Washington, D.C. — The US Special Coordinator for Tibetan issue Uzra Zeya said,' We urge the PRC to resume dialogue with His Holiness the Dalai Lama or his representatives without preconditions.The work we have done together will remain unfinished until meaningful Autonomy is achieved, until Tibetans are free to exercise their fundamental freedoms and practice their faith, language and traditions. We will continue to fight for a better future for Tibetans and for all.'
U.S. Special Coordinator for the Tibetan Issue, Uzra Zeya, posted a video on January 11, 2024 on the official account of the Under Secretary of State for Civil Security, Democracy and Human Rights (J).
Uzra Zeya said, "Today, U.S and international community support for Tibetans is more important than ever. And looking back over the last four years, we have accomplished a great deal together. Firstly, we advanced the human rights of Tibetans and held those abusing their rights accountable. Human rights abuses in Tibet and the targeting of Tibetans globally are well documented and unabating from arbitrary detention and draconian surveillance to a systematic ’sinicization’ campaign aimed at erasing Tibetan language, culture, and religious practice.
"In response, the United States took decisive and unprecedented steps to promote accountability including in December 2022, the first-ever, Tibet-related Global Magnitsky sanctions against PRC officials for their complicity in and responsibility for serious human rights abuses perpetrated in the Tibet Autonomous Region. We imposed visa restrictions on PRC authorities substantially involved in restriction accesses to Tibetan areas and the repression of religious and ethnic minority communities.
"For the first time, we also imposed restrictions on PRC officials involved in the forcible assimilation of more than one million Tibetan Children in government-run boarding schools. In addition, we took accountability efforts to the multilateral stage, working closely with allies and partners to shine a light on continued abuses.
"During the PRC's most recent Universal Periodic Review at the UN human rights Council in January, 2024, more than 20 countries raised concerns regarding PRC policies in Tibet-- more than double the number at the PRC previous UPR. This is a clear sign of growing concern among the international community collectively regarding the PRC's ongoing human rights abuses in Tibet.
"Second, we supported the Tibetan community's preservation of their distinct religious, cultural and linguistic identity, including in the partnership with USAID by providing $82 million in programming. His Holiness the Dalai Lama is a tireless advocate for the preservation of Tibetan language and culture, which was clear during my three audiences with him since 2022.
"Cultural preservation is ever more than in the face of the Chinese communist Party's unrelenting efforts to distort Tibetan's rich history, religious institutions, and traditions. This is manifested through forced relocation, loyalty pledges to the PRC, co-operation of the traditional succession processes, disinformation and distortion of Tibetan history, and restrictions on religious practices central to Tibetan culture and identity.
"Third and finally, we continued to prioritize the humanitarian needs of Tibetans, including Tibetan Diaspora communities. Through sustained U.S assistance, we are supporting programs to help meet Tibetan refugees' basic humanitarian needs, including health, education, water, sanitation and hygiene and protection.
"Despite these accomplishments, it has been 14 years since the last round of dialogues between the PRC government and the Dalai Lama and his representatives. We maintain that a negotiated agreement is the best hope for long-term stability in the region and continue to urge the PRC to resume dialogue with His Holiness the Dalai Lama or his representatives without preconditions.
"In closing, it has been a privilege of lifetime to work on these challenges with Tibetan community and our international partners. But until meaningful Autonomy is reached, until Tibetans everywhere are free to exercise their fundamental freedom, until Tibetans can practice their faith, language, and traditions freely, our work together remains unfinished. We will continue to strive for a better future for Tibetans and for all."