Today, MP for East Worthing and Shoreham, Tim Loughton joined Philippa Carrick, CEO of Tibet Society and Nyima, a student representative for free Tibet UK, in delivering a short report “A New Global Approach: Unite for Tibet” to 10 Downing Street alongside a petition with 10,151 signatures asking G8 leaders to lead the way on a new diplomatic initiative on Tibet at their Northern Ireland summit. With Tibetans increasingly demonstrating their resistance to China’s rule through protests, cultural resistance and the drastic act of self-immolation, the need for Governments to stand together in addressing the crisis in Tibet is ever more urgent.
The new report, by the International Tibet Network and its Member organisations, illustrates the failure of the current policy to address China’s occupation of Tibet through bilateral approaches. It questions why Governments bow to China’s bullying tactics whenever Governments and leaders decide to meet Tibet’s spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, and challenges the widely held view that angering China over Tibet will lead to economic and diplomatic penalties.
Lhadon Tethong of the Tibet Action Institute said. “For many years we have been urging Governments to unite for Tibet, and stand together against China’s bullying. With the crackdown in Tibet intensifying still further, the Tibetan people urgently need a show of diplomatic strength from G8 in the form of a multilateral initiative that will impress upon China the legitimate international concerns about Tibet.”
Tim commented: “For over 60 years Tibetans have been deprived of their freedom and increasingly are being deprived of their culture, human rights and liberties supposedly guaranteed to them under the Chinese constitution. China must not be allowed to use her financial muscle and burgeoning economic clout internationally to intimidate peace loving countries from raising the plight of the peace loving Tibetan people. It is time to stand up to the abuse going on within China’s own borders”.
David Cameron’s support for the Tibetans through meeting the Dalai Lama in London has caused tension in Beijing but he has held firm; a decision that has delighted Tibet campaigners and angered China. Philippa Carrick has urged David Cameron to stand by his commitment to seeking a solution for Tibet while safeguarding G8 relationships with China.