DHARAMSHALA: Speaker Penpa Tsering of the Tibetan Parliament yesterday wrote to the United Nations calling for their immediate intervention in the Tibet issue, as the indefinite hunger strike by three executive members of the Tibetan Youth Congress entered its 30th day today.
Expressing concern at the deteriorating health of the three Tibetans, the Speaker urged the United Nations to meet the five demands made by the hunger strikers to resolve the Tibet issue.
Deputy Speaker Khenpo Sonam Tenphel of the Tibetan Parliament also paid a visit to the three Tibetans at Jantar Mantar yesterday to express his solidarity. Members of the Standing Committee of the Tibetan Parliament accompanied him.
Three Tibetan activists Tsewang Dolma, Tamding Hrichoe and Tenzin Wangchuk, all executive members of the pro-independence group Tibetan Youth Congress are on an indefinite hunger strike since 10 September. Their conditions have deteriorated severely over the weeks, even as one of them had to be taken to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital after she was found to be having persistent stomach ache and severe dizziness on the 21st day of the strike.
The demands of the three Tibetans are: the United Nations should raise the issue of Tibet at its General Assembly and Human Rights Council Session; urge China to address the demands of the Tibetan self-immolators, urge China to provide evidence that the 11th Panchen Lama Gendun Choekyi Nyima is alive, allow a UN fact-finding delegation to assess the current critical situation in Tibet and release all Tibetan political prisoners.
Tibetan Youth Congress is the largest Tibetan pro-independence NGO. However, the Central Tibetan Administration pursues the Middle Way Approach based on dialogue to resolve the Tibet issue.
