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Campaigners angry as China escapes hostile UN rights resolution

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GENEVA, April 10

(AFP)

- China's human rights record will not face scrutiny by the UN's top human rights forum, a UN spokeswoman said on Wednesday, triggering anger from rights organisations.

"The last deadline for resolutions to be presented was Wednesday at 1600 GMT. None of them are regarding China," said Veronique Taveau, spokeswoman for UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson.

The failure of the Commission's 53 members to submit a resolution on China provoked angry condemnation from campaigners, including US-based Human Rights Watch (HRW), which denounced it as a "lamentable lack of political will".

HRW spokesman Reed Brody singled out for criticism the European Union and the United States, which this year has been relegated for the first time to observer status.

"In past years, China had to at least defend its human rights record. This year it is not even being questioned," he said. He denounced the failure of a China resolution as a "diplomatic fiasco", adding that the Commission's members should be "very embarrassed to have been caught with their heads in the sand".

China has until now faced hostile resolutions every year since 1990 at the UN Human Rights Commission, currently holding its annual six-week session in Geneva until April 26. But Beijing has successfully blocked the resolutions from even being introduced before the Commission in previous years, except in 1995, by using a procedural loophole called a "no-action motion".

Three Tibetan non-governmental organisations also vigorously criticised the "political apathy" of the 15-nation EU for failing to act on China. "This sends the wrong signal to the Tibetan people," said Tsering Jampa of the International Campaign for Tibet.

In a joint press release, the three groups said the EU's refusal to sponsor a resolution on China was based on the "flawed premise" that action on China at the Commission would "compromise its failing dialogue and provoke political reprisals from China".

Human Rights Watch said it had documented increasing human rights violations in China over the past year. The massive anti-crime campaign that Beijing launched last April has led to thousands of arbitrary arrests and summary executions, while new restrictions on the Internet have also been imposed, HRW said.

China cheers U.N. silence on rights (CNN)

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CNN Staff and wires April 11, 2002 BEIJING, China --China has cheered the U.N. silence on its human rights record at an annual rights meeting this week, saying the lack of a censure showed rising global recognition of Beijing's stand on rights.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue also lashed back at an Amnesty International statement that China executed more people than all other countries put together in 2001, calling accusations China abused the death penalty "baseless."

Unlike previous years, no country came forward with a resolution critical of China before a deadline passed for presenting motions at the annual meeting of the U.N. Human Rights Commission in Geneva.

"We have maintained that all countries should conduct human rights exchanges and dialogue on the basis of equality and mutual respect,"

Zhang told a regular news briefing.

"This time we have noted that this proposal has been recognized by more and more countries internationally and has become the mainstream."

China had been widely expected to avoid official criticism this year in the absence of the United States, which failed to win re-election to the

53-nation Commission in an upset vote in New York late last year.

Tortured for confessions In past years, the United States had sponsored motions critical of Beijing for its policies towards Tibet and religious minorities. But this year no other country came forward to take on that role.

But human rights activists have lashed out at the European Union in particular for its reluctance to take China to task.

"The EU clearly neither possess the courage or political will to make an objective defence of the Tibetan people's rights," Reuters news agency quoted Tsweang Lhadon of the Tibetan Center for Human Rights and Democracy as saying.

Meanwhile another leading U.S. rights group accused the European Union of provoking a "diplomatic fiasco" by turning down an opportunity to criticize China's human rights record.

"China will escape scrutiny of its human rights record...precisely at the time when abuses are increasing," the U.S. group Human Rights Watch said.

While China escaped censure, Russia, Israel and Cuba were back in the dock for alleged abuses.

Zhang defended China's use of capital punishment after the international rights group Amnesty International said on Tuesday China executed a total of 2,468 people in 2001, including nearly 1,800 in four months in a clampdown on crime.

Many of those condemned to death could have been tortured to extract confessions, and the total number of executions could be far higher because many killings were kept secret, Amnesty said.

"We believe Amnesty International's censure of China's so-called misuse of the death penalty has no basis whatsoever."

"Although China has maintained a policy of capital punishment, we have always implemented strict controls on it."

