I am honored to be part of this event today as we remember the historic day in 1959 when hundreds of thousands of Tibetans risked their lives by filling the streets of Lhasa to protest the political, cultural and religious oppression that continues to this day in Tibet. We are marking a tragic anniversary - 50 years after His Holiness the Dalai Lama and hundreds of thousands of Tibetans were forced to flee their homeland as a result of brutal repression by the Chinese government.
Standing up for human rights is not always easy, and I am pleased that the new administration appears to be committed to these critical values and to the importance of ensuring they play a central role in our foreign policies. I will continue my efforts to ensure human rights are a central part of our policy toward The People's Republic of China, and I urge the new administration to do so as well. China's oppression of the Tibetan people must end, and the U.S. has a critical role to play in helping Tibet regain its autonomy.
Today's commemoration marks the Tibetan people's continued pursuit of their fundamental human rights, including the freedom to practice their religion, to preserve their culture and to speak their own language. I stand with you in that pursuit.
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