Delhi: Tibetan representatives meet WHO, UN officials; demand transparent investigation into COVID-19 origin
Jul 14, 2020
New Delhi [India], July 14 : Representatives of 10 Tibetan associations met with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations (UN) officials here and submitted a memorandum, demanding a transparent investigation into the source of the infection.
The WHO scientists are presently in China to study the genetic source and genome of the coronavirus.
The Tibetan representatives demanded that China should make a public announcement that the scientists are studying the virus to comply with a WHO resolution to identify the zoonotic source of the virus and not so, at the invitation of the Chinese government.
Speaking to ANI, Dolma Gyari, former Deputy Speaker and former Home Minister of Tibetan Parliament in-exile, said that a team of ten Tibetan associations went to meet with WHO and UN officials to talk regarding the issue.
"It becomes bothersome when claims are made implying that the WHO scientists, who are present in China to identify the zoonotic source of the virus and the route of its introduction to the human population, are there on an invitation of China. Therefore, while upholding the credibility of the WHO scientists, in the larger interests of all, we believe that under the present circumstances, they should come back," said Gyari.
The memorandum urged the WHO to ensure that a complete and transparent understanding of the source of the virus, timeline of the events, and a comprehensive review of the WHO's response be made public after the report of the panel is submitted.
Sonam, President, Regional Utsang Tibetan Association of Delhi said, "We have requested the UN to ensure a fair investigation of the arbitrary arrests, detentions and penalisation of 20 Tibetans. They have been prosecuted under a guise of a pandemic counteraction taken by China. The arrests continue to cause grave mental and social torture".
He also said that China must open its doors to all areas of the Tibetan Autonomous Region to the members of the WHO team so that they can access the real ground situation.
