III 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 619 

Honoring the 65th anniversary of the uprising of the people of Tibet in 

defense of freedom. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MARCH 22, 2024 

Mr. CRUZ submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on Foreign Relations 

RESOLUTION 

Honoring the 65th anniversary of the uprising of the people 

of Tibet in defense of freedom. 

Whereas, on October 7, 1950, forces of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) entered Tibet with the goal of imposing 

Chinese Communist rule on the people of Tibet and subjugating it to the rule of the People’s Republic of China; 

Whereas the Tibetan people resisted peacefully in defense of 

their freedom, faith, and culture and have sought to protect their national identity from the progressive encroachment by the Chinese Communist Party, and continue to 

do so; 

Whereas, on March 10, 1959, hundreds of thousands of Tibetans gathered in Lhasa to prevent a reported PLA plot 

to abduct the Dalai Lama; 


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•SRES 619 IS 

Whereas, on March 12, 1959, approximately 5,000 women 

joined in those demonstrations for their national identity 

and freedom; 

Whereas the Chinese Communist Party subsequently executed many of those women for their participation; 

Whereas, on the evening of March 17, 1959, artillery shells 

landed near the residence of the Dalai Lama; 

Whereas the Dalai Lama decided to leave Lhasa for India, 

where he arrived on March 30, 1959; 

Whereas protests continued after the Dalai Lama’s departure 

and spread across the city and region; 

Whereas PLA soldiers in central Tibet eventually killed an 

estimated 86,000 Tibetans; 

Whereas, as a result of the widespread slaughter of Tibetans 

in and after the Lhasa Uprising, a 1959 finding by the 

International Commission of Jurists found that the People’s Republic of China’s treatment of Tibetans constituted genocide; 

Whereas the People’s Republic of China has deepened its repression of the people of Tibet, exploits Tibet’s natural 

resources to advance the interests of the Chinese Communist Party, and seeks to undermine freedom of religion 

and conscience in Tibet by determining the spiritual succession of the Dalai Lama; 

Whereas for 65 years, the Dalai Lama continues to defend 

the cause of Tibetan freedom and national identity on the 

global stage; and 

Whereas the Tibetan Policy Act of 2002 (22 U.S.C. 6901 et 

seq.) provided for a Special Coordinator for Tibetan 

Issues in the Department of State, tasked to ‘‘coordinate 


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United States Government policies, programs, and 

projects’’, but the Secretary of State has not designated 

a non-concurrent appointment to that position: Now, 

therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) stands with the people of Tibet and the 

3 Dalai Lama in their continuing defense of their free4 dom and national identity; 

5 (2) condemns the Chinese Communist Party for 

6 its repression of the people of Tibet, its exploitation 

7 of Tibet’s natural resources, and its efforts to under8 mine freedom of religion and conscience in Tibet, in9 cluding through efforts to determine the spiritual 

10 succession of the Dalai Lama; 

11 (3) recommits to the Tibetan Policy Act of 

12 2002 as the basis of United States engagement with 

13 Tibet and its people; 

14 (4) calls upon the President to— 

15 (A) ensure that the voice, vote, and diplo16 matic capital of the United States are utilized 

17 to address and counter China’s repression of 

18 the people of Tibet; and 

19 (B) include mention of the legitimate aspi20 rations of the people of Tibet to freedom and 

21 national identity in all engagements with the 

22 People’s Republic of China and particularly in 


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1 engagements that include the human rights sit2 uation in that country; and 

3 (5) calls upon the Secretary of State to ensure 

4 independent focus on Tibet by designating a non5 concurrent appointment to the position of Special 

6 Coordinator for Tibetan Issues. 

Æ 


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