US funds for Tibetans in India, Nepal

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 29

The US budget-2023, passed by the Congress last week, has a provision of USD 11 million for the Tibetan Government-in-Exile and Tibetan communities living in India and Nepal. The budget has made available “not less than $8,000,000” for programmes to promote and preserve Tibetan culture and language for Tibetan communities residing in India and Nepal and “not less than $3,000,000” for programmes to strengthen the capacity of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA).

$11-million assistance

• The US budget has made available “not less than $8,000,000” for programmes to promote and preserve Tibetan culture and language for Tibetan communities residing in India and Nepal
• It also allocated “not less than $3,000,000” for programmes to strengthen the capacity of the Central Tibetan Administration

The support for the CTA or the Tibetan Government-in-Exile will be administered by USAID which has been asked to consider a housing project in India for the Tibetan refugees. The Donald Trump administration had for the first time directly provided funds to the Tibetan Government-in-Exile based in India and USAID had then committed USD 1 million to the Social and Resources Development Fund (SARD Fund).

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, during his Delhi visit last year, had met Dalai Lama’s representative Ngodup Dongchung. This year, US Special Coordinator on Tibet Uzra Zeya called on the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala.

Washington has also imposed visa restrictions on some Chinese government officials for their involvement in “the formulation or execution of policies denying access for foreigners” to Tibet.

Trump had subsequently increased the contribution, with the Biden administration sticking to the allocation.

Senior CTA official Kaydor Aukatsang says this is an important source of funding for the Tibetan community. For the past couple of years, the funding also recognises the Tibetan diaspora community and the critical role of the CTA.

“Strengthening the CTA, which is the legitimate representative of the Tibetan people around the world, will strengthen Tibetan governance and ensure the long-term resilience of the Tibetan community and culture,” he said.

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