TIBETAN SOLIDARITY COMMITTEE

 

Date: 11th April, 2008

For Immediate Release                                                                                   

The United Nation's High Commissioner for Human Rights, Louise Arbour, expressed her desire on March 27, 2008 to visit Tibet in order to inspect the real situation inside Tibet. Chinese government's respond came back this week and said a visit at this time would not be possible. Similarly, a group of Chinese lawyers expressed their ardent desire to provide legal assistance to the Tibetan protestors who have been arrested on baseless allegations. The Chinese government not only turned them down and restricted their entry into Tibet; they were also issued a warning not to interfere in China's internal affairs.

The above incidents vividly display Chinese government suppresses Human rights inside Tibet and in addition, the Chinese government do not wish to expose the real situation inside Tibet to the outside world. Not only are people deprived of their human rights, lawyers are deprived of exercising their rights to practice law and offer their legal assistance, in this case to the innocent Tibetan prisoners.

The spirit and determination of Tibetans, both inside and outside Tibet remain stronger than ever and given that the nature of the Tibetan struggle is one that is based on justice and truth, the Chinese Government is struggling to hide the facts.  The issue of Tibet has not only received support from millions people who value truth and peace, but also from numerous religious leaders, world figures, leaders of different countries and speakers and representatives of parliaments who continue to put pressure on China. Moreover, in recent weeks, resolutions in support of Tibet were passed in both the European Parliament and the House of Representatives in United States.

The Chinese Government continues to deploy many military units in all parts of Tibet while also continuing its widespread suppression. The Chinese Government imposing its so-called patriotic re-education forces the Tibetans to denounce His Holiness the Dalai Lama and also pressures them to sign on documents which state, "We do not support the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Tibet." Even under such repressive policies, many posters continue to be pasted in different areas of Tibet that read, "Through sorrow and happiness, we stand together." On behalf of all Tibetans, we greatly appreciate and sincerely thank all the Tibetans who have been daily coming together worldwide to recite Dolma prayers to find a quick and peaceful solution to the just cause of Tibet.

In view of the critical situation in Tibet, we appeal the UN and international community of the urgent consideration of our following demands:

1. Immediately dispatch independent fact finding delegations to Tibet
2. Immediately allow free press to cover the whole of Tibet
3. Immediately end the brutal killings in the whole of Tibet
4. Immediately release all arrested and imprisoned Tibetans
5. Extend immediate medical assistance to the injured Tibetans
6. Allow free movement of people and provide access to daily needs

 - Tibetan Solidarity Committee