Geneva – In a poignant bid for global attention, exiled Tibetan families in Switzerland have taken the lead in launching a heartfelt solidarity campaign. Their mission? To bring to light the repressive actions imposed by the Chinese government on Tibetans — ranging from political repression to environmental devastation.
This compelling movement, as reported by ANI news, unfurled outside the United Nations Office in Geneva amidst the 54th Session of the UN Human Rights Council. The timing and venue of this protest were significant, signaling a call for international intervention.
Quoting from the statement released by these Tibetan families, the campaigners emphasized the urgency of their plea. “In honour of those who have committed self-immolation as an ultimate form of non-violent civil disobedience, in memory of the 1.2 million Tibetans who have perished under the Chinese rule… we, a collective of exiled Tibetan families from Switzerland, have launched a campaign on their behalf.”
While the campaign was initiated on Human Rights Day in December 2012, it has endured and evolved. Monthly protests outside the United Nations Office in Geneva have ensured that the plight of Tibetans remains in the global conscience.
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This group’s statement, as per ANI news, paints a somber picture. It details the erosion of the Tibetan culture, the state-led ecological destruction, and an undeniable threat to the Tibetan way of life. “Under the disguise of goodwill, Tibetan people have been deprived of all their fundamental rights… PRC’s plan is to eradicate the Tibetan Identity and culture.”
The campaigners’ concerns further revolve around the younger Tibetan generation, who they claim are estranged from their roots. “Close to one million Tibetans between four and eighteen years old are being forced to live in colonial boarding schools cut off from their homes, families, their language and their way of life,” their statement elucidates.
The group has made an earnest appeal to the international community. Calling upon the UN, they have outlined specific resolutions and steps to be considered, including the “review and implementation of the UN resolutions on Tibet passed in 1959, 1961 and 1965.”
Furthermore, they insist upon an independent UN fact-finding mission to Tibet. This, they believe, would provide concrete evidence of the actual situation on the ground, especially following the wave of self-immolation protests. The exiled families also urged the Chinese authorities to partake in meaningful negotiations with representatives of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
Drawing this powerful narrative to a close, the plea is clear: “Urge the Chinese government to resolve the Tibet issue… Call China to uphold its international obligations and respect the rights of all its people, including the Southern Mongolian and Uyghur populations.”
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