News and Views on Tibet

Japan lawmakers pledge continued support for Tibet

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All Party Japanese Parliamentary Support Group for Tibet felicitates CTA President Dr Lobsang Sangay in a virtual meeting on April 27 (Photo- OOT Japan)

By Choekyi Lhamo

DHARAMSHALA, Apr. 29: The All Party Japanese Parliamentary Support Group for Tibet on Tuesday pledged continuous support for the Tibetan struggle during a virtual meeting with President of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), known also as the Tibetan government-in-exile, Dr. Lobsang Sangay as he completes his two-term tenure as Sikyong.

The head of the Tibetan polity thanked the lawmakers for support, and applauded them for “sending a strong message to the world that Japan stands for human rights and democracy.”

He praised Japan for playing a major role in supporting Tibet, Uyghur, Mongolia, Hong Kong and Taiwan, “[It is] a message that human rights are fundamental and democracy is universal. These values are in contrast with what China says is socialism with Chinese characteristics”.

“Monasteries are being demolished, Tibetan language is discouraged and more than half a million Tibetans are uprooted from the nomadic areas and put them in labour camp-like situations to assimilate Tibet into China. This assimilation drive is threatening the very identity and civilization of Tibetan,” President Sangay told the 98-member group.

The parliamentary support group composed of the former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Vice Defense Minister Yasuhide Nakayama, and many others joined the felicitation event with the CTA President. The former education minister and chairman of the group Shimomura Hakuban expressed his happiness for the opportunity to hold the event with Sikyong and also thanked him for his leadership of the Dharamshala-based Tibetan government-in-exile.

The Chairman of the parliamentary support group for Tibet said that the idea for the organization started ten years ago when he met the exile spiritual leader Dalai Lama in Dharamshala along with Shinzo Abe and Sakurai Yoshiko. It has since grown into the world’s largest parliamentary support group. “We have been making efforts to the Tibetan community through Japan’s ODA (Official Development Assistance) fund,” he said in his address on Tuesday.

The All Party Japanese Parliamentary Group for Tibet was formed on Dec. 14, 2016, with membership of parliamentarians across party lines. The initial membership included 58 MPs from the House of Representatives and 24 MPs from the House of Councillors of the Japanese parliament.

One Response

  1. When outside support for our cause is increasing we must also improve international cohesion.
    In recent years the ugly head of regionalism is raising up.This is something that must and can put down. No outside force can help nor do we deserve a help if we allow
    ourselves break into pieces because of international difference.

    In a VOA interview a few days ago, Sikyong- Lobsang Saygay- said that the regional relation among ordinary Tibetans is good. Then who is causing the tention? Top Tibetans like him?
    It makes no sense to place all blames on China in this case although China is doing outmost to widen our regional identities. Must we follishly and selfishly add fuel to the CCP’s fire that burns Tibet?

    Lie yousef on your back, take a long breath, put your hands on your chest and think. Maybe you will find answer to this question.
    Tse-ring & defeat CCP Cities!!!

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