Longshog/Arise is about Tapey, a successful young Tibetan living in Los Angeles
who, in an effort to stop his friends from falling into a Chinese government trap to
label the Tibetan struggle as terrorism, eventually burns himself in front of the
consulate. He thus chooses to die rather than harm the enemy yet defies oppression
and shows devotion to peace.

Please visit

www.longshogarise.com

Please Click

Under the Chinese occupation many Tibetan towns and cultural landmarks not only were destroyed but also renamed with new Chinese names.

With tibetonthemap.com we started a worldwide petition asking Google to put Tibet’s language, culture and heritage back on Google maps – by officially adding the traditional Tibetan names written in the Tibetan alphabet. Chinese, Cyrillic, Arabic and many other scripts are already used on Google Maps ­– so why not Tibetan, too?

Your support could make this happen: Please visit tibetonthemap.com, learn more about the project, like the website and share it with everyone you know via email, newsletters, tweets (for example: put #tibet on @google maps: please visit and share www.tibetonthemap.com to speak up for #tibetonthemap) and other social media channels. Every single click and like counts to make this petition more relevant to Google.

RANGWANG OR RANGZEN

For eons I have been debating in my mind between Rangwang and Rangzen. I know I have touched raw nerves in the past, particularly amongst our youth who huff and puff at the slightest leaning to the Middle-Way Approach. Your passion is good because I believe your clamor for rangzen is fueled by your intense sense of patriotism for our native land. I myself was born in Tibet in the late ’40s, and had seen and experienced a lot during the course of my life; during the height of the Great Leap Forward movement starting in 1958, and barely managed to cross over to Bhutan before the unleashing of the Cultural Revolution in 1966.

Journey from Tibet to Bhutan

(from http://www.bl.uk/reshelp/findhelpregion/asia/india/politsecrec/tibet-map1.jpg)
When the Communist Chinese first came to Tibet (TAR) in the early ’50s, they were known for their strict discipline, and corruption was unheard of. They had just toppled the corrupt Nationalist government in China which was forced into exile to Formosa now the Chinese Republic of China in Taiwan. Our government-in-exile withdrew into the hills of Dharamshala, when our Kundun arrived there on April 17, 1960 from Mussoorie. The early days of our rag-tag government in exile under His Holiness the Dalai Lama, often reminds me of Mao’s Long March Headquarter at Yenan caves along with Chow En Lai, Chu De, and Mao’s third wife Guiyuan and a few thousands of loyal soldiers. Pardon me for this side track from the issue as I am so much tempted to touch on one hilarious incident in Dharamshala around 1968.

from http://www.outlookindia.com

During those difficult periods our skeleton government staff faced a lot of hardship and was barely able to make ends meet. Some offices had just one old wooden chair and a table and that was that. There were tales of many sleeping in cowsheds with barely enough to eat. And, the whole of TGIE had just one antiquated telephone for all to use provided the line itself was working. It was during such a moment our only phone rang. The gentleman in charge answered the phone. The caller wished to speak to so and so who wasn’t there in the office at the time. Anyway he asked the caller’s name. In came the caller’s reply, “Nga Tenzin yin, Gyatso.” He retorted he hadn’t heard such a name and slammed the phone down. It soon dawned on him who the caller was: His Holiness. Quickly he prostrated three times at the phone.

Now getting back on track, the loss of Tibet is the tragedy of the last century. When many nations were born or gained independence after the Second World War, we lost our own independence. We were and are victim of geopolitics simple as that. It was the Second World War that completely changed the course of world history altogether, and we suffered the most tragic casualty of WWII by default. It’s not that we had not endeavored to further solidify our sovereign state status. It’s not that we had not taken up steps to strengthen our military. It’s not that we had not tried to open English language schools, etc. In the end all our concerted efforts wouldn’t have mattered much when after the WWII India received its independence, and the Communists defeated the Nationalists in China.How on earth could we expect to face the tide of the battle-hardened Reds, who could not be defeated by the US army under the command of General Douglas MacArthur during the Korean War? As a matter of fact, the Reds had pushed the US soldiers all the way to the coastal city of Pusan in the Korean Peninsula. Unlike us the Mongols lucked out because Joseph Stalin was obsessed with having a buffer state between his vast empire and China. Stalin had succinctly articulated to President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Prime minister of Britain Winston Churchill during the Yalta Conference in 1945, effectively to solidify Mongolia’s status as a sovereign state. Consequently, Outer Mongolia was catapulted into a position of exercising its sovereignty. On October 6, 1949 both the USSR and People’s Republic of China recognized Outer Mongolia’s sovereignty, and subsequently Mongolia getting admitted to the United Nations in 1961.But our fate was sealed; we were forgotten and left in the snow cold. After the WWII, Britain was devastated economically, militarily and morally. In the late ’40s and ’50s our patriots had maneuvered, pleaded and cajoled those in power to come to our aid. Those nations on whom our hopes were pinned turned their faces the other way; namely the United States, Britain, India and Nepal. United States was in a tough spot to openly support us against the Chinese who were US’s ally during the WWII. After the war the adage: “the sun never sets on the British empire” quickly faded over the horizon. Our signing of the infamous 17-Point Agreement and India’s Panchsheel Treaty or Five principles of Peaceful Coexistence eroded our international standing. To compound it all both India and Nepal were experiencing excruciating difficulties standing on their feet, let alone come to our aid against a new formidable force.

