By Tenzin Dharpo
DHARAMSHALA, Nov. 12: A senior United States delegation led by U.S. House of Representatives Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi has made a rare visit to Tibet during the delegation’s official China trip.
The trip to Tibet which was earlier not mentioned is a surprising development, considering China’s denial of access to free press or foreign delegation into Tibet that has been locked down following the 2008 Pan Tibet uprising.
At a bilateral meeting at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People today, she remarked in her opening statement, “We consider (the meeting) an important one, to be with your distinguished colleagues, as we increase our relationship between the two Congresses and we’ll talk about our two countries as well and the success of the presidents’ meetings,” although not making any direct comment on Tibet.
At the same meeting, Zhang Dejiang, the head of the National People’s Congress and the third-ranked Communist Party leader enquired Pelosi about the impressions of visiting Tibet. “Madame Pelosi, you have been to Tibet. I was concerned about your health. I can see there is nothing wrong with your health. This shows your health is very good. I want to first hear your impressions of your visit to Tibet,” Zhang said.
She responded that she had made some remarks in advance about Tibet and “that some of that conversation will be useful as we try to talk about some other subjects as well”.
She or the United States embassy in Beijing made no other comments about the delegation’s visit into Tibet.
The senior US delegation included Democratic Reps. Jim McGovern of Massachusetts, Betty McCollum and Tim Walz, Joyce Beatty, Alan Lowenthal and Ted Lieu.
Pelosi, former Speaker of US House of Representatives, has been a staunch critic of China’s human rights record and especially the repressive denial of basic human rights including religious suppression happening in Tibet.
In an earlier comment on Tibet, she said, “If freedom-loving people throughout the world do not speak out against China’s oppression and China and Tibet, we have lost all moral authority to speak on behalf of human rights anywhere in the world”.
A staggering 143 Tibetans have self immolated till date calling for the return of the Dalai Lama and freedom in Tibet.
