CTA’s response to China’s white paper on Tibet: 70 years of occupation and oppression not liberation
DHARAMSALA, 30 Sept: It is not 70 years of liberation, but 70 years of suppression and oppression, the President of the Central Tibetan Administration(CTA) said today while releasing its response to China’s white paper on Tibet, “Tibet Since 1951: Liberation, Development and Prosperity”.
“It is not 70 years of liberation, it’s 70 years of repression and oppression and China’s claim of peacefully liberating Tibet is a disguise or to lure and to misinform the Chinese people and the international community,” CTA President Penpa Tsering said.
The CTA President presided over the launch of the exile government’s response to China’s white paper titled, Tibet: 70 Years of Occupation and Oppression day ahead of the national day of the People’s Republic of China, commemorating the formal proclamation of the establishment of the People’s Republic of China on 1 October 1949.
On the historical status of Tibet, the President said, “there are different versions such as the Chinese version of Tibet’s history, the Tibetans version of Tibet’s history and then the third party’s version as well.”
Through the CTA’s response to China’s White Paper, “We have outlined the factual historical chronology of China’s claim and our counterclaims as to what is not right in china’s claims,” he added.
He then declared that “the past is past and there will be claims and counterclaims but what is more important is the way forward.”
“The way forward right now as proposed by his holiness, approved by the general public and adopted by the Tibetan parliament in exile still continues which is to seek meaningful, long-lasting, mutually beneficial non-violent struggle resolution of the Sino-Tibet conflict.”
The political head of the Tibetan people then added: “based on that policy we will follow through with the set of principles that we have set as the 16th cabinet”.
He further gave an overview of the 92-page book published by the Department of Information and International Relations that refuted China’s claims.
President Tsering concluded by saying that “it is imperative on the part of the Chinese government also that if they want to resolve the Tibetan issue if they want to find a lasting solution to the Tibetan issue than we should look forward rather than making claims and counterclaims and spreading falsehood and disinformation around the world and to the Chinese people.
CTA will soon launch its response in the Tibetan and Chinese language as well.
“On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of Tibet’s peaceful liberation, we are publishing this white paper to review Tibet’s history and achievements, and present a true and panoramic picture of the new socialist Tibet,” China said as it launched a White Paper on Tibet, “Tibet Since 1951: Liberation, Development and Prosperity” on 21 May earlier this year.
