“U.S. should speak out for Tibet” – Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi & Rep. Jim McGovern
Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and her delegation in front of the Potala in Lhasa, Tibet.
Following their historic visit to Tibet as part of a US congressional delegation last November, Democratic Leader Pelosi and Representative Jim McGovern have published an op-ed in USA Today on the 57th anniversary of the 1959 Tibetan National Uprising. Describing their experiences in Tibet, Pelosi and McGovern call on Chinese authorities to engage the Dalai Lama in dialogue as part of what they describe as a “narrow but real” opportunity for the Chinese government to re-evaluate its policy toward Tibet.
8th Tibet Lobby Day brings focus on Tibet in Washington, DC
Over 100 Tibetan-Americans and Tibet supporters from all across the United States gathered in Washington, D.C. on February 29 and March 1 to raise the awareness of Members of Congress and staffers to the situation in Tibet and to call for stronger US support. The participants met with Members of Congress and staffers reaching more than 120 offices.
“Having participated in the Tibet Lobby Day for several years, I have come to learn that the Congressional offices become increasingly understanding the more we meet them,” Tenzin Chophel from Vermont told Radio Free Asia’s Tibetan service. He added that on their return to Vermont, they will hold a similar Lobby Day at the state level.
16-year old self-immolator dies in hospital in India
A 16-year old Tibetan schoolboy, Dorjee Tsering, has died after setting himself on fire on February 29 in India. In Tibet on the same day, according to Radio Free Asia, an 18-year old monk, Kalsang Wangdu, set himself on fire and died.
Dorjee Tsering, who lived on a Tibetan settlement in northern India, set himself on fire in Dehra Dun on February 29 after visiting his grandfather. According to some witnesses, he called out ‘Free Tibet’ as he set himself alight. While he survived the protest, he suffered 95% burns to his body and was taken to a hospital in Delhi where he died on March 3.
Labrang Jigme moved to hospital ahead of his scheduled release from Chinese prison
Six months before he was scheduled to be released from prison, Labrang Jigme, also known as Jigme Gyatso, has been transferred to a hospital near Lanzhou. This has sparked fears that he may have been tortured, as RFA reports he wasn’t known to have suffered from poor health before. To learn more about Labrang Jigme’s story, watch the video he recorded following the 2008 Tibetan Uprising.