Honourable senators, March 10 this year marks the fifty-seventh anniversary of the Tibetan people's national day of uprising in 1959. For over five decades, Tibetans have strictly adhered to the path of non-violence under the leadership of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Since early 1980, His Holiness has called on the Chinese leadership for a mutually acceptable solution to his middle-path proposal of not seeking independence. In 1989, His Holiness was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. The citation read:

In the opinion of the Committee the Dalai Lama has come forward with constructive and forward-looking proposals for the solution of international conflicts, human rights issues, and global environmental problems.

Honourable senators, in 2006, His Holiness was awarded an honorary Canadian citizenship in recognition of his leadership for resolution of conflicts through peace, non-violence and reconciliation. Regrettably, there has been no positive response from the Chinese leadership until now. In the meantime, the human rights situation in Tibet has been worsening according to the UN and other international human rights organizations.

As a result, since 2009, over 143 Tibetans in Tibet have made the ultimate non-violent sacrifice of self-immolation to highlight the suffering. On this occasion of the fifty-seventh anniversary, we commend the Tibetan people for their peaceful and non-violent stand, and we call on the Chinese leadership to end the current policy of repression and engage in dialogue with His Holiness or representatives for a mutually beneficial and acceptable solution.