By Tenam
Paris Thursday, 11 February – Mr. Lionnel Luca, President of Tibet Group at the French National Assembly officially launched the campaign for the adoption of Tibetan towns on 10 February. This initiative was launched and spearheaded a year ago by France-Tibet, a French support group.
The first support came from Mr. Jean Louis Halioua, the mayor of Salles sur Garonne in southern France, when his town voted in favour of adopting Lhatse, a Tibetan town near Shigatse, Tibet.
Few decades ago, when Romania was under the dictatorship of Nicolae Ceaucescu, similar campaign was launched in France in order to save the historical and cultural heritage of that country, and the campaign was very effective
Mr Lionnel Luca, President of Tibet Group at the National Assembly, welcomed this initiative which he said, he and his colleagues fully support, according to a report by the Bureau of Tibet, Paris. Mayor Jean Louis Halioua, explained that he presented the project and his municipal council, after due deliberation, submitted it to the Prefect (representative of the central authority of the French Interior Ministry) of the region which was accepted.
“Therefore there is now absolutely no reason that repetition and multiplication of similar adoptions are rejected elsewhere by the Government authorities,” he added. Attending the ceremony Mr Tashi Wangdi, Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, thanked all friends of Tibet and especially those involved in this campaign.
“This will help highlight the on going dramatic situation of the Tibetan people. Beyond its symbolic value, such non-violent action will help save the Tibetan people’s identity, culture and spiritual heritages and the fragile environment of the plateau of Tibet,” the representative added.
Mrs Marcelle Roux, founder and President of France-Tibet, presented an action file and explained how it all started.
“In the upcoming months, coordinated actions will be launched through members of the Parliament, networks of mayors, Senators, and Tibet Support Groups”, she said.
“This is a powerful message for Tibetans inside Tibet that the people in the free world have not forgotten them. Hopefully through the prism of this town adoption program the larger human dimensions of the tragedy of Tibetan people will be brought closer to the people here in France and elsewhere”, said Tashi Wangdi.
It is planned that a comprehensive list of the places of cultural, historical and spiritual importance, as well as important ecological and geographical landmarks of Tibet will be compiled along with their details to be proposed for an adoption.
Since the standard Twin City procedures will not be possible in view of the current occupied situation of Tibet, the campaign leaders have decided to officially call this an “adoption” of the Tibetan places. Members of the Parliament present have all agreed to relay the information and join in this action, according to Bureau officials.
Other highly successful nationwide campaigns in France have been the adoption of Tibetan political prisoners and towns hoisting the Tibetan National Flag. Over five hundred French towns and municipalities have supported this pledge. Till last year 313 towns and communes in France have pledged to raise the Tibetan flag indefinitely till Tibet regains autonomy, says France-Tibet website.