As a trader my father used to import goods from India during the ’40s. When the British suddenly left India which got its independence on August 15, 1947, there was a severe shortage of sugar in India since the Indians experienced intense difficulty in running the various factories and mills. The sugar prices skyrocketed, and my father was once again transporting the sugar all the way back from Tibet to India on mule backs across the Zelep pass. It’s no secret the so called Great Britain has immorally sold us over and over again; making us slide from sovereignty to suzerainty, from suzerainty to stateless, and then the tune got even more despicably sordid: Tibet has always been part of China, in order to gain some monetary concession from the new Emperors of China. How shameless coming from a country called Great Britain. Where’s the greatness?

That was then and this is now. Today we are mired in debates whether to opt for RANGWANG OR RANGZEN. I am inclined to lean on the former or the Middle-Way Approach which Kundun and our CTA are pushing. I know several well educated friends and responsible members of society adamantly lean toward rangzen. They are almost sounding: give us rangzen or death. In a way this belief is akin to our brethren inside Tibet who are currently self-immolating themselves out of desperation for the pain is unbearable. It could also be likened to the Kamikaze or Hara-kiri route. But, for the most part the rangzen band wagon is largely filled with our young ones relatively well educated and energetic, clamoring rangzen, rangzen. Even the great Indian battle-hardened chiefs and warriors such as Crazy Horse, Sitting Bull, Geronimo, Chief Joseph and many realized the futility of challenging the might of new forces, and instead chose a more sensible way to work with the adversary so that their people could live in peace.

From Tibetsun.com

As you all know China is undergoing tremendous transformation. CCTV (China Central Television), which runs 24 hours, is very informative, particularly about many global issues with a degree of slight propaganda here and there just like some of the channels in the West. On its news I saw another side of Xi Jinping who will formally hold the rein of power in early March. I have seen Xi Jinping walking in the snow visiting remote areas in China, and listening and asking questions, etc. with ordinary peasants. While in Los Angeles last year he wanted to see Kobe Bryant and the Lakers play, a stark departure from the norms of his predecessors. His daughter attends Harvard under a pseudonym. I find him quite different from the others, notwithstanding the fact the repression in Tibet has intensified to a much higher level. Regardless of these inscrutable signs one is inclined to ask, “Will he be China’s Gorbachev with Glasnost and Perestroika? We shall see.

From MSNBC

With changing times on our ever evolving planet, Kundun’s Middle-Way Approach makes a whole lot of sense, on the one hand. On the other hand, tell me, who is so seasoned in dealing with China on Tibet issue? Just name one person on this earth. During his1954/55 visit to China Kundun had met with Mao close to thirty times, and explored and discussed many issues in good faith to bring reforms to Tibet in order to modernize our country. Unfortunately things started to deteriorate, intensifying after the Lushan Conference in 1959 during which there was fiery bickering between Mao and his two nemeses Peng Dehuai and Liu Shaochi, and the dark Cultural Revolution of 1966 which was craftily engineered by Mao to purge and punish all his enemies.

In his relentless pursuit of justice for his people, Kundun has jetted to many countries, conferred with many world leaders, and above all received much varied advice from many true politicians and top notch world leaders so that our interest could be better materialized. Having said all this, how in the world do our die-hard rangzen agitators expect to gain rangzen when there’s not a single country recognizing Tibet as a nation? Compared to today our chances seemed much better in the ’50s and ’60s when China was a rogue state and we got fairly good support from the UN General Assembly.

