SPEECH OF HERALD ELLEFSEN, MEMBER OF THE NORVEGIAN PARLIAMENT, AT THE INTERPARLAMENTARY UNION (IPU) IN BEJING

Plenary Session

Bejing, Tuesday, 17/9/96

Mr. President

It's a great pleasure to have this opportunity to address this impressive assembly of parliamentarians, gathered here in the most populous country in the world. It is a great honour to be in this country with its unique history and its impressive record of economic recovery and growth in recent years. I am convinced that we all admire the Chinese people for their achievements, and not least for their indomitable ability throughout history to overcome suffering and hardship.

I hope that nobody will be offended, however, by my pointing out that the government of the host country of this conference still has a long way to go before it can be said that the basic requirements of human rights are fully respected. Reports from Amnesty International and other sources demonstrate that we still have reason to be deeply concerned about the situation in China. This is particularly sad because China is such a great country, with tremendous influence in many countries throughout the world.

Nevertheless, I regard it as a positive sign that the Parliament of China, and accordingly also the Government of China, has invited the IPU to hold its 96th Inter-Parliamentary conference in Beijing. Even more important is the fact that the Chinese Government has invited parliamentarians from all over the world to come to China to discuss the important and truly international issue of how to promote greater respect and protection of human rights in the world. This underlines the fact, in accordance with international declarations and international law, that human rights is an international issue that transcends national boundaries, and give certain basic rights to the individual that a government has no right to violate, but a moral and legal obligation to respect.

Specifically I would like to draw your attention to the situation in Tibet, with an ancient and unique culture that is admired all over the world. For centuries China and Tibet had very special and a close political and religious relationship. Under the peaks and the glaciers on the high mountain fields of the Himalayas the Tibetan people were beginning their spiritual adventure to reach peace of mind and among men instead of conquest. They trusted the solemn agreement engraved in solid rock outside the Iokang temple in Lhasa more than eleven hundred years ago. This agreement, signed by the King of Tibet and King of China, says that it established the epoch when Tibetans shall be happy in the land of Tibet, and China in the land of China. And it continues: So that it (this agreement) may never be changed. The Three Precious Jewels of Religion, the Assembly of Saints, the Sun and Moon, Planets and Stars have been invoked as witnesses.

The witnesses are still there to see the engraved rock. The witnesses can also see that the Tibetan people are not happy anymore. They are sad and they will remain sad until their spiritual and political leader, His Holiness the Dalai Lama returns, and their fundamental cultural, political and religious rights are restored.

The Chinese Government must be aware that the situation in Tibet is of grave concern all over the world. The Tibetans' right to self-determination is expressed in two resolutions passed by the General Assembly of the United Nations. This right is being promoted by the Tibetans through non-violent means, but, unfortunately, the response is violent.

Let me address these final words directly to the rulers of the Peoples' Republic of China: Let an open hand reach out the Tibetans and their Leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama. You have nothing to lose, but much to gain, both politically and spiritually. Tibet and the Tibetans have undergone terrible hardships and repressions, with a peak of bloodshed and destruction during the Cultural Revolution. Don't be afraid of the power of Tibetan Spiritual strength. His Holiness the Dalai Lama has over and over again asked for negotiations without preconditions, with the support of the Norwegian and other governments. The leader of the Tibetans has indicated farreaching willingness to accept a compromise, if the Chinese side is willing to give the Tibetans real autonomy, respecting their political and religious rights and freedoms. At stake is something much more important than solving a regional conflict. At stake is the respect for a counterpart, relying totally on non-violence and compassion as means in its strugg

le for justice and cultural survival. The Chinese treatment of the new Panchen Lama whom His Holiness the Dalai Lama has accepted according to ancient procedures, does not give much hope for a more open approach to this issue from Beijing.

However, the economic liberalisation that has taken place in the Peoples' Republic of China the last few years indicates a more open and positive attitude towards freedom. Hopefully, this process will also lead to a more liberal position on human rights issues in China and in occupied Tibet. Let us hope that the invitation to parliamentarians all over the world, including me, to come to Beijing to express our views on how to promote human rights is a positive sign for the future.