TIBET BRIEF NOVEMBER 2018 A REPORT OF THE INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGN FOR TIBET CHINA’S THIRD UNIVERSAL PERIODIC REVIEW AT THE UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL IN THIS ISSUE ON 6 NOVEMBER 2018, THE HUMAN RIGHTS RECORD OF THE PEOPLE’S China’s third Universal 1 REPUBLIC OF CHINA WAS EXAMINED BY THE UNITED NATIONS HUMAN Periodic Review at the RIGHTS COUNCIL, AS PART OF THE UNIVERSAL PERIODIC REVIEW United Nations Human (UPR) MECHANISM. Rights Council Former Special Envoy of 2 the Dalai Lama and ICT Executive Chairman Lodi Gyari passes away ICT and FIDH hold 3 conference on access to Tibet and reciprocity in the European Parliament ICT’s 30th anniversary 4 marked in Brussels Parliamentary groups on 5 Tibet reestablished in France and the Czech Republic ICT report uses satellite 6 images to reveal prison state The Chinese delegation during the UPR session on 6 November. (Photo: UN Web TV) in Tibet’s capital 7 Tibetan man calls for Dalai Lama’s long life as he sets During the interactive dialogue of the review – Chinese government to release all Uyghurs himself on fire the third for China under this process - China and other ethnic minorities currently being Prayer festival cancelled had to respond to concerns raised by other held in mass so called “re-education” camps. 8 UN Member States about its human rights amid tightening control at abuses, including its crackdown on lawyers In all, 12 countries – Australia, Austria, famous Tibetan Buddhist and human rights defenders, its violations of Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, institute civil and political rights, including of minorities, Japan, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland, Three monks detained 9 the use of the death penalty, the situation in United Kingdom and the United States – also following solo-protests in Hong Kong and the ICCPR ratification. The explicitly raised Tibet in their statements, Ngaba situation in Xinjiang was another important calling in particular for religious freedom, Political Prisoner Focus 10 focus during this review, with a number of unhindered access for international observers Upcoming events Western states referring to the recent report of and the release of language advocate 11 ICT’s 2019 Calendar: the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Tashi Wangchuk. 12 Discrimination (CERD), that called upon the > CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Disappearing Pastoralists 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 Tel.: +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 NOVEMBER 2018 A REPORT OF THE INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGN FOR TIBET > CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 leader of people-centered development,” neglecting It came as no surprise that the Chinese the fact that hundreds delegation bluntly rejected these criticisms, of thousands of Tibetan claiming the concerns were “politically herders and nomads have driven”, and repeating its claim to a been relocated, banned different path of human rights “with Chinese from their grasslands and characteristics” - which can be understood discriminated against by as a concept that opposes the universality Chinese policies for years. of human rights. In another sign of China’s growing influence and But in a more worrying development, the successful thwarting the top-down and authoritarian Chinese of scrutiny of its abuses, development narrative – displayed in a the Chinese was also photo exhibition organized by the Chinese the only delegation to Tibetans, Uyghurs and Mongolian activists protesting in front of mission in the UN building – was not only receive applause upon the UN building at the Place des Nations during China’s UPR on left unchallenged by the international the adoption of the 6 November. community, but even unashamedly UPR preliminary report. promoted by a number of states during Commenting on the session, ICT’s head of Ahead of the review, ICT had submitted this UPR session. South Africa, for example, UN advocacy team and executive director a joint report with FIDH (the International praised the Chinese government as a “global of ICT Germany Kai Müller said: “It should Federation for Human Rights) documenting be clear to everyone that this the dramatic deterioration of the human was not just about the rights of rights situation in Tibet since China’s UPR. Tibetans, Uyghurs or Chinese The submission focused in particular on human rights defenders, but also the hyper securitization of the Tibetan about promoting to the world plateau, the creation of an extremely the Chinese system, which quite repressive environment, the systematic obviously discards human rights and widespread use of arbitrary detention, and the rule of law.” torture and ill-treatment. The report also cited the increasing interference and controls