Tibetan Lama calls on EP to support his people's struggle for freedom

Tibetan Lama Kirti Rinpoche called on the European Parliament to take concrete steps to help his people when he appeared before the EP's human rights subcommittee on 7 March. He asked for an EP resolution demanding the release of jailed activists, full access for foreign media and international community, and freedom for Tibet with withdrawal of Chinese forces. "Tibet was an independent nation till 1959 and that cannot be distorted," he said.

The Lama, 11th reincarnation of Kirti Rinpoche, talked about the plight of the Tibetan people and the treatment of those protesting through self-immolation. Over the last few years 107 Tibetans have set themselves on fire to protest over the repression of their language and culture.He said people who self immolate are seen by the Chinese authorities as terrorists and their families suffer persecution.

Barbara Lochbihler, a German member of the Green party and chair of the human rights subcommittee, pointed out that Parliament regularly focussed on the situation in Tibet.