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PRESS RELEASE
Riga: Today, the 7th World Parliamentarians’ Convention on Tibet (WPCT) concluded in Riga, Latvia.
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The Convention was hosted by the Latvian Parliamentary Support Group for Tibet and supported by the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile (TPiE), in close association with the International Network of Parliamentarians on Tibet (INPaT). The Convention had strong participation of parliamentarians from all over the world, including members of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile.
The WPCT expresses solidarity with the people of Tibet and their cause. Notwithstanding pressure from the Government of the PRC not to attend, Members of Parliaments (MP) from all over the world attended the 7th WPCT.
The WPCT expresses grave concern about the continuing unacceptable situation in Tibet, particularly the ongoing destruction of Tibet’s culture and language and persistent violations of human rights. The parliamentarians are alarmed at the environmental degradation of the Tibetan Plateau, which impacts the whole world.
The WPCT is also very concerned about the self-immolation of more than 150 Tibetans in protest at China’s repressive rule and who called for the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Tibet.
The conference participants urge the Chinese government to resume talks with representatives of the Dalai Lama, which they have refused to do since 2010, despite urgings from the international community. They also insist that Beijing’s precondition, namely that the Dalai Lama publicly accept China’s claim that “Tibet has been a part of China since ancient times,” is entirely unacceptable. In its Riga Declaration adopted today, the Convention af�irms that in fact Tibet has never been part of China and rejects Beijing’s self-serving historical narrative.
The signi�icance of holding the Convention in Riga was particularly noted by everyone, since the Baltic States suffered the same fate as Tibet when they were occupied by the Soviet Union until the recovery of their independence in 1991. Tibet was invaded by Communist China a decade after the invasion of the Baltic States, but still remains under illegal occupation.
Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi sent a message of solidarity and urged that Chinese of�icials be held accountable for their repressive campaign in Tibet. She encouraged MPs from all over the world to adopt their own versions of the Reciprocal Acces to Tibet Act, an important piece of legislation adopted by the US Congress and signed into law by the US President in December 2018. The Act will result in restrictions on travel of Chinese of�icials and others in the US unless Beijing lifts restrictions on access to Tibet by US citizens, including diplomats, journalists and parliamentarians.
The Convention found it totally unacceptable for the Chinese Communist Government to interfere in the centuries old religious tradition of selecting the reincarnation of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
The Dalai Lama sent a video message in which he emphasised the importance of saving Tibet’s environment and culture and urged MPs to continue to support a negotiated solution for Tibet.
The WPCT recognises in its Declaration that the Middle Way Approach, a compromise proposal which calls for genuine autonomy within the PRC and which the Dalai Lama and the Central Tibetan Administration (the Tibetan government in exile) have been pursuing for many years, remains the most viable solution to resolve the Sino-Tibetan con�lict.
