US House passes bipartisan resolution on ‘autonomous Tibet’
The resolution also noted that there is overwhelming bipartisan Congressional support for the Tibetan people’s aspirations for internationally recognised human rights and freedoms and the protection of their distinct religious, cultural, linguistic, and national identity.
The US House of Representatives has passed a bipartisan resolution recognising the cultural and religious significance of an autonomous Tibet and seeking peaceful solutions to the conflict. The resolution recognised the significance of the “genuine autonomy of Tibet and the Tibetan people” and the work done by 14th Dalai Lama to promote global peace, harmony and understanding.
“Resolved, That the House of Representatives recognizes the cultural and religious significance of a genuinely autonomous Tibet and the deep bond between the American and Tibetan people and commends the 14th Dalai Lama for his commitment to global peace and nonviolence,” the resolution said. The resolution, by Congressman Ted Yoho, also said that it “determines that it would be beneficial to convene a bipartisan, bicameral forum, either through a Joint Meeting of Congress, a teleconference broadcast in the Auditorium at the Capitol Visitor Center, or roundtable, between Members of Congress and His Holiness the Dalai Lama to discuss peaceful solutions to international conflicts.”
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It also noted that there is overwhelming bipartisan Congressional support for the Tibetan people’s aspirations for internationally recognised human rights and freedoms and the protection of their distinct religious, cultural, linguistic, and national identity. There are more than 6,000,000 Tibetans in the world, spanning over 40 countries, it also said.
“Honoured to see the House unanimously passed my resolution recognising the genuine autonomy of Tibet and celebrating the work the Dalai Lama has accomplished. The US must continue to work with allies to secure freedom from oppression for the Tibetan people,” Republican Yoho tweeted later.
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Yoho said the resolution recognises the genuine autonomy of Tibet and the vital work of the Dalai Lama to promote peace around the world. The Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) sees Tibet culture and their religious heritage as a threat to its control, he added.
Congressman Eliot Engel, the chairperson of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, accused China of violation of international religious freedom in Tibet while speaking on the floor, according to news agency PTI. Engel also said the state department has found that the Chinese government has systematically impeded travel to Tibetan autonomous region areas for diplomats, officials, journalists and tourists from the United States.
(With PTI inputs)