UN Urged to Engage China to Respect Human Rights in Tibet

Monday, 11 December 2007, 12:30 p.m.

Also present at the ceremony were Chief Justice Commissioner, Justice Commissioners, Kalons and MPs.(Photo Sangey Kep)

Dharamshala:The Central Tibetan Administration yesterday urged the United Nations to engage China to respect the human rights and religious freedom in Tibet. The day marked the 18th Anniversary of the conferment of the Nobel Peace Prize to His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the sixty-first anniversary of the UN proclamation of its Universal declaration of human rights.

Kalon Tsering Phuntsok said "The People's Republic of China, as a member country of the UN should put into practice the United Nation's declaration of human rights, adding, "However, China continues to dishonour, violate, the terms of the declaration.

Recounting the grave repression of basic human rights of the Tibetan people, including freedom of speech, religious belief and the rights of children, Kalon Tsering Phuntsok urge the United Nations Council on Human Rights to be more effective in taking note of these actions of the Chinese government.

Kalon Tempa Tsering (at the centre) addressing a press gathering during the launch of the Department of Information and International Relations' third environment and development report at the press club of India in New Delhi yesterday(Photo:Jigme Tsering, DIIR Tibetonline.TV)

He reiterated that China should seize the opportunity in resolving the issue of Tibet and bring about a positive change inside Tibet under the framework of the mutually beneficial policy of Middle-Way Approach.

He underlined the importance of making offerings for the grand long life prayer to be presented to His Holiness in January 2008, to mark the successful passing over his obstacle year and for the enhancement of Tibetan people's collective merit.

The speaker of Tibetan Parliament in Exile, Mr Karma Chophel expressed gratitude and also appealed to all the governments, members of parliaments and the Tibet support groups to continue to lend their support in resolving the issue of Tibet.

He said taking serious note of the inside Tibet - in particular the efforts to undermine Tibet's religious identity - the Tibetan parliament vehemently condemned the China's new regulations to control the Tibet's traditional system of selecting Tibet's spiritual leaders.

The parliament has appealed to the UN, the world Human Rights Council, the International Olympic Committee and Indian Olympic Association to take serious consideration in bringing China in improving the human rights situation in Tibet, he added.

He urged the Indo-Tibetan Friendship Association and the Bharat Tibbat Sehyog Manch to strengthen the cordial relationship between the local Indian and the Tibetan people, adding that despite minor indifferences between individuals, both communities at large have been able to maintain friendly relations.

Also on the occasion, the Department of Information and International Relations launched its third environment and development report both in New Delhi and Dharamshala.

Assessing the well being of the Tibetan people and its land, the report "Tibet: A Human Development and Environment Report, 2007" offers a broad perspective on contemporary Tibet.

The findings show a disturbing trend in Tibet - ranging from widespread degradation of grasslands, high level of illiteracy, social exclusion from modern skills, chronic marginalisation, unemployment, lack of basic amenities - all resulting from Chinese government's increasing bureaucratic regulation and exclusion seriously affecting the lives of Tibetan people.

Artists presenting cultural performance during a function commemorating 18th anniversary of conferment of Nobel Peace Prize to His Holiness the Dalai Lama at Tsuglagkhang

The combination of land and people, environment and human development, throughout the report, is a reminder that solutions to the problems of past policy mistakes require the active involvement of the Tibetan people, not their exclusion.

The report seeks the involvement of skilful participatory methods and assistance from development agencies and environmental organisations around the world to bring their best methods to achieve future human development of Tibet, bio-diversity conservation, grass land repair and watershed protection. To assist them, the report concludes with guidelines that articulate what Tibetans need and seek, from international agencies and investors who come to Tibet.

With the purpose to look ahead - the report is an invitation to China to carefully reconsider policies of environmental protection by actively involving Tibetan people and adopting advanced methods - to seek long time sustainability of the environmental benefits that come from Tibet.

  (www.tibet.net is the official website of the Central Tibetan Administration of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.)