World Tibet News - Special Issue 95/06/02 23:30 GMT Compiled by Thubten (Sam) Samdup

Vilnius, Lithuania, May 26-28,1995

For the past 3 days, under the auspices of the Lithuanian Parliamentary Tibet support group Vilnius had the privilege of hosting the Second World Parliamentarians Convention on Tibet Attended by 80 members from 21 parliaments all over the world. In addition the work of this convention receives support from over 1000 parliamentarians worldwide.

During the second day of deliberations the Convention was honored by keynote Address from Prof. Samdong Rinpoche the Chairman Assembly of the Tibetan People's Deputies. Prof. Rinpoche address highlighted the difficult Situation Tibetans under Chinese occupation. Prof. Rinpoche confided that the situation in Tibet had become so desperate that wholesole return of Tibetans to Tibet including their leaders was now being contemplated in order to carry out further non - violent protest including a campaign of civil disobedience. The sole objective of the campaign would be to persuade the Chinese Authorities to enter into meaningful dialogue without preconditions, to achieve self- determination for Tibetans.

The conference discussed a wide range of issues affecting Tibet including:

- denial of fundamental rights and freedoms, contrary to the United Nations declaration of human rights, such as lack of adequate of educational facilities, discrimination against Tibetans wishing to study their own language and customs, and the forceful recall of Tibetan children studying at school outside Tibet and China.

- violation of women's rights including forced sterilization and mandatory abortions.

- denial of religious freedoms

- the destruction of the rich cultural heritage of Tibet, commonly referred to as cultural genocide.

In particular the conference passed a number of important resolutions, the most critical of which were:

1. A resolution to initiate investigations, hearings and inquires of the legitimacy of the P.R.C.'s claim that Tibet is part of China, in every Parliament represented at the convention. and to persuade members of other Parliaments to do the same as a prelude to according recognition to the Tibetan Government in exile.

2. A resolution to send an international delegation of Parliamentarians to visit Tibet, Beijing and Dharamsala to investigate and publicly report on the current situation; to meet with the Chinese Government, the Tibetan Government in exile; and to call on the United Nations Secretary General in order to urge and promote a prompt start to substantive negotiations 'without preconditions, to seek a peaceful and comprehensive solution to the Sino-Tibetan conflict in accordance with the terms of this resolution.

3. To call on the P.R.C. to stop immediately all policies and practices which violate the human rights and fundamental freedoms of Tibetans, in particular population transfer and the use of all forms of violence against Tibetans.

Delegates from this conference and other Supporting Parliaments will report at next year World Parliamentarians Convention on Tibet On the results of the

investigations, hearings and inquires held in their Parliaments.

Attached are the formal resolutions approved by this convention

For further information please contact:

Dr. Laima Andrikiene M.P.

Chairman Lithuanian Parliamentary Tibet Support GrouP.

Phone: (370-2) 618291 Fax: (370-2) 226739

Vilnius, Lithuania, May 26-28, 1995