Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India]: The Tibetan community in Shimla held a grand ceremony at the Sambhota Tibetan School on Wednesday to thank the US and President Joe Biden for enacting the ‘Resolve Tibet Act’ which calls for a resolution to the Tibet-China dispute.
Last week, US President Joe Biden signed the ‘Resolve Tibet Act’, which states that China’s ongoing occupation of Tibet must be resolved per international law peacefully and not through repression.
The Tibetan community said the legislation is a historical milestone and sends a strong political message to China, seven decades since the People’s Republic of China (PRC) illegally occupied Tibet and forced the Tibetan delegation to sign the so-called 17-point Agreement in 1951 under duress.
During the celebration, Tibetan students, elders and others performed traditional dances at the Tibetan Sambhota School in Shimla. The Traditional circle dance (Gorshey) was also performed by Tibetans.
Tsewang Phuntsok, Chief Representative Officer of the Central Tibetan Administration in Shimla, said this will help the international community to send a strong message and enforce China to start dialogue with His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
“The Tibetan community in Shimla has gathered to celebrate the signing of the Tibet Issue Resolve Act. This will help the Tibetan community and international community to send a strong message and enforce China to start dialogue with His Holiness the Dalai Lama and between the democratically elected representatives of the Tibetan government-in-exile and China,” Phuntsok said.
Calling it a “landmark for the Tibetan issue,” he said, “This is the first ever such act signed by any country in the past seven decades.”
Phuntsok said that the function is organised by the Tibetan community to pay gratitude and heartfelt thanks to the US.
“It’s important, as it’s Wednesday today, that we organise the traditional circle dance (gorshey). We take this day as the birth of the Dalai Lama as per the Tibetan lunar calendar,” Tsewang Phuntsok added.
The Tibetan community said they are happy that the bill was passed with overwhelming support. They said the signing of the legislation further reiterated the current policy of the China’s systematically eradicating the Tibetan religion, culture, language, history, way of life and environment.
Tibetan freedom activist Tenzin Palden said that this is a “landmark legislation” for their freedom struggle.
“This is an important day for us. We have gathered here to thank the United States of America for signing the Act for Tibet. This is a landmark for us, as since 1959 it has been an act, which makes it important for us as a landmark of our freedom struggle. They have made it an act and law and it will send a message to China and to the countries of the world as the friends of Tibet across the globe are coming forward,” he said.
Palden added that they are expressing their gratitude to US President Joe Biden and the people of the US for signing this act favouring the resolution of the Tibet issue. “It is a historic milestone for us,” Palden said.
The young Tibetan generation are happy to know that powerful Nations like the USA are coming forward to understand and recognise the issue of Tibet.
Dawa Choedon, a young Tibetan activist, said the young generation is happy that strong nations like the US are coming forward to understand and recognise the issue of Tibet.
“On July 12, US President Joe Biden signed an Act to resolve the Tibet issue. We, the Tibetan diaspora here in Shimla, have gathered to celebrate this day. We would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the US, as it is a very important day for us. Today is White Wednesday, which we usually celebrate, and today is a very special Wednesday because of the support we get from the world, especially the powerful countries like the USA, as they are recognising our problems.”
Choedon added that this would enforce China to realise its mistake, recognise our problems and resolve them.
“As I said, this is the first milestone that we have achieved, the young Tibetan population across the globe are happy for this and are thankful to the United States of America,” Choedonb said.