'Highly impressed by Tibetans in keeping their identity and struggle alive' say UK MPs

Saturday, October 08, 2011

Tibet.net

From left to right: Philipa Carrick, Chief Executive Officer Tibet Society, Nic Dakin MP, Cathy Jamieson MP, Fabian Hamilton MP, Penpa Tsering, Speaker of Tibetan Parliament, James Gray MP, Simon Hughes MP and Fredrick Hyde-Chambers, Chairman Tibet Society at the press conference at Gangchen Kyishong, in Dharamsala, on 7 October 2011 (TibetNet Photo)

DHARAMSHALA-- Praising the exile Tibetans' commitment in keeping their identity and struggle alive, the visiting 5-member delegation of British parliamentarians have reasserted their strong support to ensure Tibetan people's rights to self-determination and genuine autonomy in Tibet.

The five MPs, Fabian Hamilton, Cathy Jamieson, James Gray, Nic Dakin and Simon Hughes, are on an exchange visit to the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile in Dharamsala from 3 - 7 October. The visit was organised by Tibet Society.

Addressing a press conference today, Mr Fabian Hamilton, who is the Chair of All Party Parliamentary Group for Tibet, spoke about the two most important agendas which the delegates discussed with His Holiness the Dalai Lama during their meeting this Tuesday.

“The first important issue was the prospects for scholarships for Tibetans from within Tibet to go to British universities. We want to encourage the British universities to take Tibetan students from Tibet itself, which we think would hugely benefit the Tibetans,” Mr Hamilton told reporters.

“The other thing is the prospect of getting through to the Chinese people about the real story of Tibet, and the truth behind what has happened there over the last 50 to 60 years. It is very important that what impressed us was His Holiness the Dalai Lama's optimism in getting through the Chinese people to go behind and underneath the propaganda that is perpetrated by the Chinese government,” he said.

“His Holiness is very optimistic about this and he believe that would change the whole opinion of the Chinese people in understanding and realising the story and history of Tibet, and the history of relations between China and Tibet over hundreds and hundreds of years,” he added.

Speaking on the preservation of Tibetan culture in Dharamsala, he said: “We were really impressed by the beauty, the wonderful music, the costumes, and best of all by the incredible professionalism and excellence of the cultural performers. We really have to congratulate for those young Tibetans who are working so hard to maintain their distinct and fantastic culture, which really inspires us.”

He further said, "our meeting with schoolchildren and newly arrivals from Tibet is an eye-opening. It reminds you of the oppression and the terrible things that happened to people in Tibet just because they stand up for their own belief, autonomy and culture, and belief in the Dalai Lama as well. It is terrible thing to live in a country where there is no freedom.”

Mr Hamilton said the delegation also met Kalon Tripa Dr Lobsang Sangay yesterday. “He is a very impressive man and you have in exile Tibetan administration a very good leader to take over from Professor Samdhong Rinpoche. I think Dr Lobsang Sangay will take the Tibetan community a long long way. It was a good chance to meet his members of cabinet and exchange views with them.”

Responding to questions from reporters, Mr Hamilton expressed their serious concern over the suppression of human rights of Tibetans inside Tibet, adding that the British government ministers have raised the issue with the senior Chinese leaders.

The British government supports the middle-way policy advocated by Tibetans and the autonomous Tibet should have the ability of the Tibetan people to determine their own future, he said.

Mr Fredrick Hyde-Chambers, the Secretary General of Enterprise and Parliamentary Dialogue International and Chairman of Tibet Society, said: "The delegation would garner support for the Central Tibetan Administration in its programme for both Tibetans in and outside Tibet to have higher education and technical professional qualification.

"We also discussed among ourselves the possibility to request the BBC to have a Tibetan language service," he added.

Responding to a question of what steps would the British MPs take to prevent tragic acts of self-immolation in Tibet, Mr Simon Hughes, MP, said: “We feel and share the terrible pain of the monks in taking the decision to self-immolate. We have an obligation to work way in every way possible to take action that would make it less likely that people were driven to take their own lives. We have to work in every way possible to give hope to the Tibetans that they would get the dignity to live their natural life.”