Chennai: - Following successful lobbying campaign in the cities of Bangalore, Hyderabad, Trivandrum and Pondicherry, the South Zone Tibetan Parliamentary Delegation concluded their last leg of the Month-long 'Solidarity with Tibet' campaign in Chennai city with host of lobbying actions including addressing the students of IIT Madras and University of Madras and the press conference.
This first phase of the 'Solidarity with Tibet' campaign launched by the Tibetan Parliament in Exile included calling on the Indian constitutional leaders, eminent leaders and personalities, reaching out to general public especially Indian students in Colleges and Universities and addressing media fraternity.
The delegates began their final leg in the city by visiting the Office of Deccan Chronicle newspaper for a special group interview with Consulting Editor Mr. R. Bhagwan Singh. The delegates apprised the editors of the ongoing crisis inside Tibet and also screened a document on the recent spates of self-immolations in Tibet. The hour-long interview and interaction ended with the editors' giving a word of assurance of providing more coverage on the Tibetan issue.
Seeking solidarity and international intervention in resolving the crisis in Tibet, the delegates called on T.N. Seshan, the former Chief Election Commissioner of India and the Ramon Magsaysay Award winner at his residence. While submitting a memorandum and the press-kits, the delegates apprised Seshan of critical situation inside Tibet and sought his solidarity. Seshan recalled His Holiness the Dalai Lama's earlier visit to Madras in 1950s along with Panchen Lama. He further assured the delegates that India has a long tradition of hosting people in distress and that India will definitely do its best to support Tibet. 'Truth shall prevail and Tibet will ultimately regain its glory. So keep up the fight', he advised.
The delegates then called on Cho Ramaswamy, a former MP and a noted journalist popularly known as political guru of Chief Minister Jayalalitha. Cho claimed that 'India seems to be a helpless friend of Tibet as India has not been able to do much for its own problem with China'. While expressing his support for the issue of Tibet, Cho asserted, 'Public opinion must be built on issue of Tibet. I will surely write more on Tibet in future'.
Lobsang Yeshi, a member of Tibetan Delegation addressed the students from various countries at the prestigious IIT Institute. Lobsang delved into the current situation in Tibet focusing on self-immolations. He also spoke on the China's unabated political repression, religious persecution, and cultural assimilation against Tibetans in Tibet. He elaborated China's vicious designs of demographic aggression in Tibet, forceful removal of Tibetan nomads and farmers, over exploration and exploitation of mineral resources and militarization of Tibet aimed at total annihilation of Tibetan race. He also urged the youths of India to be wary of China's anti-India containment campaigns and the threats posed to its national security.
The delegates also called upon the Human Rights Commissioners of State Human Rights Commission Tamil Nadu; Chairman Dr. K. Baskaran, Commissioner Mr. T. Rajendran and Commissioner Mrs. Jayanthi. The Commissioner expressed their concern about the deteriorating condition in Tibet and assured that the Commission will raise the issue at every national platform.
