17th Tibetan Parliament-in-exile commences its 10th session
By Tenzin Chokyi
DHARAMSALA, 10 Sept: The Tibet issue is intrinsically international and not merely an internal affair of China, the Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, Khenpo Sonam Tenphel, said today in his session commencement address as the 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile began its 10th session.
Speaker Tenphel emphasised that Beijing’s excessive propaganda in attempts to frame the Tibet issue as a domestic matter are aimed at avoiding international scrutiny over violations of international law and fundamental human rights.
He highlighted the global support for Tibet in the recent 9th World Parliamentarians’ Convention on Tibet, attended by 150 participants, including parliamentarians from 29 countries, as well as activists and scholars worldwide, to stress the international nature of the Tibet issue and the importance of building international solidarity to protect Tibetan rights, culture, and identity.
The Speaker also raised pressing issues concerning occupied Tibet, including religious freedom, cultural preservation, human rights, and the growing repression in occupied Tibet.
He announced that two resolutions would be presented tomorrow: one supporting the Dalai Lama’s stance on reincarnation, affirming that the sole authority lies with His Holiness’s private office, and another in solidarity with Tibetans in occupied Tibet in response to ongoing repression.
The Speaker also condemned Xi Jinping’s recent visit to Tibet to mark the 65th anniversary of the so-called Tibet Autonomous Region, noting that Tibetans were forced to perform for the occasion.
He rebuked the widespread propaganda and political indoctrination thereafter in the Tibetan region, including Ngari, Shigatse, Lhokha, Nagchu, Golog, Nyetan, and Chamdo, linking it to the broader campaigns of “ language nationalism” and “national unity” in China, which threatens the very existence of the Tibetan identity.
Drawing attention to human rights violations, he cited the arrest and killing of Tibetan religious leaders, including Tulku Palden of Choegyal Monastery in Kham Gonjo, noting a pattern of repression since 2008 with severe environmental and social consequences.
The General Session, the second session of the Tibetan Parliament for the year, is scheduled to run from the 10th to 18th of September. Parliamentarians are expected to deliberate on the implementation report of the budget adopted earlier this year in March and raise questions regarding its execution and related developments over the past six months.
