PRESS RELEASE

For further information: Lhakpa Dolma at 510-547-7689

Eva Herzer at 510-526-5144

Women's Committee Co-chairs of the International Committee of Lawyers for Tibet.

On July 21, 1995, at China's insistence, the United Nations' Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) voted in Geneva to exclude all 8 Tibet related NGO from the upcoming Fourth World Conference on Women. The UN Conference Secretariat had recommended 3 of the Tibet related NGOs for accreditation, namely, the San Francisco based International Committee of Lawyers for Tibet, the Tibetan Rights Campaign of Seattle and the Tibetan Women's Organization of Switzerland. Though these groups had proven their relevance and competence to the United Nations, China insisted on their exclusion.

"The reason for excluding these NGOs was not based on the criterion approved by the General Assembly but rather on political considerations", a Spanish delegate told ECOSOC. Spain was joined in its comments by the United States, Canada, Japan and several European countries.

China is abusing its role as the conference host country by excluding its critics. Official conference documents even state that no "anti-Chinese" materials may be brought into China. "Why is China allowed to eliminate its critics when other Nations will have to listen to theirs", said Tseten Lhamo, a Tibetan refugee living in Emeryville.

China has illegally occupied Tibet since 1949. "We seek to attend the World Conference and the related NGO Forum to address the situation of Tibetan women living under Chinese occupation. We are most concerned about forced and coerced sterilizations and abortions and other genocidal birth control policies imposed on our women by the Chinese government. We must stop the imprisonment and torture of our nuns. We must speak out for Tibetan women in Tibet since they suffer horrendous maltreatment and loss of freedom if they speak the truth", said Lhakpa Dolma, a Tibetan refugee working in San Francisco, to a recent gathering of delegates to Beijing.

Tibetan women fear that China will even exclude them from the NGO Forum by denying visas. "If Tibetan women are denied visas, it will be up to all other conference participants to address this discriminatory exclusion", commented Eva Herzer of the International Committee of Lawyers for Tibet. "When the United Nations bowed to Chinese pressure tactics and voted to exclude qualified Tibetan NGOs, it destroyed the moral legitimacy of the upcoming World Conference on Women before it even opened. We must insist that the United Nations leads with integrety and through non-discriminatory policies and decisions. This decison sets a dangerous record for us all", she added.