By Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, June 2: The former President of the Tibetan government-in-exile Dr. Lobsang Sangay, during the 2023 GLOBSEC Bratislava Forum in Slovakia reiterated the Tibetan people’s commitment to continue to fight to resolve the Sino-Tibetan issue despite overwhelming Chinese government resources through propaganda, economic might and geopolitical pressure. He was a panellist at the forum along with Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya who won the presidential election in Belarus in 2020, but had to flee to exile and currently serves as the head of the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus and Jamie Fly, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Radio Free Europe (or Radio Liberty) on Friday.
“The situation inside Tibet has gone from bad to worse since Xi Jinping became President. 157 Tibetans have committed self-immolation out of which 133 have died so the protest and resentment inside is continuing,” he said. Speaking about his role as a former President of the Tibetan government-in-exile for 10 years, Dr. Lobsang spoke about how he was never allowed to meet the Presidents and Prime Ministers of Europe, America and Canada due to Chinese pressure.
“In 10 years, I lobbied Washington D.C. two or three times a year and went there 30-40 times. Finally, a law was passed.” ‘Tibetan Policy and Support Act’ was signed into law on December 27, 2020, which mandates America to support the Tibetan cause, including the succession of the Dalai Lama without interference from the Chinese government.
During the panel, Dr. Lobsang also spoke about how truthful reporting and a free press are essential instruments for democracy and how many European countries remain divided over China as a threat to freedom, human rights and democracy, and called for reciprocity with the Chinese government when it comes to allowing Western countries’ social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to be made accessible to the Chinese people to challenge disinformation.
When the panel’s anchor mentioned “Tibet is a lost cause” twice, Dr. Lobsang intervened and reminded the audience of how Tibet is not a lost cause and that it is just a matter of time by giving the example of how the people of Central Europe thought that Berlin Wall will never come down due to USSR’s power but was eventually dismantled. “My country Tibet is under occupation. Six million Tibetans are suffering. As a human being and Tibetan, I have no option but to express my solidarity. My father was a freedom fighter and has passed on his legacy to me and I have to pass on my legacy to my daughter including all the younger generation,” he said.
6 Responses
It’s more than time to stop talking of “six millions Tibetans” !
For 70 years Tibetan officials talk of 6 millions Tibetans; during such time every nation’s population has more than doubled, including those who suffered -like Tibet- wars or tragedies.
Tibet’s real population is probably more between 10 and 12 millions -in and outside Tibet.
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You may want to reflect on how Tibetan diaspora approach the issue. The Dalai Lama and many of the Tibetans in India are refugees. Many who are in the Western Hemisphere have chosen to be citizens of where they inhabit. In the case of the later, in “free’ countries, one can push the dual citizenship issue and see where it takes them. The “free” countries may also have their own agenda regarding trade with China and not wanting to upset the balance in the “Great Game”.
There are plenty of examples of places that have been annexed by “free” countries. Nothing is perfect, there is just degrees of what is palatable. Areas that are in place of geopolitical importance or natural resource rich are particularly vulnerable. Areas that don’t offer these benefits do not make it on the radar screens.
I live in Toronto Canada, and I only heard the word Tibet one time in my life. The sentence was “Chinas human right abuses in Xinjiang and Tibet”. That was the sentence I remember, I don’t know what the newsperson said before or after that, but Then Thanks to Chemi Lhamo and 2 other non-Tibetans who shouted free tibet and had the tibetan flag during the 2022 olympics ceremony in greek before happening in Beijing, the incident FINALYY went on the news, and there was a interview with Chemi. Free Tibet! CHINA WILL FACE KARMA. XI WILL FACE KARMA. BUDDHA WILL GIVE CHINA MAJOR CONSEQUENCES. CHINA SHOULD BE SCARED. TIBET WILL GET REVENGE IN THE FUTURE. and ofcourse Tibet is not a lost cause. Even tho its super rare to even hear the word Tibet or about Chinas human rights abuses, Tibet will always be in our minds till we get our freedom. WE will fight until Tibet is freed once again. WE stood ALONE when being invaded ( we requested the UN and INdian SO MANY TIMES for help, but we were ignored ) and we will ALWAYS STAY ALONE. Also CHina failed, in trying to erase our ethnicity from the world, and they failed of killing the dalai lama. FREE TIBET, CHINA OUT!!!!!! BHUUUUUU GYALLOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!
I live in Toronto Canada, and I only heard the word Tibet one time in my life. The sentence was “Chinas human right abuses in Xinjiang and Tibet”. That was the sentence I remember, I don’t know what the newsperson said before or after that, but Then Thanks to Chemi Lhamo and 2 other non-Tibetans who shouted free tibet and had the tibetan flag during the 2022 olympics ceremony in greek before happening in Beijing, the incident FINALYY went on the news, and there was a interview with Chemi. Free Tibet! CHINA WILL FACE KARMA. XI WILL FACE KARMA. BUDDHA WILL GIVE CHINA MAJOR CONSEQUENCES. CHINA SHOULD BE SCARED. TIBET WILL GET REVENGE IN THE FUTURE.
Tibet will never be a lost cause till were free. I mean like, its super super rare to even hear the word Tibet on the news or to talk about Humans right abuses committed by COMMUNIST CHINA, but no. We still have this in our mind, and we will fight till our very end. May Tibet be free again. FREE TIBET, CHINA OUT!!!!!! BHU GYALO!!!!!!!!!