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Tibet Brief a Report of the International Campaign for Tibet

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Tibet Brief a Report of the International Campaign for Tibet TIBET BRIEF A REPORT OF THE INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGN FOR TIBET AUGUST 2017 UNESCO approves controversial IN THIS ISSUE World Heritage Tibet nomination 1. UNESCO approves On 7 July, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee approved a controversial controversial World Heritage application by the Chinese government to inscribe a vast Tibetan area of Tibet nomination lakes, wetlands and wildlife as a World Heritage site. This is despite clear contravention of the values and guidelines of the international cultural body. 2. Liu Xiaobo’s death - an indelible blot on the history of the Chinese Communist Party 3. EU diplomats pay rare visit to Tibet 4. Major live fire drill in Tibet amid China-India border dispute highlights political imperatives 5. Two further Tibetans self- immolations in exile in July 2017 © ICT 6. Italian Government confirms the right of Tibetan refugees The project area as defined by the IUCN official mission to Kekexili. (Click for larger view) to travel to Italy but detains Uyghur exile group leader, raising fears of Chinese China’s bid before UNESCO was for the the International Campaign for Tibet 45,000-square-kilometer Hoh Xil nature (ICT), in a report entitled Nomads in interference in Europe reserve (or Kekexili in Chinese and Achen ‘no man’s land’: China’s nomination for Gangyap in Tibetan), and the 32,000 UNESCO World heritage risks imperilling 7. Tech giant Apple accused of square km Sanjiangyuan, the Three Tibetans and wildlife, revealed how “aiding” China’s censorship Rivers Reserve, which encompasses the the nature reserve is in the middle of efforts headwaters of the Yellow, Yangtze and three major reserves that increasingly Mekong rivers. The area, twice the size exclude normal Tibetan land use such as 8. Political Prisoner Focus of Belgium, is part of the high-altitude nomadic herding, and situate the state plateau in Qinghai Province, and home as the sole agency of control, not least 9. Reading Suggestions to over 200 animal species, including to encourage mass tourism. A scientific the endangered Tibetan antelope (chiru). evaluation team that travelled to Hoh Xil 10. Upcoming Events last year to carry out an official UNESCO Ahead of the Committee meeting, > Continued on page 2 ICT EUROPE ICT BRUSSELS ICT GERMANY ICT Funenpark 1D 15, rue de la linière Schonhauser Allee 163 1825 Jefferson Place, NW 1018 AK Amsterdam, 1060 Brussels 10435 Berlin Washington, DC 20036 The Netherlands Belgium Germany United States of America Phone: +31 (0)20 3308265 Phone: +32 (0)2 609 44 10 Telefon: +49 (0)30 27879086 Phone: +(1) 202-785-1515 Fax: +31 (0)20 3308266 Fax: +32 (0)2 609 44 32 Fax: +49 (0)30 27879087 Fax: (202) 785-434 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] www.savetibet.org www.tibetpolicy.eu 1 TIBET BRIEF A REPORT OF THE INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGN FOR TIBET AUGUST 2017 > Continued from page 1 rights of local and indigenous people and preservation of their culture, which include the concepts of “FPIC” (free, prior and informed consent), and the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. According to the 2017 World Heritage Watch Report, Tibetan mobile pastoralism and migratory herds of wild animals co-existed for thousands of years in Hoh Xil, with Tibetans playing a key role in protecting the rich wildlife of the area, including the Tibetan antelopes or chiru (tsö in Tibetan). After the nomination was approved, the Chinese government nevertheless issued a statement in response to ICT’s report, The Chinese authorities have described Hoh Xil as ‘no man’s land’, which has provided them with the justification stating that it will “fully respect the will to claim that no evaluation was needed with regard to human beings and therefore human rights. But Tibetan pastoralists have co-existed peacefully for centuries with wildlife, protecting the land and its species of the local herders and their traditional (Photo: Diane Barker, Instagram: Heartofasia108) culture, religious beliefs, and lifestyle”; an acknowledgement that the UNESCO World Heritage Committee and the IUCN mission, also raised serious concerns In effect, Hoh Xil’s inscription represents need to ensure is held to account. about the nomination. They cited the an endorsement from the UN cultural exclusion of herders and dangers body of the Chinese policies of The inscription of Hoh Xil on the World to wildlife posed by an engineering displacement of Tibetan nomads from Heritage List seems to be in line with corridor that runs through the area. The their land, as well as the criminalisation the Chinese authorities’ strategy to use mission, carried out by the International of traditionally productive and sustainable World Heritage listing as “branding” to Union for the Conservation of Nature activities such as pastoralism and promote mass tourism, and boost the (IUCN), admitted that local