'International Campaign for Tibet' calls on Trump to press Xi on Tibet, Panchen Lama, human rights

According to the press release issued by the organisation, ICT has called on Trump to press Xi to resume substantive dialogue without "preconditions" with the Dalai Lama and democratically elected Tibetan leaders; release the 11th Panchen Lama, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima; and address policies concerning Tibet.

The press release said that ICT, along with dozens of human rights organisations, has called on the Chinese government to take immediate and verifiable steps concerning its "human rights record".

The joint letter by 29 rights groups called for the release of prisoners of conscience, an end to transnational "repression" and reforms to laws and policies concerning peaceful expression, religious practice, association and dissent.

Since you assumed power in late 2012, our organizations have documented--and some have lived--your governments widespread, systematic human rights crimes, which violate domestic and international legal obligations. Tibetans, Uyghurs, and other communities continue to face your governments atrocity crimes designed to erase their culture, identity, and language, and their rights to free speech and fair trials, the rights groups wrote in their joint letter to Xi, according to the press release.

The press release said that ICT has raised concerns over the situation in Tibet and the implementation of the so-called Ethnic Unity and Progress Law.

US policy on Tibet is clear. The Tibetan Policy Act of 2002 and the Resolve Tibet Act of 2024 establish that the Tibet-China dispute should be resolved peacefully through substantive dialogue without preconditions. They direct the U.S. government to promote dialogue between Chinese authorities and His Holiness the Dalai Lama or his representatives, or democratically elected Tibetan leaders, ICT President Tencho Gyatso said, according to the press release.

President Trump must therefore uphold this policy and use his meeting with Xi to press for the resumption of Sino-Tibetan dialogue -- especially at this critical juncture, when Chinas new, so-called Ethnic Unity and Progress Law threatens the very foundations of Tibetan identity, Gyatso added.

According to the press release, in addition to the steps outlined in the joint letter, ICT called on President Xi to take three "urgent" steps about Tibet.

First step was provided to be, "Resume substantive and unconditional dialogue with representatives of the Dalai Lama and the Central Tibetan Administration, which is the sole legitimate democratic representative of the Tibetan people."

Second, "Release the 11th Panchen Lama, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, and other political prisoners, or in the absence of his release permit U.S. government officials to meet independently with the Panchen Lama, disappeared by Chinese authorities over 31 years ago."

And Third, "Repeal the Ethnic Unity and Progress Law and end other policies that forcibly assimilate the Tibetan population and threaten the preservation of Tibets religious, linguistic, and cultural identity."

The demands come against the backdrop of Chinese President Xi Jinping's upcoming visit to Washington on September 24. (ANI)