[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 686 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 686

 Honoring the life, accomplishments, and legacy of Lodi Gyaltsen Gyari.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           November 13, 2018

 Mrs. Feinstein (for herself and Mr. Menendez) submitted the following 
    resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Honoring the life, accomplishments, and legacy of Lodi Gyaltsen Gyari.

Whereas Lodi Gyari--

    (1) was born in Nyarong, Kham, in 1949;

    (2) was recognized according to Tibetan Buddhist tradition as a 
reincarnate lama;

    (3) began monastic studies at 4 years of age in Lumorap Monastery, 
which was located in what is, as of 2018, Kardze Prefecture, Sichuan 
Province; and

    (4) fled Nyarong with his family at 9 years of age following the 
invasion and occupation of Tibet;

Whereas, as a young man in India, Lodi Gyari began a life-long commitment of 
        service to His Holiness the Dalai Lama and to the Tibetan people by 
        becoming--

    (1) editor for the Tibetan Freedom Press;

    (2) founder of the Tibetan Review;

    (3) a founding member of the Tibetan Youth Congress;

    (4) a civil servant in the Central Tibetan Administration;

    (5) Chairman of the Tibetan Parliament in Exile;

    (6) Cabinet Minister for the Department of Information and 
International Relations of the Central Tibetan Administration; and

    (7) Deputy Cabinet Minister for the Department of Religious Affairs and 
the Department of Health of the Central Tibetan Administration;

Whereas, in 1991, His Holiness the Dalai Lama appointed Lodi Gyari as Special 
        Envoy for the Dalai Lama in Washington, D.C., and, soon thereafter, Lodi 
        Gyari was selected to be President of the International Campaign for 
        Tibet, a nonprofit organization devoted to supporting the Tibetan people 
        and the vision of His Holiness the Dalai Lama;
Whereas, for 3 decades, Lodi Gyari met with leaders and diplomats of governments 
        around the world, including successive Presidential administrations of 
        the United States, and with Members of the United States Congress and 
        parliaments of other nations--

    (1) to explain the Tibetan efforts to engage with China on finding a 
mutually agreeable solution to the issue of Tibet;

    (2) to urge supportive strategies and policies from governments;

    (3) to explain the significance of the ``Middle Way Approach'' of His 
Holiness the Dalai Lama, which seeks genuine autonomy for the Tibetan 
people within the People's Republic of China that contributes to harmony 
between the Tibetan and Chinese peoples; and

    (4) to promote Tibetan statecraft as senior ambassador-at-large for His 
Holiness the Dalai Lama;

Whereas, during the time when Lodi Gyari was Special Envoy for His Holiness the 
        Dalai Lama, the United States Congress approved many policy and 
        programmatic measures related to Tibet, including the Tibetan Policy Act 
        of 2002 (22 U.S.C. 6901 note; Public Law 107-228);
Whereas, in 1999, Lodi Gyari became a United States citizen;
Whereas, in May 1998, His Holiness the Dalai Lama appointed Special Envoy Lodi 
        Gyari to be the principal person to reestablish contact with the 
        Government of the People's Republic of China on the issue of Tibet, and 
        between September 2002 and January 2010, Lodi Gyari held 9 formal rounds 
        of meetings with Chinese officials, demonstrating tireless drive and 
        immense skill and winning the respect of the international community;
Whereas Lodi Gyari presented the Government of the People's Republic of China 
        with the Memorandum on Genuine Autonomy for the Tibetan People and the 
        accompanying Note, thus detailing the vision of the Tibetan side for a 
        political solution for Tibet consistent with the framework of the 
        Constitution of the People's Republic of China and the laws of China 
        regarding autonomy;
Whereas Lodi Gyari demonstrated spirit, intelligence, and extraordinary tact 
        during the difficult task of representing Tibetan interests while in 
        dialogue with the People's Republic of China, and brought civility, 
        reason and a measure of mutual understanding to the Tibetan-Chinese 
        relationship;
Whereas, in 1999, Lodi Gyari was elected the Executive Chairman of the Board of 
        the International Campaign for Tibet after resigning as President of 
        that organization;
Whereas Lodi Gyari resigned as Special Envoy of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, 
        effective June 1, 2012, in the context of the deteriorating situation 
        inside Tibet, including increasing incidents of Tibetan self-
        immolations, after expressing deep frustration over the lack of positive 
        developments with the People's Republic of China after nearly 10 years, 
        and in respect for the process of devolution of political power to the 
        elected Tibetan leaders;
Whereas Lodi Gyari retired from the position of Executive Chairman of the Board 
        of the International Campaign for Tibet on December 31, 2014;
Whereas Lodi Gyari has contributed significantly to strengthening the 
        relationship between the Tibetan people and the people of the United 
        States;
Whereas, on October 29, 2018, Lodi Gyari died at the age of 69;
Whereas Lodi Gyari is survived by his wife, Dawa Chokyi, their 6 children, 
        Tenzing Dechen, Tenzing Choyang, Norbu Wangmo, Tashi Chodon, Tulku 
        Penam, and Tenzing Tsering, 5 grandchildren, his mothers, 4 brothers, 
        and 3 sisters;
Whereas Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic Leader of the House of Representatives and 
        former Speaker of the House of Representatives, said that Lodi Gyari 
        ``built deep support for the Tibetan cause throughout America and around 
        the world'' and that ``Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle 
        benefitted from Lodi's insight and wisdom''; and
Whereas the Department of State--

    (1) said that ``Mr. Gyari dedicated his life to serving as a staunch 
advocate for the Tibetan people, democratic principles, and human rights, 
including religious freedom'';

    (2) offered condolences to the family of Lodi Gyari; and

    (3) observed that Lodi Gyari will be missed: Now, therefore, be it

    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) honors the life, accomplishments, and legacy of Lodi 
        Gyari;
            (2) celebrates the leadership and commitment of Lodi Gyari 
        to fulfilling the vision of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the 
        aspirations of the Tibetan people, including promoting freedom, 
        human rights, and justice for the Tibetan people;
            (3) commends the achievements of Lodi Gyari in building an 
        international coalition of support for Tibet that recognizes--
                    (A) the imperative to preserve the distinct culture 
                and religious traditions of Tibet; and
                    (B) that the Tibetan people are entitled to their 
                own identity and dignity and to genuine autonomy within 
                the People's Republic of China that fully preserves the 
                rights and dignity of the Tibetan people;
            (4) acknowledges the role of Lodi Gyari, as a naturalized 
        United States citizen, in promoting understanding in the United 
        States of--
                    (A) the Tibetan people;
                    (B) the culture and religion of the Tibetan people; 
                and
                    (C) the struggle of the Tibetan people for--
                            (i) genuine autonomy;
                            (ii) human rights;
                            (iii) dignity; and
                            (iv) the preservation of unique linguistic, 
                        cultural, and religious traditions; and
            (5) strongly supports a political solution for Tibet that 
        satisfies the legitimate grievances and aspirations of the 
        Tibetan people, a cause to which Lodi Gyari devoted his entire 
        life.
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