By Phurbu Thinley
Dharamsala, September 24: The members of the 14th TPiE (Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile) sat for the fourth parliamentary session beginning today.
The session, which is held after every six months, will go on till 4th of next month.
In his opening key note speech, the Speaker of the Tibetan Assembly Mr Karma Choephel, while highlighting major developments since the last parliamentary sitting in March, briefed the session of the sixth-round of Sino-Tibetan Dialogue held between the Envoys of His Holiness the Dalai Lama with the Chinese leadership from 29 June to 5 July. He further said a full report of a comprehensive analysis of the Sino-Tibetan dialogue process by the Task Force review meeting held earlier this month will be submitted to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who is due to arrive in Dharamsala tomorrow after concluding his visit to four European countries.
In his speech, the Speaker commended the recent Tibetan freedom demonstrations staged both inside and outside Tibet.
Citing recent unrests in Lithang sparked by Rongye Adrak’s outspoken protest and massive Tibetan movement led by major Tibetan organizations and Tibet support groups outside Tibet, and SFT’s (Students for a Free Tibet) daring pro-Tibet acts inside mainland China, Karma Choephel said they deserve a big round of applause from the assembly.
The Speaker also expressed Tibetan pride in the high recognitions that are being increasingly bestowed upon His Holiness the Dalai Lama around the world. Welcoming the forthcoming conferment of US Congressional Gold Medal, the highest Civilian Honour of US, to His Holiness on October 17, Mr Chophel urged on the need of a major celebration by Tibetans worldwide.
“After Nobel Peace Prize in 1989, this (US Congressional Goold Medal) is the second time that such a recognized honour has been bestowed upon our leader,” Mr Choephel said.
According to the Speaker, as part of regular parliamentary exchange programmes, parliamentary delegations from United Kingdom, Trentino Region in South Tyrol and Pie Monte in Turin, Italy are to join the Tibetan Parliamentary session on separate occasions in coming days.
Among other issues, the members are expected to hold a highly speculative discussion on the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games vis-à-vis issue of Tibet according to reliable sources.
Many Tibetan activists and Tibet supporters have pointed out that with China being closely watched by the world in run up to the Beijing Games next year, it can actually provide the kind of position to accentuate the issue of Tibet, the plight of Tibetan people and human rights tribulations in Tibet.
Contrary to the promises made by China to improve its human rights record in its bid for the 2008 Olympic Games, situation in Tibet and elsewhere in China seems to have worsen in recent times. With Beijing Games less than a year away, China is said to be placing in more severe restrictions across Tibet and cases of repression are visibly on the rise.
One of the latest reports say that China has arrested and detained as many Tibetan high school students for allegedly writing graffiti calling for the Dalai Lama’s return to Tibet and other pro-independence slogans on the walls of the police station and other buildings in Amchok Bora village, in Gansu Province.
In August this year, China arrested 53-year old Tibetan nomad, Rongye Adrak and was charged with incitement to subvert state power after he spoke at a gathering in support of the Dalai Lama’s return to Tibet and calling for Tibet’s independence.
On September 1, China has put into effect a regulation that forbids naming of Tibetan reincarnate lamas without the permission from the Communist State Government of China.
Rights groups continue to criticize China for using Olympics as an excuse to suppress its people rather than improving its excessive human rights violation record.
The Dalai Lama declared democracy for Tibetans in 1960 and subsequently promulgated a constitution for a future Tibet based on the principles of modern democracy.
Members of Tibetan Assembly are directly elected by Tibetans.
