New Delhi – In a recent speech delivered in New Delhi, Sikyong Penpa Tsering of the Central Tibetan Administration gave a brief overview of history of Tibet and he said, "No foreign country has ever directly ruled Tibet. Although there have been cases of outside influence, Tibet has never been under the direct control of a foreign country".
The Foundation for Nonviolent Alternatives (FNVA) organised a conference entitled "Charting Tibet's Future: The Resolve Tibet Act, Strategies in Exile, the Legacy of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and India's Role’. The conference was held Lecture Room 1 at the India International Centre Annexe, on October 21, 2024.
The keynote speaker was Sikyong Penpa Tsering and Major General Ashok Kumar Mehta moderated the session. Om Prakash Tandon, Founding Trustee of FNVA, Shri Sujeet Kumar, former member of the Lok Sabha and former Chairman of the All-Party Indian Parliamentary Forum for Tibet (APIPFT) also delivered brief speeches at the event and around 30 Indian and Tibetan participants attended the conference and questioned Sikyong on the Tibet issue and other related topics.
In his speech, Sikyong highlighted the importance of the Tibet Policy and Support Act, emphasising its role in defending the rights and autonomy of the Tibetan people. He explained that the Act provides a structured approach to US policy towards Tibet, strengthening international support for the Tibetan cause and holding the Chinese government to account for human rights abuses in Tibet. He added, "The Act supports Central Tibetan Administration's leadership, encouraging dialogue and collaboration with global partners to advance the Tibetan cause". He also outlined his vision, "We aspire to a free and democratic Tibet and remain committed to peaceful resistance and the pursuit of justice."
Sikyong also gave a brief overview of history of Tibet, highlighting the continuity of leadership of successive Dalai Lamas since the 15th century. He clarified misconceptions about Tibet's sovereignty after 1913, explaining that Tibet had retained its self-rule after expelling Chinese forces in 1912, following the fall of the Qing dynasty. He asserted that "no foreign country has ever directly ruled Tibet. Although there have been cases of outside influence, Tibet has never been under the direct control of a foreign country".
Sikyong then spoke on the significance of the Tibetan plateau in geopolitical and strategic terms, highlighting Tibet's role as the source of major rivers, notably the Yarlung Tsangpo, the Mekong and the Dzachu, which have become the lifeline of hundreds of millions of people in Asia. Two of the world's oldest civilisations, the Indus Valley civilisation and the Chinese civilisation, also depend on Tibetan rivers. He also expressed concern about China's diversion of Tibet's water resources, which affects downstream countries such as India and South-East Asia. He condemned China's failure to share hydrological data, which has led to environmental and livelihood problems for riparian countries.
However, Sikyong expressed concern about the Chinese Communist government's mismanagement of Tibet's rivers, saying: ‘This poses a serious threat to the environment and the livelihoods of millions of people downstream’. He warned of serious repercussions for the future, stressing the urgent need for sustainable practices to protect these vital water resources.
A question and answer session was held at the end of the session to allow participants to ask questions directly to the speakers.
