SFT-Canada urges PM Justin Trudeau to talk Tibet before trade during China visit

By Lobsang Tenchoe

DHARAMSALA, August 31: Tibetans in Canada have urged Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to talk Tibet before trade during his visit to China.

As the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau landed in Beijing around midnight on Tuesday, members of Canada chapter of Students for a free Tibet (SFT) gathered outside Parliament Hill in Ontario, the political and cultural heart of the city, to urge the Canadian government to tell Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to talk Tibet and human rights before trade on his China visit.

According to a video posted by SFT-Canada on facebook, a press conference was held with the Canada Amnesty International, wherein SFT-Canada tabled three requests for the Prime Minister to speak on at the G20 summit. Which was followed by a rally at Parliament hill, at Ottawa from 11am-3pm (local time) on Tuesday Aug 30.

The organization urged the Prime Minister to speak about the growing number of self-immolations in Tibet, forceful demolition of Larung Gar, Tibet’s largest Buddhist institute and the release of Tibetan political prisoner, Shokjang during his visit.

“We urge the Canadian Prime Minister to talk Tibet before trade, raise the issue of growing self-immolation in Tibet, forceful demolition of Larung Gar and release of Tibetan political prisoner, Shokjang,” Sonam Chokey, SFT Canada National Director says in the Video.

“We believe Tibet will be free, Bhoe Gyalo,” she signed off.

Apart from attending the G20 summit in Hangzhou, where Canadian Prime Minister will meet with finance ministers and leaders of various countries to discuss the globalized economy, he will also hold meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang, as well as economic and business leaders such as the China Entrepreneur Club, Canada China Business Council and Alibaba founder Jack Ma, reports thestar.com Aug 30.