TWA delegation meets visiting Chinese Governor of Sichuan and appealed for an end to the crackdown in Amdo Ngaba
New Delhi,April 27, 2011: Tibetan Women's Association's president Dolkar Lhamo Kirti and Vice President Samten Choedon met with Jiang Jufeng, the Governor of Sichuan Province at the Maurya Sheriton Hotel in New Delhi. At around 12 noon on Tuesday, April 26, the two met the Governor and briefed him about the heightened repression on the Tibetans inside Tibet and the deepening crackdown in Kirti Monastery in Amdo Ngaba (Northeastern Tibet) and the ensuing arrests of hundreds of Kirti monks. Phayul.com reported that 'this is perhaps the first time that a visiting Chinese communist leader has ever come face to face with members of a Tibetan exile community on Indian soil, apart from the angry protests and anti China slogans faced by motorcade of Chinese leaders on visit.'
Jiang who was on a three day visit to India starting April 25 not only accepted the petition but also assured TWA's representative that he will look into the matter. Jiang also accepted the white scarf and a copy of Jamyan Kyi's book 'A Series of Tortures: A Diary of Interrogations'.
With this historic meeting TWA firmly belives that approaching the Chinese counterparts on a humanitarian ground is also a way to effective campaigning. "We dont know yet whether Jiang will actually do do something about the Ngaba crisis but we are confident that he was moved by the whole experience and by our gentle approach" said Dolkar Lhamo Kirti. Samten Choedon said "TWA is confident that it can set a good precedent in this regards."
In the coming days, TWA's president and vice president will meet with the members of the Indian Parliament and visit High Commissions of 125 countries in Delhi to lobby for immediate intervention over the intensified Chinese repression in Amdo Ngaba.
On Monday, April 25, TWA and its 57 regional chapters spread across the globe launched the 'Global Petitioning and Lobbying Week' to draw international arbitration into the crackdown in Kirti Monastery and to request the Parliamentarians, Government Representatives and Human Rights groups to;
1) Take legal measures to immediately stop the crackdown on monks of Krit Monastery.
2) Request your Government to intervene and stop the brutal clamdown on the Tibetan people in Amdo Ngaba.
3) Pressure the Chinese Governemnt to allow freedom of press inside Tibet and allow the presence of foreign media in the Ngaba region.
4) Seek effective reparation for denial of right to life, right to religious freedom of the Tibetan people.
5) Staunchly reproach the autocractic Chinese rule in Tibet and to disallow such oppression and travesty of justice to continue in Tibet.
The TWA, unlike the largest pro independence group the Tibetan Youth Congress, supports the position of the Tibetan government in exile to seek meaningful autonomy for Tibet within the People's Republic of China.
TWA's meeting with Jiang and his acceptance of the petition 'Appealing for Immediate Legal Protection for Tibetans inside Tibet facing Persecution', the white scarf and the book 'A Sequence of Tortures; A Diary of Interrogations' written by Jamyang Kyi has generated much excitement and was well received by the exile Tibetans. Thank you all very much and we are encouraged to engage in more of such meaningful approaches.
We are pleased to receive plethora of congratulatory messages. Following are a select few.
Absolutely fantastic TWA! You guys are amazing! Let's hope he was really moved by the experience!
Alison Reynolds, Executive Director, International Tibet Network
I am just amazed, and am an even more fervent admirer of your organization than before. May your efforts bring ultimate success!
Dan Haig, Executive Director, Tibet Online Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
Congratulations for meeting with the delegates from Sichuan. This is a far better approach than simply staging a protest and getting nowhere. The news-report in Phayul says your TWA Representatives had given a scarf (khatak), besides the petition and a copy of a book. I think this is the right approach. I firmly believe that we need to try a non-confrontational approach to Chinese, who are so paranoid of 'losing face' and our protests may normally make them become worse and stricter with their oppression measures inside Tibet. As such, once again, I sincerely admire your approach with the Sichuan Governer. Once again, my sincere Congratulations, and Tashi Delek!
Dhawa , Sydney
I read about the TWA meeting with the Sichuan government – I think this is a great move to try to engage in dialogue. I imagine the meeting may be controversial among some people, but this is really the only way to move ahead. Have there been any other times a Tibetan NGO met with Chinese officials? If not, then TWA is once again a pioneer in this.
Wilson Lee Senior Program Officer National Endowment for Democracy (NED)
Messages on Phayul.com
Congratulations TWA! My sincere congratulations to TWA for this practical approach in dealing with the Chinese - I don't think protests and yelling are the way to go, when the UN is deaf and others hardly do anything to protect their trade "interests".London May 03 2011
Congratulations! Good approach. Congratulations for meeting with the delegates from Sichuan. This is a far better approach than simply staging a protest and getting nowhere. I think this is the right approach. A touch of human warmth in handing of the scarf (Khatak) would have appealed to the face-saving mentality of the Chinese. A great move from TWA and of the two TWA Representatives!
London April 30
Like hamas-fatah reunion it is a good beneficial signal showing and fast grasping and learning by both sides after seeing those unavoidable drastic political upheavel changes happening right now in autocratic countries. It is never too late both to sit down and deal with the Tibet issue once for all under the new Kalon Tripa Dr.Lobsang Sangay.
New York April 29
Kudos to TWA It's truly amazing that a Tibetan exile organization, TWA, was able to have diret talks w/ a Chinese official, in this case Sichuan's Governor who is visiting India. I have never before heard of Chinese officials willing to sit down & discuss the Tibet situation w/ Tibetan exiles, apart of course from His Holiness' representatives. This may be a first & hopefull other Tibetan groups will be able to have face to face talks w/ Chinese officials. Congratulations on this amazing achievement!
New York April 29