Tashi Deleg & Good Afternoon, Everyone!
My name is Samdup Tenzin and I am a Tibetan postgraduate student at the Edinburgh University. May I begin by expressing our heartfelt gratitude to Alison Johnstone, the Green Party MSP for Lothian for taking time out of her busy schedule to be amongst us today. The fact that you have come here physically to show your support for our cause really means a lot to us.
The last 53 years have been a period of unimaginable pain and suffering for our people. The Tibetans inside Tibet have been at the receiving end of decades of political repression, cultural assimilation and economic marginalization. Their voices have been routinely stifled and their genuine grievances left unaddressed. The increase in number of self-immolations in the past year is indicative of the degree of desperation and helplessness experienced by Tibetans inside Tibet.
