US Reaffirms Support for Tibetan Cause as Concerns Mount Over Human Rights and Cultural Repression

Geneva, April 10, 2025 — In a critical diplomatic encounter marking increased international alarm at the plight of Tibet, Tibet Bureau officials met with U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission Tressa Rae Finerty on April 4 in Geneva to address chronic human rights abuses, cultural repression, and the necessity of long-term global campaigning for Tibetan autonomy. Finerty, Chargé d’Affaires of the U.S. Mission to the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva, reiterated the United States’ firm commitment to the Tibetan cause.

The gathering, as covered by the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), centered on a broad range of issues pertaining to Tibet, with particular emphasis put on the cruel living conditions of Tibetans in Chinese rule. These include proscriptions against religious activities, attacks on cultural heritage, and restrictions on linguistic freedoms. The U.S. reaffirmed its commitment to genuine autonomy for Tibetans and protested China’s continued repression of their rights, identity, and freedoms.

The Tibetan delegation members, including such senior bureau representatives as Representative Chime Tenzing, UN Advocacy Officer Tsewang Gyalpo Arya, etc., conveyed their gratitude towards the U.S. government for its consistent support. In the course of the discussion, they pointed out the adversity that the Tibetan communities are facing—particularly the maintenance of their unique language, religious traditions, and traditional customs, all of which are in increasingly precarious conditions.

In order to take the cultural exchange further and highlight the Tibetan spiritual leader’s message of compassion and peace, the Tibetan delegation offered a copy of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama’s new book, *Voice for the Voiceless*. Chapter 16 of the book, specifically, was cited by the Tibetan delegates as an urgent appeal to global unity and moral accountability in the defense of suffering communities.

Finerty reaffirmed the U.S. administration’s backing and identified tangible policy action taken to call out China’s behavior in Tibet. These actions include imposing sanctions on various Chinese officials under the U.S. Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act, seeking to provide access and transparency, and equal opportunities for international monitors, journalists, and diplomats, to visit Tibet.

“This meeting reaffirmed the shared values of the U.S. and the Tibetan movement in promoting human rights, religious freedom, and peaceful dialogue,” said a CTA official. Finerty was very concerned about China’s policy of silencing opposition and trying to erase Tibetan identity through systemic domination, such as manipulation of education systems and enforced assimilation.

The Tibetan delegation also expressed concern over recent reports that evoked global outrage after a Tibetan person died under unknown circumstances while in Chinese detention. Human rights groups have condemned the secretive treatment of the case, implying it is part of a larger plan by the Chinese government to suppress opposition and erase Tibet’s cultural identity.

Social media campaigns launched by Tibetans have also further fueled demands to stop the manipulation of Tibetan language education in schools, particularly following a recent white paper from Beijing where it asserted that language rights were guaranteed in the region. Most activists claim this is in sharp contrast to the very real experiences of Tibetans who are still subject to systemic repression.

The Geneva conference ended with a joint reaffirmation of the necessity for ongoing international pressure, transparency, and pressure on Beijing to uphold the fundamental rights of the Tibetan people. The Tibet Bureau appreciated the U.S.’s consistent moral and diplomatic support, which continues to be a source of hope for Tibetans fighting to maintain their identity in the face of mounting crackdowns.

This broad-level discussion represents a new urgency in international calls for Tibet and underscores the very important role international institutions play to speak out against the voiceless and protect foundational freedoms.