DHARAMSHALA, September 21: Tibetan activists in Kathmandu met with embassy officials of various countries to raise the critical situation in Tibet and push for the demands of the three Tibetan hunger strikers in New Delhi.
Representatives of the Kathmandu regional chapter of the Tibetan Youth Congress, the largest pro-independence group in exile, were received by United States embassy officials earlier this week.
Amanda Jacobson, Refugee coordinator and her colleagues “showed great concern” over the ongoing indefinite hunger strike by three executive member of the Tibetan Youth Congress, which is now in its 19th day.
Tsewang Dolma, president of RTYC, Kathmandu told Phayul that US officials promised to forward their appeal letter to Washington, D.C, urging world leaders to heed to the demands of the hunger strikers.
The group also met with Guy Harrison, deputy head of mission of the British Embassy and submitted their appeal letters to the United Nations and European Union offices, and embassies of several countries, including France, Japan, Italy, Germany, Australia, and Myanmar.
Dolma said that during the meetings, the Tibetan delegation emphasised on the ongoing wave of self-immolations in Tibet, which has witnessed 51 Tibetans set themselves on fire calling for freedom in Tibet and the return of the Dalai Lama, and the demands of the three hunger strikers.
The group also expressed concern over the deteriorating situation of Tibetans in Nepal and their “ill-treatment” by the government.
Nepal is a strong proponent of the ‘one-China’ policy and in the recent times has cracked down harshly on Tibetans living in the country, a number believed to be over 20,000.
Dolma however feels that the strong reaction that free Tibet activities on Nepali soil draw from the Chinese and the Nepalese governments is a clear sign of their effectiveness.
“I believe that even a minor anti-China activity in Nepal has a huge impact on the Chinese government. So, I strongly feel it is a great sign of our victory over the Chinese government,” Dolma added.
Recently, Nepal’s Foreign Ministry criticised US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Robert O. Blake for meeting Tibetan exile leaders without prior permission from relevant authorities.
“We condemn any meetings without prior information and permission from the Government of Nepal. Such meetings are serious in bilateral relations,” Foreign Minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha said.
According to US diplomatic sources, Nepalese authorities had been informed of the meeting with Tibetan leaders, whose purpose was to find out about the situation of the Tibetan community and show US support for them.