On 2 November, the Tibetan over religion, and the recurrent violations government-in-exile organised of Tibetan’s economic, social and cultural a meeting of representatives rights, including those of Tibetan nomads. of Tibetans, Uyghurs and ICT also called on UN Member States to Mongols communities, human explicitly raise the worrying human rights rights campaigners, diplomats situation in Tibet, both through written and researchers, to discuss the questions and during the interactive dialogue situation in China and point to session with the PRC. concrete problems. While China was undergoing its review on 6 The report of the UN Working Group on November, around 1,000 Tibetan, the Universal Periodic Review of China will Uyghur and Mongolian activists also be presented for adoption during the next marched from the Palais Wilson to session of the UN Human Rights Council in the Broken Chair wooden sculpture March 2019. in front of the Palais des Nations A panel at the exhibition organized by the Chinese in Geneva. They called on the MORE ON THIS: Permanent Representation in the Palais des Nations seem to show that freedom of religion is protected in China. international community to hold However, the country recently reinforced its control at the China accountable for its appalling • Video recording of the interactive dialogue Tibetan Buddhist Institute of Larung Gar, and photos of the human rights record and demand of China’s third UPR Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama are still banned in most parts of Tibet. that the basic rights of all people • Draft report of the Working Group on under Chinese control be respected. the UPR www.savetibet.org www.tibetpolicy.eu 2 TIBET BRIEF NOVEMBER 2018 A REPORT OF THE INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGN FOR TIBET RETIRED SPECIAL ENVOY OF THE DALAI LAMA AND ICT EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN LODI GYARI PASSES AWAY LODI GYARI, THE RETIRED SPECIAL ENVOY OF HIS HOLINESS THE DALAI LAMA, SENIOR OFFICIAL OF THE CENTRAL TIBETAN ADMINISTRATION AND EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN OF THE INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGN FOR TIBET, PASSED AWAY ON 29 OCTOBER IN SAN FRANCISCO. HIS DEATH HAS PROMPTED MANY TRIBUTES FROM THE TIBETAN AND NON-TIBETAN WORLD. An impassioned Born in Nyagrong (eastern advocate for the Tibet) in 1949, Gyari was Tibetan people, identified as a child as a universal human reincarnated lama, and Lodi Gyaltsen Gyari rights and global devoted himself to monastic democratic study. After coming into reform, Lodi Gyari was appointed in May exile, he became the editor 1998 by His Holiness the Dalai Lama to of the Tibetan Freedom initiate and lead a dialogue process with Press - a Tibetan-language the government of the People’s Republic of periodical - and started the China. He not only conducted nine rounds Voice of Tibet (now Tibetan of high-level talks in China and elsewhere Review), the first-ever English (between 2002 and 2010) but also led an language journal published extensive behind-the-scenes diplomatic Special Envoy Lodi Gyari (left) meeting with Chinese representatives by a Tibetan. He was also effort to sustain the process, expand the Du Qinglin (middle) and Zhu Weiqun in November 2008 in Beijing. one of the founders of the channels of communication, build trust with Tibetan Youth Congress, the the Chinese leadership and maintain a broad its condolences: “Mr. Gyari dedicated his largest Tibetan exile organization seeking international interest in the dialogue process. life to serving as a staunch advocate for the independence from China. He then served Tibetan people, democratic principles, and in the senior most elected and appointed Mr. Gyari successfully worked at the highest human rights, including religious freedom. positions of the Central Tibetan Administration levels of the international arena. He was On this day, we remember Mr. Gyari for – from Speaker of the Parliament to Cabinet trusted, consulted and admired by many his tireless pursuit of a better future for all Minister. world leaders and members of the diplomatic Tibetans.” corps. Heads of state, top government Mr. Gyari was a seasoned and skilled figures and policy makers consulted him diplomat, who spent the majority of his on global and regional issues such as India- professional career working directly for and US relations, China-US relations and China- on behalf of His Holiness the Dalai Lama India relations because of his expertise, his and the Tibetan people. The International deep knowledge of the region and his close Campaign for Tibet is deeply saddened by personal connections with people in those the passing of this key figure for the Tibetan countries. struggle for justice, and wishes to express its condolences to his family and all those “Rinpoche was an inspiring leader, a true who knew him.