Tsewang Dolma, International Relations and Information Secretary of Tibetan Youth Congress, lying at the site of a hunger strike campaign asking United Nations intervention in the Tibetan issue for better human rights in Tibet, at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on 28 September 2015. Tibet Sun/Vijay Kranti
By Lobsang Wangyal
MCLEOD GANJ, India, 2 October 2015
One of the Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC) hunger strikers has been taken to hospital after 21 days of a fast urging the United Nations to intervene in the Tibetan issue.
Tsewang Dolma, International Relations and Information Secretary, was taken to a city hospital in Delhi by the police after her health deteriorated drastically.
In a statement, TYC said, “While we pray for a quick recovery for her, we are outraged that the UN has still not responded to the cries of the Tibetan people.”
The three Executive Members of the organisation started the hunger strike on 10 September at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. Tamdin Hrichoe (Vice President) and Tenzin Wangchuk (Finance Secretary) are continuing with their fast.
Meanwhile, the Indian Minister for Women and Child Development, Maneka Gandhi, who is also the Co-Convener, All Party Indian Parliamentarian Forum for Tibet, has written to the UN General Secretary Ban Ki-Moon on Tuesday expressing her support to the TYC’s call for UN action over Tibet.
“I strongly believe that the United Nations and its member States must act immediately and hold China responsible for their actions in Tibet.”
The hunger strike campaign was organised to urge the United Nations to raise the issue of Tibet at its General Assembly and Human Rights Council Session, urge China to address the demands of the self-immolations in Tibet, urge China to give evidence that the 11th Panchen Lama Gendun Choekyi Nyima is alive, send a fact-finding UN delegation to assess the current critical situation in Tibet, and urge China to release all political prisoners in Tibet.
Tibetan Youth Congress is the largest Tibetan youth organisation in exile. The members are seeking an independent Tibet.
It is sad seeing Tsewang Dolma la in hospital after 21 days of hunger strike, and I am sure it has help to raise the Tibetan issue to greater heights. I hope and pray that she will recover soon and be able to fulfill her mission in life.
There is no reason for Tibetans to feel discouraged, as we know from history that any regime, no matter how powerful, cannot exist for long without respecting the basic rights of people. I am sure the day is sure when justice will be done in the end.
The UN is a mute spectator and its Secretary General has a different definition and yardstick for measuring rights violations. It cannot see sometime even in daytime when Tibetans and other ethnic minorities are slaughtered and imprisoned over petty issues in China. I think Tibetans are not human according to UN and therefore not worthy of their attention. Let secretary general change his eye glasses and improve the visibility of other members of powerful nations. May peace be with them.