Jun 24, 2010

Tibet: World Parliamentarians' Group Urge G20 Leaders to Act on Tibet


Active ImageAround 133 parliamentarians from 30 different parliaments around the world have called upon the G20 leaders to take a proactive role in resolving the Tibetan crisis.

 

 

Below is an article published by Phayul:

International Network of Parliamentarians on Tibet (INPaT) was convened last November in Rome during the Fifth World Parliamentarians’ Convention on Tibet which was addressed by the Tibetan leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The world parliamentarians’ network held its first meeting on June 2 this year in Brussels and designated the International Campaign for Tibet as the Secretariat for the network.

Penpa Tsering, the Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, said, "We believe the establishment of International Network of Parliamentarians on Tibet and its Secretariat has been a good first step undertaken to further strengthen the coordination and network amongst parliamentarian supporters of Tibet so as to ensure concerted efforts for concrete results."

In a letter addressed to the Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, the parliamentarians have sought “the protection and development of the unique Tibetan identity” which it said could be achieved within the “pre-existing principles on autonomy as defined in the Constitution of the People's Republic of China”. G20 leaders meet in Toronto from June 26 to 27 which will be participated among others by Chinese president Hu Jintao.

The Chairman of the Tibet Inter Group in the European Parliament, Matteo Meccaci, said, “It is essential that the G20 leaders take the initiative in convincing China of the necessity to resume negotiations with the Tibetan authorities, on the basis of the Memorandum on Genuine Autonomy presented by the Dalai Lama in 2008.”

INPaT called on China’s international counterparts to remind it in bringing a “durable cooperation” with the Tibetan side, who have proposed ‘meaningful autonomy’ as the best solution for both sides.

On this year’s World Human Rights Day on December 10, INPaT will undertake a global parliamentary initiative in reaction to the grave human rights situation in Tibet. INPaT members from around 15 countries will attend the celebration of 50 Years of Tibetan Democracy-in-exile scheduled to take place on September 2 in Bylakuppe Tibetan settlement, South India.