Dharamshala, India: -Three members of the United States Congress - Frank R Wolf, James P McGovern, and Joseph Pitts - sent a letter on November 17 to the US Ambassador to China, Gary Locke, expressing their concern over human-rights violations in Tibet, asking him to visit the country in the light of the recent self-immolations there, and to "publicly use your platform as Ambassador to make it clear to the Tibetan people that they have a friend in the United States of America".
"You have undoubtedly seen news reports of the recent wave of self-immolations of Tibetan Buddhist monks and nuns since March of this year in desperation at the abuses suffered by her people, just last week a second nun did the same," congressmen said.
The Congressmen are all members of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission.
Apprising the ambassador about the recent testimony of Kalon Tripa (elected Tibetan political leader) Dr Lobsang Sangay and Kirti Rinpoche, a former minister to the Lantos Commission, the members said, "Their testimony was moving and deeply disturbing. They spoke of the abuses suffered by the Tibetan people which in recent months have driven these peace-loving people to desperate forms of protests."
The Congressmen urged ambassador Locke to press for a fact-finding mission to Kirti Monastery which has featured prominently in the recent wave of self-immolations.
"In light of these realities, we urge you, in your capacity as U.S. ambassador, to visit Tibet. Speak with Tibetan people and faith leaders. Press for a fact-finding mission into the Kirti monastery which has featured prominently in the recent wave of self-immolations," they added.
"Raise the Chinese government's repressive policies in Tibet with senior party officials and publicly use your platform as Ambassador to make it clear to the Tibetan people that they have a friend in the United States of America," they said.
They also called on the ambassador to press the Chinese government to respect the peaceful religious, political, civic, and cultural expressions of the Tibetan people.
To read the full letter click here.
