by Staff Reporter
March, 1 2022
Tibetan Community of Switzerland & Liechtenstein UNHRC session’s building.
Geneva: Tibetan Community of Switzerland & Liechtenstein expressed profound concern over the rapidly deteriorating situation in Tibet and held a demonstration in protest against China paralleling the opening of the UN Human Rights Council’s 49th regular session on Monday, 28 February.
Gathering in front of the UN Human Rights Council session’s building, members of the community unfurled Tibetan national flag and shouted slogans calling the UN to bring China accountable for its relentless atrocities in occupied Tibet. Furthermore, members of the community gave spotlight on continued human rights abuses and destruction of Tibetan cultural and religious identity by the Chinese Communist Party.
While addressing the gathering, UN Advocacy Officer of the Tibet Bureau in Geneva Kalden Tsomo echoed the importance of nurturing a growing Tibetan generation rooted with Tibetan culture and identity for bringing the Tibetan freedom movement at the forefront in years to come. She said “No matter how hard China attempts to silence and suppress the voices of the Tibetan people, China has failed, and will continue to fail in conquering the spirit of Tibetan people to fight for its freedom, justice and human rights.”
Vice President of the Tibetan Youth Association in Europe Dalha Wangden also addressed the gathering. In his address, he reaffirmed Tibetan youth’s determination to advocate for the just cause of Tibet irrespective of global political response. He urged Tibetans to stay strong, united and hopeful in achieving the collective aspiration of the Tibetan people. Representative of the Swiss-Tibetan Association Jacque Arnal reiterated continued support for the just cause of Tibet. Expressing solidarity and concern over the situation in Ukraine, he recalled Chinese aggression on Tibet resulting in untold sufferings and subjugation of Tibetan people.
The president of the Tibetan community Karma Choekyi accompanied by Kalden Tsomo of the Tibet Bureau submitted an appeal letter to the UN Office of High Commissioner in a meeting held in the afternoon. In its four-page appeal letter, the community categorically explained the ongoing human rights abuses by China, including the recent destruction of Tibetan Buddhist religious sites in Kham Drago to the crackdown of remaining informal Tibetan language classes amongst other recent reports on Tibet. The community urged the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to pay “an urgent attention to the rapidly deteriorating situation in Tibet”, and appealed to the UN High Commissioner to speak out for Tibet.
-Report filed by the Tibet Bureau in Geneva
Young Tibetans at the demonstration.
Tibetan Community of Switzerland & Liechtenstein UNHRC session’s building.
Source: tibet.net