DHARAMSHALA, August 29: The Honourable Chief Minister of Goa, Manohar Parrikar, met with a Tibetan delegation representing the ongoing Tibetan ‘Flame of Truth’ torch relay, Monday.
The delegation headed by Tibetan Member of Parliament, Karma Yeshi submitted a memorandum on the deteriorating human rights situation in Tibet to Chief Minister Parrikar and briefed him on the wave of self-immolations spreading across Tibet against China’s occupation.
The Honourable chief minister promised to forward the memorandum to the Government of India.
In its last day of campaigning in Goa, the ‘Flame of Truth’ delegation met with numerous dignitaries including, Indian Member of Parliament Shripad Y. Naik, Goa Member of Legislative Assembly Vishnu Wagh, former law minister of India Ramakant Khalap, and Vice Chancellor of Goa University Prof. A V Afonso among others.
During the meetings, Yeshi gave a detailed account on the critical situation inside Tibet and appealed for continued support from Indian leaders and masses. He also presented documents related to the worldwide ‘Flame of Truth’ relay initiated by the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile in “solidarity with the courageous and selfless acts” of Tibetans inside Tibet.
All the dignitaries expressed their support for the Tibetan struggle and signed the relay petition urging the United Nations to discuss the issue of Tibet based on its earlier resolutions, to send an independent international fact-finding delegation to Tibet and to take special responsibility to ensure that the basic aspirations of the Tibetans inside Tibet are fulfilled.
In its Goa leg of campaigning, the torch was received by top politicians, social activists, students, and an Indian freedom fighter as well.
The second leg of the ‘Flame of Truth’ relay will begin from September 2, coinciding with the Tibetan Democracy Day. The Torch relay will take its campaign to more than 30 countries in North America, Europe, South-east Asia, Africa, and Australia.
The relay, after travelling around hundreds of cities all over the world will conclude on December 10, World Human Rights Day, with the submission of the petitions, simultaneously to the UN Headquarters in New York City, UN Human Rights Council in Geneva and UN information office in New Delhi.
