UK: Baroness Warsi Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
“[…] I have real concern about the tragic cases of self-immolation. Tragically, those who die do so at great loss to their communities and families, but those who survive end up suffering for many years […]. It is a matter that we continue to raise […]. We are concerned about the lack of meaningful dialogue to address the underlying grievances against a clearly worsening situation”.
US: Patrick Ventrell, State Department spokesman
“We remain concerned by the deteriorating human rights situation in Tibetan areas, including the numerous tragic self-immolations that have occurred and related reports of detentions and arrests […]. We continue to call on the Chinese government to permit Tibetans to express grievances freely, publicly, peacefully, and without fear of retribution. And we urge Tibetans to end self-immolations.”
US: Nancy Pelosi, House Minority Leader
“It is long past time for the Chinese government to address the legitimate grievances of the Tibetan people and cease its religious repression. […] The cause of Tibet continues to be a challenge to the conscience of the world. We must heed the guidance of HH the Dalai Lama, and we must not forget the people of Tibet and their ongoing struggle.”
UN: EU Delegate at the Human Rights Council
During the UN Human Rights Council’s 22nd Session in Geneva, the EU delegate noted the EU’s “profound sadness” at “the numerous self-immolations in Tibetan-inhabited areas”. China was encouraged to “re-engage in constructive dialogue with the Tibetan people and to allow free access to the Tibetan autonomous area”.
India: Mr Rajeev Chandrasekhar, MP
“India has a moral responsibility as the world’s largest democracy to be a flag bearer of hope to any people all over the world, including Tibetans, who are faced with lack of hope. The issue of Indo-Tibetan friendship and Tibet is something that has not been refreshed in recent times […]. I think it would be fitting for His Holiness the Dalai Lama […] to address the Parliament and share his views on world and conflicts in specific”.
UK: Mr David Sweet, Conservative Member of Parliament
“New President Xi Jinping spoke of the earnest expectations of the people for better life […]. I would like to note that the world is watching how president Xi Jinping’s government lives by those words. [Given the urgency of the increased desperation of Tibetans in Tibet today], we sincerely encourage President Xi Jinping to meet with the leaders of the Tibetan government in exile to discuss the Dalai Lama’s Middle Way [policy] for peace, human rights and stability, and for a reasonable co-existence between the Tibetan and Chinese peoples.”
US: Senator Robert Menendez, the Democratic Senator and Chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee
“Like so many others, I wish that Tibetans would not choose self-immolations, a horrific act, as a method of protest. […] At the same time, we must understand that these sorts of acts are indicative of the deep sense of frustration felt by the Tibetan people. This is not a conspiracy of “foreign forces” but indicative of the deep sense of hopelessness of a people denied their basic dignity.”
Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay, Central Tibetan Administration
“The blame and solution lies squarely with Beijing. Occupation and repression are the cause and reform is the solution. If the blame game continues and unless independent fact-finding delegations and the international media are not allowed to visit Tibet to assess the real situation in Tibet, the international community, including the Chinese people, will view the Chinese government with deep scepticism. At the same time, we once again invite the Chinese authorities to Dharamsala to prove their allegations of our alleged role in self-immolations.”
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