About Us
Background
World-wide interest in Tibet has been high since large
scale protests for independence broke out in the Tibetan
capital Lhasa in March 2008, sparking a huge show of
international support that erupted around China's staging
of the Olympic Games torch relay.
The Tibet Action Group of Western Australia Inc (TAGWA)
was formed as a result of the overwhelming show of sympathy
for Tibetan freedom in the West Australian community.
We have staged rallies, vigils, marches and cultural
events in support of the Tibetan cause. For what's coming
up, see Events or join
our mailing list....
TAGWA's Mission Statement
Tibet has always been an independent country whose
people lived in peace for thousands of years. The Chinese
occupation in 1950 brought a sudden end to that tranquillity.
There wasn't any historical and legal justification
for the Chinese invasion, but due to a lack of diplomatic
relations with other countries and an inefficient defence
force Tibet had no chance of protecting itself.
The bloody crackdown of the Tibetan national uprising
on 10th March 1959 was the culmination of the resistance
of the Tibetan people. The crackdown led to the flight
of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and an exodus of some
80,000 Tibetans to India, marking the final chapter
of the independent state in Tibetan history.
The Chinese occupation and its subsequent cultural
revolution brought some of the worst genocide the world
has seen since the holocaust, with 1.2 million Tibetans
losing their lives. It brought the devastating destruction
of an ancient culture and unprecedented suffering to
the roof of the world.
The Chinese economic change in the eighties brought
no change to the Tibetan people. Under the disguise
of progress Tibetans became second-class citizens in
their own country and were discriminated against in
every level of life. For five decades Tibetans have
been oppressed and have suffered under a total lack
of human rights, despite China being a permanent member
of the UN Security Council. China constantly violates
the UN Charter and international law in dealing with
the Tibetan people.
In 1979 the former Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping conveyed
the message to His Holiness that they could talk on
any Tibetan issue except independence. As the unique
cultural identity of the Tibetan people has been under
threat of extinction, His Holiness offered the Chinese
regime his middle way approach for genuine autonomy
declaring he would not seek independence, but China
has showed no signs of real interest for the last three
decades. Pressured by world leaders in the lead up to
the Olympic Games, China declared it would resume talks
with His Holiness' representatives, but now the Games
are over and they are back to their old strategy; Tibet
is shut off from the international media, the Tibetan
people continue to suffer and the world has extremely
limited information about the situation in Tibet.
The Tibetan people's non-violent struggle for freedom
has still a long way to go. The only hope that we can
achieve some positive result is when we secure more
worldwide support for our cause. The world cannot remain
mute over what is happening in Tibet. It must voice
with determination its condemnation of the Chinese human
rights violations in Tibet and urge China to restore
peace and freedom in Tibet.
The TAGWA wants to be the voice for the oppressed people
in Tibet with the aim of raising awareness about the
real situation in Tibet and to gain support from the
general public and politicians in Western Australia
for the Tibetan people's non-violent struggle for freedom.
Zatul Rinpoche
Founding President - Tibet Action Group for Western
Australia (TAGWA)
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