February 21, 2016: India-Tibet Friendship Society, a national conclave of Tibet Support Groups in India organised a regional conference at Chitrakoot, Uttar Pradesh on 20 February 20. The conference was attended by over 100 active members of Tibet Support Group units from Uttar Pradesh & Madhya Pradesh.
The participants also include final year students of Mahatma Gandhi Chitrakoot Gramodaya Vishwavidyalaya of Chitrakoot, Uttar Pradesh.
Shri Sunderlal Suman, Regional Convener, Core Group for Tibetan Cause informed the gathering that the support for Tibetan movement in Uttar Pradesh region was wide and strong due to the continued effort of some senior and eminent members of India Tibet Friendship Society. He even stated that ITFS in Uttar Pradesh has been working effectively towards finding a peaceful solution to the cause of Tibet since many decades and will continue to do so till freedom is restored in Tibet. He said that India Tibet Friendship Society have been carrying out various Tibet related activities in UP.
Prof. Shyamnath Mishra, of Govt PG College, Khetri Rajasthan, was invited as a Chief Guest to address the participants. He spoke on the importance of Tibet issue in India-China relations. “Tibet plays a vital role in Indo-China relations. Since China’s occupation of Tibet, border disputes between India and China have emerged which was unheard of before,” he said.
He even talked about the India Tibet relationship with the illustration of India Tibet Border Police (ITBP) which has its own significance prior to Tibet’s occupation. He appealed the People & Government of India to support for Tibet’s freedom which is in the interest of India’s security and integrity. He also stressed on present critical situation inside Tibet, where around 142 Tibetans have self immolated themselves till today calling for the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and restoration of religious freedom in Tibet.
He emphasised the significant contribution made by His Holiness the Dalai Lama towards world peace with regard to his three commitments in life, Universal Responsibility, Inter Religious harmony and preservation of Tibet’s environment. He also appeal the Government of India to confer His Holiness the Dalai Lama on his 80th birth year with the Bharat Ratna or Gandhi Peace Prize for his noble contribution to Global Peace, compassion and kindness. His Holiness should also be invited to address the Indian Parliament, he said.
Mr. Jigmey Tsultrim, Coordinator, India Tibet Coordination Office spoke about the founding of Tibet Support Groups in India and the activities carried out by various organizations of Tibet Support Groups. He said that recently at the 5th All India Tibet Support Groups conference organised in Guwahati, more than 250 delegates from all over India participated and discussed upon finding a solution to the cause of Tibet. The conference deliberated in detail upon the significance of Tibet’s water which is the source of livelihood to many downstream nations particularly India. He said that supporting the Tibet cause is supporting the truth.
He said that His Holiness the Dalai Lama and around 85,000 Tibetans sought refuge in India from March of 1959. He also shed some light on the circumstances under which Tibetans have gone through during the early 1960s when Tibetans first arrived in India from Tibet. He said that under the leadership of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the Government and People of this great nation provided Tibetans with all the modern facilities in preserving our rich culture, identity, traditions, language, religion etc. for which Tibetans remain grateful.
Dr Vinod Shankar, Department Head, M.G. Gramodaya Vishwavidyalaya said that Tibet was an independent country prior to 1959 with Lhasa as its capital city. Tibetans sought refuge in India the same year after the Chinese aggression. Since the occupation of Tibet, Tibetans under the leadership of His Holiness the Dalai Lama have been striving to restore freedom in Tibet.
other dignitaries on the dais include Shri Anjani Kumar Mishra, Secretary, ITFS Benaras; Shri Ram Sagar, ITFS Karvi; Shri Alok Dwivedi, Journalist & Advocate, Chitrakoot District Court; Shri Abhimanyu, Shri T.N Shukla, Shri Suresh Tripathi and Shri Murleedhur Gajendra Thakur etc.
After the conference, Mr Jigme Tsultrim, the coordinator of ITCO, had a separate interaction with the final year students of Mahatma Gandhi Gramodaya Vishwavidyalaya who took keen interest in the Tibet issue. Mr. Jigmey Tsultrim spoke on the Middle Way Approach of the Central Tibetan Administration which seeks Genuine Autonomy for the Tibetan People. As a follow up to this meeting, a seminar will be organised at the university in May in coordination with Tibet Support Groups in the region.
Mr Jigmey Tsultrim and Mr Tenzin Paljor of India Tibet Coordination Office participated in the conference. Tibet related books in Hindi and English were distributed during the meeting.
The meeting concluded with vote of thanks by Shri Anjani Kumar Mishra, Secretary, ITFS Banaras.
– Report filed by India-Tibet Coordination Office –
