White House omits Tibet from earthquake condolence list

Press Secretary Josh Earnest made a subtle omission during his press briefing Monday.

The White House spokesman offered the U.S. government’s “deepest condolences to … the families of those who died in Nepal, but also the families of those who died in India and Bangladesh.” But he neglected to mention another region directly affected by the earthquake’s devastation — dozens of deaths have been reported in Tibet, an autonomous region contested by separatists and the Chinese government.


Earnest’s phrasing Monday echoed a statement made Saturday by NSC spokesperson Bernadette Meehan, who referred to “widespread damage and loss of life in Nepal, India and Bangladesh.”

Though the final death toll in each country is not yet clear, the Associated Press reported on Monday that the Chinese government had identified 20 deaths in Tibet, while only two were reported in Bangladesh on Saturday.

On Sunday, the Guardian published Chinese state television footage of the earthquake’s damage in Tibet.

Tibetan officials do not believe Earnest’s statement was an accident. “Tibetan areas across the Nepalese border have been severely affected as well,” the Dalai Lama’s representative in Washington, Kaydor Aukatsang, told POLITICO. “We believe that all affected regions should be highlighted so that they receive the appropriate attention and relief support.”

President Obama has walked a diplomatic tightrope on Tibet since taking office. In a news conference in China last November, the president said, “We recognize Tibet as part of the People’s Republic of China,” but added that he “did encourage Chinese authorities to take steps to preserve the unique [Tibetan] culture.”

Much to the chagrin of the Chinese government, however, Obama has also met multiple times with the Dalai Lama, a spiritual leader who serves as the face of Tibetan separatism — though the White House is always careful to avoid provoking Beijing’s ire by, for instance, limiting press availability and choosing low-profile meeting venues or avoiding sensitive times.

In 2010, Obama delayed a meeting with the Tibetan spiritual leader until after he had met with then-Chinese President Hu Jintao. Hu’s successor, Xi Jinping, is scheduled to visit the United States in September for his first official state visit.

Saturday’s earthquake in Nepal was the region’s largest in generations. The United States has already planned $10 million in aid, as well as two urban rescue crews. More than 4,000 deaths have been reported in Nepal, the epicenter of the quake, with more expected to come as the rubble is cleared.