Published by: World Tibet Network News, 96/03/07 20:00 GMT

For Immediate Release Contact: John Ackerly

March 6, 1996 Rachel Lostumbo

202-785-1515

Annual Report Takes Toughest Stance to Date -- Cites Rape, Government Control of Religion and Detention of Foreigners

Washington - March 6, 1996 - The U.S. Department of State issued its toughest report on rights violations in Tibet to date. This year's report raised a number of new issues --including rape, detention of foreigners and halting the spread of monasteries -- which have never been raised before by the Department.

"This year's report shows an increasing understanding and scrutiny of human rights in Tibet, but at the same time it fails to acknowledge the causes and impact of the Chinese population influx. The egregious violations highlighted in this report demand a vigorous effort by the U.S. at the upcoming U.N. Human Rights Commission," said Lodi Gyari, President of International Campaign for Tibet.

The report comes two weeks prior to the opening of this year's United Nations Human Rights Commission in Geneva where China's record in Tibet is expected to be a hot topic. The State Department report will provide the U.S. Government delegation in Geneva and other delegations substantial material on which to base a resolution condemning China. Last year was the first time that the Clinton Administration aggressively mounted a push for a resolution condemning China's record. This year there is even more pressure for the U.S. to do so.

The report also said that China has now "explicitly identified the Dalai Lama as an 'enemy of China' and dismissed him as irrelevant" to the proceeding of enthroning the Panchen Lama, a traditional religious ceremony confirming Tibet's second most important religious leader.

The Department provided a separate section for Tibet from China for the second year in a row, although in doing so it reiterated the U.S. position that "Tibet is part of China" and that U.S. concerns focus on Tibet's unique religious, cultural and linguistic heritage, as well as human rights. The section was prepared pursuant to the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, which called on, but did not require, the State Department to issue a separate report on Tibet.

The report distinguished the human rights situation in Tibet from China in that China "strictly controls access to and information about Tibet," preventing any precise assessment of violations.

"Chinese authorities also detained foreigners visiting Tibet, searched them, and confiscated materials deemed politically sensitive," the report said. While the foreigners were soon released, on a number of occasions Tibetans have been implicated and have been tortured and imprisoned for much longer periods of time.

The Department of State appeared prepared to support the Dalai Lama's position that Chinese government policies may lead to massive influx of Chinese in to Tibet. The report cited a Chinese government announcement in 1994, which had not been mentioned in last year's report, saying that it could lead to a "substantially greater" influx of Chinese workers. This influx is regarded as the greatest threat to the survival of Tibetans as a distinct people and culture.

This year the report said that "discrimination against Tibetans is widespread, especially in the area of employment," an issue Tibetans have long insisted is a major problem as more and more Chinese settle in Tibet.

A lengthy discussion of the Panchen Lama controversy failed to condemn China's domination of the reincarnation process. The matter-of-fact rendition of the dispute mentioned arrests and the unknown whereabouts of the boy chosen by the Dalai Lama, but did not allege that China violated human rights norms in selecting its own religious leader in place of the one selected by the Dalai Lama.

Other references to religious persecution were stronger than ever before, citing campaigns to enforce atheism among Tibetan Communist Party members and forcing them to bring back children studying in India. The report also covered the issue of strict government limits on the numbers of monks in major monasteries. In a sharp departure from last year's report, the State Department emphasized the limited financial role the Chinese government plays in supporting monasteries. Last year's report gave the impression of a much larger government role, which the Chinese government also aggressively tries to portray to international audiences.