Kalon Tripa Visits Major Tibetan Settlements In South India
Amanda Peters, Tibet Post International
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Dharamshala:- On July 31, Kalon Tripa Dr Lobsang Sangay visited the largest Tibetan settlement of Bylakuppe in Karnataka during his 6-day visit to south India.
He arrived at Bangalore airport on July 29 and was received by Chief Representative Karma Singey and heads of the various organizations and NGOs based in the city.
At a press conference he talked about the current situation in Tibet. "Tibetans are giving up their precious lives to send a message to international community that situation in Tibet is grave and getting worse because now the Chinese government has banned tourists from visiting Lhasa and Tibetan areas. Tibetans who come from outside Lhasa are expelled, so given the situation; there is a clampdown on Tibetan people."
Referring to the self immolations inside Tibet he also stated that the responsibility for the tragic self-immolations of Tibetans lies entirely with the Chinese government, and so does the solution.
"The evidence clearly points towards the Chinese government and their repressive policies because Chinese government doesn't allow freedom of speech in Tibet. If you protest, if you have hunger strike, if you have rallies, demonstrations, all these are not allowed. The chances of one getting arrested, tortured, even disappearing are really high, if one participates simply in a demonstration," he said at the conference.
Dr Lobsang Sangay also thanked the Karnataka Government for providing hospitality to Tibetans taking refuge in the state.
Kalon Tripa visited Rabgyaling Tibetan Settlement in Hunsur on July 30. Addressing a large gathering of Tibetans at Gyume Monastery in Hunsur, he said that his recent visit to Washington, DC was a success from a political perspective.
Further he stated, "There is clear indication from the US and European countries of their support and concern for the Tibet issue than ever before."
Kalon Tripa explained to the public about the Kashag's three guiding principles of unity, innovation and self-reliance, as well as, his recent visit to Ladakh and the situation of Tibetans living there. This was followed by a question and answer session.
He later spoke to students and faculty of Woenang School on the importance of education and then paid visits to Dzongchoe and Ogyen monasteries.
At Bylakuppe, Dr Lobsang Sangay received a grand welcome by Tibetan settlers of Lugsam and Dicki Larsoe settlements.
He delivered a public talk during which he apprised them about all possible efforts made by the Kashag to garner support from the international community on the grim situation inside Tibet.
This was then followed by questions from the public concerning the formation of local assemblies and Rawang Denpe Legul Tsokchung in the settlement.
He is scheduled to give a talk to students at SOS school in Bylakuppe, address students of a college in Mysore and expected to meet the chief minister of Karnataka later today.
He will be visiting Mundgod on August 2 and 3 before returning to the exile headquarters of Dharamshala on August 5.