In 1965 Lal Bahadur Shastri had assured Shakabpa that he would recognize Tibet, and announce it in the Parliament after his trip to Tashkent, USSR. He never made it back to India from Tashkent where he suddenly died under mysterious circumstances just like the 10th Panchen Lama’s death. Many Muslim nations had assured that once Indi had recognized Tibet they would follow suite and recognize Tibet. That wasn’t our karma. Today the scenario is utterly different. China is not only a member of the UN but occupies one of the five efficacious seats with veto power in the Security Council. Now you tell me what are our chances in gaining rangzen? We don’t have the population, army, money or tangible support from the global states to face China’s 1.2 billion Hans.

The Tibetan Delegation to India met with Indian Prime Minister Nehru at his residence in New Delhi in 1950. Front row: Tsecha Thubten Gyalpo, Pema Yudon Shakabpa (wife of Tsepon Shakabpa), Indira Gandhi, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, Tsering Dolma (older sister of His Holiness the Dalai Lama), Tsepon Wangchuk Deden Shakabpa, Depon Phuntsok Tashi Takla (husband of Tsering Dolma). Back row: Dzasa Jigme Taring, Unknown monk, and Chepon Chemo Driyul (brother-in-law of Tsepon Shakabpa).

There are others who hail “ronzen, ronzen”. Do they realize when they talk about ronzen, they insidiously exclude Dhotoe and Dhome as succinctly stipulated in the 1914 Simla Convention and the infamous Seventeen-Point Agreement of 1951? Whereas Kundun’s Middle-Way approach is inclusive of Bhod Cholkhasum. Add to this, the three most prominent proponents of rangzen drum beaters have one striking thing in common. One has a Poncho Villa beard; one has the Ho Chin Min beard and the other Geronimo head band. Their intense love for Bhod Qawajong coupled with China’s blatant sinicization of our country, and relentless repression inside Tibet might be affecting their equilibrium. Anyway I love them all. Let’s have tea together when I next visit Dhasha, provided the two of you don’t rough me up. I consider the three of you big enough to absorb a little jab induced by humor.

It was said after signing the Simla Convention Agreement in 1914, the 13th Dalai Lama was very distraught that both Dhotoe and Dhome were classified as inner Tibet and Utsang as outer Tibet. He showed his displeasure to Shatra Lonchen by not meeting with him at the appointed time at 8.00 a.m. Instead Shatra had to wait till 6 p.m. to meet and report to His Holiness at the Norbulingka. Perhaps, to a lesser degree Monyul (Arunachal Pradesh) was ceded to British India in a classic quid pro quo, which is China’s bone of contention today; and India’s lingering migraine on top of losing Aksai Chin.

From http://zt.tibet.cn

Today China is 51% urban from the 90% just over three decades ago. There is also a new breed of young people in China, born in the late ’70s and ’80s who lament that China did not navigate the sea like the Europeans, which conquered and formed colonies in the world’s five continents. However, China’s nautical policy allowed navigation of the sea over a hundred years before Christopher Columbus in 1492. It was later forbidden by the Ching dynasty. Instead of the seas Imperial China has slowly started spreading its influence in the north and west namely Tibet, Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia and Manchuria; tightening its grip once the communists took hold of power in October 1949.

China is changing rapidly with its economic machine churning at breakneck speed. What the Industrial Revolution produced in the course of two hundred years, China has achieved that in the last three decades. China has become the United State’s main creditor. Did Richard Nixon ever foresee such a thing when he engineered the thawing of the cold war relationship in the early ’70s to what it is today? Despite it monumental progress China is confronted with many colossal problems; the latest being pollution. More haste meant more waste. Today its people are no longer going to bed hungry but there is a new hunger: the spiritual hunger. Its coffer is bulging with surplus while it is morally bankrupt. A business man in Hong Kong once quipped that he did not really care under which flag he must live as long as he had the freedom to make money. Similarly, if our people are free to practice Dharma in line with our great gurus, and if we just have enough say over domestic issues, and the running of the Tibet, that will make a simple-minded person like me happy.

