Sikyong with Uzra Zeya, the US Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues
Photo: tibet.net
Penpa Tsering, Sikyong (President) of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) made his first visit to the United States since his election as Sikyong to meet United States officials, Tibet support groups, the staff of the Office of Tibet in Washington DC and members of the Tibetan community living there. He was welcomed to the US on his arrival by the Tibetan community and by representatives of the Office of Tibet April 24.
Sikyong first met Uzra Zeya, the United States Special Coordinator for Tibet, who, during their discussion, told Sikyong how she has been active in supporting Tibet’s struggle for greater freedom under China’s rule since her appointment to the role last year. Their meeting was followed by a lunch hosted at the State Department and attended by seven foreign ambassadors, including ambassadors from the Czech Republic, Denmark, Canada and the United Kingdom
“It was an honour meeting Uzra Zeya, the US Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues, during which we discussed ways to collectivise our efforts to bring concrete results in resolving the Sino-Tibet conflict through dialogue. We remain committed to the Middle-Way Approach. The bi-partisan US commitment and global leadership in supporting the Tibet cause is a source of great hope for Tibetans in Tibet and outside and will always be remembered,” said Sikyong in a Facebook post following the meeting.
Penpa Tsering later attended a reception to mark the 33rd birthday of the Panchen Lama [the second religious leader of Tibet who has been missing since his abduction by China 27 years ago, see article here] where he met many other US dignitaries including Rashad Hussain, Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, and Nury Turkel, US Commissioner on International Religious Freedom.
Sikyong is in the US at the invitation of Nancy Pelosi, the House Speaker who has close association with His Holiness the Dalai Lamaand has been a long term and vocal supporter of Tibetans and the Tibetan struggle.
“We want to make it known to the world that what is happening in Xinjiang is one level but what is happening in Tibet is another level — we are dying a slow death. The policies adopted by [Chinese President] Xi Jinping today are aimed completely at the eradication of the Tibetan and other minority nationalities’ identities,” said Penpa Tsering quoted as speaking to POLITICO, a political news media based in Virginia. Pressing the need for the dialogue with China to resolve the Tibetan struggle, “the growing influence of China’s narrative … is so strong that everybody feels that Tibet has been part of China for many centuries and that does not provide us the leverage or the reason for China to engage with us even if governments say that they support dialogue between the [CTA] and the Chinese government. Without talking with the Chinese government, there can’t be a way out for the Tibetans,” he told POLITICO
Sikyong with Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky
Photo: Facebook
On April 26, Sikyong met Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky who was in the US to meet Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Following the meeting Lipavsky tweeted that the Czech Republic “also experienced what it was like to live under the influence of a superpower and to be deprived of human rights”. China has retaliated, calling Lipavsky’s encounter with Tsering a “serious breach in relations with Beijing,” and saying his remarks have sent “a consequently wrong message to the Tibetan separatist movement.” On the same day, Sikyong discussed the development of democratic administration of the Tibetan government in exile during a session A New Strategy for the Tibetan Democracy Movement: A conversation with the Tibetan President, organised by the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), an independent, nonprofit foundation dedicated to the growth and strengthening of democratic institutions around the world.
Photo: tibet.net
Sikyong met Nancy Pelosi at her office on April 28, accompanied by Namgyal Choedup from the Office of Tibet; Richard Gere, Chair of the International Campaign for Tibet and Bhuchung Tsering, the Vice-Chair and Abbot Zeekgyab Rinpoche of Tashi Lhunpo Monastery. They discussed Tibet’s missing Panchen Lama, Gendun Choekyi Nyima, and agreed a future course of action in regard to resolving the Sino-Tibet conflict. Sikyong presented a letter from His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Nancy Pelosi. Later the same day he met Congressman McCaul, Senator James E Risch, Senator Patrick Leahy, and Senator Menendez.
Sikyong is in the US until April 29 when he travels on to Canada.
On his way to the US, Sikyong made a brief visit to Tibet House in the German city of Frankfurt where he met the institution’s members and addressed the Tibetan community there.
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