Tibetan MPs raise issue of Tibet at NCCI
Assembly of the National Council of Churches in India (NCCI) is held every four years. And before the main Assembly, Pre-Assembly meetings are being held in different parts of India.
This year’s Inter-faith Pre-Assembly on “Responses of faith Communities on Groanings of the World” was held in Bangalore (Karnataka) from April 20 – 23, 2012. During four day Pre-Assembly, the participants discussed at length on following issues keeping main theme of the assembly in mind:
1. Challenges of Religious Fundamentalism and Communalism to World Peace
2. Interfaith Response to Ecological Crisis
3. Interfaith Responses to the Groaning of the World: Viable Alternatives and Solutions
4. Interfaith Response to Transparency and Accountability
5. Human Rights Violation in present context
6. Faith Response in Addressing Poverty
7. Plight of the Tibetans
On the invitation of the National Council of Churches in India, Tibetan MP Mr. Karma Yeshi & Ms. Yangchen Dolkar took part in the meeting to share the plight of Tibetan people. Both Tibetan participants raised issues of Tibet like Ecological crisis of Tibet, lack of Religious Freedom and Human Rights issues etc. at different platforms.
On April 23, during the session on “Plight of the Tibetans”, Ms. Yangchen Dolkar spoke on Tibetan freedom struggle in exile. It was then followed by a paper presentation on the issue of Tibet by Mr. Karma Yeshi. In his paper Mr. Karma highlighted following issues:
A. China’s illegal occupation of Tibet
B. Self-immolations in Tibet: World’s silence
C. China’s harsh policy on Tibet and Tibetans
D. Chinese population transfer into Tibet
E. Tibet – Becoming a land of Han Chinese
F. Violation of Human Rights in Tibet
G. Middle way Policy of Central Tibetan Administration
Mr. Karma also shared some of his personal experiences and urged NCCI to support the issue of Tibet. He further stated that issue of Tibet is an issue of humanity and survival of the culture and identity of Tibetan people. Participants raised their concern and sympathy to the issue of Tibet. Later statement was adopted to be presented before the Assembly. Followings are the points directly related to the issue of Tibet:
1. To the groaning of victims of human rights’ violation/denial by the state and non-state systems and oppressive religious, socio-economic and political structures.
2. To the groaning of the Tibetan, Sri Lankan, Palestinian, other West-Asian and African refugees and those in the North-east India and Kashmir, and those involved in their fight for liberty, freedom and dignity.
3. All deliberate acts by states and nations in dumping nuclear wastes in ecologically fragile places like Tibet and other Afro-Asian countries, as well as in seas and oceans.
4. The ‘strategic silence’ of governments and international bodies, for economic and political benefits, over the violence by the ‘powerful’ nations over ‘powerless’ nations and communities in order to dominate and control their people, land and resources.
5. To join the civil societies and peoples movements, fighting against state-sponsored terrorism and oppression.
6. To learn and share resources within each religion which complement each other in ushering in a better world.
7. To engage in advocacy with the Indian Government as well as with the representative of the Chinese Government and lobbying with other international and ecumenical bodies to urge China to resume dialogue with the Tibetans with the commitment and conviction to seek a lasting solution to the issue of Tibet, and peace and stability in the whole geo-strategic region.
8. To form a ‘Commission on Refugees, Internally Displaced Persons (IDP’s) and Human Right Issues’.
Including above 8 points on the issue of Tibet, over 30 issues were unanimously adopted as statement for further discussion in the main Assembly.
The main Assembly – XXVII Quadrennial Assembly of NCCI was held from April 25 – 28, 2012 in Bangalore and Ms. Yangchen Dolkar participated in the meeting as an observer.
The main Assembly begun on April 25 and on April 26, all the statements of seven different Pre-assemblies (held before main assembly) were unanimously adopted in the house. All statements were then sent to the workshops of the Assembly for further deliberations.
On April 26 afternoon, different workshops were held as part of the Assembly. Ms. Yangchen participated in the workshop entitled “New earth, new heaven: Ecumenism Perspective” and spoke on the issue of Tibet and plight of Tibetans in the workshop. The group adopted statements of concern and solidarity with many issues including Tibet.
The workshop gave stress on the “Pluralism and Dialogue” as the best means of harmony on this earth. Hence, with regards to Tibet, NCCI was mandated to lobby the Government of India as well as with the representative of the Chinese Government and other international and ecumenical bodies to urge China to resume dialogue with the Tibetan representatives.
NCCI was further mandated to bring the issue of Tibet to the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA) and World Council of Churches (WCC) for their deliberations and necessary action.
On April 28, the committee on “Public Issues and Resolutions” also adopted following statement on Tibet:
NCCI stands by the Tibetans struggle for liberty and freedom against the occupation of Tibet by China. The NCCI is deeply concerned about the denial of basic human rights of Tibetans such as learning their own language, promoting their culture, self affirmation etc. NCCI while expressing it solidarity urges its member churches and the global Ecumenical expressions like the World Council Churches (WCC) to continue advocacy in appropriate forum for the freedom of Tibet.
Message committee of the XXVII Quadrennial Assembly of NCCI also expressed its solidarity with the exiled communities like Tibetan.
During the XXVII Quadrennial Assembly of NCCI, many guest speakers also expressed their views on Buddhism and expressed concern over Tibetan rights issues and ecological destruction taking place in Tibet and its impact on Indian sub-continent.
Finally election of the new executives for coming four years was held and the XXVII Quadrennial Assembly of NCCI concluded successfully on April 28 and new executives took their charge. In the Assembly there were over 500 delegates from different parts of India.
Issued by:
Karma YESHI
Dharamsala, April 30, 2012
