Dharamshala: Khenpo Sonam Tenphel, speaker of the 16th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile on behalf of the Tibetan parliament expressed gratitude to US President Barack Obama for welcoming and meeting His Holiness the Dalai Lama at the White House.
In a statement issued here, late yesterday he said,’ “On behalf of Tibetans in and outside Tibet, the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile sincerely express our heartfelt gratitude to Your Excellency for welcoming and meeting His Holiness the Dalai Lama on 15th June, 2016 at the White House, despite strong objections from the Chinese Government and the sad Orlando tragedy.”
About USA continuing to back the Tibetans living in exile, Tenphel said, “We are immensely grateful for your continued support to our Middle Way Approach and for encouraging meaningful and direct dialogue between His Holiness the Dalai Lama and his representatives with Chinese authorities to lower tensions and resolve differences. We are thankful for you and your administration’s expressions of concern about the deteriorating human rights situation in Tibet, preservation of our unique culture and protection of fragile environment of Tibet plateau.”
“We once again thank the People, the Administration and the House of the United States of America for supporting the genuine cause of Tibetan people,” said the speaker to the Tibetan Parliament.
At the White House National Prayer Breakfast, President Obama in the presence of the Dalai Lama on June 15th described the Tibetan leader “as an inspiration for freedom and dignity of all human beings.”
China had raised objections to the US President meeting the Dalai Lama. After the meeting the Chinese Xinhua News Agency said, “There may be self-claimed friendship between Mr Obama and the Dalai Lama as individuals… What lies under their hypocritical relationship is nothing but political deals and cold calculations.”
In Xinhua commentary, the news agency held the opinion that, “The US wants to use the Dalai Lama and the Tibet issue to create trouble for China. Their goal is merely impossible,”
After a failed uprising in 1956 against China for seizing complete control over Tibet, the Dalai Lama had fled to India and has been living in exile ever since, never to have returned to homeland or the Potala Palace in Lhasa, the place where he was enunciated into the institution of the Dalai Lama, the holy one.
Arvind Sharma is an award winning bi-lingual journalist with more than 20 years of experience.
He has worked with Divya Himachal, Dainik Jagran, Dainik Bhasker, Vir Partap, Ajit and PTI.
In 2010, he was conferred the Himachal Kesri journalism award. He reports on the Tibetan Government in Exile, politics, sports, tourism and other topics. He lives in Dharamshala.
