Mumbai, January 19 – Mr. Pema Jungney, the speaker of the Assembly of Tibetan People’s Deputies (Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile) this morning attended the World Parliamentary Forum (WPF) after the Forum decided yesterday to accept the participant of Tibetan parliamentarians. “I think this is a great and historic day for Tibetans because our parliamentarians have been recognised at a global meeting,” said Lobsang Galak, coordinator of the Tibetan Delegation to the World Social Forum (WSF). Mr. Jungney is scheduled to speak to the WPF later this afternoon.
Overjoyed Tibetans at the WSF continued their activities with the Tibetan children performing various cultural items around the venue. The Tibetan Delegation will this afternoon engage in more cultural activities and later hold a candlelight vigil and prayer for world peace. Terraviva, an independent newspaper of the WSF, today described the Tibetan activities, this way, under an article, “Tibetans Speak Softly But Hope China Hears”: They hand out leaflets, hold candlelight vigils, circulate petitions and march silently through the night. Dignified and organised, the Tibetans have come to the WSF to urge the international community to “make Tibet a zone of peace.”
This morning Tibetans participated at the conference on the Solidarity Network of Kurds, Palestinians and Tibet, a conference which discussed the subject ” Peoples under Occupation and Foreign Domination.” Ngawang C. Drakmargyapon, spokesperson of the Tibetan Delegation to the WSF, made the Tibetan presentation highlighting how population transfer of Chinese settlers into Tibet was posing the greatest threat to the survival of the religious, cultural and national identity of the Tibetan people. During the discussion which followed after the presentations, the Kurds and Palestinians were asked by a Tibetan on how they view the non-violent freedom struggle of the Tibetans.
At the Intercontinental Youth Camp, Tenzin Samphel of Tibetan Youth Congres, made a presentation on the situation Tibetan refugees, particularly the problems faced by Tibetan refugees arriving in Nepal.
During the past few days, the issue of Tibet has been raised at several meetings, with slogans being raised for Tibet and Palestine at two large meetings by the panelists themselves, including during session devoted to War Agisnt Women and Women Against War. This afternoon, at a conference on Human Rights for Social Change, an African speaker, spoke at about the grave human rights situation in Tibet.
In today Terraviva issue, in an opinion article by Walden Bello, professor of the University of the Philippines and executive director of Focus on Global South, China was described in these words: “Among the developing countries, China is, of course, in a category by itself. Indeed, China is one of the winners of the Bush era. It has managed to be on the side of everybody on key economic and political conflicts and thus on the side of nobody but China.”
The eldest member of the Tibetan delegation is Ven. Dawa Tenzin from Thoeling Monastery in the Mundgod Tibetan Settlement. Two nuns from Jangchub Choeling Nunnery in the same settlement are also amongst the Tibetan participants.
As the creation of the Sand Mandala continues next the photo exhibition on Tibet by Tibet Museum, several participants have commented on the visitors book with one Iranian writing, “I do like Tibet and its people.” On the other hand, an Indian visitor said: “Let peace reign in Tibet. Leave people of Tiebt alone with their freedom.”
