Dharamshala – The four-member delegation of the Australian All Parliamentary Group for Tibet, held a press conference on Wednesday, and Senator Janet Rice said, "The meetings with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan ministers and parliamentarians have been very inspiring and give me a sense that, when we return to Australia, we will continue to work tirelessly to try to seek justice for the Tibetan people".
The four-member delegation of the Australian Parliamentary Group for Tibet, who are visiting Dharamshala, held a press conference at Lhakpa Tsering Hall, DIIR, Central Tibetan Administration, Gangkyi, Dharamshala, HP, India, on April 19, 2023, to express its support for the Tibetan cause and its solidarity with Tibetans in Tibet and in exile around the world. The four members of the House and Senate were: MP Sharon Claydon (Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives), Senator Janet Rice, MP Sophie Scamps, and MP Susan Templeman.
MP Susan Templeman said, recalling the enriching experiences they had meeting with His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Tibetan leaders in exile, and visiting government and non-governmental institutions in Dharamshala,“ Australia has recognised that there are real challenges for Tibetans in Tibet and there are threats to culture, education, language and your Tibetan way of life. at the press conference.
Senator Janet Rice, a longtime advocate for the Tibetan cause, and human rights violations in Tibet in the Australian Parliament, she said, "I have met with Tibetan communities, I have worked with members of those communities to bring attention to the serious human rights issues facing Tibetans in Tibet, I have advocated for the Tibetan people for a quite long time, and I have made many speeches in the Australian Parliament. So it's special to be here in Dharamshala and to meet old friends like Sikyong and the Deputy Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament, to be able to focus on what needs to happen and what we can do as Australian parliamentarians to work for the Tibetan people and for the Tibetan environment in particular, to protect the Tibetan environment and work for the good for justice for the people of Tibet."
"There are also the Chinese boarding schools that Tibetan children are forced to go to for their education, which is so heartbreaking to hear about what is happening in Tibet right now. But it's wonderful to have a sense of hope and inspiration from the Tibetan people, who are here in Dharamshala. The meetings with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan ministers and parliamentarians have been very inspiring and give me a sense that, when we return to Australia, we will continue to work tirelessly to try to get justice for the Tibetan people," Senator Janet Rice added.
House Deputy Speaker Sharon Claydon said, "In the few days I have been in Dharamshala, I have heard everywhere I have gone about the extraordinary spirit and resilience of the Tibetan people and the hope that our visit brings to Tibetans, but I want to tell you that the hope you give us is even greater. I have seen with my own eyes the extraordinary functioning of a government, your system of government, your commitment to democracy and the really strong commitment of the people.”
MP Sophie Scamps assured that she would assist the Australian government in obtaining continued protection for the Tibetan community. She also recalled the common principles of human rights, freedom, cultural and religious rights between the two cultures and said: "We have common values, we are two strong democracies, centered on human rights, freedom, religious expression, cultural expression, there are a lot of similarities and a lot of friendships between our cultures and our countries."
