Dharamshala, India — “By sending the letters to honorable members of the Indian Parliament, it becomes evident that China is intimidated by the growing support for the Tibet movement around the world. The leaders of free countries have all their rights and responsibilities to support the just cause of Tibet and we vehemently condemn this move by China,” said a press release issued by the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile on the letter sent by the Chinese Embassy to Indian parliamentarians.
On December 31, 2021, the Political Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy to India wrote a letter to the Members of Parliament who attended the dinner reception hosted by the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile on December 22, 2021, after the revival of the All Party Indian Parliamentary Forum for Tibet (APIPFT).
The APIPFT was successfully revived after the Tibetan Parliamentary delegation consisting of Parliamentarians Serta Tsultrim, Geshe Lharampa Gowo Lobsang Phende, Lhagyari Namgyal Dolkar, Geshe Atong Rinchen Gyaltsen, and Choedak Gyatso reached out to 39 Indian lawmakers during the ten-day Tibet Advocacy campaign.
On December 21, 2021, Khenpo Sonam Tenphel, Speaker of Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile visited Delhi and chaired a meeting attended by the delegation members, Representative, and Secretary of Bureau of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Delhi, and Director of India Tibet Coordination Office (ITCO) on the next day. Later in the evening, the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile in coordination with ITCO held a dinner reception for the APIPFT members at The Imperial Hotel, New Delhi.
“Historically Tibet has never been a part of China. Since the illegal and violent occupation of Tibet, China has oppressed the Tibetans under its brutal and draconian policy. Tibetans inside Tibet are deprived of their fundamental rights and the situation inside Tibet remains grim till date. Hence, the Tibetan issue is not an ‘internal affair’ as China has repeatedly claimed but a critical concern on Tibetan existence,” the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile said on 31 December 2021 in response to the letter from the Chinese Embassy to Indian parliamentarians.
“The violation of international human rights law and hegemony of the neighbouring nations by China should be a concern for the international community. China in the name of economic development has only fulfilled its growing greed and is systematically destroying Tibet culturally, environmentally and eradicating the Tibetan identity. Now China is displaying its dominance of free nations and democratic countries around the world including India. Despite illegally occupying Tibet and forcing a large number of Tibetans to flee the nation, China continues its surveillance upon each move of Tibetans residing across free countries,” said the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile in the press release.
The letters sent to the MPs are a sign that shows China’s intimidation by the growing support for the Tibetan cause from across the world. The Tibetan Parliament in Exile also called for world leaders to assert their rights and responsibilities to support the Tibet movement and criticise China’s atrocious human rights abuses.
Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile condemned the Chinese government’s similar behaviour in the past. It also mentioned that China had yet again called the Central Tibetan Administration a ‘separatist political group’ even though it remains the sole legitimate representative of Tibet and Tibetans across the world.
The CTA has been supported warmly by many countries for their constant efforts to protect the fundamental rights of Tibetans inside Tibet and across the world and protect their cultural identity. The international community has also actively appreciated the non-violent movement of Tibet. The TPiE also noted that countries should not believe the Chinese Communist Party’s growing aggression and propaganda narrative.
Finally, the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile also openly welcomed an equal and non-conditional negotiation with the Chinese government.
