| Expressing Support For The People Of Tibet |
March 29, 2012 |
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Harry Reid, D-NV
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"Whereas Tibet is the center of Tibetan Buddhism, and His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, is the most revered figure in Tibetan Buddhism; Whereas the Government of the People’s Republic of China continues to enforce policies that infringe on fundamental freedoms of Tibetans, including punitive security measures against monasteries, mass arrests, and restrictions on freedom to practice religion; Whereas both the Dalai Lama and the Kalon Tripa, Dr. Lobsang Sangay, the prime minister democratically elected by the Tibetan exile community, have specifically stated that they do not seek independence for Tibet from China; Whereas, in his inaugural address on August 8, 2011, Kalon Tripa Sangay stated that he will “continue the Middle-Way policy, which seeks genuine autonomy for Tibet within the People’s Republic of China”; Whereas according to the Department of State’s 2011 Report on Tibet Negotiations, since 2002, nine rounds of talks between the Government of the People’s Republic of China and envoys of the Dalai Lama “have not borne concrete results”; Whereas despite persistent efforts by the Dalai Lama and his representatives, the Government of the People’s Republic of China and envoys of the Dalai Lama have not held any formal dialogue since January 2010; Whereas, since March 2011, more than two dozen Tibetans have set themselves on fire, and at least 19 have died; Whereas the repressive policies of the Government of the People’s Republic of China have created an environment of despair, hopelessness, and frustration among many Tibetans; Whereas, on November 1, 2011, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, Heiner Bielefeldt, expressed concern over “restrictive measures” implemented by the Government of the People’s Republic of China in Tibetan monasteries, stating that such measures “not only curtail the right to freedom of religion or belief, but further exacerbate the existing tensions, and are counterproductive” and affirming that “the right of members of the monastic community, and the wider community to freely practice their religion, should be fully respected and guaranteed by the Chinese Government”; Whereas, on January 24, 2012, Maria Otero, Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy and Human Rights, and United States Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues, issued a statement expressing concern about “reports of violence and continuing heightened tensions in Tibetan areas of China, including reports of security forces in Sichuan province opening fire on protesters, killing some and injuring others”; Whereas the Constitution of the People’s Republic of China guarantees freedom of religious belief for all citizens, but the July-December 2010 International Religious Freedom Report of the Department of State states that “the [Chinese] government’s repression of religious freedom remained severe in the Tibet Autonomous Region and other Tibetan areas”; Whereas, on March 10, 2011, His Holiness the Dalai Lama announced that he would relinquish his last remaining governmental duties in the Central Tibetan Administration, and would turn over political authority to the leadership democratically elected by Tibetans in exile; Whereas, on March 20, 2011, the Tibetan government in exile conducted competitive democratic elections that were monitored by international observers and deemed free, fair, and consistent with international standards; Whereas nearly 50,000 people in over 30 countries, more than half of all the eligible Tibetan exiles voters, participated in the March 20, 2011, elections; Whereas Dr. Lobsang Sangay was elected Kalon Tripa, or prime minister, of the Central Tibetan Administration after receiving 55 percent of votes in the March 20, 2011, election and was inaugurated on August 8, 2011; Whereas Kalon Tripa Sangay was selected to study in the United States under the Department of State’s Tibetan Scholarship Program, earning a doctorate in law from Harvard University, and served as a Senior Fellow at the East Asian Legal Studies Program at Harvard Law School; Whereas Kalon Tripa Sangay, while at Harvard University, promoted dialogue among Tibetan exiles and Chinese students and visiting Chinese scholars to enhance mutual understanding and advance the prospects for reconciliation; and Whereas it is the objective of the United States Government, consistent across administrations of different political parties and as articulated in the Tibetan Policy Act of 2002 (subtitle B of title VI of Public Law 107 228; 22 U.S.C. 6901 note) to promote a substantive dialogue between the Government of the People’s Republic of China and the Dalai Lama or his representatives in order to secure genuine autonomy for the Tibetan people within China: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Senate— (1) mourns the death of Tibetans who have self-immolated and deplores the repressive policies targeting Tibetans; (2) calls on the Government of the People’s Republic of China to suspend implementation of religious control regulations, reassess religious and security policies implemented since 2008 in Tibet, and resume a dialogue with Tibetan Buddhist leaders, including the Dalai Lama or his representatives, to resolve underlying grievances; (3) calls on the Government of the People’s Republic of China to release all persons that have been arbitrarily detained; to cease the intimidation, harassment and detention of peaceful protestors; and to allow unrestricted access to journalists, foreign diplomats, and international organizations to Tibet; (4) calls on the Secretary of State to seek from the Government of the People’s Republic of China a full accounting of the forcible removal of monks from Kirti Monastery, including an explanation of the pretext or conditions under which monks were removed and their current whereabouts; (5) commends His Holiness the Dalai Lama for his decision to devolve his political power in favor of a democratic system; (6) congratulates Tibetans living in exile for holding, on March 20, 2011, a competitive, multi-candidate election that was free, fair, and met international electoral standards; (7) reaffirms the unwavering friendship between the people of the United States and the people of Tibet; and (8) both— (A) calls on the Department of State to fully implement the Tibetan Policy Act of 2002 (subtitle B of title VI of Public Law 107 228; 22 U.S.C. 6901 note), including the stipulation that the Secretary of State seek “to establish an office in Lhasa, Tibet, to monitor political, economic, and cultural developments in Tibet”, and also to provide consular protection and citizen services in emergencies; and (B) urges that the agreement to permit China to open further diplomatic missions in the United States should be contingent upon the establishment of a United States Government consulate in Lhasa, Tibet."
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