Tibetan Parliamentarians in Europe

By Maria Dahl / June 9, 2014;

The Delegation in Bratislava
Photo Tibet.net

Delegates from the Tibetan Parliament-in-exile have visited Europe to promote the issue of the critical situation prevailing inside Tibet and to gain support for the Middle Way Approach campaign. Their mission was to meet European Parliamentarians in the countries visited as well as Tibet support groups.

Khenpo Sonam Tenphel, Deputy Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, led the group with Tibetan Parliamentarians Karma Choephel, Mr Dawa Phunkyi and Mr Jamyang Soepa. Mr Wangpo Tethong, Member of the Tibetan Parliament from the Europe constituency joined the delegation in Europe. The countries visited were Belgium, Slovakia, Poland, Czech Republic, Austria and Switzerland.

The delegation received many supportive and understanding statements. In the Czech Republic, Senator Mr Petr Bratský, head of the Tibet Group within the Czech Senate said that the Czech people had for many decades experienced under communist rule what the Tibetan people in Tibet today experience under Communist Chinese occupation. “We understand your situation” he said, “We want to express our support for the Tibetan people and democracy in Tibet.”

Photo: Tibet.net

“There is no freedom of any sort in Tibet. Tibetans continue to be oppressed due to the wrong policies in Tibet which has resulted in the self-immolation of 130 Tibetans since 2009…We seek your support for the Middle Way Approach to resolve the Tibetans issue with China through dialogue. We are not seeking independence or separation from China but want genuine autonomy for the Tibetan people,” said Mr. Karma Choephel on behalf of the delegation in a meeting with the Slovakian parliament.

Mr František Šebej, Chairman of the Slovakian Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee responded “I wish to express my solidarity with the Tibetan people” and said that he was happy to fly the Tibetan national flag every year on 10 March. This year, 160 Tibetan flags were hoisted across Slovakia. The delegation was also told that 644 Tibetan flags were hoisted across Czech Republic in schools, towns and cities on Uprising Day.