Thank you to Giovanni Vassallo of Bay Area Friends of Tibet, Tulku Tashi President of Tibetan Association of Northern California (TANC), Ugyen Tsering, Vice President of TANC, Diane Hume, President of Bay Area Friends of Tibet, Dhondup Tsering, General Secretary of the Regional Tibetan Youth Congress and Minnie Cancellaro of the Tibet Justice Center. I am proud to join with Tibet’s many friends here and in the United States Congress in solidarity with the people of Tibet.
More than 50 years ago, the Chinese government invaded Tibet. That the occupation continues is a blight on the conscience of the world. Today we are once again sending a message to the world that the people of the United States have not forgotten the plight of the people of Tibet. Despite 50 years of Chinese occupation, the Tibetan people's determination to preserve their heritage and regain their freedom is as strong as ever.
The U.S. government knows the facts. Last Monday, the U.S. State Department issued its annual Country Report on Human Rights. The report documents continuing human rights abuses by the Chinese government in Tibet. It states, in part: "According to credible reports, Chinese government authorities continued to commit serious human rights abuses in Tibet, including instances of torture, arbitrary arrest, detention without public trial, and lengthy detention of Tibetan nationalists for peacefully expressing their political or religious views."
This tragedy must not continue. Because of our unique position in the world, the U.S. has a special opportunity and responsibility to promote the values of liberty, equality, and human rights that we hold dear. If the U.S. government is serious about helping the Tibetan people, it must promote negotiations between His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the government of China. President George W. Bush raised this issue with President Jiang Zemin during his recent visit to China, and we hope he will make self-determination for Tibetans a priority in the U.S.-China relationship.
We must not, we cannot, and we will not forget that Tibetans still live under the yoke of oppression. We celebrate the recent releases of Chadrel Rinpoche and Ngawang Choephel, but know that there are many more like them languishing in Chinese government prisons. Let us make the commitment today to redouble our efforts on their behalf and on behalf of all of the people of Tibet.
Thank you for your continued activism for the people of Tibet. Your actions, words, and prayers will move mountains.