(TibetanReview.net, Dec19’24) –Members of the Tibetan Parliament in Exile (TPiE) have on Dec 17 met with those of the All Party Indian Parliamentary Forum for Tibet (APIPFT) in New Delhi and discussed a host of issues for boosting the Tibetan campaign against the Chinese occupation rule in their homeland and towards a negotiated peaceful resolution of the issue.
The discussions focused mainly on ways to enhance outreach to various political parties on Tibet-related issues, including efforts to encourage members of the APIPFT to raise Tibet’s concerns in the Indian Parliament, said the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) on its Tibet.net website Dec 19.
Another important item was stated to be the planning of programmes for the Compassion Year 2025-26, declared by the CTA to mark the 90th birthday, Jul 6, of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The celebrations are meant to promote the values of compassion.
Altogether the meeting has adopted a 12-point resolution. The other points include campaigning for the recognition of Tibet as an occupied nation, while also urging China to “engage in substantive dialogue with representatives of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, or democratically elected leaders of the Tibetan community without preconditions,” with the aim to “resolve the Tibet-China conflict through the Middle Way Policy and seek genuine autonomy within the PRC’s constitution.”
On climate change, the meeting has called on the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) “to initiate scientific studies on the PRC’s exploitation of Tibet’s natural resources and its adverse effects on global climate change.”
The meeting has called for pressure on China to grant independent human rights organisations, including UN Special Rapporteurs, access to Tibet to monitor and report on the human rights situation there.
It has called on China to “unconditionally release all Tibetan political prisoners, including Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, the 11th Panchen Lama, whose whereabouts and well-being have been unknown since May 17, 1995.”
The meeting has called on China to “cease its oppressive policies aimed at eradicating Tibetan culture, language, and religion.”
And it has called for the establishment of a national legislative framework to combat China’s networked authoritarianism and disinformation campaigns, which erode public trust in democratic institutions, increase political polarisation, and threaten regional and global stability.
The meeting has urged legislators to express concern and raise their voice over the human rights violations in Tibet at all available platforms.
“Over” 25 Members of Indian Parliament from various political parties and both houses have taken part in the meeting. They were stated to include Bhartruhari Mahtab (BJP, Convener of the APIPFT), Tapir Gao (BJP, Co-convener of the APIPFT), Sujeet Kumar, Indra Hang Subba (SKM), Krishna Prasad Tenneti (TDP), Alfred Kanngam Arthur (INC), Dr Kadiyam Kavya (INC), Saleng A Sangma (INC), Mahesh Kashyap (BJP), Pratap Chandra Sarangi (BJP), Adv. Gowaal Padavi (INC), Dr A. Bimol Akoijam (INC), Sudhakar Singh (Rashtriya Janta Dal); June Maliah (All India Trinamool Congress), Harish Chandra Meena (INC), Amarsing Tisso (BJP), Kriti Devi D. Burman (BJP), Sangeeta Kumari Singh Deo (BJP), Manoj Tigga (BJP), Kamknya Prasad Tasa (BJP), Angomcha Bimol Akoijam (INC), Praniti Shinde (INC), Prabha Mallikarjun (INC), Bhoj Raj Nag (BJP), Rudra Narayan Pany (BJP), and others.
The key speakers from the TPiE have included Speaker Khenpo Sonam Tenphel and Deputy Speaker Dolma Tsering Teykhang.
The meeting took place as the TPiE members concluded a Dec 16-18 Tibet lobbying effort during the ongoing winter session of the Indian parliament in New Delhi. During those three days, the TPiE members reached out to key figures including one Union Minister, two Ministers of State, 79 members of Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha belonging to various political parties, as well as independent and nominated members, said the CTA in another Tibet.net report Dec 19.