freedom of speech of Tibetan men, women and children remains a challenge to the conscience of the world," said the speaker of the United States House of Representatives.
Speaker added: "Yet, even after decades of outrageous oppression, their faith, hope, and persistence continue to empower the Tibetan people in their fight for their fundamental human rights. Their tireless efforts remain an inspiration to all peace-loving people around the world."
“Every day, His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s transcendent message of peace moves us to act. In that spirit, Congress proudly passed the Tibet Policy Act of 2019 a few weeks ago, to reaffirm our bipartisan support for the people of Tibet, and to make clear that it is the policy of the United States that decisions regarding the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama should be made solely by Tibetan Buddhist religious leaders and not the Chinese government," Pelosi added.
The Speaker of the House concluded by saying, "Guided by the unwavering voices of the people of Tibet, we will continue working to build a brighter future for every Tibetan man, woman, and child and ensure they receive the respect and dignity they deserve.”
The communist-totalitarian state of China began its invasion of Tibet in 1949, reaching complete occupation of the country in 1959. Since that time, more than 1.2 million people, 20% of the nation's population of six million, have died as a direct result of China's invasion and occupation. In addition, over 99% of Tibet's six thousand religious monasteries, temples, and shrines, have been looted or decimated resulting in the destruction of hundreds of thousands of sacred Buddhist scriptures.
The National Tibetan Uprising Day commemorates the 1959 Tibetan uprising against the Chinese totalitarian-communist regime's illegal occupation of Tibet. Every year on March 10, Tibetan diaspora and supporters organise manifestations in cities around the world to raise awareness about the human rights violations committed and still being committed nowadays by the Chinese regime in Tibet.
People in Tibet are still being arrested and convicted for peaceful acts, such as waving the Tibetan flag, calling for the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama or praying. Many Tibetans are imprisoned on unclear or unspecified charges, and their families are not informed of their health conditions and whereabouts.
Tibetans are also denied access to proper legal support and face trials that do not respect international standards of justice. Besides, Tibetans who are often unrightfully charged with separatism face the death penalty. China is making Tibet as a big prison— imposing tighter restrictions and travel ban in Tibet, preventing Tibetans including their students from traveling abroad. All confiscated passports from 2014, purportedly never returned to the Tibetans so they wouldn't be able to travel anymore.