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China cheers U.N. silence on rights

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CNN Staff and wires

April 11, 2002 BEIJING, China

--China has cheered the U.N. silence on its human rights record at an annual rights meeting this week, saying the lack of a censure showed rising global recognition of Beijing's stand on rights.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue also lashed back at an Amnesty International statement that China executed more people than all other countries put together in 2001, calling accusations China abused the death penalty "baseless."

Unlike previous years, no country came forward with a resolution critical of China before a deadline passed for presenting motions at the annual meeting of the U.N. Human Rights Commission in Geneva.

"We have maintained that all countries should conduct human rights exchanges and dialogue on the basis of equality and mutual respect," Zhang told a regular news briefing.

"This time we have noted that this proposal has been recognized by more and more countries internationally and has become the mainstream."

China had been widely expected to avoid official criticism this year in the absence of the United States, which failed to win re-election to the 53-nation Commission in an upset vote in New York late last year.

Tortured for confessions In past years, the United States had sponsored motions critical of Beijing for its policies towards Tibet and religious minorities. But this year no other country came forward to take on that role. But human rights activists have lashed out at the European Union in particular for its reluctance to take China to task.

"The EU clearly neither possess the courage or political will to make an objective defence of the Tibetan people's rights," Reuters news agency quoted Tsweang Lhadon of the Tibetan Center for Human Rights and Democracy as saying.

Meanwhile another leading U.S. rights group accused the European Union of provoking a "diplomatic fiasco" by turning down an opportunity to criticize China's human rights record.

"China will escape scrutiny of its human rights record...precisely at the time when abuses are increasing," the U.S. group Human Rights Watch said.

While China escaped censure, Russia, Israel and Cuba were back in the dock for alleged abuses. Zhang defended China's use of capital punishment after the international rights group Amnesty International said on Tuesday China executed a total of 2,468 people in 2001, including nearly 1,800 in four months in a clampdown on crime.

Many of those condemned to death could have been tortured to extract confessions, and the total number of executions could be far higher because many killings were kept secret, Amnesty said.

"We believe Amnesty International's censure of China's so-called misuse of the death penalty has no basis whatsoever."

"Although China has maintained a policy of capital punishment, we have always implemented strict controls on it."

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Tibet NGOs slam political apathy by European Union on China at the UNCHR

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Embargoed until 6pm Geneva Time (GMT + 2hours),

10 April 2002

(UNCHR - United Nations Commission for Human Rights)

(Geneva) Three Tibet NGOs today issued a robust criticism of the European Union for its failure to act on the continued abuses of human rights inflicted by China on its citizens and on the people of occupied Tibet. As the deadline for putting forward resolutions on Agenda Item 9 (Question of the violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms in any part of the world) passed at 6pm today, no resolution concerning the situation in China had been tabled.

"The EU clearly neither possesses the courage or political will to make an objective defence of the Tibetan people's rights, despite expressions of profound concern about China and Tibet in February's General Affairs Council," said Tsewang Lhadon of the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy. "We fail to understand this selectivity of action by Commission members when Beijing is responsible for more than 50 years of gross and consistent human rights violations in Tibet. This sends the wrong signal to the Tibetan people," added Tsering Jampa of the International Campaign for Tibet.

"The EU had a chance to show leadership on the China issue this year, knowing that the United States would not be a major player at this Commission, but here in Geneva they and the USA have done little more than play ping-pong with the issue of some of the most serious violations of human rights in the world," said Alison Reynolds of Free Tibet Campaign.

The EU has consistently failed since 1997 to take on the China issue at the UNCHR, preferring to leave it to the United States. Human rights are a global responsibility and this dangerously political approach undermines the very integrity of the Commission, and the weakness of this strategy of relying on one member state to act on an issue has been exposed this year by the USA's reduction to observer status. The EU's refusal to sponsor a resolution on China is based on the flawed premise that action on China at CHR will compromise its failing dialogue and provoke political reprisals from China.

A half-hearted lobbying effort by the United States has failed to persuade any EU member to give procedural support to a draft text on China circulated in recent weeks. The United States cannot sponsor resolutions this year, although procedures do allow for observers to submit proposals which may be put to vote on the request of any member of the Commission. Additionally, the chair of the UNCHR can accept proposals from observer states where a consensus is understood to exist for their adoption by the Commission. China's success in politicising criticism of its human rights record means that no chair of the UNCHR would be prepared to accommodate such a request without sponsorship by a Commission member.

