Letter to Ms. Kari Lake
Acting Chief Executive Officer

Dear Ms. Lake:

On behalf of the International Tibetan Media Organization, together with 147 international Tibet support organizations and eighteen Tibetan-American community groups, we respectfully appeal for the full restoration of Tibetan-language broadcast services at the Voice of America (VOA) and Radio Free Asia (RFA). We write as advocates for the six million Tibetans living under Chinese Communist Party rule, for whom these broadcasts represent an irreplaceable lifeline to the free world.

As Freedom House has documented, Tibet ranks among the least free regions in the world, second only to North Korea. The Tibetan people are denied all access to independent news and are confined to official Chinese Communist Party propaganda and state-controlled information. We note that several VOA language services have been restored to their statutory minimum levels, and we are deeply grateful that President Trump has signed the congressional funding bill for the U.S. Agency for Global Media. In light of these developments, we respectfully and earnestly urge you to restore Tibetan-language broadcasts at the earliest possible opportunity.

Tibetan-language broadcasts are among the most powerful and effective instruments available for countering Chinese Communist Party propaganda—both within Tibet and across the global diaspora—while simultaneously projecting America’s cherished ideals of freedom, democracy, and the rule of law. The people of Tibet have a profound hunger for independent news: reports on American policy and world affairs, updates on the activities of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan exile community, and access to the broader educational value these broadcasts provide. Despite the severe threats, punishments, and surveillance imposed by Chinese authorities, Tibetans continue to find ways to access VOA and RFA broadcasts—often at great personal risk.

We would be honored to assist in any way that may facilitate the restoration of these vital services and stand ready to support your efforts. Please do not hesitate to contact us should we be of use.

Respectfully yours,

Palden Gyal

President

International Tibetan Media Organization