LEH, Ladakh: The director and deputy director of the Tibet Policy Institute gave talks to the senior students and teaching staff of the Tibetan Children’s Village here at Choglamsar in Leh, the remote and hauntingly beautiful capital of Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir in north-west India.
Mr Thubten Samphel, the director of the Tibet Policy Institute, made a presentation on the efforts of the Central Tibetan Administration to do outreach to the community of Chinese students and scholars in and outside China on the issue of Tibet. He said that given the number of Chinese, 1.3 billion, and the modest resources of the Central Tibetan Administration, the outcome of the outreach, though too early to judge, is successful because of the positive response to the issue of Tibet from the courageous Chinese who are fighting for their own rights and dignity. Many Chinese believe media freedom in China will help Chinese to realise the truth of the Tibetan struggle.
Mr Lobsang, the deputy director of the Tibet Policy Institute, made his presentation on the currents developments in Tibet and China. He said that the days of strongman-rule in China is over. He questioned whether the new leadership, which will take over the reins of power from the Hu-Wen administration after the 18th party congress scheduled to be held from 8 November could deal with the myriad of challenges China faces: corruption, rising inequality, the ruling elites sending their children abroad along with their hoards of millions of dollars.
The two presentations were followed by a vigorous and lively question-answer session. To any observer, the senior students of the Tibetan Children’s Village, Choglamsar, were engaged, well informed about the affairs of Tibet and China and did not hesitate to ask sharp questions.
The event was hosted by Mr Choegyal Tashi, the principal of the SOS TCV School in Choglamsarand his teaching staff.
The two speakers and Mr Tenzin Norbu, head of the Environment and Development Desk (EDD) of the Department of Information and International Relations (DIIR), are in Ladakh to participate in a conference, ‘Tibet’s Relations with Himalayas’ to be held from 5 to 7 October, in Leh. The conference is being organised by the Foundation of Non-Violent Alternatives (FNVA), a Delhi based institute for developing peace studies. Mr Lobsang will make a presentation on China’s Invasion and Occupation of Tibet and its Impacts in Neighbours. Mr Tenzin Norbu will make a presentation on Global Significance of Tibet: The Third Pole. Mr Thubten Samphel will give a talk on the Geopolitical Importance of Tibet: Will China Turn Off Asia’s Tap in Tibet?