Dharamsala, March 10 Marking the 66th anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising Day amid the presence of delegations from Slovakia and Estonia here, Prime Minister-in-exile Penpa Tsering on Monday said under the current Chinese leadership a deliberate and dangerous strategy to “eliminate the very identity of the Tibetan people as a unique human race is evident”.
Speaking from Dharamsala, headquarters of the Tibetan administration in exile, he said under the pretext of “strengthening the consciousness of Chinese national unity”, the Chinese government is implementing extensive sinicisation policies that is resulting in the gradual annihilation of Tibetan identity and deprivation of the fundamental human rights of the Tibetan people, he said in a statement.
Over a million Tibetans lost their precious lives and compelled the legitimate Tibetan government led by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, followed by approximately 80,000 Tibetans into exile.
“This marks the darkest and most critical period in the history of Tibet. As we commemorate the Tibetan National Uprising Day, we honour our brave martyrs, and express solidarity with our brothers and sisters inside Tibet who continue to languish under the oppressive Chinese government,” he said.
Tibetan Uprising Day, observed on March 10, commemorates the 1959 Tibetan uprising against China. The Dalai Lama has lived in India since fleeing his homeland. Around 80,000 Tibetans fled to neighbouring countries after Chinese troops suppressed the uprising. Talks between the Dalai Lama’s envoys and the Chinese authorities broke down in 2010 after nine rounds of meetings.
The democratically elected Prime Minister said Furthermore, under its sinicisation campaign, large-scale restrictions are imposed in the monasteries with complete denial of freedom of religion and over a million young Tibetan children have been forcibly enrolled in the colonial style boarding schools across Tibet.
Under the guise of “promoting the national common language”, the use and teaching of Tibetan language is severely restricted, he said.
He also pointed towards the Chinese government’s unchecked mining and construction projects that have irrevocably caused extensive damage to Tibet’s natural environment with severe implications far beyond its borders.
“All these acts and practices of China defy not only international and domestic laws but even the basic human values.”
Reiterating the commitment of non-violence, Prime Minister Tsering said: “As envisioned by His Holiness, Tibetan people remain committed to the path of non-violence and dialogue in finding a lasting and mutually beneficial solution to resolve the Sino-Tibet Conflict through a middle-way approach.”
“It also reaffirms our confidence that the Tibetan people, the rightful custodians of the Tibetan plateau since its formation, embody unique religious and cultural traditions that cannot be erased, an indomitable spirit that cannot be broken, and an unparalleled leadership of His Holiness the Dalai Lama that cannot be replaced,” he added.
Before participating in the Central Tibetan Administration-organised Tibetan National Uprising Day, the visiting delegations from Slovakia and Estonia had an audience with the Dalai Lama at his residence.
--IANS
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