WASHINGTON DC: Thirty-seven US Congressmen wrote a joint letter urging President Trump to appoint the position of special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues at the US Department of State as soon as possible.
“As members of the United States Congress, we write to urge you to appoint the position of Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues at the US Department of State as soon as possible,” they wrote.
“The preservation of Tibet’s unique religious, cultural and linguistic traditions and the equal protection of human rights of Tibetans in China have widespread support among the American people and strong bipartisan support in Congress. The core purpose of the Tibetan Policy Act of 2002 (TPA), the principal legislation guiding U.S. policy toward Tibet, is “to support the aspirations of the Tibetan people to safeguard their distinct identity.” In order to achieve this purpose, the Congress established the position of Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues whose mandates include to vigorously promote the policy of seeking to protect the distinct religious, cultural, linguistic and national identity of Tibet,” and to press for “improved respect for human rights.”
“Since the passage of the TPA, the position of Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues has been designated at the level of Under Secretary of State. We strongly encourage you to continue this practice, as a means of communicating to the Chinese government that your administration shares the commitment of past administrations and the US Congress to the rights and well being of the Tibetan people.”
“Mr President, this is a critical time for Tibetans. The systematic suppression of basic human rights and religious freedom – most recently evidenced by the large scale demolitions carried out at the historic Tibetan Buddhist Institute of Larung Gar – continues unabated. The few foreigners who are allowed to visit Tibet do so in the face of many restrictions, and they report the creation of a virtual police state, with checkpoints on the roads and a pervasive climate of fear. Meanwhile, no talks have taken place between representatives of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Chinese government since January 2010, even as millions of Tibetans have pinned their hopes for a better future on the dialogue process, continuously supported by previous U.S. administrations. The first step toward addressing all of these problems is to name a new Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues.”
The position of the US Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues was left vacant since the election of Donald Trump as President of the United States. The last US Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues was Ms Sarah Sewall.
