BANGALORE: Kalon Tripa Dr Lobsang Sangay arrived in Bangalore yesterday on his 6-day visit to Tibetan settlements in southern India. He was received at the airport by Chief Representative Karma Singey and heads of the various organisations and NGOs based in Bangalore city.

Kalon Tripa addressed a press conference on the current situation inside Tibet.

“Tibetans are giving up their precious lives to send a message to international community that situation in Tibet is grave and getting worse because now the Chinese government has banned tourists from visiting Lhasa and Tibetan areas. Tibetans who come from outside Lhasa are expelled, so given the situation, there is a clampdown on Tibetan people,” Kalon Tripa told reporters.

Kalon Tripa said the responsibility for the tragic self-immolations of Tibetans lies entirely with the Chinese government, and so does the solution.

“The evidence clearly point towards the Chinese government and their repressive policies because Chinese government doesn’t allow freedom of speech in Tibet. If you protest, if you have hunger strike, if you have rallies, demonstrations, all these are not allowed. The chances of one getting arrested, tortured, even disappearing are really high, if one participates simply in a demonstration,” he said.

He also thanked the Karnataka Government for providing hospitality to Tibetans taking refuge in the state.

Kalon Tripa will visit members of the Tibetan community based in Hunsur (30 July), Bylakuppe (31 July – 1 August) and Mundgod (2 -3 August).

He will return to Dharamsala on 5 August.

(Based on report filed by Jigme Tsering)