US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) speaks to reporters a day after supporters of US President Donald Trump occupied the Capitol, during a news conference in Washington, on 7 January 2021. File photo/Reuters/Erin Scott
PTI
WASHINGTON, DC, 11 March 2021
China for decades has waged a campaign to destroy Tibet’s proud culture and history, House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi has alleged, asserting that the US will continue to stand with the Tibetan people and honour those who sacrificed all for their rights and freedom.
Speaking on the occasion of the 62nd anniversary of Tibetan Uprising Day on Wednesday against the Chinese occupation of the remote Himalayan region, Pelosi said, “Sixty-two years ago, brave Tibetans rose up against the Chinese invasion to protect their way of life and culture. Today, we continue to stand with the Tibetan people and honour those who sacrificed all for their rights and freedom.”
“Tibetan men, women and children want simply to practice their faith, speak their language and celebrate their culture free from violence and intimidation. Yet, Beijing for decades has waged a campaign to destroy Tibet’s proud culture and history, which remains a clarion call for action to freedom-loving people worldwide,” the top Democrat said.
That is why, last year, the US reaffirmed its bipartisan, bicameral support for the people of Tibet by enacting the Tibet Policy and Support Act, which strengthens diplomatic ties between the US and the Central Tibetan Administration and makes clear that decisions regarding Tibetan religion should be made solely by Tibetan religious leaders, she asserted.
Previous US president Donald Trump in December last year had signed into law a bill which called for establishing a US consulate in Tibet and building an international coalition to ensure that the next Dalai Lama is appointed solely by the Tibetan Buddhist community without China’s interference. This prompted China to warn that the act will seriously disrupt and hurt bilateral relations.
The new Joe Biden administration on Tuesday said the Chinese government should have no role in the succession process of Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama.
“This year, as we mark this solemn anniversary, we continue to take inspiration from the Dalai Lama’s powerful message of peace, faith and love,” Pelosi said.
“Guided by His Holiness’s spirit of hope, we will never rest in our efforts to advance freedom and opportunity in Tibet and throughout China – because if we do not stand up for human rights in China due to commercial interests, then we lose all moral authority to talk about human rights in any other place in the world. We will not be deterred in this vital mission,” said the House Speaker.
The Dalai Lama, Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader has been demanding meaningful autonomy for Tibetans.
The 85-year-old Dalai Lama fled to India in 1959 following a crackdown on an uprising by the local population in Tibet. India granted him political asylum and the Tibetan government-in-exile is based on Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh since then.
China views the 14th Dalai Lama as a “separatist” working to split Tibet from China.
I think “Tibet Say” is a person who believes in cult leaders with crazy ideas of reincarnation. The cult leaders, like Jim Jones, are self appointed or messengers of gods or deities manage to convince the converted individuals and communities into the world of stigmatic belief in an unconventional manner under the guidance of an authoritarians. In Buddhism, Buddha, Dharma and Sangha are the most sacred and rare potential objects of our enlightenment to happiness. There are no other gods or deities that will help us to bring our country back. The best way to solve our problem is to face the challenge by ourselves with unity, not ostracizing independent lovers and constructive critics for Tibet.
House speaker Nancy Pelosi has been a beacon of hope for Tibet in the US Congress. Her unflinching support for Tibet has been heart warming. As long as she is in the US Congress we can be assured of her support for our cause.
This support comes mostly because of her friendship with the Dalai Lama over many years. The Dalai Lama has been an inspiration to people of all faiths, different ideologies and political persuasions. Nancy Pelosi is a great fan of the Dalai Lama and with it came her support for Tibet.
The US support for the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama to be an exclusive right of the Tibetans without any interference from Godless Chinese communists is the result of people likes Nancy and Jim McGovern who have been inspired by the Dalai Lama and his message of peace.
It is time Speaker Nancy Pelosi should be awarded a prize to honour her for her dedicated support for Tibet. She is a very genuine person of warmth but never give to bullies. Being an American of Italian heritage, she speaks her mind without batting an eye lid.
Standing up to bullies is what makes her a woman of steel. She would not bend to the whims of those who flaunt their power to intimidate and suppress others. She also stood with the people of Hong Kong in their desperate fight against the evil CCP.
To take full control of the next reincarnation of Dalai Lama by the Tibetan people is vital for the survival of the Tibetan Movement. The Dalai Lama is extremely popular inside Tibet and Tibetans are yearning to see him. In order to keep Tibetan hopes burning inside Tibet, the Dalai Lama is the symbol of Tibetan resistance to Chinese occupation.
We need the next reincarnation to be the symbol to keep the hopes of the Tibetans alive just as it did by the present Dalai Lama.