Paramilitary police officers swap positions during a change of guard in front of Potala Palace in Lhasa, during a government-organised tour of the Tibet Autonomous Region, China, on 15 October 2020. File photo/Reuters/Thomas Peter
By Reuters Staff | Reuters
SHANGHAI, China, 21 November 2020
The head of the Tibetan government in exile has visited the US White House for the first time in six decades, a move that could further infuriate Beijing, which has accused the United States of trying to destabilise the region.
Lobsang Sangay, President of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), was invited to the White House to meet the newly appointed US Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues, Robert Destro, on Friday, the CTA said in a press release.
“This unprecedented meeting perhaps will set an optimistic tone for CTA participation with US officials and be more formalised in the coming years,” said the CTA, which is based in India’s Dharamshala.
Tibet has become one of the areas of dispute between the United States and China, with relations between the world’s two biggest economies at their lowest point in decades.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo accused Beijing in July of violating Tibetan human rights and said Washington supported “meaningful autonomy” for the region.
Beijing officials have since accused the United States of using Tibet to try to promote “splittism” in China. China has also refused to engage with Destro.
China seized control over Tibet in 1950 in what it described as a “peaceful liberation” that helped it throw off its “feudalist past”, but critics led by the exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama say Beijing’s rule amounts to “cultural genocide”.
Chinese President Xi Jinping said in August that China needed to build an “impregnable fortress” in Tibet in order to protect national unity.
I think it is good that Sikyong was invited in White House. The foundation of everything been laid down by HH the Dalai Lama. I really offer a credit to ICT staff for maintaining the relations with US Congress and the Senate. Due to their effort of lobby and Tibetan Associations all over US, we have achieved a lot of support in passing the bills like Reciprocal Act, Tibet Policy Act, etc. LS should give credit to them too.
The CCP has demonized the Dalai Lama and racially vilified the Tibetan people by falsifying history, fabricating stories about Tibet. It was to give them the pretext for their violent invasion and occupation of our country. It’s the same story about WMD when America was on the verge of invading Iraq. But they found out it was all hoax.
The CCP propaganda against the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan people are exactly the same as the WMD hoax in Iraq. However, China apologists and hired propagandists like Sameer Khan have had a hey day spouting venom against the Dalai Lama in order to make easy money by propagating CCP falsehoods to unwitting souls.
The Dalai Lama ruled Tibet as a compassionate holy man and the people of Tibet regarded him as a Buddha. Just to get a glimpse of him was life’s greatest achievement. He didn’t rule with an army like the CCP’s PLA to crush dissent. Not only the people’s life and livelihood was protected, even the wild animals were forbidden to be killed.
It was a unique relationship of devotion and adulation towards a leader who had the interest of his subject in his heart. The 13th Dalai Lama’s warning prophecy is a testament for his abiding care and concern about the plight of Tibet.
So, we should not buy into Chinese communist propaganda about theocracy in Tibet. It was driven by their desire to dehumanize the Tibetan leader and its people to give themselves a convenient excuse to invade an independent country.
The most important thing in theocracy is: “RULE IN THE NAME OF GOD”. Tibet was a Buddhist nation. Buddhists don’t accept a creator “God”. Buddha is not regarded as a “God” by His followers. The Dalai Lama ruled according to the compassionate path taught by the holy Buddha. There was no theocracy in Tibet.
I totally disagree with Thokmey la saying that the Sikyong would feel superior to His Holiness after having an audience with Robert Destro in the white house. I think that such talks are all nonsense, as we all know very well that nobody can claim to have done more than the present His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama.
I really don’t see much wisdom and merit in his statement. There is no reason why anybody should think of comparing someone with His Holiness in any aspect. His Holiness is the undisputed leader of the Tibetan nation, and the symbol of the World Peace and harmony. With my due respect to Sikyong, let me also say that the respect should be earned in life by rendering selfless services to the people and the nation.
We should be happy with our elected representative being invited in the white house and let Sikyong continue his good work for our cause. I am worried why some people are just criticizing others for no real good reasons. These big talkers should come to the field and lead us by good examples. Why they are too afraid to go beyond their comfort zone? Has anyone achieved anything for Tibet?
I bow before my Great Lama, pray for your long life and good health. You are the undiminishing star of the Tibetan Nation.
Whether they are intentional or otherwise or personnel vendetta or foreign inspired, what these people are doing in fact is sowing discord between the leader and the people by undermining the people’s trust in the leadership.
This is the kind of work the CCP’s United Front is assigned to do, to disparage the leader to demoralize the people. It’s their tactic to disrupt the enemy and their strength.
It comes in many guises in order to protect their true agenda. So, Tibetans have to be wary of such people who are either directly or indirectly eroding unity, faith in the leader and causing communal tensions.
The utter hypocrisy of the said person is breath taking. Jamyang Norbu is one of his sworn enemies in all of his blabber. He is according to him one of those who “blasphemed” the Dalai Lama along with Atsok Lukar Jam. They are the scumbag of Tibetan society according to him. But recently, he used Jamyang Norbu’s rather unkind words against the Sikyong to disparage him.
This is the person who attacked Lukar Jam mercilessly that demolished his reputation and was forced out of India. He is an anti-Rangzen, pro-China babbler. He frowns upon anyone who is a Rangzen advocate.
He made baseless personal attacks on Representative Ngodup Tsering including his marital status. Attacked Choerig Kalon, Karma Gelek who is a well respected monk and scholar. These are not acceptable. There are lines that you cannot cross out of respect for the other person’s wellbeing and reputation but this guy has no respect for any one he dislikes.
