Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, Nov. 27: The Tibet Advocacy Alliance-India launched its advocacy week in New Delhi on Monday, aligning with the commencement of India’s winter parliamentary session. This coalition comprises prominent civil society organisations, including the Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC), Tibetan Women’s Association (TWA), National Democratic Party of Tibet (NDPT), and Students for a Free Tibet (SFT). The initiative is coordinated by the International Tibet Network (ITN) with support from the Foundation for Non-Violent Alternatives (FNVA).
As a unified platform of Tibetan NGOs, the alliance is dedicated to fostering strategic and coordinated advocacy efforts to strengthen Indian parliamentary engagement on Tibet-related issues. Now in its third phase, the advocacy week featured meetings with several prominent Indian parliamentarians, including Dr. Shashi Tharoor, MP from Kerala and Chairperson of the Committee on External Affairs; Shri Mohmad Haneefa, MP from Ladakh and Member of the Committee on Defence; Dr. Bimol Akoijam, MP from Manipur and Member of the Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth, and Sports; Shri E.T. Mohammed Basheer, MP from Kerala and Member of the Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment and others.
Tenzing Dhamdul, a senior research associate at FNVA, told Phayul that the alliance presented three key appeals regarding Tibet during their advocacy: to recognise Tibet as an occupied nation, honour His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, and advocate for the preservation of Tibetan culture and language. Reflecting on their engagement with 12 MPs during the second phase of their campaign, Dhamdul noted that the meetings were met with a very positive and welcoming response. He added that this approach of openness and receptiveness is something Tibetans could also learn from.
He told Phayul that some parliamentarians had prior involvement in Tibet-related issues, while others were new to the cause. MPs familiar with Tibetan matters acknowledged the significance of the appeals, though they indicated that not all would gain traction. “Out of the three appeals, some MPs said one may not work, but we will still advocate for it,” Dhamdul remarked. He further highlighted a point of consensus among the MPs: unanimous support for the second appeal—honouring His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who turns 90 next year. Additionally, the MPs expressed alignment with the third appeal, criticising China’s colonial-style boarding schools for undermining Tibetan culture and language.
“The first appeal, however, appeared challenging for few MPs, as they needed to consider the Ministry of External Affairs’ position and India’s official stance on the matter,” Dhamdul told Phayul. He explained that given India’s historical position on Tibet during the tenures of leaders like Nehru and Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the MPs refrained from commenting extensively on the first appeal, deeming it too sensitive. “Nonetheless, some MPs acknowledged that India shares a border with Tibet, not China,” he added.
When asked whether the week-long advocacy efforts would lead to policy-level changes, Dhamdul opined that the primary role of MPs is to cast their vote in favour or against during policy-making processes. “While there may not be immediate changes at the policy level, what MPs can contribute is fostering national fervor. We believe parliament serves as a crucial platform to engage and convince MPs on Tibet-related issues,” he said. Dhamdul emphasised that ultimately, policy-level changes are necessary, and parliament remains one of the key instruments in achieving that.
Concluding his remarks, Dhamdul reflected on the past two days of engagement with MPs, noting how deeply welcoming India was to the exiled spiritual leader following Tibet’s colonial occupation—a response he observed was not mirrored by nations like the US and Britain. “India extended its hand of support during the critical time, and this sentiment deeply resonated with me during these engagements,” he said. Dhamdul also shared that some MPs acknowledged the historical blunder India made by accepting Tibet as a part of China.
