Lobsang Sangay on set at RFA
During a July 20 interview with Radio Free Asia’s (RFA) Tibetan Service, Lobsang Sangay, who was elected last year as prime minister, or kalon tripa, of Tibet’s India-based exile government, expressed his hope for continued dialogue with China, despite the recent breakdown of official talks.
RFA has been cited by numerous international news sources, including the New York Times, for its in-depth coverage of the upswell of protest against Chinese political oppression. 44 Tibetans have set themselves ablaze in self-immolation protests so far in a bid to push for greater freedom and the Dalai Lama’s return.
During the interview, Sangay restated the exile government’s oft-repeated request that Tibetans refrain from self-immolation and other drastic forms of protest. At the same time, he noted that the protests underscore the desperate plight of Tibetans living under Chinese governance.
Today, BBG broadcasters offer around-the-clock coverage of events of interest to Tibetans, including shortwave services seven days a week, audio programming by satellite, television broadcasts, and online content. RFA and VOA have been leaders in covering the ongoing crackdown on Tibetan protests, as well as political, religious and human rights developments affecting the Tibet Autonomous Region and Tibetan Autonomous Prefectures.
The BBG and Gallup recently presented a report of their research on consumption of news and information among the Tibetan exile community. To view the full presentation, click here. Recently, BBG board member Michael Meehan and International Broadcasting Bureau Director Dick Lobo met with a delegation from the Tibetan exile government to discuss the BBG’s commitment to providing round-the clock news coverage to the Tibetan community.
Watch the interview (Tibetan)
