His Holiness' representative in Geneva reiterates call for genuine autonomy

Thursday, 11 September 2008
Tibet.net

Geneva: The representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama-based in Geneva, Mr Tseten Samdup Chhoekyapa, reiterated that His Holiness is not seeking independence for Tibet or separation from People's Republic of China, but asking for a genuine autonomy for the Tibetan people.

Mr Tseten S Chhoekyapa, representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama (extreme right) during the conference at Prague Security Studies Institute. Czech Republic's former President, Václav Havel is seen sitting on third from left.

Mr Chhoekyapa was one of the speaker during a panel discussion on "Regional Democracy and Human Rights", at a conference on "Asia-Pacific Security Challenges - Implications for Europe and the Atlantic Alliances", held in Prague from 7 - 9 September.

The two-day conference, organized by the Prague Security Studies Institute, was attended by more than 150 delegates from all over the world.

Representative Chhoekyapa said Tibet once a buffer state between the world's two most populated states - Tibet and China - are today a militarized zone. Even after 50 years of occupation, China continues to ruthlessly suppress the Tibetans.

He added that the merciless repression by the Chinese security forces on peaceful Tibetan protesters in March this year, resulted in over 200 killed, 6,000 arrested and thousands injured.

He said Tibetan people want to save Tibet's rich culture, language and identity.

He said Tibetans in Tibet are rendered minority and continue to live in fear and discrimination, while China has made economic and military progress.

He described the critical situation in Tibet as a manifestation of decades of Chinese repression - human rights violations, cultural and political discrimination of the Tibetan people.

He expressed deep concern on Beijing's policy of the massive migration of Han Chinese into Tibet and efforts to dilute Tibetan culture and undermine people's religious belief.

Other keynote speakers at the conference included Czech Republic's former president, Václav Havel, Czech foreign minister, Karel Schwarzenberg and Mr Anand Sharma, India's minister of State for External Affairs.

In his address, Mr Václav Havel said: "Human freedom, human rights and human dignity must be respected in any society."

Foreign Minister Schwarzenberg said that human rights are the corner stone of Czech foreign policy.