Geneva [Switzerland] June 19 : On June 16, as the 59th session of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC 59th Session) began, the Tibetan Community of Switzerland and Liechtenstein (TCSL) organized a peaceful protest in Geneva to draw attention to ongoing state repressions within the People's Republic of China under the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), according to a report from the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA).
Attending the event were Representative Thinley Chukki, UN Advocacy Officer Phuntsok Topgyal, and Accountant Tenzin Chosang from the Tibet Bureau in Geneva. Also in attendance were the Abbot of Rikon Monastery, the President and executive members of the TCSL, members from various local Tibetan NGOs, as well as representatives from Chinese organisations, including The Church of Almighty God and the Association for the Defence of Human Rights and Religious Freedom (ADHRRF). Approximately 120 Tibetan and Chinese individuals participated in the demonstration, as reported by the CTA.
Representative Thinley Chukki emphasised the continued suffering of Tibetans under Chinese control, nearly 70 years after China invaded Tibet. She noted that the oppression affects not only Tibetans but also includes Uyghurs and Chinese Christians, warning of the escalating transnational repression by the Chinese government. She pointed out that these actions are intended to stifle dissent and intimidate activists and exiles worldwide, as mentioned in the CTA report.
She expressed serious concern about the existential threat to Tibetan culture and religion, highlighting the Chinese government's colonial-style boarding schools, where Tibetan children are forcibly removed from their families and indoctrinated with state ideology, resulting in the deterioration of their Tibetan identity. Representative Thinley Chukki also condemned the extensive dam construction efforts in Tibet, which have harmed fragile ecosystems, displaced nomadic populations, and caused the relocation of monasteries, according to the CTA report.
She also brought attention to the severe religious suppression endured by Tibetans, which includes government interference in religious practices, state control over monasteries, and the long-term disappearance of the 11th Panchen Lama, who has been missing for 30 years, as noted in the CTA report.
In her closing remarks, Representative Thinley Chukki pointed out that this year marks the 90th birthday of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. She reminded the audience of His Holiness' international recognition as a symbol of peace, compassion, and resilience, and underscored the celebration of this milestone as the "Year of Compassion." The protest concluded with prayers and hopes for peace, as cited in the CTA report.
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