Paris 13 March: “Your support on a daily basis makes the Tibetan issue stronger,” said Sikyong Dr. Lobsang Sangay. “Make your voice louder and magnify the Tibetan issue.” He spoke exclusively to mainly French Tibet Support Group representatives on the second day of his visit to Paris.

The democratically elected Tibetan political leader said that he had come to thank each of the Tibet supporters.

“Your support and the support of our Tibet Support Groups worldwide mean a lot to us,” he said. “Together we can achieve our aspiration.”

On 14 March, Tibetans and Tibet supporters from across Europe will gather in Paris for the Europe Stands for Tibet Rally. The rally is organised by the Tibetan Communities and Tibet Support Groups in Europe.

“Tomorrow, there will be the Europe Stands for Tibet rally. From Paris we will send a strong message to Lhasa and Beijing. Let us work together until our dream is reached and liberty is achieved,” said Dr. Lobsang Sangay.

In the evening Sikyong Dr. Lobsang Sangay was invited to address the Ivy Plus European Leaders & Harvard Club of France. It was a full house of over 130 alumni from Ivy League colleges based in Paris.

“The situation in Tibet is grim,” said Sikyong Dr. Lobsang Sangay.

The security surveillance has been increased and the introduction of second-generation chips ID cards to monitor the movements of Tibetans by the Chinese security authorities. Every 30 meters or so, there are security check post all over the towns and cities in Tibet.

He said he met a journalist the previous day who had been to Tibet several times. The journalist told him that he had visited a school at a remote Tibetan village, which was in a poor condition. But on the entrance gate to the village, there were four to five video cameras.

“The Chinese authorities are spending more on security surveillance than funding for the village schools,” he said.

Tibetans have witnessed repression in Tibet at an unprecedented level since the occupation of Tibet by China.

Tibet is not only vital to the 6 million Tibet. Today it is also called the Third Pole as it holds the third largest reserve of glacier after Artic and Antarctica.

10 rivers start in Tibet. Tibet is vital source of water for the region in Asia. More than 1 billion people depend on the water from Tibet. 20 per cent of the world population lives in China, which has only 8 per cent of fresh water supply.

There will be shortage of water due to the deforestation and melting of glacier in Tibet. China has been building lots of dams on rivers in Tibet. Some say dams will be even larger than the Three Gorges Dam in China. There will be huge environmental destruction and there are fears in India that the rivers will be diverted to China.

There are concerns amongst experts that soon there will be war over water he said.

In an answers to a questions about what he would ask from Europe, Dr. Lobsang Sangay said, “Live up to the principles on which your countries were founded. The French revolution fought for Liberty, Equality and Fraternity. I ask for that liberty for the Tibetan people.”

He said that there was growing number of Chinese in China who are Buddhist. It is estimated that there are about 300 to 400 million Buddhists in China that is larger than the Chinese Communist Party membership.

The day’s last program was a meeting with Presidents of the Tibetan Communities in Europe.

In his brief address before dinner, Sikyong Dr. Lobsang Sangay thanked the Presidents of the Tibetan Communities in Europe for organizing the Europe Stands for Tibet rally.

“This rally is a show of public support. It is important for the Tibetans in Tibet to know our solidarity with them,” he said. “On behalf of Kashag, I would like to thank you.”