1990 vs 2011 Shanghai

As such, I find Kundun’s approach makes a whole lot of sense with support from many prominent Indians, Chinese and Westerners. Some coo coo that the Middle-way Approach has failed; that’s a boo boo because there’s no time frame in achieving it. Our dialogue with China has failed to bring anything other than getting scolded. Let us learn a lesson from Mongolia. While many Mongols vigorously debated about true democracy with Uncle Sam’s blessing, another group opted for economic development with support from Uncle Chin. Now that the democratic debate has cooled off of

From Dalailama.com

late but with the economic boom the people are feeling China’s strong influence which is making them feel pretty jittery. For the first time Pakistanis are feeling the Chinese influence and little worried. Could this lead to Hindi-Pakistan bhai bhai and bye bye Pakistan-Chini bhai bhai? Who knows? Indeed, the two nations were bhai bhai in the Indian Subcontinent prior to 1947; another legacy of Britain.

And, in the same way we have wasted a lot of time and energy debating about the benefits of our quest for freedom: Independence, self-determination and Satiagraha, etc. Let’s not waste any more time debating about Rangwa or Rangzen. As such, time is now and tomorrow won’t wait for us. It’s much more conducive for our cause to have one voice as opposed to two. Today both Inner Mongolia and Manchuria are completely absorbed by Hans. The more we bicker about rangwang or rangzen the more we fall in the final strangle-hold of the predator that will go for the jugular. Therefore, let us all march to the beat of Ulam drum on the double, and amplify our voice. We’re the voice for the voiceless inside occupied Tibet. And, you ain’t gonna silence us in the free world. We’ll chip away bit by bit with true grit; then chunk by chunk. We don’t have a choice. The clock is ticking. It’s TIBET’S SURVIVAL!

” Let us all march to the beat of Ulam drum on the double, and amplify our voice”

24 January 2013

With profound grief, I report that the number of Tibetans who have set themselves on fire to protest against repression in Tibet is now reaching 100. In 2012 alone, 83 Tibetans self-immolated, and twenty-eight of these occurred within the single month of November. (Watch Sikyong’s Video Message)

Now in the new year of 2013, I am saddened to inform you that three Tibetans have set themselves on fire. The most recent self-immolation by Kunchok Kyab, 26 years old, occurred just a few days ago. Given this continuing tragic situation, I request my fellow Tibetans to not celebrate Losar (Tibetan New Year) with our usual festivities. Instead, when this year’s holiday falls on February 11, I ask you to perform only the customary religious rituals like visiting temples and making offerings. Do wear our traditional robe (Chuba) to display our identity and tradition. Kindly pray for all who have sacrificed their lives and for all who continue to suffer in occupied Tibet.

The Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) continues to appeal to Tibetans to not undertake drastic actions, and still, self-immolations persist in Tibet. The universal demands of the Tibetans have been the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Tibet and freedom for Tibetans. This is the aspiration of Tibetans and our sacred duty to support.

In our 10 March 2012 statement, we called on all Tibetans and friends to make 2012 a Tibet Lobby Year. Due to their dedication, this call has been successful: we have seen resolutions passed in the European Union (EU), France, Italy and the United States, and statements issued by parliamentarians in Brazil, Japan and other nations.

The CTA expresses deep appreciation to these parliamentarians, and to global citizens, for their support. We also remain grateful to the United Nations Human Rights Commissioner, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, Reporters  Without Borders and Freedom House for their attentiveness to and reports on the deteriorating situation in Tibet.

Let us build on the successful lobbying efforts of 2012 by fully engaging throughout 2013 in the *Solidarity With Tibet Campaign*. This campaign’s first major event took place in New York on 10 December 2012 and the release of the video on self-immolation, “What’s China doing in Tibet?”.

Within India, Tibetan parliamentarians are visiting state capitals to appraise and seek support from many prominent leaders.

From Wednesday, 30th January to 2nd February 2013, thousands of Tibetans will converge in Delhi, India’s capital city, for a series of campaign activities. On 10 March 2013, Tibetans from various corners of Europe will gather in Brussels, the capital city of the EU, to observe the 54th Tibetan national uprising day.

I urge all Tibetan Associations, Tibet Support Groups, international NGOs, people of all faiths, and friends of justice throughout the world to intensify efforts to lobby parliaments and governments. Call on the Chinese government to allow international delegation and media access into Tibet. Reach out to your local and national media and encourage them to write and broadcast about what is happening in Tibet. In all endeavors, please continue to conduct our campaign in a peaceful, legal and dignified manner.

I appeal to our Chinese brothers and sisters to join us in supporting the aspirations of the Tibetan people. The CTA remains committed to the Middle-Way Approach and to resolve the issue of Tibet peacefully through dialogue. The  responsibility as well as the solution for the current crisis in Tibet lies with the Chinese government.

