Dharamshala: - In a press release dated April 28 the NGO Students for a Free Tibet (SFT) informs that they are spearheading a campaign of lobbying to Indian members of parliament in the light of the recent crackdown in Ngaba, eastern Tibet. In a two day effort the SFT has delivered appeal letters to Members of both houses of Parliament urging the Indian Government to put pressure on Beijing.
In the coming days SFT's Indian delegation will meet with Indian Parliamentarians with the support of the Tibetan Parliamentary and Policy Research Center. Various foreign missions in New Delhi will also be receiving appeal letters on the issue of the situation in Ngaba.
"We will continue visiting people of influence here in New Delhi and appeal for their help in demanding the Chinese government end the military siege in Ngaba and release all those unjustly arrested," says Tenzin Jigdal, Project Director of Students for a Free Tibet - India. "We also call on governments' around the world to intervene before more innocent Tibetan lives are lost."
In the statement SFT writes that the Chinese authorities should "immediately end the violent crackdown and repressive "patriotic re-education" campaign in Ngaba and withdraw troops from Kirti monastery and surrounding areas". They also demand the unconditional release of all Tibetans arrested or imprisoned in Ngaba.
SFT also calls for Beijing to "allow an international and independent fact-finding mission to visit Kirti monastery in Ngaba, along with members of the foreign media". As a final demand they state that Chinese authorities should "Respect the right of Kirti monks to freely practice their religion and respect their right to movement".
"The situation in Ngaba is deteriorating as Chinese authorities continue their blatant violation of Tibetans' human rights," says Tenzin Choedon, National Director of Students for a Free Tibet - India. "Everyone we have met in the Indian Government is concerned about the dire situation in Ngaba and has expressed their solidarity with the Tibetan people."
So far SFT's Indian delegation has met with Rajya Sabha MP Shri Mohan Singh, Lok Sabha MP Mmr. C.M. Chang, Lok Sabha MP Chaudhary Ajit Singh, Rajya Sabha MP Shri Satyavrat Chaturvedi and Lok Sabha MP, and former Union Minister of India, Shri Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, who raised Tibet's independence during the last Parliament session in March, 2011.
