Nod to restore US aid for Tibet

Reversing the Trump administration’s move to slash aid to Tibetans to zero, a key congressional committee has approved a bill to maintain the US policy of providing funds for Tibet and support “democracy and human rights programmes” in the Chinese-ruled region.

The administration, in its maiden budget proposal in May, had cut the US aid to Tibet to zero, resulting in a huge disappointment to the large Tibetan community around the world over the U-turn in America’s decades-old policy.

Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi had then expressed concern over the move. The US state department, however, had described the decision as one of the “tough choices” it had to make as its budget itself had been slashed by more than 28 per cent. But in a report accompanying the State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill 2018, the House Appropriations Committee said it “continues to support democracy and human rights programmes for Tibet” and that “not less than the amounts provided in fiscal year 2017” be continued for such purposes.

The appropriations will be effective for the next fiscal beginning October 1. The committee’s recommendation includes $1 million for the Office of the Special Coordinator for Tibetan issues.

Noting that the Tibetan language services of ‘Voice of America’ and ‘Radio Free Asia’ (RFA) provide the only sources of independent information accessible to the people of Tibet, the committee recommendation provides $42 million for RFA, including funds to continue the Tibetan language service. It also recommended $8 million — same as the 2017 fiscal year — to support activities that preserve cultural traditions and promote sustainable development and environmental conservation among Tibetan communities.

Noting that Tibetans in South Asia face developmental challenges, it has proposed $6 million to continue to support the exiled community in India and Nepal in the areas of education, skills development and entrepreneurship.