Exiled Tibetans in Switzerland Persevere with Protests for Freedom and Rights

A group of exiled Tibetan families in Switzerland continues their campaign for Tibetan rights and freedoms. Starting on Human Rights Day 2012, they protest monthly at the United Nations in Geneva, highlighting issues like political repression, cultural assimilation, and environmental degradation in Tibet.

In a continued display of solidarity with the Tibetan people, a group of exiled Tibetan families residing in Switzerland is tirelessly advocating for the rights and freedoms of Tibetans living under Chinese rule. Their campaign, which began on Human Rights Day, December 10, 2012, persists with monthly protests in front of the United Nations Office in Geneva.

The campaign organized by the Tibet Solidarity Movement honors the memory of 1.2 million Tibetans who lost their lives under Chinese domination and sheds light on the ongoing suffering of those still living in Tibet. These activists pay tribute to those who have committed the ultimate act of nonviolent civil disobedience—self-immolation—in protest against political repression, cultural assimilation, social discrimination, and environmental degradation enforced by the Chinese government.

Under the guise of development and goodwill, the Tibetan people have been systematically deprived of their fundamental rights. Nearly a million Tibetan children, aged four to eighteen, are forcibly enrolled in colonial boarding schools, isolating them from their families, language, and cultural heritage. Tibetan language schools are being shut down, eroding the national identity of the Tibetan people, according to the Tibet Solidarity Movement.

The group has issued a series of urgent appeals, demanding international action to save Tibet. They are calling for the implementation of United Nations resolutions on Tibet, adopted in 1959, 1961, and 1965, to restore freedom and peace in the region.

Additionally, they urge international bodies to support the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Tibet and demand an end to the massive environmental destruction in Tibet, including deforestation, overgrazing, uncontrolled mining, and the dumping of nuclear waste.

They emphasize the need to protect Tibet's fragile ecosystem, often referred to as the 'Third Pole' and 'Water Tower of Asia.' Their demands include the release of political prisoners, investigation into the suppression of religious and cultural freedoms, closure of colonial boarding schools, and the establishment of a UN fact-finding mission.

The activists also call on the Chinese government to engage in substantive negotiations with representatives of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to resolve the Tibet issue peacefully and respect the rights of all its citizens, including Tibetans, Southern Mongolians, and Uighurs, in line with international obligations. The exiled Tibetan community in Switzerland remains steadfast in their commitment to this cause, emphasizing that the world can no longer turn a blind eye to the violence and lies of authoritarian regimes.

They urge the international community to act decisively before it's too late to protect the children of Tibet and preserve the unique identity and culture of the Tibetan people. 'Save Tibet before it's too late,' their message resonates, as they continue their peaceful but determined campaign for justice and freedom.