Published by World Tibet Network News - Wednesday, Apr 24, 1996

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:

Mr. Lodi G. Gyari Mrs. Chungdak D. Koren.

El Salvador, Ecuador, Dominican Republic, Malawi and Nicaragua Vote Against China

Geneva, April 23, 1996: as the 53-member UN Commission on Human Rights took actions on country resolutions this afternoon, it was once again obstructed from criticizing China for its dismal human rights record. The resolution on the human rights situation in China and Tibet moved by European Union, United States, Japan and other countries was blocked by a procedural motion known as "no action". "This position initiated by some Commission member countries openly encourages the Chinese Government to continue to violate human rights and fundamental freedoms in Tibet and China with impunity," said Kasur Lodi G. Gyari, Head of the Tibetan Delegation in Geneva.

The resolution also co-sponsored by Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Norway, San Marino and Switzerland, expressed concern about the "inadequate protection of the distinct cultural, ethnic, linguistic and religious identity of Tibetans." Furthermore, it called upon the Chinese authorities toe ensure full implementation of its obligations under United Nations Conventions to which it is a party, including its obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

While proposing the motion of "no action", Ambassador Wu Jianmin of China using divisive North-South tactic told the Commission: "This political motivated draft resolution, however nicely wrapped, cannot change its anti-China nature. It is directed not only against China, but also against all developing countries. What is happening to China today will happen to any other developing country tomorrow. I appeal to all justice-upholding members of this Commission to vote for the motion." The Chinese Government's attempt to block its human rights situation from being discussed at the appropriate forum like the Commission on Human Rights was severely criticized by Italy, United States of America, Hungary, Canada, Bulgaria, Germany, Denmark, El Salvador, Australia and Netherlands. While Mauritania, Cuba, Angola, Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh and Pakistan spoke in support of China. India, for example, called the resolution on China as being "politically motivated." After one hour's debate, 27 countries supported the

Chinese procedural move while 20 voted against China and six abstained. "It saddens me to see that many nations from my part of the world have been manipulated by China to become its puppets at this Commission," sad one Asian NGO representative who followed the voting.

Although the whole aim of the Chinese procedural move was to block any substantive discussion, the move, on the one hand, failed because there was substantive discussion about the deplorable human rights situation in China. The Canadian Representative reminded the Commission that it must "face up to human rights and not dodge them" while the Italian Ambassador said that China's procedural move was "an open challenge to the competence of the Commission on Human Rights."

The Tibetan Government-in-Exile is deeply concerned that the United Nations is once again being "selective" when it comes to taking actions on big countries like China. If the United Nations continues to give such preferential opportunities to China, it directly contributes to threaten the very survival of the distinct cultural, religious and national identity of the six million Tibetan people;.

The result of the vote this afternoon was mainly due to the delayed lobbying efforts by the European Union, the United States of America and China's North-South divide tactics. The votes of Belarus, Ukraine, Benin who supported China, for example, and Russia and Philippines who abstained were the crucial switch-votes which probably helped China to block the resolution. "They are selling human rights for trade and other benefits. The vote also shows that the European Union failed to do an effective lobby," reacted one senior European NGO delegate who was present at the Commission.

Despite the failure of the United Nations to censure China at this year's Commission, the Tibetan Government-in-Exile, nevertheless, thanks all the governments, Non-governmental Organizations and the Chinese Democracy Movement for their consistent support. "We will continue to raise our concerns at the United Nations until China is made accountable for the systematic and persistent violations of the human rights in Tibet," said Mrs. Chungdak D. Koren, Representative of H.H. the Dalai Lama for United Nations Affairs.

THE TIBET BUREAU

Office of the Representative of H.H.the Dalai Lama (United Nations Affairs), GENEVA