Amnesty International's Annual Report published yesterday stated that China executed at least 1800 people last year; three quarters of the 2001 global total. Repression in Tibet has intensified since the last CHR and Beijing continues to ignore the Dalai Lama's repeated commitment to talk "anywhere, anytime".

For more information contact:

Tsering Jampa, International Campaign for Tibet and Tsewang Lhadon TCHRD.

Tel + 31 629 004547

Alison Reynolds, Free Tibet Campaign. Tel + 44 7711 843884

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China: United Nations Fails to Act

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For Immediate Release: Human Rights Watch/Asia

April 10, 2002 (Geneva, April 10, 2002)

-- China will escape scrutiny of its human rights record at the United Nations Commission on Human Rights precisely at a time when abuses are increasing, Human Rights Watch said today. The deadline passed today for delegations to file resolutions that condemn a particular country for human rights abuse.

"The absence of a China resolution is a diplomatic fiasco," said Reed Brody, Advocacy Director for Human Rights Watch. "China's human rights record couldn't be clearer, and members of the Commission should be very embarrassed."

This is only the second time since 1990 that a China resolution has not been tabled in Geneva by either the European Union or the United States. In 1995, a China resolution came within one vote of being adopted, and since then, the Chinese government has lobbied vigorously to keep any resolutions off the agenda. Neither the U.S. nor the EU appeared to put a high priority on getting China on the agenda of the Commission this year.

Human Rights Watch was particularly critical of the European Union and its member states for today's debacle. On March 11, 2002, the EU foreign ministers met in Brussels and expressed concern about the "lack of respect for human rights in China, including the freedoms of expression, religion and association." The EU declined to sponsor a China resolution, but did leave open the possibility of an individual EU member sponsoring a measure. However, no EU country stepped forward. The Bush administration expressed interest in supporting a resolution if one were tabled, but without a seat on the Commission this year, the U.S. could not be an original sponsor.

In April 2001, a China resolution sponsored by the U.S. was blocked by a "no action" procedural motion by China. That motion was adopted: twenty-three yes, seventeen no, 12 abstentions, and one absent.

Human Rights Watch has documented increasing human rights violations in China over the past year, fuelled by Beijing's preoccupation with stability in the face of social and economic upheaval. China launched a massive anti-crime campaign last April, leading to thousands of arbitrary arrests and summary executions; new restrictions on the Internet have been imposed; efforts to organize independent trade unions have been crushed; and officials have carried out an intense crackdown on Falun Gong and unofficial religious groups of all kinds.

For more information about China, please visit:

http://www.hrw.org/asia/china.php

For more information, please contact:

In Geneva, Reed Brody:+41-79-470-1700 (cell)

In Brussels, Jean-Paul Marthoz: +32 2 732 2009

In Washington, Mike Jendrzejczyk: +1-202-612-4341

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MORE COUNTRIES SPEAK OF HUMAN RIGHTS CONCERNS IN TIBET

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News Update from Tibet Bureau, Geneva

New Zealand Urge Dialogue on Tibet Geneva, 9 April

- Yesterday, the 58th UN Commission finally was able to hear oral statements under the Item that deals with the question of violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms in any part of the world (an item also known as country situations). It is under this item that resolutions are normally submitted against countries.

Over the past two weeks the work of the Commission was overshadowed by discussion on the Middle East situation and the consideration of the Commission's confidential procedure.

The Spanish Ambassador Mr. Joaquin Perez-Villanueva Y Tovar, speaking on behalf of the European Union said that the Union "remains extremely concerned about the intensified repression against persons belonging to ethnic minorities in Tibet and Xinjiang. The fight against terrorism should be pursued with full respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It should not be used as an excuse to curb the rights of persons belonging to ethnic minorities."

The EU statement also said that it places great importance on the EU-China human rights dialogue and expects this dialogue will produce progress on the ground and measurable results. The following countries aligned themselves to the EU statement: Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Cyprus and Malta.

Although the statements by the United States of America and Australia failed to mention Tibet, New Zealand and Norway expressed their concerns on the human rights situation in Tibet. Ms. Deborah Geels of the New Zealand Observer delegation said: "With regard to Tibet, we urge China to enter into dialogue with the Dalai Lama and to involve the Tibetan people more fully and directly in decisions regarding their development."

