Estonian Lawmakers Deepen Support for Tibet During Visit to London.

London: The Office of Tibet, London, was honoured to host Estonian parliamentarians Anti Poolamets and Evelin Poolamets, both Members of the Riigikogu (Parliament of Estonia), during a two-day visit ahead of the Easter weekend on 17 April 2025. The couple, accompanied by their two daughters, are members of the Estonian Parliamentary Tibet Support Group.

Upon their arrival at Tibet House London on the evening of 16 April, Representative Tsering Yangkey and staff warmly welcomed the delegation with a traditional Tibetan tea reception. In her remarks, Representative Yangkey thanked the parliamentarians for their visit and support and offered an overview of her role and the multifaceted work carried out by the Office of Tibet in London. As a token of appreciation, she presented the Tibet Brief 2020 book. She encouraged the MPs to consider hosting a Tibet-themed conference or seminar in Tallinn, as well as to support Tibet-related legislation in the Estonian Parliament.

Following the welcome reception, Dr Tara Lhamo, UK National Coordinator of the Voluntary Tibet Advocacy Group (V-TAG), provided the parliamentarians with a detailed briefing on the Tibetan diaspora’s ongoing resistance to the oppressive policies of the People’s Republic of China. Her presentation highlighted the role of Tibetan communities and grassroots advocacy in Europe.

On the following day, the parliamentarians returned to Tibet House for a virtual Tibet briefing by Tenzin Choekyi, Senior Researcher at Tibet Watch. Over the course of an hour, Choekyi delivered a powerful presentation on China’s expanding transnational repression, using the suspicious death of Tulku Hungkar Dorje in Vietnam as a case study. She also exposed the alarming ecological devastation on the Tibetan plateau, such as rampant damming of rivers and excessive mining, and detailed the intensifying surveillance regime inside Tibet, including involuntary phone searches and travel restrictions. The parliamentarians actively engaged with the presentation, raising several questions and taking detailed notes for follow-up action.

Later, Secretary Tenzin Kunga introduced the democratic structure of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) and discussed the global advocacy efforts carried out by the Offices of Tibet. He then accompanied the delegation to the Jamyang Buddhist Centre, where the director and staff provided a guided tour of the centre’s Tibetan religious artefacts and shared insights into its historical and spiritual significance.

To conclude the successful visit, the Office of Tibet hosted a farewell dinner in honour of the visiting MPs and their family.

The short but impactful visit helped deepen the parliamentarians’ understanding of the Sino-Tibetan conflict and fostered a renewed interest in Tibetan history, culture, and religion. They expressed a strong interest in visiting Dharamshala in the near future to further engage with the Central Tibetan Administration and support efforts toward a peaceful resolution of the Tibet issue.

-Report filed by Office of Tibet, London