Freddy Lim (center)

Taipei, Oct. 7 (CNA) Lawmakers established a cross-party Tibet Caucus in the Legislature on Friday, with New Power Party Legislator Freddy Lim (林昶佐) heading the group.

With the establishment of the new caucus, the Legislature "will be better able to bring together the disparate voices of everyone who supports Tibet," Lim said at a ceremony to mark the launch of the new group.

The caucus will take part in the international activities of pro-Tibet parliamentary groups joining the debate on how best to help Tibetans politically, Lim said.

Nearly 30 lawmakers from different political parties have joined the caucus, including former Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平), who is now a legislator-at-large for the opposition Kuomintang, according to Lim.

Encouraged by the cross-party popularity of the Tibet Caucus, Lim hopes Tibet-related issues will now attract more attention in the Legislative Yuan.

He explained that key issues include supporting Tibetans living in Taiwan and including human rights issues in cross-strait discussions.

At the official launch of the caucus, Dawa Tsering, director of the Tibet Religious Foundation in Taipei, said the Tibet issue was about much more than unification or independence. It also touches on the rights of minority peoples, colonization versus anti-colonization and environmental protection.

"The Tibet problem involves a wide range of issues that many people face every day," Dawa Tsering said.

The ceremony was attended by ruling Democratic Progressive Party lawmakers Tuan Yi-kang (段宜康), Yu Mei-nu (尤美女) and Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴), as well as lawmaker Kolas Yotaka of the New Power Party. Hsiao serves as deputy chairwoman of the Tibet Caucus.

(By Chen Chun-hua and Elizabeth Hsu)
ENDITEM/AW