To our brothers and sisters in Tibet, we are with you every step of the way. The three principles of unity, innovation and self-reliance will guide us towards our goal of seeing His Holiness the Dalai Lama return to Tibet and restoring freedom for Tibetans.

Source:

http://tibet.net/2013/01/24/sikyong-dr-lobsang-sangays-appeal-tibetans-not-to-celebrate-losar/

Also Please Download the form to print and share with friends

Flame of Truth Signature Sheet

The forms can be mailed to
Tibetan Association of Southern California
P.O. Box 3298
Culver City, CA 90231

Please mail the forms by November 3rd

More info about Flame of Truth Relay

Torch Relay across North America to Highlight Crisis in Tibet

Flame of Truth Relay, September 2 to December 10, 2012

The Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, based in Dharamsala, India, launched a worldwide Flame of Truth Relay on July 6, 2012, the birthday of His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, to carry the message of the people in Tibet to the world – including the tragedy of 49 Tibetan self-immolations since February 2009 – and to urge an appropriate response from the United Nations to the current crisis situation.

The North America leg of the relay begins in two segments from Washington D.C. and Ottawa on September 2, 2012, the 52nd anniversary of Tibetan Democracy Day, which commemorates the first election of a representative body in Tibet’s history — the Commission of Tibetan People’s Deputies – instituted in exile on September 2, 1960.  The torch will pass through major North American cities.

Participants in the torch relay will speak on behalf of Tibetans in Tibet who are denied by the Chinese government the fundamental rights to which every person is inherently entitled, including freedom of speech, belief, and assembly.

In addition, participants will call on the United Nations to:

1. The United Nations must discuss the issue of Tibet based on the resolutions that it has passed in 1959, 1961 and 1965, and continuously make efforts to fulfil the substance of these resolutions;

December 18, 1965:  UN G.A. Resolution 2079 (XX).  Question of Tibet 

http://daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/RESOLUTION/GEN/NR0/218/42/IMG/NR021842.pdf?OpenElement

October 21, 1959:  UN G.A. Resolution 1353 (XIV).  Question of Tibet 

http://daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/RESOLUTION/GEN/NR0/141/76/IMG/NR014176.pdf?OpenElement

December 20, 1961:  UN G.A. Resolution 1723 (XVI)  Question of Tibet 

http://daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/RESOLUTION/GEN/NR0/167/76/IMG/NR016776.pdf?OpenElement

2. An independent international team should visit Tibet to investigate the situation leading to the ongoing crisis in Tibet;
3. The United Nations must take special responsibility to ensure that the basic aspirations of the Tibetans inside Tibet are fulfilled.

The relay initiative also incorporates the collection of signatures on a public petition to be submitted to U.N. headquarters in New York, the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva, and the U.N. Information Office in New Delhi on December 10, 2012, the concluding day of the world-wide relay.

The Flame of Truth Relay is an initiative of the Tibetan Parliament in Exile and the Office of Tibet in New York. In addition to the Tibetan Associations of North America, the initiative is supported by the North American Chapters of the Tibetan Youth Congress, Tibetan Women’s Association, International Tibetan Independence Movement, Students for Free Tibet, and  the International Campaign for Tibet.

Please find enclosed herewith two Ka-Lob(speech) given to the Tibetan community of Italy and Ladakh. we hope most of you might be aware of this Ka-Lobs. Therefore, we felt this is very important to circulate it to the Tibetan communities living in USA and Canada.

Therefore, You are kindly requested to circulate this very important Ka-Lobs and also please find the Ka-Lobs in Tibetan Language PDF for your kind circulation.

Special attention invited to two important His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s recent Kalobs to the Tibetans

His Holiness the Dalai Lama has recently given two important kalobs, primarily for the Tibetans.

The first Kalob was given to the Tibetan community of Italy in Milan on June 28, 2012.

The second kalob was given to the Tibetan community in Leh (Ladakh) at TCV-SOS Tibetan School on August 3, 2012.

It is important that every Tibetans must pay attention to these two important kalobs.

Here is the video link of the first Kalob delivered in Milan, Italy.

