WASHINGTON DC: On his final day in the capital, President Dr. Lobsang Sangay of Central Tibetan Administration met with Senator Patrick Leahy, a dear friend of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and one of the biggest supporters of the Tibetan people’s right to live in dignity and freedom. Over the last 44 years of service in the United States Congress, Senator Leahy has championed many human rights causes around the globe.
President Sangay expressed heartfelt gratitude for the Senator’s consistent leadership on the Tibet issue; he most recently led a resolution urging China to respect Tibetan human rights and religious freedom that was unanimously passed by the Senate in the spring. Senator Leahy enquired about His Holiness’ health, political repression in Tibet, and how to move the Tibet issue forward using legislative means.
For the first time ever, President Sangay met with the House Democracy Partnership’s (HDP) Chair, Congressman Peter Roskam and Ranking Member, Congressman David Price. The HDP’s mission is to promote effective government and strengthen democratic institutions by assisting legislatures in emerging democracies. President Sangay briefed the Chair and the Ranking Member on the Tibetan democracy in exile model and emphasized the structure and mandate of the Tibetan parliament in exile (TPIE). Both members of Congress expressed enthusiasm and interests in exploring future areas of collaboration with the TPIE.
President Sangay wrapped up his DC visit with a round-table discussion with scholars and academics at the Hudson Institute, where Vice-President Mike Pence recently accused China of a gamut of offences including interfering in U.S. domestic politics, enacting policies inconsistent with free and fair trade, and aggressive behaviour in the South China Sea. Various think tanks were represented at the round-table and the attendees deliberated on topics ranging from the importance of the Tibetan plateau as the water tower for Asia, cultural assimilation in Tibet, border issues between India and Tibet, and U.S.-China relations.
President Sangay will head to the Halifax International Security Forum on November 16, 2018.
-Filed by Office of Tibet, DC