Dharamshala: A delegation of journalists from the Indian Association of Foreign Affairs Correspondents (IAFAC) visited the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile earlier today.

Meeting the senior journalists, Deputy Speaker Dolma Tsering Teykhang delved on the current alarming situation inside of Tibet, significance of Tibetan plateau on world environment, and numerous other issues concerning Tibet.

The Deputy Speaker briefed the senior journalists on the critical condition of Tibetans inside of Tibet where they continue to endure the suppression with peaceful resistance even at the face of cultural genocide, arbitrary detentions, custodial deaths, and other atrocities that are still prevalent in Tibet.

As Tibet has become a big prison with restrictions of movement even within the three provinces of Tibet, the Deputy Speaker elucidated on the severity of surveillance with bio metric, facial mapping, forced DNA collection, and so forth in Tibet.

The Deputy Speaker also spoke on the forcing of Tibetan children to colonial boarding schools to deprive them of their right to learn the Tibetan language, culture, and customs and indoctrinate them with communist ideologies.

Speaking on the need for more coverage on Tibet’s issue in the media, the Deputy Speaker emphasized that the world needs to acknowledge Tibet’s non-violent approach of seeking genuine autonomy under the guidance of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

She further added that the Central Tibetan Administration under the guidance of His Holiness the Dalai Lama has been striving to resolve the Sino-Tibetan conflict with dialogue and negotiation through the Middle Way Approach.

Explaining why Tibet matters to India in light of strategic national security concern, she highlighted how building of dams across the rivers in Tibet gives China the leverage of having the control of water in many of the Asian countries including India.

Speaking on China’s desperate attempt to have legitimacy over the occupation of Tibet by getting trust and loyalty of Tibetans and to break down the Tibetan resistance, the Deputy Speaker explained the objective of China’s interference in the reincarnation process of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Following that a Q&A session was held wherein the Deputy Speaker answered the questions of the senior journalists on reincarnation of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, crackdown on the religious activities, clamping down of teaching of Tibetan language, self-immolations of Tibetans inside of Tibet, and on the relevance of the TPiE’s work for the next generation Tibetans.

The delegation consisted of Ms. Suhasini Haider, Diplomatic Editor, The Hindu; Ms. Nayanima Basu, Editor (Diplomacy & Defence) & News Editor of ABP Live; and Mr. Sachin Budhauliya, Special Correspondent of UNI/Univarta.

The primary objective of their visit is to provide the delegation with a comprehensive understanding of various aspects related to the Tibetan issue, the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), its activities, and the current situation in Tibet.

The visitation program was organized under the coordination of India Tibet Coordination office (ITCO) and the delegates were accompanied by the ITCO’s coordinator Thupten Rinzin and staff Choney Tsering.