Dharamshala, 30th November: Sikyong Penpa Tsering slammed the Chinese government for threatening Tibetans over the China-Tibet disputes, saying that they are open to a formal line of contact with the Chinese side and that this has been the Tibetian side’s continuous motive. He stated that settlements to the Tibet concerns can only be reached after a thorough discussion with the Chinese government.

The Chinese government, on the other hand, must decide how to respond. “His holiness has made it very clear on multiple occasions that the issue is not only of Dalai Lama but of Tibet and its people,” Sikyong added, responding to the Chinese government’s desire to discuss solely the future of the Dalai Lama and not about Tibet and Xizang.

He went on to criticize China for not addressing the Tibetan issue, saying, “The semantics that is coming out from the Chinese government has always been like this. This is a facade to tell the world that they only want to talk about Dalai Lama and not Tibetan people.”

In response to a query about the Tibetan-Indian relationship, he stated that the Indian government is aware of what it needs to accomplish and that Tibet does not need to counsel them. Sikyong explained that they have different channels of communication with authorities on administrative levels, despite the lack of recent communication with the Indian administration.

He also emphasized the importance of having open lines of communication with the Indian side. He stated, “It has always been our view and policy to maintain a transparent relationship with the Indian government regarding the interests of both countries and their people.”

He further highlighted that Tibetans are “dying a slow death” and that the concerns aren’t widely visible. According to Sikyong, while the gridlock system in several places has made it impossible for Tibetans to leave their homes, it has also created a stressful environment.

Information based on the interview of Sikyong with Republic Media Network

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