GUWAHATI: Inaugurating the 5th All India Tibet Support Group Meeting in Guawahati on 2 November, Sikyong Dr. Lobsang Sangay emphasised the protection of Tibet’s fragile ecology and the serious implications of China’s dam construction on Tibetan rivers on the downstream countries.
Describing Brahmaputra river as the lifeline of India’s northeast and Assam, Sikyong noted that according to experts, the level of the Brahmaputra River has gone down considerably over the years, endangering the ecology as well as the livelihood of millions of people who survive on fisheries and agriculture. He added that the countries in the downstream rivers will bear the primary brunt of Tibet’s ecology destruction.
“Tibetans have for long raised the issue of environmental damages caused as a result of these dam constructions by China. However, they were dismissed as Tibetan propaganda with no evidence. Now, these concerns are being validated as the dams have started affecting the ecology and livelihood of people,” Sikyong said.
“Recently, China has admitted to building a large dam on the Brahmaputra River, vindicating the claims of the Tibetan exiles. Indian environmentalists now fear that the waters of the Brahmaputra could be diverted towards China, which is becoming an ominous reality as a significant portion of the Chinese population is facing severe shortage of fresh water.” he explained.
Sikyong emphasised that Tibetan ecology is vital for the livelihood and ecology of the neighboring countries and urged the world to safeguard the fragile Tibetan ecology to prevent the fast melting of glaciers which creates shortage of freshwater.
Sikyong also thanked the delegates for their support to the Tibetan cause and expressed gratitude to the Indian government for hosting His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan people in the country. He recalled the love and affection bestowed on His Holiness the Dalai Lama by the people of northeast India including Assam when His Holiness was traversing through the region during his journey into exile from Tibet.
The 5th All India Tibet Support Group Meeting was organised by the Core Group of Tibetan Cause, India. Delegates from 182 Tibet support groups across India took part in the two-day meeting, which was held at the auditorium of the District Library in Guwahati.
The participants are divided into six working groups with themes of Political Condition inside Tibet, Sustainability of Tibet Ecology, International Support upon Tibet – Expectations from UN and other National & International agencies, Challenges before Tibetans in India, Security of Northeast India and Indo-Tibetan Cultural Heritage.
The All-India Tibet Support group meeting is held every three years. This year’s conference focused primarily on the rapid environmental degradation on the Tibetan plateau as a result of China’s developmental policies. The conference was also aimed as a prelude to the Central Tibetan Administration’s campaign to press for climate action on Tibet – the roof of the world – at the upcoming COP21 environmental summit in Paris.
The Tibet Museum of the Department of Information and International Relations is also hosting a 45-panel exhibition on ‘His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s three main commitments in life’ and ‘Indo-Tibet Relations’ at the meeting. The exhibition is aimed at raising awareness on the Tibet issue and the centuries old bond shared by the two countries.
