Taipei: - The Office of Tibet and Taiwan Tibetan Association jointly organised a conference on Tibet and prospect for democratic development in China from the view of the current situation in both the region. The day-long conference was held at the international conference hall of Taiwan University on Sunday, 14 October.
More than 60 people, including university professors, researchers, Tibet supporters, members of China-Tibet Association and students, participated in the conference. Some of the keynote speakers at the conference were from USA, France, Sweden, Australia and Hong Kong, who spoke and share their views on a number of issues such as experience and first-hand knowledge on Tibet after visiting Dharamsala, issue of Tibet and self-immolations by Tibetans in Tibet, democracy in exile Tibetan community, Taiwan and Hong Kong, and prospect of democratic transition in China.
Addressing the conference, Mr Dawa Tsering, Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Taiwan, explained the underlying causes of the tragic self-immolations by Tibetans in Tibet.
Tibetans in Tibet are driven to these drastic acts to resist political repression, cultural assimilation, economic marginalisation and environmental destruction, he said adding, the Chinese government, instead of addressing its failed policies in Tibet, misleads the international community by levelling baseless allegations against Tibetans in exile.
The conference concluded with a question and answer session. The organisers will bring out all the presentation papers by key note speakers and post them on the official Chinese language website of the Office of Tibet, Taiwan.
