Canada Tibet Committee says it’s more encouraged than ever after China’s sanctions 

By Tenzin Chokyi

DHARAMSALA, 23 Dec: The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has imposed sanctions as a “countermeasure against” the Canada Tibet Committee(CTC) and associated individuals for spreading misinformation about the human rights situation in Tibet under the “Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law” in a statement it issued on Saturday. The sanctions took effect on the same day of the announcement.

The list of personnel related to the Canada Tibet Committee included Chair Samphel Lhalungpa, Vice Chair Luisa Durante, Executive Director Sherap Therchin, Board member Eliza von Baeyer, and Community Engagement Manager Youngdoung Tenzin, making a total of 5 people.

Responding to the sanction, Youngdong Tenzin said in a post on X(formerly Twitter), “I take pride in being sanctioned for my activism for my country Tibet. I am resolute in my commitment to the Tibetan cause and I will persevere in my efforts for my freedom.”

The sanctions are part of China’s response to  Canada’s recent sanctions against Chinese Senior officials for grave human rights violations in Tibet, East Turkestan and Falun Gong practitioners. 

Beijing, in an expected manner, rejected the accusation by calling Tibet and East Turkestan as its internal affairs and subsequently announced sanctions against two Canadian organisations which includes the Canada Tibet Committee and Uyghur Rights Advocacy along with 20 personnel from these organisations under the Anti-Foreign Sanctions law.

The retaliation includes “freezing all movable and immovable property and other types of assets of the two organisations and individuals from these organisations within China’s territory. 

Organisations and individuals within China are prohibited from engaging in transactions, or other activities with them personally. In addition, they will not be issued visas and will be denied entry into China, including Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions, “ as stated in a report by China’s state-run media, Global Times.

According to a social media post by Sherap Tharchin on X, the Chinese government has enquired the CTC colleagues whether they have any assets in Tibet which is currently under China’s colonial rule.

Tharchin replied, “Whatever I had- Lands, rivers, mountains, and the entire country- have been confiscated. Nothing is left except truth and courage, which you can’t sanction.”

The CTC which has been engaged in Tibet advocacy work in Canada for 38 years, in its official response emphasized its spirit of nonviolence to advocate for human rights and “peaceful accommodation of the Tibet issue with justice and dignity” in line with Daila’s Lama’s stance on Tibet: The Middle Way Policy. 

Further, it called the threat to withdraw access to the PRC, “a formalization of a long-standing practice to deny diaspora Tibetans access to Tibet” and urged the Canadian Government “to ensure that “those sanctioned do not come to harm within Canada and other democratic entities”.

The CTC seems more encouraged than ever to continue its advocacy for Tibet. 

“This move actually strengthens our resolve to keep on this path and continue to advocate for policies that bring about a just and equitable solution to the harsh occupation and repression now ongoing in Tibet”, as stated in the response.

China’s take on the matter doesn’t seem to consider the real-life consequences of the human rights violations of Tibetans and other “minority nationalities” under its “Grand” vision of the ‘Motherland” China.

Rather it has chosen to exercise the rhetoric of the Great Power Politics by reducing the plight of the Tibetans under its regime and the advocacy for Tibet as a “humanitarian card” used by the western countries “to enhance their international presence and strengthen their influence in global and ideological discourse”.

Wang Jiang, a Deputy Director of the Institute of China’s Borderland Studies at Zhejiang Normal University further stated that “some western countries have started to realize playing ‘the human rights card’ brings no significant benefits to their national interests. In contrast, Canada has gone in the opposite direction, becoming increasingly conspicuous”.

However, Tibetans view the sanctions as testimony of the good work that Tibet advocacy groups have done to bring the truth out of Tibet to the world.

Tashi Wangdi, a former minister of the Central Tibetan Administration in Exile, stated in his social media post, “Latest PRC’s fury against the Canada Tibet Committee shows the good work CTC is doing here in Canada and with others across the world in exposing the PRC’s false claims over and in occupied Tibet. So important for all our friends to stay strong and focused on what is true and just”