Sikyong Lobsang Sangay met with Congressman Jim McGovern, the chairman of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China
Photo: tibet.net
The head of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), Sikyong Lobsang Sangay, who was on a visit to the United States, met Congressman Jim McGovern and Jon Stivers of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC), to discuss the revision of the Tibet Policy Act, which will be official soon.
This was followed by another meeting with diplomats at Capitol Hill in Washington DC to revise and update the Tibet Policy Act. This was the first significant bill on Tibet that was passed into a law in the United States in 2002. Senator Feinstein in a subsequent meeting agreed to co-sponsor the new Tibet Policy Act.
The updated Tibet Policy Act is part of a larger initiative to boost the momentum of the Tibetan movement. Creating more awareness about the changing age groups, expectations, and needs of Tibetan population in exile is the first step. This will further help put the environmental and political situation in Tibet as an important global issue. It is working towards religious freedom, funding and strengthening the CTA and improving Tibet’s environment.
Sikyong Dr. Lobsang Sangay with Speaker Nancy Pelosi
Photo: tibet.net
A reception organised at the Rayburn House, hosted by the House Democratic Partnership, saw the attendance of Sikyong, several prominent Congressmen and women, President of the National Endowment for Democracy, VP of the International Republican Institute, Presidents of the Tibetan Association of NY, Philadelphia, and Capitol area, VP of International Campaign for Tibet, all the staff of the Office of Tibet – DC, and many other Congressional staffers.
They expressed their support for Tibet, stating this has always been a bipartisan issue. Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she would help make the new Tibet Policy Act a priority in Congress further stating that the United States loses all moral authority if they fail to stand up against China.
In a meeting with Sam Brownback, the Ambassador-at-Large for Religious Freedom, Sikyong pointed out that China has not signed the UN Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (Water Convention). This is an active looming threat to 1.5 billion people dependent on freshwater from streams flowing from Tibet.
Photo: tibet.net
The Ambassador agreed that pushing for an updated Tibet Policy Act is a good course of action, further stating that, “We believe this [the reincarnation process] should be the business of Tibetan Buddhists.”
He compared the Tibetan and Uyghur plight to the Soviet Union’s treatment of Jewish people and said the Tibetans and Uyghurs are a pivotal issue in any confrontation with China. Sikyong invited the Ambassador to Dharamshala. Congressmen Vern Buchanan and Andy Levine also promised their support for the new bill.
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