Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, Jan. 13: On her final day as Under Secretary of State and US Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues, Uzra Zeya renewed calls for the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to resume dialogue with His Holiness the Dalai Lama and his representatives. Highlighting the 14-year stalemate since the last round of talks, she emphasised that a negotiated agreement is the best hope for long-term stability in Tibet.
“It has been 14 years since the last round of dialogues between the PRC governments and the Dalai Lama and his representatives,” she remarked. “We maintain that a negotiated agreement is the best hope for long-term stability in the region and we continue to urge the PRC to resume dialogue with His Holiness the Dalai Lama or his representatives without preconditions.”
Reflecting on her tenure, she expressed gratitude for the opportunity to work with Tibetan communities and international partners, describing it as the privilege of a lifetime. She added, “Until meaningful autonomy is achieved, and Tibetans everywhere can exercise their fundamental freedoms—including the practice of their faith, language, and traditions—our work remains unfinished.”
Under Secretary Zeya’s plea comes amid ongoing concerns about the PRC’s reluctance to engage with Tibetan representatives. The latest Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) annual report, released on December 20, highlights this impasse. The report criticised the PRC’s unwillingness to resume formal negotiations with the Dalai Lama’s representatives, noting that the last round of official talks occurred in January 2010. “The Commission did not observe any interest from People’s Republic of China (PRC) officials in resuming formal negotiations with the Dalai Lama’s representatives, the last round of which, the ninth, was held in January 2010,” the report stated.
Between 1982 and 2010, Tibetan and Chinese delegations engaged in nine rounds of dialogue to address the Sino-Tibetan conflict. The ninth and final round, held in January 2010, ended without progress, with Chinese officials levelling unsubstantiated accusations against the Dalai Lama. Despite this, Lodi Gyari, the lead Tibetan negotiator at the time, expressed hope for future talks. “We do not see any reason why we cannot find a common ground … if the Chinese leadership has the sincerity and political will to move forward,” Gyari said.
Since her appointment in 2021, Under Secretary Zeya has also played a pivotal role in advancing human rights and addressing Tibetan issues on a global scale. Reflecting on her four years in office, she noted significant progress in holding the PRC accountable for human rights abuses in Tibet and supporting Tibetan cultural preservation and humanitarian needs.
She highlighted the United States’ decisive actions against the PRC’s systematic repression in Tibet, including, the first-ever Tibet-related Global Magnitsky sanctions in December 2022, targeting PRC officials responsible for human rights abuses in the Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR), visa restrictions on PRC authorities involved in the repression of Tibetan ethnic and religious communities and restricting access to Tibetan areas, and sanctions against officials complicit in forcibly assimilating over one million Tibetan children in government-run boarding schools. She added that these efforts were amplified on the international stage, with over 20 countries raising concerns about PRC policies in Tibet during the PRC’s January 2024 Universal Periodic Review (UPR) at the UN Human Rights Council.
Under Secretary Zeya also highlighted sustained US assistance for Tibetan refugees and diaspora communities, addressing critical needs such as health, education, water, sanitation, and economic development. She noted that under her leadership, the United States partnered with USAID to provide $82 million in programming aimed at preserving Tibetan culture. Initiatives included support for Tibetan religious institutions, traditional practices, and cultural education.
She also reflected on her three audiences with His Holiness the Dalai Lama since 2022, noting his tireless advocacy for Tibetan cultural preservation. She condemned the PRC’s efforts to undermine Tibet’s rich heritage through forced relocations, loyalty pledges, and interference in traditional succession processes.
2 Responses
Wonder who the replacement may be and what the situation will be for Tibetans? Globally–it has always been the case that more attention is given to places considered of strategic importance–whose strategic importance seems to play a big role in the great game that is played with innocent lives. Just like how Tibet is considered a “buffer zone” sandwiched between India and China, Mongolia is sandwiched between China and Russia.
Thank you very much for your work on behalf of Tibetans in Tibet and outside Tibet. Tibetans will always appreciate and be grateful for what you have done on our behalf, and I fervently hope that you will have the opportunity to continue your humanitarian work in the future.
Nevertheless, I wish you a very happy and healthy retirement.