By Tenzin Dharpo
DHARAMSHALA, May 1: The head of the exile Tibetan Administration known officially as the Central Tibetan Administration, Prime Minister Lobsang Sangay is in New Zealand where he will meet politicians and give public talks to garner solidarity and political support for ‘Middle Way Approach’, the official stand of the CTA.
The official trip also saw the Tibetan leader deliver talks and interact with the media highlighting the situation inside Tibet in a multi-dimensional front earlier last week in Australia where he attended the 9th Festival of Tibet in Brisbane. The festival that has been a marquee event for Tibetan identity in the region was also attended by Lhakpa Tshoko, representative of the Dalai Lama in Australasia and MP Kyinzom Dhongdue.
Sangay who is on his maiden visit to New Zealand told one the country’s daily The New Zealand Herald, “New Zealand got its freedom supported by others, and the values that it fought for – the basic values of democracy and human rights – are the values that we are fighting for. Now I am here to seek the support of the people of New Zealand to fight for the same basic rights for Tibet.”
The Tibetan PM also talked about the ongoing destruction of the decades old monastic institution of Larung Gar by China. “The situation in Tibet is tragic. As we speak Larung Gar monastery is being destroyed. From 12,000 monks and nuns, it will be reduced to 5000, many are forced to leave and made to sign a pledge never to return again. Three nuns have committed suicide because they had nowhere to go.”
“Since 2011, 146 Tibetans have set themselves on fire because of the repressive policies of the Chinese Government. There is no religious freedom, no political freedom, and not even environmental rights. Many feel it is better to commit self-immolation and die, than suffer for a long, long time in Chinese prisons,” Sangay added.
In Wellington, Sangay is scheduled to visit the Parliament on May 3 for an afternoon tea hosted by Gareth Hughes (Green MP) where members of New Zealand Parliament have also been invited. He will deliver a public talk titled ‘Tibet in the 21st Century: Political, environmental and cultural challenges’ at Victoria University of Wellington the same day, according to the exile government run Tibet.net.
