Washington, DC [US], May 9 (ANI): Tibetan Government-in-Exile President Sikyong Penpa Tsering held a meeting with US Congressman Joe Wilson in Washington, DC. Wilson, a long-time advocate for human rights, expressed concern over the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) systematic repression of the Tibetan people and pledged continued US backing for their struggle, according to Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) statement.

The meeting held on Thursday, attended by staff from the Office of Tibet and the International Campaign for Tibet, focused on strengthening US support for the Tibetan freedom movement. Wilson praised Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama and reiterated his strong support for the Tibetan cause.

The Tibetan delegation also held a closed-door discussion with Elliott Abrams, a respected foreign policy expert, at the Council on Foreign Relations. According to CTA statement, Abrams has served in key diplomatic roles, including as US Special Representative for Iran and Venezuela.

The discussion focused on China's growing authoritarianism and its ongoing crackdown in Tibet. These high-level meetings are part of a continued effort by Tibetan leaders to build global alliances and push back against Beijing's campaign to erase Tibetan identity, according to CTA statement. With strong bipartisan support in the US, the Tibetan cause remains a powerful symbol of resistance to tyranny and a call for justice amid decades of occupation.

In 2024 and early 2025, China intensified its repression in Tibet, drawing international condemnation. Authorities shut down Tibetan-language schools like Jigme Gyaltsen Vocational High School and Gangjong Sherig Norbu School, replacing them with Mandarin-only state institutions, eroding cultural identity.

As noted by the CTA report, peaceful protests such as those against the Kamtok hydropower dam in Derge County were met with mass arrests and violence. Religious freedoms were curtailed, and monks and civilians faced imprisonment for possessing images of the Dalai Lama or sharing his teachings online.

Surveillance intensified, with reports of DNA collection and forced disappearances were reported, according to CTA statement. Despite global appeals, China rejected most UN recommendations addressing these human rights violations. (ANI)