Richard Gere stood on Capitol Hill alongside members of Congress and a group of supporters on a sunny afternoon in Washington to advocate for Tibet, a cause that the actor has championed for decades. Gere, who also chairman of the board of the International Campaign for Tibet, spoke passionately about the the Chinese Communist Party’s rights abuses against the people of Tibet and the need for the United States to take action.
“Tibet is facing a critical moment in its history. China’s policies are causing a cultural and environmental genocide,” he stated on March 28. “We cannot remain silent while this is happening. We must act.”
The activist actor spoke about his own experiences in Tibet and the resilience of the Tibetan people.
“I have been to Tibet many times, and I have seen firsthand the incredible spirit and determination of the Tibetan people. They have been able to maintain their culture and traditions, despite tremendous pressure” from the Chinese regime, he said.
Gere highlighted the importance of the United States’ role in the fight for Tibet’s freedom.
“The United States has a moral obligation to support the Tibetan people. We must stand with them in their struggle for freedom and democracy,” he said.
“The U.S. government must hold China accountable for its human rights abuses in Tibet.”
Gere’s speech comes at a time of increasing tension between the United States and China, with the two countries at odds over a variety of issues, including human rights violations. He acknowledged the topic’s sensitive nature but stressed the importance of speaking out.
“It is not about being anti-China. It is about being pro-human rights. It is about standing up for what is right and just.”
The Resolve Tibet Act is a proposal that addresses human rights abuses in Tibet and supports the Tibetan people in their struggle for freedom. The bill, introduced in the Senate in 2019 and the House of Representatives in 2020, includes several key provisions, such as the establishment of a U.S. Consulate in Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, and the requirement that U.S. officials raise the issue of Tibet in all diplomatic engagements with China.
The legislation has received enthusiastic support from human rights activists, including Gere.
McCaul, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, has vowed to put the legislation to a vote this year.
The Resolve Tibet Act would encourage dialogues between Chinese leadership and the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibet, and also “counter disinformation about Tibet from ... the People’s Republic of China.”
Speakers at the event said information countermeasures could take the form of the State Department publishing official interviews with Tibetan natives to establish their side of history.
In his closing remarks, Gere called for more attention to the current situation.
“The world needs to know what is happening in Tibet. We cannot allow this issue to be ignored.”
