Chandigarh
15 November 2024
DIVYA AZAD
With the aim of making people aware of the human rights violations in Tibet, the functionaries of Tibetan Women’s Association reached Chandigarh on Friday under the aegis of their ‘Appeal Tour’ being kicked off from Dharamshala to Delhi.
Addressing a press conference organized at Chandigarh Press Club, TWA’s President Tsering Dolma said that their tour will conclude on November 20 at New Delhi as the association is creating awareness about the atrocities being committed on Tibetans by the Chinese government through public forums and press conferences enroute. She said that the meaning of Children’s Day celebrated in India on November 14 is completely opposite in Tibet wherein children are being deprived of their basic rights in Tibet. According to Dolma, children in Tibet are forcibly separated from their families and their own Chinese language – Mandarin, culture and rituals are taught in boarding schools. The aim is to separate children from their original heritage. She alleged that China is not only erasing the existence of their country but is also destroying the entire Tibetan identity .
In their addresses, Vice President, TWA Kelsang Dolma and Joint Secretary Choenen Dolma said that Tibet is the world’s highest plateau from where ten major rivers originate. Estimated two billion people depend on their water. The environment of Tibet has been spoiled under the guise of mineral exploitation from Tibet, hydroelectric projects, dams, urban development. India and Bangladesh are under continuous threat as these rivers are being controlled by the Chinese regime. They informed that before occupying Tibet, China had never activated its army so aggressively in recent times. The disappearance of a neutral buffer between India and China has led to the continued tension between the two nations. As a result, India spends a lot of money on security through its defense budget.
Association urges the Indian Govt to take immediate steps against Chinese human rights violations and take appropriate action in this regard. TWA also demands that the Indian Govt should work together with the Chinese leadership and address the harmful effects of China’s development projects in Tibet. Apart from that, the Indian counterpart should also address the issue of the boarding school system for Tibetan children in China so that their future can be secured.
The Association also expects the local people to discuss China’s aggressive policies and Tibetan human rights violations. China is a major mounting threat for India in the near future. They should discuss this topic with their MLAs and MPs so that they can also make it a national issue.