In recent times, he has been attacking Sikyong candidate Kaydor and Gyari Dolma. Disparaging them and accusing them of all sorts of things to discredit them in the hope that this will give his own candidate a better…
While president Donald Trump is nowhere near conceding or throwing in the towel, it feels good to toy with the idea of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley run in the 2024 election, provided there is no dalliance from the Trump court. This would make a potent duo.
Now that our Sikyong term is approaching the tail end of a decade, perhaps his next mission is to aim for some post in the United Nations. In the land of the free lot, and the home of the melting pot, anything is possible. And the timing couldn’t be more right.
While this is a milestone for Tibetan struggle, not all are happy. For example, Thupten Thokmey, a former monk from dalai lama’s monastery, says this opportunity made lobsang sangay feel superior to hh dalai lama.
trump administration is a maverick. They didn’t make any strong statement regarding tibet issue. But behind the scenes, CTA head was formally recognized by USA, thereby giving legitimacy for the sikyong in the world after Dalai Lama passes away. This is significant because sooner or later, Tibetan diaspora has to deal with the west without the aura of Dalai Lama.
US inviting lobsang to white house is a signal to his allies CTA president will speak for 6 million Tibetans in Tibet after dalai lama. This has put to bed all fears about potential abandonment of Tibet issue after dalai lama passes away. US has made it clear it is about a cause, and if they decide to support a cause, they will do so irrespective of who represents the cause at what time.
However, I see a deliberate attempt by donald trump administration to sideline Gaden phodrang adminstration of dalai lama from the Tibet issue. Call it decoupling. Trump administration is supportive of Tibet issue in many areas, but sees the institution of the Dalai Lama as irrelevant to the suffering of the Tibetans under chinese occupation. While US hates communists, they also hate theocracy, which was the Tibetan system pre invasion.
Democrat party people are bit strange. Bill Clinton decoupled trade from human rights, thus making tibet issue irrelevant in the US-china trade. His wife hillary clinton took a picture holding a self-immolator in Tibet. But they are a couple, and share the same bed at night!
Joe biden said he will meet dalai Lama. but what he will say during the meeting is more…
Thank you America, Thank you President Trump, Sec of State Mike Pompeo and other patriotic and proud American leaders who do not compromise their sense of justice and freedom for economic gains and political correctness.
This is great news for Tibet and a significant milestone for the Tibetan struggle. We have been left in the lurch for the last six decades by the mighty powers to cozy up with communist China. At last they realized that the communist serpent which they fed with their milk is biting the hand that fed it.
Communist China is undermining democracy around the world by supporting dictatorial regimes. It’s been oppressing the Tibetans, the Uyghurs and S Mongolians more than seven decades. Even international treaties have been ignored to suppress the democratic movement in Hong Kong and threatens to invade Taiwan to destroy democracy in that country.
The ideological war between totalitarian China and democratic west has spurred the US to hit China where it hurts. It is supporting democracy by inviting the Sikyong of Tibet to the White House. It’s also because of the geopolitical tug of war between the US and China and the threat China poses to India’s security that has made the US to chart a new policy vis-a-vis Tibet to protect India.
This is the right policy that would benefit the Tibetan people, the security of India and American interest in Asia. Tibet was an independent nation that served as a buffer between India and China for centuries and that is the only way, India can secure its northern borders and focus its military forces towards Pakistan which has been stirring up trouble in Kashmir since 1947.
The Indian Government must not miss this opportunity to support the US for its own benefit in the UN and other international forums. The only way India can forever enjoy genuine tranquility on the Indo-Tibet border is to free Tibet from illegal Chinese occupation.
A BIG THANK YOU to President Trump administration and Congratulations to Sikyong!
Donald Trump begged China to agree to his trade deals so that he could create more jobs in the USA and win the election. When China didn’t agree to his trade deals, he started attacking China vehemently and any one who bash China welcome in State department and White House. But Lobsang Sengay as always again thinks he did this. So what if you are allowed in state department or White House. Until a serious talks with real progress happens, it’s nothing. What Jamyang Norbu said is 100% right. You have achieved nothing in our freedom struggle.
If it was somebody else representing the Tibetans at this time, the Trump administration would do the same. It is a gesture towards the Tibetan people and Tibet and not because of Lobsang Sangay.
I don’t know what Jamyang Norbu said but know this much that President Trump and his team are working hard for democracy and for America’s freedom and election integrity against all odds. There is a concerted effort by the globalists to remove Trump by hook or crook so that they can go back to their business as usual. The Globalist elites-the big techs, the billionaires, the giant sports companies, MSM – none of them are pleased with what Trump has done to their businesses with China. These globalists take their businesses to China, divide the huge profit between the company in China and the investors who then make huge donations to their party (Democrat) While the American people are left jobless, loss of dignity and livelihood and have to depend on govt handouts. Then Govt. act as the benefactor and talks about universal basic income and health care where if people had jobs they don’t have to depend on govt handouts and they can buy their own health care. Trump has changed all that in the short time that he has been in office only for the globalist to come up with the biggest election fraud ever in history. No wonder Hillary Clinton advised Biden to never concede no matter what and Biden’s Freudian slip when he said that Democrats built the largest voter fraud organization in American history. There are Republicans too who have been corrupted by CCP China and also come under MSM pressure and intimidation. But Trump has the support of the people. Our SJW’s are very vocal when it comes to attacking Trump but how do they forget that all the universities are dependent on…