Bhuchung K Tsering and Matteo Mecacci deliver the petitions to the Democratic and Republican party offices.

Bhuchung K Tsering and Matteo Mecacci deliver the petitions to the Democratic and Republican party offices.

Over the last few months members of the International Campaign for Tibet have been signing petitions to the Democratic and Republican presidential candidates to strengthen and reiterate American support to the Dalai Lama and the people of Tibet. ICT delivered around 8,000 of these petitions to the Clinton and Trump campaigns on November 1, 2016.

A cover note reminded the candidates of the long standing support of US institutions for Tibet, and the need to strengthen it to counter China’s continuing use of authoritarian and oppressive policies in Tibet. Every US President since George H. Bush has met with the Dalai Lama and expressed support to his leadership in promoting a peaceful solution to the Tibetan issue. In 2002, the US Congress adopted the Tibetan Policy Act, which outlines the support that the US Government extends to Tibetans. The cover note referenced also to a public opinion poll conducted in 2015 by IFOP, an international polling firm, in which 86% of American citizens said that they have a good opinion of the Dalai Lama.

In this spirit, we feel that a public reiteration of THE CANDIDATES’ support for His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan people, and their vision for a peaceful resolution of this decades long issue will go a great way in sending the right message to the Tibetan people, the Chinese government, and to the many Americans who have shown continued solidarity with Tibet. Both major American political parties acknowledge the Tibet issue, as the Republican Party platform refers to “cultural genocide continues in Tibet,” while the Democratic platform says: “We will promote greater respect for human rights, including the rights of Tibetans.”