The President of the Tibetan government in exile, Dr. Lobsang Sangay, has endorsed the Sindhi Foundation’s Long Walk for Freedom through a video message. The International Campaign for Tibet has already supported the Long Walk, and with the support of Dr. Sangay, this is the first time in the struggle for Sindh’s rights that such an effort is being made on a global level. Receiving the support from Dr. Sangay is an extreme honor to the Sindhi Foundation and its cause.
“Major rivers originating from the Tibetan Plateau, such as the Indus, or Sindhu, River help sustain more than a billion people. It is about the water security of not just Tibet, but all of Asia.”
Dr. Sangay recognizes the wide scope of the environmental crisis in Tibet, emphasizing that the water insecurity and other effects of climate change in Tibet is felt across Asia as a whole.
Sindh and Tibet have historical relations and a unified appreciation of freedom, nature, and love. Buddhism, the primary religion of Tibet, has had a large historical impact in Sindh. Many people of Sindh followed Buddhism, and ancient Buddhist sites still remain in Sindh.
Sain G. M. Syed, a renowned Sindhi author, has written about the influence of Buddhism on the various religions of Sindh. As noted by Syed, many saints and poets of Sindh have been influenced by Buddhist teachings. In his book, he has beautifully elaborated on the Noble Eightfold Path of Buddhism: Right view, Right resolve or intention, Right speech, Right conduct or action, Right livelihood, Right effort, Right mindfulness, and Right Samadhi.
The esteemed Dr. Lobsang Sangay is the Sikyong of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) Government, and is the first Sikyong to have been born outside of Tibet. Dr. Sangay grew up in exile, received a Master’s and Doctorate at Harvard University, spoke in the US Congress regarding human rights violations in Tibet along with many other acts of activism, developed a close relationship with the Dalai Lama, and was then elected the Sikyong of the CTA.
His work in human rights and climate change is vital and impactful; the Sindhi Foundation strongly benefits from his support.
As Dr. Lobsang Sangay states in his video message:
“The voices of many around the world, including the Sindh, are being silenced, their rights are being trampled upon, and their cultural identities are under attack. I hope that more and more people will stand and speak for those whose voices are silenced.”
Sindh and Tibet have a shared experience of oppression. Tibet is oppressed by the Chinese hegemony. The relations between Tibetans and Sindhis will only continue to strengthen as we stand together. Thank you, Dr. Sangay, for standing with us against human rights violations and the climate crisis in Sindh and across the globe.