Mr. John Petter Opdahl of the Norwegian Observer Delegation told the Commission that his government "attaches great importance to the preservation of the culture and religious identity of the Tibetan people". The United States said that China human rights record remains poor. Ambassador Kevin E. Moley said: "The Chinese have failed to carry through on commitments made during human rights dialogues. Thousands remain jailed for expressing their beliefs and China remains a country of particular concern for its restrictions on religious freedom."

Ms. Marie Gervais-Vidricaire, the Head of the Canadian Delegation said that her country was "very concerned about the persistent scale and scope of restrictions on the freedom of expression, association, press and religion, especially in Tibet and Xinjiang."

Mr. Les Luck, the Australian Ambassador said that his government was "pleased at the development of our bilateral human rights dialogue with China and the positive approach China is taking to it. At the same time, we are concerned by the use of its judicial system to take action against individuals and groups that appear to have done no more than exercise their rights to freedom of expression and assembly. We also urge China to ensure the rights and freedoms of its ethnic and religious minorities."

Mr. Sha Zukang the Chinese Ambassador devoted a part of his statement to defend his government on Tibet and Eastern Turkestan. With regard to the human rights situation in Tibet, he said: "At present, sea change has taken place in the field of human rights in Tibet...the Tibetan legal system, set up according to the Constitution and the Law on the Autonomy of Minority Nationality Regions, provides effective guarantee to the full enjoyment of autonomy, democracy, human rights and freedoms by Tibetans."

Mr. Jan Kavan, the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs of Czech Republic addressed the 58th UN Commission on Human Rights as a guest speaker on 28 March highlighting the persecution of religious and ethnic minorities in China in his speech. In one part of his speech that focused on countries like China, Mr. Kavan expressed his government's concern on the situation of human rights in countries that "publicly defend their own essentially one party system, whilst at the same time attempting to persuade the world that they are enjoying political plurality." He further emphasised his point by stating that: "These countries then label any legitimate interest of the international community as interference in their internal affairs. These countries can easily be identified by the fact that the representatives of the democratic opposition and human rights defenders are branded as criminal elements engaged in subversive activities...We often hear of the persecution of journalists in Belarus or religious and ethnic minorities in China."

During the past week, the Tibetan Delegation was joined by Drapchi Prisons Nuns, Choeying Kusang and Passang Lhamo who spoke at a Tibet Briefing on 3 April which was followed by a meeting with the press at the United Nations. The nuns were also able to meet with human rights investigators of the Commission, like the Special Rapporteur on Torture. Switzerland was the last part of the Nuns' European tour.

On 4 April, the Tibetan Community in Switzerland organised another Vigil outside the United Nations which was attended by around 150 people. On 5 April at a Meet with the Press organised by Human Rights in China with speakers from Tibet, Eastern Turkestan and Falun Gong. Mr. Chhime R. Chhoekyapa, Representative of H. H. the Dalai Lama for UN Affairs said China needed to be discussed on an equal footing with other countries.

"Some (at the Commission on Human Rights) seem to shy away from talking about human rights in China," he said. "In order to help the international community prevent gross violations of human rights it is very important to talk about it on an equal footing, not in a selective way. I hope many governments will have the courage to talk freely and frankly."

As regards the submission of a China resolution at this year's session, the USA Ambassador said on 3 April that the United States had now forwarded a text to all the EU countries but had not received a positive response from any EU country on co-sponsorship. The resolution has to be submitted three working days before the vote on country resolution which will take place on 16 April. "Even if a resolution is not submitted this year, we believe the issue of Tibet received a good hearing at the Commission this year which is equally important," said Mr. Chhoekyapa.

"We are really grateful to all those governments, NGOs and UN human rights investigators, who spoke for Tibet. The pressure on China continues," he added.

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Tibet cited in Oral Statements UN Human Rights Body Cuts NGO Speaking Time

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Geneva, 10 April - As the 58th UN Commission on Human Rights ended its debate on country situation, several NGOs raised the deplorable human rights situation in Tibet through their oral statements and urged the Commission to adopt a resolution on China at this year's session. Before the meeting ended yesterday, the Commission took an unprecedented decision to cut off more than 30 NGOs who were listed to speak, including the statement by Ms. Tsering Jampa on behalf of Worldview International Foundation. Two Chinese GONGOs (United Nations Association of China and China Society for Human Rights Studies) were also not able to deliver their oral statements.