people had the gathering of medicinal herbs. economy in the area. China has also expressed concerns about relocations As stated by ICT representative and announced that next year it will nominate – a significant acknowledgement, given Chinese grasslands policy specialist the whole of the old town of Lhasa as a the dangers faced by Tibetans or local Tenzin Choekyi after the decision, this World Heritage site. This, and further Chinese people who dare to raise even is despite a scientific consensus in China recent developments such as a Chinese moderate concerns about projects and beyond that indigenous stewardship application to UNESCO to recognize the prioritised by the Beijing leadership. But and herd mobility are essential to the Tibetan traditional medicinal system in a conclusion that appears inconsistent health of the rangelands. It also goes of Sowa Rigpa as part of its intangible with the report, IUCN concluded that against clear UNESCO World Heritage cultural heritage, may mean serious the nomination should still be approved. and IUCN guidelines on protecting the consequences for Tibetan culture. ■ www.savetibet.org www.tibetpolicy.eu 2 TIBET BRIEF A REPORT OF THE INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGN FOR TIBET AUGUST 2017 Liu Xiaobo’s death - an indelible blot on the EU diplomats pay history of the Chinese Communist Party rare visit to Tibet The International Campaign for Tibet is utterly saddened by the death of Liu Xiaobo, and offers its deepest condolences to his family and friends. From 26-30 June, a 22-member delegation of EU and EU member Dalai Lama and Beijing officials, he wrote states officials paid a rare official an article supporting the Dalai Lama’s visit to the Tibet Autonomous position on autonomy for Tibet within the Region (TAR). People’s Republic of China, saying that the position was “not only well-founded morally, Apart from Lhasa, the 22-member but practically, it is a sincere expression for delegation, which was composed of peaceful negotiations”. In March 2008, Liu the EU Ambassador to Beijing Hans Xiaobo’s name was also among the original Dieter Schweisgut and diplomats 29 signatories of a 12-point petition to the from a number of EU member Chinese authorities calling for dialogue states, including the Czech between the Chinese government and Republic, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain the Dalai Lama. It noted the “serious and the United Kingdom, travelled mistakes” of China’s policies in Tibet, to the city of Nyingchi in the eastern and criticized the Chinese government’s part of the TAR, and visited the response to the protests in Tibet as lacking Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, “a style of governing that conforms to the Sera Monastery, Tibet University, standards of modern civilization.” Dobu Hydropower Station, Lulang International Tourism Town, Unfortunately, by not heeding to domestic Tashigang Village Family Hotel, and international humanitarian requests Mainling Farm and other places. to respect the will of Liu Xiaobo to be The trip, which consisted in a treated abroad, the Chinese Government series of meetings and talk with has shown that it does not deserve to be the local leadership, covered many considered the major world power as it areas, including economy, culture, purports to be. The tragic circumstances education, ecology and tourism. A woman wearing a Tibetan flag holds a photo of Liu of Liu Xiaobo’s death will remain as an Xiaobo during a vigil honoring his legacy on indelible stain on China’s history. Following the visit, there has 13 July in New York. The vigil was also a protest against continued human rights abuses in China. unfortunately been no public (Photo: Associated Press) The International Campaign for Tibet now information from the EU joins the growing call for China to lift all delegation in Beijing -or the The outspoken critic of the Chinese restrictions on the wife of the late Nobel participating member states- on government and Nobel Peace Prize Peace Prize laureate, and allow her to its overall objectives, format and laureate died on 13 July from liver cancer in leave the country if she wishes to. An content. ICT deplores this lack of a Shenyang hospital in Liaoning Province. artist, poet, and human rights defender, transparency, which raises serious He was eight years into an 11-year prison Liu Xia was placed under arbitrary concerns regarding the EU’s sentence, after he called for democracy, house arrest and heavy surveillance by communication strategy vis-a-vis rights and a multi-party system in Charter 08. the Chinese authorities after her late Tibet, in particular as the Chinese husband was awarded the 2010 Nobel state media were on the contrary A literary critic, writer, professor, Peace Prize. Her current location is very quick on presenting a biased activist and a giant of human rights and unknown - although she was recently and one-sided account of the visit democracy, Liu Xiaobo was also a tireless seen in an online video (which may have -which could damage the EU’s supporter of the Tibetan people.
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