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Concerns over Chinas newly enacted Ethnic Unity Law and Progress featured prominently at the 10th General Meeting of the Australian Tibetan Community Association (ATCA), held in Sydney from September 26 to 27, with delegates calling for greater efforts to protect Tibetan culture, language and identity.
According to the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), the meeting brought together members and leaders from 10 Tibetan associations across Australia to discuss Tibetan identity, cultural preservation, advocacy on Tibet and strengthening Tibetan communities. The two-day meeting began with the traditional offering of ceremonial khatags before the portrait of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, followed by the Tibetan and Australian national anthems and a moment of silence in honour of Tibetan martyrs. Representatives of regional Tibetan associations also presented brief reports. Chief Guest Representative Karma Singey, in his address, emphasised sustained political advocacy, unity among Tibetans and the preservation of Tibetan culture and language. The Central Tibetan Administration reported that Singey also urged the younger generation to take greater responsibility in advancing the Tibet cause. A major focus of his address was Chinas newly enacted Ethnic Unity Law and Progress. According to the Central Tibetan Administration, Singey raised concerns over its impact on Tibetan cultural identity and linked the issue to what he described as Chinas systematic assimilation policies in Tibet. He also highlighted the Kashags designation of the final week of September as Tibetan National Identity Preservation Week and called on Tibetan communities to observe it collectively, according to the Central Tibetan Administration. The delegates discussed three principal areas: preserving Tibetan language and culture, strengthening advocacy on Tibet, and sustaining Tibetan communities across Australia. The meeting subsequently adopted 24 resolutions, the Central Tibetan Administration said. A separate resolution expressed concern over Chinas Ethnic Unity Law and Progress and called on the Australian Government to publicly reject what it described as the legislations extraterritorial reach. It also urged Canberra to protect Tibetan Australians from alleged transnational repression, seek repeal of the legislation and raise the concerns directly with Beijing, according to the Central Tibetan Administration. (ANI)
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