On 8 April, Ms. Tenzin Rubling speaking on behalf of the International Fellowship of Reconciliation (IFOR) said: "The People' Republic of China is one member of the Commission who commits human rights violations on a massive scale. Victims in Tibet wonder why the Commission does not act upon China. Why this selectivity when Beijing has even been responsible for gross and systematic patterns of human rights violations in Tibet now for more than fifty years, they question." The full text of the IFOR statement is produced in this update.

Ms. Tsering Jampa's statement which will now be distributed as an official document of the 58th session of the Commission appeals to this UN human rights body to "help the Tibetan people to achieve an end to the daily human rights abuses in Tibet. The Commission's credibility will be enhanced if the human rights situation in Tibet and China is considered impartially. By adopting a resolution on China at this year's session, this room can send a message of solidarity and hope to all the political prisoners held by the Chinese authorities." Worldview's statement is produced in this update.

Yesterday, in a statement by Human Rights Watch accused the Chinese authorities of closing "down so-called unofficial religious groups of all kinds, arrested adherents, and clamped down on the dissemination of religious materials. Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang and Tibetan Buddhists, have also been targets of serious abuses. China continues to equate calls for greater autonomy or independence by ethnic minorities, no matter how peaceful, with terrorism."

Paris-based NGO, International Federation of Human Rights League in their statement informed the Commission that China was using the 11 September tragedy to intensify repression in Xinjiang and Tibet with alarming human rights violations.

According to latest information provided at the Commission this morning, the vote on country situations will take place on 19 April.

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Oral Statement on behalf of International Fellowship of Reconciliation (IFOR)

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by Ms. Tenzin C. Rubling on the QUESTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMS COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS Fifty-eighth session Item 9 Thank you, Mr. Chairman, I am making this statement on behalf of the International Fellowship of Reconciliation (IFOR).

Every year the Commission receives reports of the violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms from around the world. However, there exists selectivity when victims of gross and systematic human rights appeal for concrete action against countries that repeatedly fail to fulfil their obligations under international human rights standards and norms. Many of these countries are in fact members of the Commission, a UN forum, which has the responsibility to prevent human rights violations on this human planet.

The People' Republic of China is one member of the Commission who commits human rights violations on a massive scale. Victims in Tibet wonder why the Commission does not act upon China. Why this selectivity when Beijing has even been responsible for gross and systematic patterns of human rights violations in Tibet now for more than fifty years, they question. Some Tibetans even lean towards an unfortunate believe that engaging in a violent freedom struggle will wake up the international community, including the United Nations.

Mr. Chairman, the International Fellowship of Reconciliation, like many NGOs in this room, remains gravely concerned about the current state of human rights in Tibet. Over the past decade, we have informed the Commission about deteriorating human rights situation in Tibet. We raise Tibet because the freedom struggle of the Tibetan people is a unique one that adheres to the principle of non-violent means to gain freedom, justice and democracy in their homeland.

In his annual statement to the Tibetan people on 10 March this year, His Holiness the Dalai Lama has said: "My position on the issue of Tibet is straightforward. I am not seeking independence. As I have said many times before, what I am seeking is for the Tibetan people to be given the opportunity to have genuine self-rule in order to preserve their civilisation and for the unique Tibetan culture, religion, language and way of life to grow and thrive. For this, it is essential that the Tibetans be able to handle all their domestic affairs and to freely determine their social, economic and cultural development."

Mr. Chairman, the current policy of intensifying repression and increasing development activities, first enforced by the Third Work Forum on Tibet and strongly recommended by the Fourth Work Forum in

2001, convened by the Chinese authorities, is a wrong and dangerous policy. There is general agreement, except among the hard-line leadership in Beijing that this policy is shortsighted and will prove disastrous in the long run. Melvyn C. Goldstein, a Tibet scholar, and one who is quoted approvingly in the latest Chinese "white paper" on Tibet stated in the January-February 1998 issue of Foreign Affairs:

"Many Chinese experts and moderates question whether the current policy will produce the long-term stability that China wants in Tibet because it is exacerbating the alienation of Tibetans, even young ones, intensifying their feelings of ethnic hatred and political hopelessness, and inculcating the idea that Tibetans' nationalist aspirations cannot be met so long as Tibet is part of the People's Republic of China."

