TYC Joint Secretary, Mr. Ghadong Jigme Thinlay represented Tibet at The International Union of Socialist Youth (IUSY) World Council 2004, which was held in Santaigo, Chile from 3rd Dec, to 5th Dec 2004. About 250 delegates from 75 different countries attended the International conference.
IUSY is made up of 143 world youth organizations from 100 countries all over the world. IUSY was founded over 90 years ago, on 24 August 1907 but during the two World Wars, its activities were briefly suspended. IUSY was re-established under its current name on 30 September 1946. The goal of IUSY is to put into practice and defend the ideals of democratic socialism, to fight for freedom and human rights, equality, democracy, universal solidarity and political solution etc on global issues.
The delegates of the World Council had extensive deliberation of the IUSY political topics for the coming year and amendments for the first draft of the IUSY document on sustainable development. The IUSY members firmly resolve to be more sensible on political decisions for the promotion of peace, equality and sustainable development in the crisis-ridden countries, and then merely extend solidarity to political issues. The IUSY declared the year 2005 as a year of campaigning for the rights of refugees, fight for HIV cause, Fair trade and preventing trafficking of women.
The General Secretary of International Union of Socialist Youth, Mr. Enzo Amendola calls for an end to the conflict and political persecution the world over that led people to become refugees. IUSY also affirm that world leaders need to work more for the needs of refugees and support the NGOs that care for them. In his address to the council, he further assured IUSY’s full support to its member organizations and made special reference to the ongoing Independence struggle of the Tibetan people.
During the Conference, IUSY also launched a website on refugees as a part of its campaign to help the millions of people living in refugee camps and to bring an end to the conflict and persecution that has led them to become homeless. The information of Tibetan refugees will also be available on the IUSY refugees website i.e www.homeiswhere.org.
The Conference had TYC representative Mr. Ghadong Jigme Thinlay speaking on the Tibetan issues relating to its illegal occupation by China, the ongoing repressions in Tibet, massive population transfer and the violation of human rights in Tibet. The delegations of the Council were further enlightened on the Tibetan issue through distribution of posters, pamphlets and booklets on the facts of Tibet. Many of the delegates also join the TYC post card campaign to seek release of Trulku Tenzin Delek and other political prisoners of Tibet.
On the final day of the drafting of IUSY’s World Council resolution, IUSY passed 14 resolutions from the present council on various global issues. The four-point resolution on Tibet was passed despite Malaysian youth party (DAPSY) protest against the same.
Resolution on Tibet
Recognizing the continuing struggle of the people of Tibet for national independence, and the loss of cultural and religious independence that has occurred in the course of this struggle, IUSY calls for the International Community to:
- Put pressure on China for the unconditional release of all prisoners of conscience languishing in different prisons in Tibet and China including the 11th Panchen Lama Gendhun Choekyi Nyima recognized by the Dalai Lama and Tulku Tenzin Delek.
- Condemn the illegal occupation of Tibet, which was historically an independent and sovereign nation.
- Call for the United Nations to resume the debate based on its resolution passed in 1959, 1961 and 1965; appoint a Special Rapporteur to investigate the human rights situation in Tibet; and appoint a special envoy to facilitate a peaceful settlement on the question of Tibet through a UN supervised referendum in Tibet.
- Use China’s hosting of the 2003 Olympics as a source of international pressure to call for the restoration of the human rights in Tibet.
