TIBET/COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS/GENEVA

Commission on Human Rights
Fifthy-second session, 27/3/96

Question of Human Rights and fundamental freedoms in any part of the world, with particular reference to colonial and other dependent countries and territories

Situation in Tibet: Written statement by Transnational Radical Party, a non-governmental organization in consultative status - Category I

1. The systematic violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms in Tibet has remained a never-ending phenomena for over the last more than four decades. The Chinese authorities continue to deny the Tibetans of their rights as enshrined not only in their own "constitution" but also the in Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It is alarming that the increasing number of political detentions have taken place in Tibet over the past few years and that more than 10 Tibetan political prisoners died while in custody or immediately after their release since 1987. Amnesty International has already identified 628 Tibetan political prisoners detained in Tibet at the end of 1994. Several independent reports now confirm that over 200 Tibetans have been detained in 1995 by the Chinese authorities. The enforcement of death penalty in Tibet remains another grave concern, particularly since it is used to suppress political opinion.

2. Our organization notes with deep concern the human rights situation in Tibet and China as reported by the UN Special Rapporteur on Religious Intolerance (E/CN.4/1996/95), UN Special Rapporteur on Torture (E/CN.4/1996/35), UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial Executions (E/CN.4/1996/4), UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women (E/CN.4/1996/53), UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (E/CN.4/1996/40) and UN Working Group on Enforced Disappearance (E/CN.4/1996/38).

3. In 1995, the Chinese authorities have once again continued to interfere in the practice of Tibetan Buddhism, undertaking massive measures to suppress religious freedom in Tibet. The case of Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, the new Panchen Lama who was recognized by the Dalai Lama on 14 May 1995 is a clear example. On 13 July 1995, Transnational Radical Party supported a resolution adopted by the European Parliament which for the first time, took an official stand on the situation in Tibet and expressed grave concerns about the disappearence of 6-year old Panchen Lama.

4. During the past ten months, the Chinese authorities have failed to provide any information about the well-being and whereabouts of the Panchen Lama causing serious tensions in and outside Tibet. What the Chinese authorities are doing is a direct interference in a religious matter over which the Dalai Lama has prerogative authority thus making the whole issue a political one. Gedhun Choekyi Nyima is now recognized by us as the world's youngest political prisoner.

5. In the report, China: No One is Safe, Amnesty International said: "In recent years, repression has intensified in rural areas (in Tibert) following a grouth in unrest increasing nimbers of lay men and women have been arbitrarily detained. In 1994 new regulation were passed to suppress national demostrations and as a result many monasteries and nunneries have been raided."

6. In March 1995, Tibet Daily, an official Chinese newspaper in tibet wrote: "We should use the weapon of the people's democratic dictatorship and is accordance with the law crack down without mercy on those who... undermine the unity of nationalities and split the motherland under the clock of religion."

7. If the civil and political rights of the Tibetan people have been violated, so have their economic, social and cultural rights, during the past 46 years Chinese propaganda of "economic development" in Tibet has only encouraged the settlement of millions of Chinese. Benefits of internationally aided projects, including those of the United Nations,are said to have gone to Chinese settlers rather than the Tibetan people. World Food Programme project 3357 in the Lhasa River Valley is one example. Local people who have been living since generations in the areas of the project were going to be forced to evacuate their houses in order to accommodate Chinese settlers.

8.The Transnational Radical Party is of the opinion that countries who ratify United Nations Conventions must ensure that the conventions are fully implemented. In this regard, we are concerned that a number of countries implement these Conventions only in theory. It is also most unfortunate that such countries repeatedly fail to submit their reports in due time if at all. These issues should be given serious attention by competent UN bodies, like the Commission on Human Rights.

9. The People's Republic of China has ratified a number of UN Conventions, including that of Torture, Women, Child and Racial Discrimination. However, the Chinese authorities have been repeatedly violating the above Conventions including in Tibet. Tibetan political prisoners, some as young as 12 have been detained, according to Amnesty International who also say that Tibetan women constituted "the largest group of female political prisoners" detained by the Chinese authorities.

10. As for the rights of Tibetan women, cases of forced abortions and sterilizations in Tibet are now well documented. The Chinese authorities instruct that "in order to reduce the population, use whatever means you must, but do it. With the support of the Party central Committee, you should have nothing to Fear." The report of the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women (E/CN.4/1996/53) says: "The one-child policy in China issues ideological directives that are then implemented at the national level. One of the primary components of the policy is enforced birth control. The policy also strictly controls the age of marriage and the timing and number of children each married couple can have."

11. The Commission on Human Rights must, therefore, pay serious attention to the deteriorating situation of human rights in Tibet. If the international community wishes to ensure that human rights and fundamental freedom of the Tibetan people are to be protected, the Commission must then discuss the situation in Tibet on its agenda.

12. In conclusion, the Transnational Radical Party once again joins Parliamentarians all over the world, in their resolution urging, the People's Republic of China to immediately stop all policies and practices which violate the human rights and fondamental freedoms of the six million Tibetan people.