By Tsering Passang | 17th October 2024
David Lammy MP, the UK’s Foreign Secretary, is poised to make his inaugural official visit to Beijing and Shanghai this week, marking the highest-level engagement with Communist China by Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour government to date.
As a Tibetan living in the UK, I watch with a mixture of hope and trepidation as the Foreign Secretary prepares to embark on a diplomatic mission to China. While I understand the importance of maintaining diplomatic relations, I cannot ignore the urgent humanitarian crisis unfolding in my homeland.
Tibet, once an independent nation, has been under Chinese occupation for decades. Our culture, language, and religion have been systematically eroded, and countless Tibetans have been subjected to human rights abuses. The Chinese government’s relentless suppression of Tibetan identity and its disregard for our fundamental freedoms have driven many to despair.
One of the most pressing issues facing Tibet is the succession of the Dalai Lama, our spiritual leader. The Chinese government has long sought to undermine the Dalai Lama’s authority and impose its own puppet in his place. The Panchen Lama, the second-highest religious figure in Tibetan Buddhism, was kidnapped as a child by the Chinese authorities and has not been seen or heard from since. His disappearance is a stark reminder of the Chinese government’s ruthless tactics to control Tibet.
I implore the Foreign Secretary to use this opportunity to raise the plight of the Tibetan people with the Chinese government. It is crucial that he advocates for the release of political prisoners, the restoration of Tibetan cultural and religious freedoms, and the recognition of the Dalai Lama’s rightful successor.
By speaking out on behalf of Tibet, the Foreign Secretary can send a powerful message to the Chinese government that its actions are being closely watched by the international community. It is only through sustained pressure and engagement that we can hope to achieve meaningful change in Tibet.
As Tibetans continue to face persecution, their voices are often drowned out by larger geopolitical concerns. It is imperative that the UK uses its influence to advocate for the Tibetan people’s basic human rights. Tibetans living under oppression look to the international community for support, and this visit is an opportunity to remind China that the world is watching.
We ask not just for diplomatic engagement, but for moral courage. If the UK is to stand for freedom and human dignity, then it must not overlook Tibet in its dealings with China.
Tsering Passang, former chair of Tibetan Community in Britain, is the founder and chair of the Global Alliance for Tibet & Persecuted Minorities.
Coverage by Radio Free Asia (Tibetan) – An Interview with Tsering Passang, Chair of the Global Alliance for Tibet & Persecuted Minorities
Global Alliance for Tibet & Persecuted Minorities (GATPM) 