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On 66th Democracy Day: Sikyong urges Tibetans to preserve culture, language
Tsering said that since the occupation of Tibet, the Chinese Communist government has continuously pursued policies aimed at eradicating the Tibetan people
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The Dharamshala-based Tibetan government-in-exile on Wednesday urged the Tibetans, both inside Tibet and in exile, to strive for preserving their culture, language and identity, as they marked the 66th Tibetan democracy day.
The political leader (Sikyong) of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), Penpa Tsering, while reading the Kashag (cabinet) statement, said, “As the Chinese communist government systematically targets Tibetan culture and language to eradicate our identity, Tibetans must strive to speak Tibetan, read the Tibetan script, and introduce the compassionate teachings of Tibetan Buddhism in our households.”
Tsering said that since the occupation of Tibet, the Chinese Communist government has continuously pursued policies aimed at eradicating the Tibetan people. “This genocidal campaign, which has intensified blatantly over the past decade, has been thoroughly documented in successive reports by the United Nations and other international bodies citing severe violations of international law,” he said.
“We must preserve our customs and rituals, observe traditional festivals, integrate traditional attire and arts in our day-to-day life, and actively participate in institutional initiatives that sustain our language and heritage. This cultural movement cannot be driven by any external force; parents must take up the responsibility of being their children’s primary educators,” he said.
Sikyong also raised concern over China’s new Ethnic Unity Law. “The Chinese Communist government’s so-called ‘Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress’, which took effect on July 1, demands a firm and appropriate response. The Kashag’s previous statements have already exposed the malicious intent underlying this legislation. This includes severe restrictions on the Tibetan language; the falsification of history and identity; forced cultural assimilation at the grassroots level; the Sinicisation of Tibetan Buddhism; enforced ethnic integration; pervasive technological surveillance; political and social coercion; the political vetting of Tibetan cadres; the violation of regional autonomy rights; and the assertion of extraterritorial jurisdiction targeting organisations and individuals worldwide,” he said.
The exiled Tibetan community on Wednesday marked the 66th Democracy Day. The leadership and staff of the CTA, joined by Tibetan settlers, monastic communities, students, and representatives of Tibetan civil society from Dharamshala and surrounding areas, gathered at Thekchen Choeling Tsuglagkhang at McLeodganj to commemorate the occasion.
Sixty-six years ago, less than a year after the 14th Dalai Lama and the Tibetan people arrived in exile, the Tibetan spiritual leader issued a historic directive at the holy site of Bodh Gaya. He urged Tibetans from all three traditional provinces to unite and elect representatives from their respective regions and religious traditions.
The Commission of Tibetan People’s Deputies was established on September 2 in 1960, marking the birth of modern Tibetan democracy. It was followed by the announcement of an outline of a future constitution of Tibet in 1961 and its formal promulgation in 1963.