The video link of the second Kalob delivered at Leh, Ladakh is available here

2012 Rowell Fund for Tibet

http://tibet.net/2012/09/02/statement-of-the-kashag-on-the-fifty-second-anniversary-of-tibetan-democracy-day/

2 September 2012
On the 52nd anniversary of Tibetan Democracy Day, I would like to pay the Kashag’s and my personal obeisance to His Holiness the Dalai Lama and extend heartfelt greetings to fellow Tibetans in Tibet and in exile.

Today is a proud day for all Tibetans. It is the day when Tibetan exiles have fully realized His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s cherished wish to transform the Tibetan polity into a vibrant democracy. Since the age of 16, His Holiness the Dalai Lama has taken steps to introduce and consolidate Tibetan democracy. This precious gift of democracy will be treasured by all Tibetans in the same way we have treasured and embraced Buddhism for over 1300 years. As Buddhism offers liberation from suffering, democracy will provide the Tibetan people the means to attain freedom from injustice.

We can take pride in the fact that Tibetans in exile have proven that Buddhism is compatible with democracy. It is also established that all the major religious traditions, from Hinduism to Judaism, from Christianity to Shintoism are compatible with democracy. The Arab Spring has shown that Islam and democracy are not in conflict. The question arises whether Confucianism too can embrace democracy. Vibrant democracies of Taiwan and South Korea for instance prove that Confucianism and democracy are also compatible. Democracy therefore is neither cultural specific nor developmental specific but universal.

In 1950, at the tender age of 16, His Holiness the Dalai Lama was compelled to assume leadership of the Tibetan people at a critical period in Tibet’s history. Four years later, in 1954, His Holiness the Dalai Lama constituted a Reform Committee, which held as one of its objectives the exemption of poor farmers and indigent Tibetans from heavy taxation. In 1954, His Holiness the Dalai Lama visited China, and two years later, in 1956, he visited India. Comparing the two governments, he was far more impressed with the robust discourse in the Indian parliament than the Chinese political system under communism.

Soon after coming into exile in 1959, His Holiness the Dalai Lama called for Tibetan parliamentary elections. It was on this day in September 1960, that the first Tibetan Parliament was inaugurated. As early as 1963, our leaders adopted the first democratic constitution of Tibet, which even included a provision allowing for the impeachment of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Women’s representation was included as early as 1963, and representation of the Bon religious tradition in 1977.

In 1991, the Charter of the Tibetans in Exile was adopted and the Parliament expanded and constitutionally empowered to elect the Kashag. The Tibetan Supreme Justice Commission, formed in 1992, completed the creation of three separate pillars of democracy. In 2001, when the first-ever direct election of the Kalon Tripa took place, His Holiness the Dalai Lama declared himself as semi-retired. Then in March of last year, despite persistent appeal by Tibetans from around the world, His Holiness the Dalai Lama devolved all his political authority to the elected leader, declaring the fulfillment of his “long-cherished goal” of bringing democracy to the Tibetan people.

Despite resistance at every stage in the democratization of the Tibetan polity, His Holiness the Dalai Lama persisted in guiding his people to full democracy. From this it is clear that His Holiness the Dalai Lama has single-handedly built Tibetan democracy. Now recognized and applauded by leaders around the world, His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s 60 years of total dedication, sincere motivation and visionary leadership has established him as the true democrat in the Tibetan world. The preciousness of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s contribution towards reform and democracy will be fully appreciated by generations of Tibetans to come. In appreciation of these efforts, the Tibetan people will offer a long- life prayer to His Holiness the Dalai Lama at the conclusion of the Second Special General Meeting of Tibetans in September.

Leaders around the world recognize the accomplishment of the Tibetan exiles as we institute a fully representative form of governance. In my travels as Kalon Tripa, I have had the privilege of meeting with Nobel laureates, former presidents and prime ministers, speakers of the U.S. Congress and the Australian Parliament, and other leaders of more than a dozen countries. In the international media, as well as Indian and overseas Chinese media, the 2011 Tibetan election was recognized as genuine, credible, and reflective of the universality of democracy.

The recognition given by both global leaders and the media has enhanced the legitimacy of the elected leader of the Central Tibetan Administration. Equally important, it has strengthened the ability of the Tibetan people to carry on their struggle until justice is done and freedom restored.

As we commemorate this important anniversary, our thoughts remain with our brothers and sisters in Tibet aspiring for freedom and the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to his homeland. Under the continued occupation and oppressive polices of the Chinese government, 51 Tibetans have set themselves on fire. Sadly, 41 have died. The Kashag and the Tibetan Parliament will be convening the Second Special General Meeting of Tibetans in Dharamsala from September 25–28. Its primary agenda will be to discuss ways and means to address the urgent and critical situation in Tibet.

