Dharamsala, January 14 – As the Chinese President Hu Jintao visits the United States next week, a coalition of 39 Tibetan associations and Tibet support groups across the country has appealed US President Barack Obama to raise the issue of Tibet during his meeting with Hu on January 19.
“President Hu Jintao’s visit to Washington is a unique opportunity to engage him meaningfully on the Tibet issue and showcase the ideals and values cherished by Americans, including openness, democracy and individual liberty,” a letter signed by the 39 groups read.
The 39 groups across the United States urged Obama to make Tibet a part of the agenda during the summit with Hu. “Tibet is an integral part of the U.S.-China relationship for moral, historical and strategic reasons. The letter also said the United States’ position on Tibet makes it an incumbent duty of the Obama Administration to continue to raise the issue with Chinese leaders at the highest levels.
The letter said the recent protests by Tibetan students against the Chinese government’s plans to “subordinate” the Tibetan language to Mandarin as the medium of instruction in schools point towards China’s failed policy in Tibet.
The letter also pointed out the role of Tibet as a vital factor in global climate change and Tibet’s importance as a source of many rivers following through several countries downstream. “Without a multilateral framework to address these issues, Chinese policies in Tibet could exacerbate regional instability. A just and lasting solution for Tibet that includes Tibetans as integral stakeholders will bring greater stability for China, its regional neighbors and indeed the world,” the letter said.
The U.S. government was urged by the Tibetan groups to continue to press Beijing for results-oriented negotiations for a political solution for Tibet and engage China in topical areas, including education policies pertaining to Tibetans and regional discussions on water security.
Meanwhile, the International Campaign for Tibet and nine other human rights and China-specialist groups called on Obama to use the upcoming state visit by Chinese President Hu Jintao as an opportunity to demonstrate the US’s commitment to human rights in China.
