New Delhi: - In a move to strengthening Indian lawmakers and officials supporting the issue of Tibet across the world, a Tibetan delegation has held a week-long lobby campaign in New Delhi to highlight the critical situation in Tibet.
A ten-member delegation from the Tibetan Parliament-In-Exile led by Mr Pema Jungney following its "week-long Tibet advocacy campaign" in the capital of India, New Delhi revived the All Party Indian Parliamentary Forum for Tibet (APPFT), the delegation said in a press statement.
The campaign began from 7th to 15th of December, saw the Tibetan delegations calling upon 100 Indian lawmakers from 31 major political parties including a former Prime Minister, Union ministers, Speakers, a Chief Minister, and several Party leaders.
A dinner reception was organised at the Shangrila Hotel on December 15, "in order to honor the Indian political leaders and the formal revival of APPFT being initiated" with the united approval of Shri Shanta Kumar, a former Union Minister and a former Chief Minister of HP as the Convener of the Forum.
'Speaker Mr Penpa Tsering spoke to the Indian lawmakers on the situation of Tibet and the history of APPFT,' the delegation said.
'The Speaker also urged the Indian leaders to bolster their Tibet advocacy in the Indian Parliament and various international platforms through a revitalised the Forum for Tibet,' the group further said.
Skyong Dr Lobsang Sangay and Tibetan delegates held extensive discussions and discourse with the Indian leaders on Tibetan issue and the revival of the APPFT during the meeting.
Since the time of great Indian leaders, including parliamentarians have vehemently raised their voice in the Indian Parliament and outside against the Chinese aggression of Tibet and its illegal occupation by China, the statement reads.
This massive support for Tibet culminated in the formation of the forum in the 1970s under the leadership of Shri M.C. Chagla. Since then besides raising the issue of Tibet in various international forums as well as organising and participating in World Parliamentarians Convention on Tibet.
APPFT had also successfully facilitated His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s address to the Indian Parliamentarians in the Parliament House Annexe. APPFT is revived every five years following the Lok Sabha elections and new members inducted in the Forum as required.
The current lobbying campaign was jointly coordinated and supported by the Delhi based Tibetan Parliamentary and Policy Research Centre and India Tibet Co-ordination Office.
