Dharamshala: Deputy Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, Dolma Tsering, has welcomed the House of Representatives' decision to pass the 'Resolve Tibet Act' and eagerly awaits President Joe Biden's signature to enact it into law.
Speaking to ANI, Dolma Tsering called on other nations supporting Tibet's struggle for justice and trust to elevate their advocacy, following the US' lead.
"It's a very welcome news for the Tibetans around the world and not only Tibetans anyone who relates to the cause of Tibet that is truth and non violence. So, I thank the bipartisan members of Parliament, Senate and House of representative for having taken this up and supporting this with the huge majority. What difference it would make is this bill which is called 'Tibet Resolve Act' or Promoting the resolution for the conflict of Tibet this nullifies the statement assertion of CCP that Tibet is part of China since antiquity so they have nullified this statement," said Dolma Tsering.
"So this paves a way for the historical facts to come up. Therefore, I think, we always say in the political fronts that United States has done the most for Tibet, be it reciprocal act, be it the Tibet Policy Act and now this Tibet Resolved Act. So, this will pave way for many democratic governance country to go the path that US has shown because sometimes to take the first step its very challenging because China is so intimidating from all corners. So, I hope and pray those who support truth and justice and non-violence fight of of Tibet, they will take this cause of Tibet to a high-level by following the path of US," she added.
Dolma Tsering also mentioned the upcoming visit of a high-level US delegation, including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, to meet Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama in Dharamshala. The Republican chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Michael McCaul, is leading the bipartisan congressional delegation to India.
On being asked about how eagerly she waits for Biden to sign the bill, Tsering response, "Of course, that will be the best gift to his Holiness and to the Tibetan People and I am very eagerly waiting for the President Joe Biden sign it and when the high-level committee from the United States come over to Dharamshala I think that will be the biggest gift to his Holiness and the people of Tibet."
Tibetan Government-in-Exile spokesperson, Tenzin Lekshay, confirmed the bill's progress and the majority support it received in Congress, emphasizing its importance in resolving Tibetan conflicts and the issue of the Dalai Lama's reincarnation.
"The Tibet Bill has gone through many stages with majority of supports from both the House of Representatives and the Senate. So in Congress, there was a majority support for the bill and right now suspension bill which was adopted in the house has been successfully approved. So, the bill is right now in the president's desk to be signed and we are hopeful that President will sign this bill to make it a law," he said.
Speaking about US congressional delegation's visit to Dharamshala, he said, "We expect a high-level US congressional delegation to Dharamshala by the end of this week which is headed by Michael McCaul who is the House Representative of the foreign affairs from the Republican and the former speaker Nancy Pelosi. So, this is a good sign of US congressional support in the Tibetan movement and they will be meeting his Holiness."
Tenzin said they are hope regarding the bill during high-level US delegation visit. He said that the bill not only stresses about resolving the Tibetan conflict but also stresses upon the reincarnation of Dalai Lama.
Regarding expectations from the US delegation's visit, Lekshay said, "We are hopeful. This bill, unlike the previous policy talks about resolving the Tibetan conflicts and they emphasize that resolving the Tibetan conflict through negotiations and dialogues and not just only about resolving the Tibetan conflict, but also has stress upon the reincarnation of His Holiness Dalai Lama."
He added, "So, this bill is very important and not only that, that it also has made an impact about the historical sovereignty about Tibet issues. Because historically we claim that historically Tibet was independent sovereign country and Tibet was occupied later, right?And if the parliaments, if they can accept and understands that Tibet was an occupied state, then it can build up the leverage for the Tibetan dialogue, for the Chinese to come towards the ...dialogue. So this is what we are thinking. So, hopefully with that bill being passed, there are more and more countries, nations coming closer and complement with this bill to make more visibility, make Tibet more in the limelight in addressing that silent Tibetan conflict."
Earlier this week, the US Congress passed a bill urging Beijing to re-engage with the Dalai Lama and other Tibetan leaders to peacefully resolve their dispute over the status and governance of Tibet, Radio Free Asia reported.
The US House of Representatives passed the bill Promoting a Resolution to the Tibet-China Dispute Act, also known as the Resolve Tibet Act, and it now heads to President Joe Biden for a signature to become law, Radio Free Asia reported.
The legislation rejects Beijing's stance that Tibet being part of China since ancient times and urges China to "cease its propagation of disinformation about the history of Tibet, the Tibetan people, and Tibetan institutions, including that of the Dalai Lama."
It also urged China to begin talks with the Dalai Lama, who is the spiritual leader of Tibet, and other Tibetan leaders about how Tibet is governed. No formal talks between two sides have taken place since 2010.
Michael McCaul said it showed the "status quo in Tibet is not acceptable," Radio Free Asia reported. After the bill's passage, McCaul said, "I can think of no greater message or gift to the Dalai Lama and the people of Tibet than the swift passage of this bill to get to the president's desk as soon as possible, to help put the people of Tibet in charge of their own future." (ANI)
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