Standing Committee Members of Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile Honour Tibetan ProtestersWednesday, 15 July 2009, 9:00 a.m.

Speaker Penpa Tsering (c) speaks to twenty Tibetans who escaped to India after taking part in the peaceful protests across the Tibetan plateau in March 2008. The twenty Tibetans were honoured by members of standing committee of the Tibetan Parliament for their courage and determination to speak up against the wrong policies of the Chinese government in Tibet/Photos: Tenzin Gyaltsen/TPiE

Dharamshala:
Recognising the indomitable courage and spirit of Tibetans living in
Tibet to speak up against the Chinese government’s oppression and wrong
policies in Tibet, the members of standing committee of the Tibetan
Parliament-in-Exile yesterday honoured the Tibetans who took part in
the peaceful protests in Tibet last year, and later escaped to India
following China’s brutal crackdown.The standing committee
members met twenty Tibetans, including monks and laymen, representing
all the three traditional provinces of Tibet – U-Tsang, Kham and Amdo.
All of them took part in the unprecedented peaceful demonstrations
against the wrong policies of the Chinese government in Tibet in March
2008, which marked the 49th anniversary of the Tibetan national
uprising day.The members
of the standing committee present at the meeting were Ven Sonam
Tenphel, Sonam Damdul, Geshe Monlam Tharchin, Dolma Tsering, Kunchok
Choedon and Gyalrong Dawa Tsering.
During their close interaction with the Tibetan escapees at
the parliamentary secretariat, the members of standing committee,
headed by the Parliament’s speaker and deputy speaker, heard from the
individual Tibetans about their role and experiences in taking part in
peaceful protests against the repression in Tibet. Some of the
escapees expressed their deep concern and resentment against the wrong
policies of the Chinese government, particularly the policy of
marginalising the Tibetan language in Tibet and the denunciation of His
Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Parliamentary Secretary Phurbu Tsering (L) briefs the newly arrivals from Tibet about the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile inside the Parliament House

Under
China’s rule, the Chinese language has replaced the Tibetan language in
publications and schools in Tibet, putting the very existence of the
Tibetan people’s unique tradition on the verge of extinction. Most of
the publications such as newspapers in Tibet appear in Chinese language
instead of Tibetan, Tenpa Dhargye, a monk from Machu in Kanlho Tibet
Autonomous Prefecture told the parliamentarians.”The Central
Tibetan Administration in exile should focus on strengthening their
effort towards salvaging and reviving the Tibetan cultural heritage
from extermination, especially the Tibetan language in Tibet,” Tenpa
Dhargye added.Tsewang Dhondup, who was shot twice by the
Chinese security forces while saving a life a monk hit by a bullet in a
protest last year in Drakgo County in Karze, lauded the efforts of the
Tibetans in exile for their solidarity with their brethrens in Tibet
and their unstinting determination in keeping alive the struggle for
the just cause of Tibet. The monk that Dhondup tried to save succumbed
to his injuries.”I wholeheartedly express my gratitude to the
Central Tibetan Administration for providing the much needed medical
assistance to me,” said Tsewang Dhondup, whose left hand has become
virtually useless due to grievous wound sustained after being hit by
bullet. He is currently receiving treatment under the care of the
Tibetan Reception Centre in Dharamsala.

The twenty recent arrivals from Tibet (wearing Khatak) with the members of standing committee of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile after their meeting yesterday, 14 July 2009

Speaker
Penpa Tsering briefed the Tibetans on the historical background of the
Tibetan struggle starting from the signing of the 17-point Agreement
between the Tibetan government and the People’s Republic of China under
duress in 1951 to the flight of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and
thousands of Tibetans following armed oppression by the government of
People’s Republic of China in March 1959.The speaker lauded the
Tibetans in living inside Tibet for keeping intact their loyalty and
allegiance towards Tibet despite having to live under Chinese
government’s oppression for the last 50 years.”The courage and
spirit of unity shown by the Tibetan people inside Tibet are constant
source of inspiration for Tibetans in exile to keep alive the struggle
for the Tibetan cause,” Speaker Penpa Tsering added.The speaker
told the Tibetans that the Parliament would do its best to ensure their
well-being by creating better career opportunities for them. Expressing
her happiness in honouring those Tibetans who sacrificed their lives
for the cause of Tibet, Deputy Speaker Dolma Gyari said, “We, as a
representative of the Tibetan people, have the responsibility to look
after the well-being of our people, especially in extending necessary
help towards those Tibetans coming from Tibet.”