Chinese scholars living in China also support these views. Wang Lixiong, the author of the Chinese bestseller, The Yellow Peril, in his article "The Dalai Lama is the Key to the Tibet Issue", writes: "From China's point of view, these reasons make the Tibetan issue far more sensitive than the Xinjiang issue. The characteristics of the Tibetan issue are:

historical uncertainty regarding China's sovereignty, internationalised issue, support from the western society, an effective exile government, a spiritual leader who is revered by Tibetans and is influential worldwide ... "Therefore, if one considers the long-term interests of China, it is not wise to forestall the issue. And, it is even a bigger mistake to wait for the Dalai Lama to die. This policy is misguided."

In conclusion, Mr. Chairman, IFOR appeals to the Commission to seriously consider the human rights situation in Tibet at this session by adopting a strong resolution on the People's Republic of China. We believe, the Commission will uphold its creditability if it can make all countries, big or small, accountable for their human rights violations.

I thank you. ---- COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS Fifty-eighth session Item 9

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Oral statement on behalf of Worldview International Foundation

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QUESTION OF THE VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMS IN ANY PART OF THE WORLD Statement by Ms. Tsering Jampa Thank you, Mr. Chairman, The distinguished Chinese Ambassador told this Commission under this Item that today Chinese communist legal system "provides effective guarantee to the full enjoyment of autonomy, democracy, human rights and freedoms by Tibetans."

While we welcome the promise of the Chinese authorities to make more effort in the "cause of human rights," we wish to remind this Commission about the actual reality of the human rights situation in Tibet.

- In the year 2001, the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy based in India was able to identify 254 political prisoners in Tibet.

Ngawang Sangdrol a Tibetan Buddhist nun is serving a sentence of 21 years for exercising her right to freedom of expression and opinion.

Ngawang Phulchung a Tibetan monk is serving an 18-year sentence for distributing a Tibetan translation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

- In May 2000, the UN Committee Against Torture expressed concern about the "continuing allegations of serious incidents of torture, especially involving Tibetans and other minorities." 10 such deaths of Tibetan political prisoners as a result of torture were recorded in 2001.

- On 25 April this year, the Eleventh Panchen Lama of Tibet turns 13 as he enters the seventh year of detention at an undisclosed location. The Chinese authorities are refusing international observers to have access to him to ascertain his well-being.

- Unconfirmed reports emerging from China say that Beijing is targeting a settlement of 20 million Chinese into Tibet in the coming decades to consolidate its control over Tibet. The construction of new railway lines to central Tibet is one of vehicles to transport these settlers.

- In 2001, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination expressed concern with regard to the "freedom of religion by people belonging to national minorities, particularly in Xinjiang and Tibet."

China now conducts an official campaign to transform Tibet into an atheist region and propagate the so-called "communist spiritual civilization".

Mr. Chairman, the issue of Tibet, is the question of the survival of the distinct religious, cultural and national identity of the six million Tibetan people. It is for these reasons that the Dalai Lama has been calling for earnest negotiations with the Chinese leadership to reach a peaceful negotiated settlement. However, the Chinese authorities refuse to open such negotiations on Tibet, although at this Commission, the Chinese delegation repeatedly appeals for dialogue to resolve differences on human rights. On 10 March this year, the Dalai Lama said:

"The present state of affairs in Tibet does nothing to alleviate the grievances of the Tibetan people or to bring stability and unity to the People's Republic of China. Sooner or later, the leadership in Beijing will have to face this fact. On my part, I remain committed to the process of dialogue. As soon as there is a positive signal from Beijing, my designated representatives stand ready to meet with officials of the Chinese government anywhere, anytime."

Mr. Chairman, I conclude this statement with an urgent appeal to the Commission to help the Tibetan people to achieve an end to the daily human rights abuses in Tibet. The Commission's credibility will be enhanced if the human rights situation in Tibet and China is considered impartially. By adopting a resolution on China at this year's session, this room can send a message of solidarity and hope to all the political prisoners held by the Chinese authorities.