Day long hunger strike on first day of Tibetan new year, Feb. 22, 2012

Statement of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile (TPiE) on the occasion of the  day-long Hunger Strike by its Members and the public on the first day of the Water-Dragon Tibetan New Year on 22nd February, 2012 at the Theckche...

Statement of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile (TPiE) on the occasion
of the  day-long Hunger Strike by its Members and the public on the
first day of the Water-Dragon Tibetan New Year on 22nd February,
2012 at the Theckchen Choling, Main Temple, Dharamsala.

Amongst
the patriotic Tibetan men and women who have been committing the
heroic act of self-immolations in Tibet under the two main slogans
demanding the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Tibet and
freedom and human rights for the Tibetan people, Venerable Tapey of
Kirti Monastery set the trend on 27th of February, 2009. Since then,
between the 16th of March, 2011 and 19th of February, 2012, some 23
Tibetans both lay and ordained, have committed self-immolation in
Tibet for the sake of Tibet and its people. Two Tibetans have done
the same outside of Tibet totaling 25 so far. Fifteen of them
including three nuns have lost their precious lives in the process
and we have not been able to ascertain the condition and whereabouts
of the rest.

We have also come to know from reliable sources that
on the 23rd of January, 2012 which was the occasion of the
celebration of the Chinese New Year, Tibetans in Tibet observed it
as a day of mourning by holding peaceful demonstrations. But the
Chinese police and the militia opened indiscriminate gun-fire on
them and 4 Tibetans in Draggo, 2 in Serta and 1 in Zamthang
totalling 7 were massacred. We have further come to know that on the
8th of February of this year, the same type of peaceful
demonstrations had taken place in other places like Nangchen,
Trindu, Zatoe, Golok, Chuchen, Chabcha etc while observing White
Wednesday which is the favourable prayer day for the long life of
His Holiness The Dalai Lama. However, as the Chinese government had
sealed of all internet and phone connection in most of the places in
Tibet and especially those where demonstrations had taken place, we
have not been able to ascertain the scale of oppression and the
number of people killed, tortured or arrested. There is in effect,
an unapparent military rule in Tibet at present and the Chinese
government has declared an open war on the Tibetan people as
whole.

The Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile has continuously been
appealing to the Government of China and the International Community
regarding the urgent situation in Tibet through its series of press
statements. Recently, a special delegation of the TPiE travelled to
New Delhi to brief a number of Embassies of different countries
about the fast deteriorating conditions in Tibet. We also wrote an
open letter to the Chinese President.

Through this statement, we
once again appeal to the Government of China and the International
Community as follows

Appeal to the Chinese leaders

1.
Withdraw the large reinforcement of military to reduce tension
immediately and take measures to give due consideration to the
aspirations of the Tibetan people.

2. Allow independent,
non-partisan fact finding delegations to ascertain the ground
realities. If you have issues with that, allow a Tibetan fact
finding delegation to visit Tibet.

3. Stop the policies and
programs aimed at destroying the identity of the Tibetan people.
Provide religious freedom and undertake reconciliation measures to
assuage the hurt sentiments of the Tibetan people.

4. Stop
sedentarization of Tibetan nomads and include Tibetan participation
in environmental stewardship by using their centuries old wisdom of
having lived on the Tibetan Plateau.

5. All developmental
activities in Tibet must give due consideration to Tibets fragile
environment and should accrue due benefit to the native
Tibetans.

6. Release all political prisoners including Panchen
Rinpoche Gedun Choekyi Nyima, just as Burma did so to create more
trust between the people and the government.

7. Resume dialogue
with the Tibetans with the commitment and conviction to seek a
lasting solution to the Issue of Tibet, and peace and stability in
the whole geo- strategic region.

 Similarly to the International
Community, we call upon the leaders of the free world to not only
express your concern but also seek your intervention in
de-escalating the prevailing dangerous situation inside Tibet and
help find a lasting solution to the Issue of Tibet for a mutually
beneficial agreement through dialogue.

We are confident that
while engaging constructively with China, you will not refrain from
voicing your concern for the values of democracy, equality, justice
and basic human rights that you so very much cherish.

Tibetan
Parliament-in-Exile
Dharamsala Dated February 22, 2012