The new US administration recently suspended the funding for Voice of America and Radio Free Asia’s Tibetan Service, causing these two media outlets to cease operations. This is a deeply regrettable and disappointing situation. The Tibetan Journalists Association expresses its solidarity with the staff of these radio stations and urges the new US government to continue providing the necessary support to resume the journalistic work of the Tibetan language sections of these radio stations immediately.
In a world where authoritarian regimes and dictatorships that undermine democracy, freedom, justice, human rights, freedom of speech, and press freedom, are actively seeking to obstruct and attack freedom, democracy, and press freedom with various tactics ever more. Over the past several decades, the Chinese government has continuously exerted direct and indirect pressure on Tibetan society, particularly on Radio Free Asia and Voice Of America, attempting to suppress their journalistic freedom. As soon as the news of the closure of these two radio stations emerged, government-affiliated media outlets, acting like the mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist Party, welcomed the US decision and tried to erase the history of these two radio stations as much as possible.
Since establishing the Tibetan language sections in 1990s, these radio stations have been able to broadcast about the life of Tibetan people under Chinese oppression, focusing on the life and work of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan government-in-exile (CTA), the situation of Tibetan refugees, and global political, economic, and cultural changes. They have been able to expose the harsh realities of Tibetan people living under China’s most severe oppressive policies, presenting their stories to the international community. In particular, these radio stations have played a significant role in preserving and maintaining Tibetan language and culture through broadcasting news, discussions about Tibetan literature and history in pure Tibetan language. Therefore, for the Tibetan Journalists Association, the closure of these two US radio stations is deeply regrettable, especially as it feels like two pillars of the Tibetan democratic community have fallen. We call on all Tibetans to extend their support and urge the relevant US leaders to work towards reviving these two radio stations.
Where there is democracy, there is press freedom, and a democratic society with press freedom is considered the most advanced democratic society. The Tibetan Journalists Association hopes that international journalist associations worldwide, journalists from various countries, and especially journalists in the United States, will appeal to the US government to continue the operations of these two radio stations. It goes without saying that journalism is our shared profession and an indispensable component of a democratic society. The more we strive for democracy, freedom, justice, and equality, the more press freedom must be maintained – a fact well understood by all.
Finally, we would like to ask the United States to allow these two broadcasters to continue their outstanding work.
