Paris: - On 8th June 2011, hosted by Tibet Group at the French Senate, Mr Kelsang Gyaltsen, Envoy of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Acting Representative for Paris, has given a talk on Tibet at the French Senate. The talk was attended by French senators, journalists and a number of friends and activists. Mrs Sofia Stril Rever, writer and linguist is another speaker who has recently authored a book which analyses the political context of the 10th March Uprising Day speeches of His Holiness the Dalai Lama given from 1960 upto 2009.
Mr Jean Pierre Plancade, Vice President of the Tibet Group, welcomed both speakers and attendees. As an envoy in charge of the negotiations with PRC, Mr Kelsang Gyaltsen gave a summarised brief about the Sino-Tibetan relations since its resumption in 2002. Having attended the Second General Assembly in Dharamsala where over 400 Tibetan delegates from the world over attended, Mr Kelsang Gyaltsen gave vital information about the recent major institutional reform with an adoption of amended Charter. He declared that a third generation of Tibetan people is spearheading a Tibetan struggle movement in occupied Tibet as well as in exile. He explained many similarities between the spirit of French resistant movement of 1940s against the occupying German Nazi forces led by the then charismatic leader General De Gaulle and the current Tibetan peoples struggle against the on going Chinese repression except that the Tibetans have chosen the path of non armed peaceful method to regain their freedom, dignity and basic rights.
He related a consistent effort made by His Holiness whose long standing aim has been to implement full democratic system in the administration which is now coming into force after fifty years of exile. However, he said the Tibetan people despite their strong determination in upholding human values and democratic principles, needs a support of the international community including from such importation nations as France.
Mrs Sofia Stril Rever who has recently released a book LAppel au monde which presents an analysis of the 10th March speech from 1960 upto 2009 putting them in political context, has recollected her own years of interactions with Tibetan leaders and people. She insisted on the extraordinary courage and absence of hatred in the peace struggle of the Tibetan people, especially those who have gone through torture like Venerable Palden Gyatso. Sofia however has expressed her doubt on the efficacy of the dialogue process which has been frequently used by PRC in order to calm the international community whereas the status quo is there with the Tibetan situation worsening over years. In her moving recollection, she urged all especially the governments of countries like France to translate into action the strong sympathy and solidarity of the French people and their elected parliamentarians to help advance the legitimate cause of the Tibetan people. Question and answer session followed after the talk.
