Dear friends of freedom and democracy, _(%2Ball_claims_hatched).svg/275px-Tibet_in_China_(claimed_hatched)_(%2Ball_claims_hatched).svg.png)
It’s a critical time for the Tibetan people and our movement.
We’re on the verge of sending our petitions to Members of Congress in support of the Resolve Tibet Act—our biggest piece of legislation in two years—and we need the full strength of our community of compassion behind us.
If you haven’t signed our petition to your Representatives to support the bill, there’s still time to stand with Tibet. Can we count on you to join us in support of Tibetan self-determination?
We have been working for months to support lawmakers on both sides of the aisle as they crafted this vital legislation to further strengthen US support for Tibetans. Now, we must focus even greater grassroots pressure on Members of Congress to ensure the passage of this bill.
Crucially, this legislation strikes at the heart of China’s lies about Tibet being historically a part of China. It’s a false claim that China has used to justify the ruthless oppression of my brothers and sisters in Tibet, depriving them of their rights to practice their faith, speak freely, or even leave the region.
Getting important legislation such as this passed and signed into law depends on you. It’s your last chance to add your name to our petition—help pass the Resolve Tibet Act with your signature today! RAISE YOUR VOICE NOW!!
We’ve made so much progress together. But we will not rest until Tibetans’ rights are restored.
I hope you’ll join us by signing this key petition, and help my people move forward in the struggle for peace.
Sincerely,
Tencho Gyatso
Interim Vice President
P.S. Passing this bill into law will be the main focus of our upcoming Tibet Lobby Day. If you want to go even further to support our critical advocacy efforts, make a donation to help us mobilize our community of compassion to make real change for Tibet! PLEASE, DONATE NOW!
| The 12th Dalai Lama returned to Tibet from India in July 1912 (after the fall of the Qing dynasty), and expelled the Amban and all Chinese troops. In 1913, the Dalai Lama issued a proclamation that stated that the relationship between the Chinese emperor and Tibet "had been that of patron and priest and had not been based on the subordination of one to the other." "We are a small, religious, and independent nation", the proclamation continued. In 1949, seeing that the Chinese Communists, with decisive support from Joseph Stalin, were gaining control of China, the Kashag expelled all Chinese diplomats over the protests of both the Kuomintang and the Communists. The People's Republic of China (PRC), founded in October 1949 by the victorious Communists under the leadership of Mao Zedong, asserted a new Chinese presence in Tibet. In October 1950, the People's Liberation Army entered the Tibetan area of Chamdo, defeating sporadic resistance from the Tibetan army. The 14th Dalai Lama and thousands of Tibetans fled to India. In 1951, Tibetan representatives participated in negotiations in Beijing with the Chinese government. This resulted in a Seventeen Point Agreement which formalized China's sovereignty over Tibet but was repudiated by the present Tibetan government-in-exile. |