TWA appeals Mr Modi to discuss Tibet issue with Chinese Foreign Minister

Central Tibetan Women’s Association writes an appeal letter to the Prime Minister of India to discuss Tibet issue during his meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

TWA would also like to contest the recent statement made by Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hong Lei “The door for contact is open but I want to stress that we only talk with personal envoy of Dalai (Lama) and we will only talk about the future of Dalai not anything about Tibet”.

In the letter we have also mentioned the current critical situation ofTibetans inside Tibet.We are very much in hope that the new Prime Minister will consider Tibet during this meeting.

Ref: TWA/OFF/428/14

To

Mr. Narendra Damodardas Modi

Prime Minister of the Republic India

South Block

Raisina Hill

New Delhi-110011

India

Date: June 7, 2014

Subject: Appeal to discuss Tibet issue during your meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister

Your Excellency,

Tibetan Women’s Association congratulates you once again for the victory!

The recent news about your government’s plan to set a separate ministry to manage the Himalayan region is thrilling news for all of us. Tibet issue is closely netted to the security of Himalayan region, Tibet issue is not a personal issue of His Holiness the XIVth Dalai Lama as Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said recently[1]. Your Excellency is well aware of depth and importance of Tibet issue and we earnestly request you to discuss Tibet issue during your meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

To resolve Tibet issue, the Middle Way Approach is the position of the Central Tibetan Administration in Exile. This approach was democratically adopted by the Central Tibetan Administration; its goal is to resolve the issue of Tibet and to bring about stability and co-existence between the Tibetan and Chinese based on equality and mutual co-operation. Therefore, we strongly appeal your Excellency to urge China to respond to the negotiations extended by the Exile-Tibetan leadership.

With this letter, we would like you to bring your attention to the current critical state of Tibet and on going crisis inside Tibet. It is undeniable truth that the Chinese occupation of Tibet and more than six decades of rule has incited greater resistance and acted as an unwavering catalyst to the increasing number of self-immolations as well as peaceful demonstrations.

To date we have seen a staggering 131 self-immolations in Tibet alone. At least 107 of these protesters are known to have died. The self-immolators have repeatedly called for the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and freedom in Tibet. Leaders across the world and Tibetans in exile have made numerous appeals to China to examine its policies. China, however, instead of responding to these appeals, has further intensified the suppression of Tibetans in Tibet. Moreover, we are now seeing a new level of repression in the punishment of not only the families of the self-immolators, but the entire community.

We believe that only coordinated and swift diplomatic action can stop this crisis. We thereby request you to kindly highlight the current crisis in Tibet during your meeting with the Foreign Minister of China.

We remain deeply grateful to the Government of India for all the support and help bestowed upon us and more importantly for providing the requisite security for His Holiness the 14^th Dalai Lama to date.

Thanking you,

Yours Sincerely,

Tashi Dolma

President

Central Tibetan Women’s Association

 The Tibetan Women’s Association (TWA) is the second largest Tibetan Non Governmental Organization (NGO) based in exile India and the only Women’s NGO in Tibetan history. We are today a 17,000 member organization with 56 chapters in four continents- Asia, US. Europe and Australia. TWA’s slogan is ‘Advocacy for Home, Action in Exile.’

[1] http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-open-for-talks-but-not-on-tibet-autonomy-says-china-call-the-dalai-lama-an-out-and-out-separatist-1993879