Dianne Feinstein: “Today commemorates the forty-fourth anniversary of the 1959 'Lhasa Uprising.' I offer my comments today in the sincere…”

“Today commemorates the forty-fourth anniversary of the 1959 'Lhasa Uprising.' I offer my comments today in the sincere hope that it will promote a constructive dialogue between Chinese and Tibetan leaders, and with the goal of ending the bitter divisiveness now plaguing relations between China and Tibet. When, following the Chinese invasion in 1949-1950, Tibet was established as an autonomous region in the People's Republic of China, the Tibetan people were granted the right of autonomy in determining the shape of their religious, cultural and social institutions. China's leadership is on record as agreeing to this principle. Unfortunately, between 1951 and 1959 the government of the People's Republic of China did not uphold these guarantees of autonomy, leading to the 1959 Lhasa Uprising and the flight of the Dalai Lama from Tibet. During the past 44 years, tens of thousands of Tibetans have been forced to flee their homeland in the face of continued Chinese repression and violation of their right to religious and cultural autonomy. I find this a tragedy. Nonetheless, the Dalai Lama, in seeking to engage with China's leadership to discuss the future of the Tibetan people, has specifically cited that he is not seeking independence for Tibet, that he is willing to confine his discussions to achieving cultural and religious autonomy for his people, and that he is willing to negotiate within the framework enunciated by Deng Xiaoping in 1979.”