Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, Sept. 4: Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Senator John Curtis (R-NV) have called on Secretary of State Marco Rubio to urgently appoint a Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues at the U.S. Department of State, a post that has remained vacant since former Under Secretary Uzra Zeya stepped down earlier this year during the transition to the Trump administration.
In their letter, the senators stressed that the position is mandated by law under the Tibetan Policy Act of 2002 and further reinforced by the Tibetan Policy and Support Act of 2021, which Rubio himself co-sponsored as a senator. The Special Coordinator’s role is to promote meaningful dialogue between the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the Dalai Lama or his representatives, safeguard the human rights of Tibetans, support the preservation of Tibet’s cultural and religious identity, and coordinate U.S. humanitarian and development efforts for Tibetan refugees.
“The PRC is employing a wide array of tools—including leveraging physical and digital infrastructure—to further persecute the Tibetan people and erode their unique religious, cultural, and linguistic traditions,” the senators wrote. “Given the PRC’s coercive behavior, it is critically important to appoint a qualified Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues as quickly as possible.”
The lawmakers also warned of China’s expanding repression in Tibet, citing forced resettlement, arbitrary detentions, property seizures, and assimilationist education policies targeting the Tibetan language. They highlighted Beijing’s “weaponization” of Tibet’s water resources and its use of propaganda, cyber operations, and transnational repression to pressure Tibetan communities abroad.
Since its creation in 2001, the Special Coordinator position has enjoyed bipartisan support in Congress, symbolizing U.S. support for the rights and cultural preservation of Tibetans. The senators emphasised that filling the vacancy is vital to maintaining American leadership on Tibet policy and countering Beijing’s growing aggression.
“We therefore urge you to appoint a qualified Special Coordinator as soon as possible to maintain U.S. leadership in the fight against PRC aggression,” the letter concluded.
“I am grateful to Senators Rosen and Curtis for their support for Tibet,” said the Washington-based advocacy group International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) President Tencho Gyatso. “I hope Secretary Rubio appoints a diplomat committed to implementing U.S. legislation on Tibet, holding China accountable for its human rights abuses, working with international partners to strengthen global support for Tibet, and urging Beijing to re-engage in meaningful dialogue with the Dalai Lama or his representatives.”
2 Responses
Thank you, Senators Rosen and Curtis, for your support for the appointment of a qualified Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues. This office is an expression of the long-running support for the people of Tibet, a support that transcends parties and has endured for decades.
They have to do this !!