UN COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

Fifty second Session

Agenda item 18

Mr. Chairperson,

Society for Threatened Peoples continues to be deeply concerned about the numerous cases of the violations of religious freedom all over the world as reported by Mr. Abdelfatth Amor in his report to the Cominission on Human Rights this year. We are particularly concerned about the conflnued persecution of Buddhists in Vietnam, Burma and Chittagong Hill Tribe (Bangladesh); Christians ill the Sudan, China and Pakistan; the Bahais in Iran; and Muslims in the Former Yugoslavia.

Our organisation believes as does the Special Rapporteur that the best way to end discrimination and persecution based on religious belief is to plant the seed of tolerance and the sense of humanity amongst ourselves. Without generating this feeling and realisation, the world will continues to deny religious freedom although guaranteed to us by various so-called "laws".

Mr. Chairperson, let me turn to the situation of religious freedom in Tibet, for example. In defiance of international law norms and its own constitutional provisions protecting religion, China has, throughout its rule in Tibet, sought to assimilate and control the Tibetan people by undermining Tibetan Buddhism. China's methods for doing so were extremely blunt in the last more than four decades. Monks and nuns were imprisoned or expelled from monasteries and nunneries, put to work, and forced to marry, or, in many cases, were executed; temples, monasteries and nunneries were reduced to rubble; and sacred texts were desecrated and destroyed. Statistics that more than 6,000 monasteries nunneries and religious/cultural institutions were destroyed or razed to tbe ground in Tibet, eloquenfly illustrates China's assault against Buddhism and adhere instead to Cbinese-imposcd atheism.

In recent years, while the most cosmetic, superficial forms of Tibetan Buddhist practice - such as waIking clockwise around a temple to celebrate the birthday of Lord Buddha - - are now tolerated by the Chinese authorities. However, the authorities in the so-called "Tibet Autonomous Region"' in 1990 promulgated strict news "Rules for the Democratic Management of templcs." These rules reportedly codify substantial restrictions on religious practice in Tibet, and are apparently neibu documents, i.e., classified documents limited in dissemination to certain party members, officials and other pertinent individuals There is thus not even public notice given to most Tibetans as to what religious practices or teachings may lead to reprisals. Believers are also supervised by the state-controlled Tibetan Buddhist Association, a branch of the China-wide state-controlled Chinese Buddhist Association. For example, in recent months 20 nuns were expelled from Shongchen nunnery in central Tibet, after which they were given

five days to demolish their living quarters at the nunnery.

Mr., Chairperson, in short, under Deng Xiaoping and his comrades, China is attempting a new more refined strategy for assimilating and controlling the Tibetan people; coopting Buddhism, diluting it and manipulating monks and nuns in order to have them serve as China's agents in the assimilation process, rather than merely bludgeoning Buddhism, For example, in July 1994, The Third Forum for Work in Tibet held in Beijing, attended by China's top leaders, approved a number of repressive policies in Tibet This included curtailing the spread of religious activity, including increased control and surveillance of monasteries and nunneries, This meeting resulted in the upgrading of security work undertaken by administrative bodies, beyond their existing duties as informants and political educators, The Chinese authorities, for example, created a new body of "temple registration officials" who arc seen as potential enforcement officers for new regulations involving monasteries and nunneries, Among the tenets of Tibet

an Buddhism that China most vehemently sought to eradicate as "superstitions" is the theory of tulkus A tulku is believed to be a lama who has achieved sufficient spiritual advancements that he or she can, upon death, reincarnate at will, bringing into being a new individual to carry on that tulku's work of compassion and enlightenment Accordingly, both the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Lama are tulkus Indeed, given the traditional relationship between these two spiritual leaders of Tibet, each one of them is considered the final arbiter on the correctness of the identification of the other tulkus. The late Xth Panchen Lama himself explicitly stated in a 1988 interview in China Reconstructs that mutual recognition of these two highest lamas of Tibet was required under Tibetan religious tradition. Likewise, Chinese historian Ya Hanzhang, in his 1987 official raphy of the Panchen Lainas, note that, to be "religiously legal," a reincarnation of the Panchen Lama must be recognised by the Dalai Lama, and vice versa.

However', following the demise of Xth Panchen Lama, the Chinese authorities appointed a search committee to locate his reincarnation, requiring that its choice be subject to approval by the State Council (Cabinet) of China. The search was required to be conducted only within present-day China, Notwithstanding the Chinese interference in the identification and recognition process, the search committee strictly adhered to the traditional requirement that the Dalai Lama confirm the recognition of the Panchen Lama's reincarnation. Furthermore, in July 1993, the Chinese authorities permitted the search committee leader Chadrel Rinpoche, to formally request in written, as required by tradition,, the Dalai Lama's "guidance" in the search.

As is well-known all over the world now, the Dalai Lama proclaimed six-year-old Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, as the XIth Panchen Lama of Tibet on 14 May 1995, As a Tibetan myself, I celebrated the news. However, when we realise that Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, his parents and more than 50 other Tibetans, including senior Tibetan Lamas remain under enforced disappearance (for supporting the Dalai Lama's recognition) over the last 10 months, there is nothing left to celebrate, Tibetan Buddhist all over the world now feel that the Chinese authorities insulted Tibetan Buddhism when it enthroned another Tibetan boy, Gyaltsen Norbu, as the so-called "reincarnation" of Xth Panchen Lama On 8 December 1995, Mr. Chairperson, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima is today recognised, unfortunately, as the world's youngest political prisoner. Society for Threatened Peoples, therefore, calls upon the Chinese delegation in this room to immediately declare public the whereabouts of Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, his parents and other Tibetans detained since May

1995. Over the last 10 months, governments, parliaments, UN officials, human rights organisation, religious leaders and individuals have repeatedly urged Beijing to release Gedhun Choekyi Nyima from incommunicado detention. These calls by the international community have received no positive response. The Chinese authorities have refused to give any information about the well-being of Gedhun Choekyi Nyima. Naturally, our organisation is deeply concerned about this boy's fate.

In conclusion, Mr. Chairperson, although China is using the Panchen Lama identification process to advance its own political agenda in Tibet, the issue itself is purely religious in nature, as far as our organisation is concerned. The international community, including the Commission on Human Rights must note China's action as illegitimate secular intrusion into an intimately religious mater and as the desecration and violation of an ancient religious tradition. China should allow Gedhun Choekyi Nyima to take his rightful place as the XIth Panchen Lama, at the Tashi Lhunpo Monastery in Tibet, the seat of the Panchen Lamas, to begin his most needed religious training and education.

Thank you, Mr. Chairperson.

(Delivered on 1 April, 1996 by Tsering Norzom)