In a significant diplomatic move, three members of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile based in Dharamsala, India, have embarked on a five-day visit to Indian-administered Kashmir. The delegation aims to garner support from pro-Indian leaders in their ongoing struggle against Chinese rule in Tibet, according to a report by Voice of America (VOA) dated September 6.
The lawmakers met with various local political figures, including two former chief ministers of Kashmir. Dawa Tsering, one of the exiled Tibetan lawmakers, emphasized the strategic importance of Tibet for India. “Prior to Tibet’s occupation by China in 1951, there was no historical precedent of Chinese forces being stationed along the Himalayas,” Tsering told VOA. He added that the loss of Tibet as a neutral buffer zone has strained diplomatic relations between China and India.
Tsering also warned that China’s recent military activities near the Indian border mirror the actions taken before the occupation of Tibet. He urged the Indian government and its people to boycott Chinese goods as a means to weaken China’s economy.
Yeshi Dolma, another member of the delegation, spoke about the human rights violations Tibetans have faced since China’s annexation. She highlighted the “imminent threat of cultural genocide and total annihilation of Tibetan identity.”
The lawmakers also called on Kashmiri leaders to urge the Indian government to recognize Tibet as an occupied nation and to re-engage in dialogue with representatives of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. They further demanded the release of all Tibetan political prisoners, including Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, the 11th Panchen Lama, who has been missing since 1995.
Ghulam Hassan Mir, senior vice president of the Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party, confirmed that he met with the Tibetan delegation. “We reassured them that the Apni Party and its leadership are committed to upholding democracy and safeguarding human rights,” Mir told VOA.
The visit comes at a critical time as tensions between India and China continue to escalate, making the issue of Tibet increasingly relevant to India’s own national security concerns.
(Based on inputs from VOA news)
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