To understand the self-immolations, it is crucial to know that no space exists in Tibet for freedom of speech and other conventional forms of protest. A participant in a simple demonstration could face arrest, torture and even death. These conditions help explain the terribly high number of self-immolations in Tibet. It is a tragic irony that His Holiness the Dalai Lama is accessible to millions of people around the world, but not to his own people calling out for him in Tibet.

The Central Tibetan Administration has made consistent and repeated appeals to refrain from the drastic acts of self-immolation. Still Tibetans continue to commit this form of protest – and we in the Tibetan Administration recognize our sacred duty to make the protesters’ cries heard around the globe to all who believe in justice. Tibetans around the world offer our prayers to those Tibetans who have succumbed to self-immolation and express solidarity with the arrested, tortured and imprisoned, including all the Tibetans in Tibet who live under repressive rule.

The Kashag welcomes statements of concern from the international community. Parliamentarians from around the world, including the U.S., South Africa, Great Britain, Japan, Australia and various countries of Europe, have expressed support.  We welcome the recent letter by two U.S. Congressmen urging the current U.S. Administration to undertake stronger, more coordinated and visible international diplomatic efforts to address the crisis in Tibet. Specifically, they encouraged the U.S. to host an international conference on the issue of Tibet, and establish a Contact Group among U.S. partner nations at the United Nations as an effective means of expressing support to Tibet.

We commend the European Union’s first-time appointment of a EU Special Representative for Human Rights. This is a significant step to advance human rights and address the human rights violations in Tibet.

The Kashag also welcomes the work of Chinese writers and analysts within China and outside, expressing their support for the Middle-Way Policy. Since the 2008 protests in Tibet, they have published thousands of articles that urge the Chinese Communist leadership to resolve the Tibetan issue through dialogue. Many Chinese writers and intellectuals point to the Chinese government and its policies as the cause of the self-immolations and the growing resentment of the Tibetan people. As world famous artist Ai Weiwei recently said, “Tibetan people are burning themselves to death. Already over 40 of them in the past two years, and nobody’s talking about it. I would feel ashamed to go to Lhasa (Capital city of Tibet).”

While we appreciate the statement of concerns and other steps being taken by various governments and the international community, we believe that concrete action is needed to help stop the tragedy in Tibet.

Today, I would like to take this occasion to reiterate the Kashag’s firm commitment to the Middle-Way Policy and to dialogue to peacefully resolve the issue of Tibet. For Dharamsala and Beijing, this is a win-win proposition. Here we also welcome the U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s recent call on the Chinese government to resume serious dialogue with the Tibetan leadership. To continue the dialogue process, the Tibetan Task Force on Negotiations will meet in December 2012 after the new Chinese leadership has assumed office.

The Tibetan spirit and their quest for freedom cannot be crushed by China’s military might. In a recent interview, His Holiness the Dalai Lama said “using force for 60 years completely failed” and its revolutionary leader Mao Zedong’s idea that power came from the barrel of a gun was “outdated”. If China seeks to become a global power, then the rights of the Tibetans must be respected. China must also respect the aspiration of its own people and release all political prisoners, including Nobel Peace Prize winner and author of Charter 08, Mr. Liu Xiaobo.

Today, on this 52nd anniversary of Tibetan Democracy, the Kashag would also like to express its gratitude to the government and people of India for many years of generosity and hospitality.

We extend our deep appreciation to friends around the world for their support and active participation in highlighting and advancing the cause of Tibet. In November, International Tibet Support Groups will be organising a special meeting to discuss the critical situation in Tibet and further enhance the international support for the Tibetan cause.

Finally, to my fellow Tibetans, this is the time for unity and solidarity as expressed through the prayers, songs and last wishes of the self-immolators. We must remain vigilant to counter the hard line Chinese leaders’ efforts to undermine the Tibetan cause. We have laid a solid foundation that will only grow stronger if we follow the three guiding principles of unity, innovation and self-reliance. Tibetans are fortunate to be the beneficiary of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s vision of a democratic Tibetan polity. His unceasing efforts to bring us to this moment have helped to unleash Tibetans’ dynamic energy and empowered them to determine their own future.

We pray for the long and healthy life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. May the aspirations of all Tibetans within and outside Tibet, be fulfilled.