Dharamshala (Himachal Pradesh) [India], December 11 (ANI): The Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) of the Tibetan government in exile held an official ceremony on Sunday to celebrate the 34th anniversary of the conferment of the Nobel Peace Prize on the Dalai Lama.
Hundreds of Tibetans gathered at the main Buddhist temple, Tsughlakhang, in Dharamshala to celebrate the occasion.
CTA president Pempa Tsering and the speaker of the Tibetan parliament-in-exile read the official statements of the Kashag and the parliament. Artists from the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts presented a number of cultural activities.
While addressing the gathering, CTA president Pempa Tsering said, “On this special occasion of the 34th anniversary of the conferment of the Nobel Peace Prize to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the Kashag offer its deepest gratitude and reverence to His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The Kashag also wish to extend its warm welcome to the dignitaries and guests who are present with us on this momentous occasion. We would also like to convey our hearty greetings to all the diaspora Tibetan communities and in particular the Tibetans inside Tibet.”
He further said, “Last month, the People’s Republic of China’s government released its white paper titled “CPC Policies on the Governance of Xizang in the New Era: Approach and Achievements”. It claims that “the social and economic progress of Xizang epitomizes the nation’s outstanding achievements in development, created on the roof of the world through the Chinese path to modernization”.
He called on the Chinese government to end its “blatant violation” of the law on regional national autonomy guaranteed in the Chinese constitution and stop implementing policies aimed at the extermination of the Tibetan identity.
Pempa Tsering said, “We call upon the Chinese Communist Party to immediately end its blatant violation of the Law on Regional National Autonomy guaranteed in the Chinese Constitution and cease policies and programs aimed at extermination of the Tibetan identity.”
He added, “If the Chinese government does not put an end to these policies, it will cause irreparable wounds in the hearts and minds of the Tibetan people that will impact the harmonious relationship between the Tibetan and Chinese peoples as neighbours since ancient times. Being a signatory to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide adopted by the United Nations 75 years ago on 9 October 1948, the CCP should be held accountable for violating the terms of this international law.”
He expressed hope that peace prevails around the world and everyone enjoys freedom and human rights across humanity. He further said, “We pray for the long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama so that He can spend the rest of his life for the promotion of world peace and moral values. May truth and the non-violent cause of Tibet prevail.”
In an interview with ANI, Tenzin Jigdel, Member of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, said that they have gathered to commemorate the conferment of the Nobel Peace Prize to the 14th Dalai Lama. He said that Dalai Lama’s mesage of peace and non-violence is “important and necessary” amid the multiple crises happening across the world.
He said, “Today we are all gathered here to commemorate the 34th anniversary of being awarded a Nobel Peace Prize to His Holiness The 14th Dalai Lama. This is a very special occasion for all the Tibetans around the world including inside Tibet and as we are all aware and this day and age we are seeing a lot of conflicts and chaos happening all around the world and particularly we’re seeing multiple crisis which is now known as Holy Crisis and in this day, His Holiness message of peace and non-violence is more than ever important and necessary and His Holiness resonates peace and non-violence. Therefore, we are here to celebrate this important occasion and also to amplify the message of peace and nonviolence of His Holiness. The 14th Dala Lama.”
He called on the international community to hold China accountable, particularly for the level of suppression that is being witnessed in Tibet.
Speaking about Human Rights Day, Tenzin Jigdel said, “It is Human Rights Day of course and Human Rights Day. It’s something that is being celebrated all around the world and as we are aware, the kind of level of suppression we are seeing inside Tibet and China attempt to eradicate the very existence of Tibet and the Tibetan identity is something that we wanted to spread through this medium.”
He further said, “We call upon all the governments to come together and to hold China accountable, especially the level of suppression we are seeing inside Tibet and it it’s repression that is being extended beyond its border. We just now become transnational and therefore we call upon everyone to come together and hold China accountable.”
Meanwhile, Dolma Tsering, Deputy speaker of Tibetan Parliament in-exile, said, “Today is the 34th conferment of Nobel Peace Prize to His Holiness The Dalai Lama. It is the day when the peace initiative of His Holiness and the Tibetan people are being acknowledged by the world.”
“And so this is also a time when we, as disciple of His Holiness, need to contemplate on whether we are going on the path of his non-violence and compassionate way of dealing both in our thought, in our deeds and in our action also,” she told ANI.
She said that Tibetan people are adamant that they are going to show the path of compassion and dialogue to the world despite China’s “torment policies” in Tibet.
Asked about her message to China, She said, “It’s for China to know that no matter how torment their policies they are applying in Tibet, Tibetan people are adamant that they are going to show the path of compassion and dialogue to the world.” (ANI)
