To: Multiple recipients of list TSG-L
TO: Tibet groups involved in political campaigning
FROM: Tibet Support Committee, Denmark
DATE: 14 October 1996
RE: Final report on the 96th IPU meeting in Beijing on
16-21 September 1996
DISTRIBUTION: Core TSG members only (but paragraphs 1, 3, 4, 7,
9 and 10 can be distributed freely)
Dear friends,
The Tibet issue experienced a breakthrough at the recent 96th Inter-Parliamentary Conference in Beijing. It is not incidential that this breakthrough took place at the same time as TSGs worldwide lobbied IPU delegates more actively than ever before. There is a definately an undeveloped potential for support to Tibet at the IPU and we hope you will join the efforts if yoou have not done so already. We have tried to design this report as a tool for such involvement.
CONTENTS:
1. Summary of the results of the 96th IPU conference
2. Preparations before the 96th conference
3. The IPU and the 96th Inter-Parliamentary Conference: General facts
4. Individual statements on Tibet at the conference
5. The Friendship Group on Tibet
6. Discussion on Tibet in the 12+ Group
7. The memorandum on Tibet passed by the 12+ Group
8. How to coordinate future lobby work
9. The 97th IPU conference in Seoul, April 1997
10. Ressources and addresses
1. SUMMARY OF THE RESULTS OF THE 96TH IPU CONFERENCE
The concrete results were, in brief:
* About a dozen parliamentarians took up the issue of human rights violations in Tibet in their individual statements at the conference.
* A text calling for negotiations between His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Chinese authorities was passed by the "12+ Group", the IPU's regional group for Europe and other western countries.
* The IPU resolution on item 4 of the agenda of the conference included language urging governments to end forced sterilisation of women and forced abortion.
* The Dalai Lama's statement at the Tibet hearing in Copenhagen on 13 May 1996 was distributed to IPU delegates together with a document on the Tibetan Parliament in Exile.
* And a solid group of committed parliamentarians formed a Friendship Group on Tibet in the IPU.
The conference also saw some drawbacks as the 12+ Group decided NOT to recommend the IPU to grant observer status to a delegation from the Tibetan Parliament in Exile at future IPU conferences, and NOT to recommend the Council of the IPU to establish an Ad Hoc Committee on Tibet.
2. PREPARATIONS BEFORE THE 96TH CONFERENCE
During the 95th IPU meeting in Istanbul in April 1996, an Ad Hoc Group on the Tibetan Issue was formed by the 12+ Group with MP Mr. Henning Gjellerod (Denmark) as its chairman. Its purpose was to present a memorandum on Tibet to the 12+ Group at the 96th conference, after which it would be dissolved.
At the Second Conference of TSGs in Bonn, it was agreed to make an effort to lobby the IPU, and the Tibet Support Committee, Denmark, promised to coordinate the work. We drafted a long memorandum using wording from existing parliamentary resolutions and Gjellerod sent it to the members of the Ad Hoc Group for comments. However, the Canadian IPU delegate, Mr. Consiglio Di Nino, proposed the wording below that the Ad Hoc Group agreed to take to Beijing as a draft memorandum:
"Parliamentarians attending the 96th Inter-Parliamentary Conference call on all Parliamentarians of the Union:
To support the efforts of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan people to solve the Tibetan problem non-violently, including urging the Chinese authorities to meet with His Holiness the Dalai Lama without preconditions and at a neutral site;
To establish within the Union a Tibet Friendship Group and invite all individual members of the IPU to join it,
Request the Inter-Parliamentary Council to place on its agenda for the 160th session in Seoul in April 1997 the following item: "The establishment of an IPU Ad Hoc Committee on Tibet";
To grant observer status to a delegation of the Tibetan Parliament in Exile at future IPU conferences." (end)
The Danish IPU delegation agreed to bring copies of the Dalai Lama's statement at the Tibet hearing in Copenhagen on 13 May 1996 to Beijing and distribute it to IPU delegates together with a document on the Tibetan Parliament in Exile.
Thanks to TSGs in many countries, a large number of parliamentarians going to Beijing received letters urging them to raise the Tibetan issue and to specifically call for negotiations between His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Chinese government, as well as working for observer status at the IPU for the Tibetan Parliament in Exile.
3. THE IPU AND THE 96TH INTER-PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCE: GENERAL FACTS
The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), founded in Paris in 1889, is a world organisation for parliaments of sovereign states. It now has 135 Members and three Associate Members. The IPU works for peace and co-operation among peoples and for the firm establishment of representative institutions. The IPU member parliaments host week-long spring and autumn Inter-Parliamentary Conferences in turn to discuss political, economic, social and cultural problems of international significance.
The IPU members are organised in regional groups. Apart from participating in the plenary sessions, the respective groups hold meetings each day during the Conferences. Most European and western countries belong to a regional group called the 12+ Group. Member parliaments in the 12+ Group are from the following countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States. Israel, the European Parliament and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe have status as observers at 12+ Group meetings.
The 96th Conference in Beijing took place on 16-21 September 1996 and was attended by 1,056 delegates, including 589 MPs from 118 member parliaments. In addition to a general debate in plenary on the 'political, economic and social situation in the world' the agenda items included 'promoting greater respect and protection of human rights in general and in particular for women and children' (item 4) and 'policies and strategies to ensure the right to food in this time of globalization of the economy and trade liberalization' (item 5).
4. INDIVIDUAL STATEMENTS ON TIBET AT THE CONFERENCE
For a more detailed description of the statements, see Tseten Samdup's report to the TSG-L on 4 October.
During the plenary session on 17 September, Norwegian MP Harald Ellefsen made a thoughtful and explicit statement on the human rights situation in the host country. Turning to Tibet, he called attention to the long relationship and ancient treaties between Tibet and China, the Tibetans' right to self-determination and world concern at China's violent response to the non-violent protest movement. Referring to Tibet as an occupied country, he concluded by calling upon the 'rulers of the People's Republic of China' to "Extend the hand of friendship to the Tibetans and their leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama. You have nothing to lose but much to gain both politically and spiritually".
Later in the morning, the leader of the Estonian delegation, Mrs. Krista Kilvet, expressed the hope that the Chinese government would "respond positively to the initiatives of the Dalai Lama" regarding Tibet and that the six-year old boy about whom there was argument would soon be released.
At the end of the morning, NPC Standing Committee member Mr. Zhu Qizhen countered 'accusations' against his country with the familiar litany about serfs and slaves in feudal times versus statistics about social indicators and vast subsidies. He singled out Mr. Ellefsen's statement which he characterized as 'going against the spirit of the conference'.
During the afternoon Plenary, Netherlands MP Mr. H. Vos voiced dissatisfaction with Chinese intolerance of the diversity of views represented by IPU delegates. He pointed out that there was "clearly a lack of freedom of speech" in Tibet.
The deputy-leader of the Austrian delegation, Mr. Josef Hochtl, praised China's highly successful changes but regretted there was little progress in the field of human rights and that the Tibetans were "deprived of religious, ethnic and political freedoms". The government had abducted the child approved by the Dalai Lama for the position of Panchen Lama and imposed another one in his place. The entire world was following this situation: would the Chinese delegation inform the Conference where the abducted child was being held?
During the debate on human rights on 18 September, an Australian MP called upon all parliamentarians gathered in Beijing to take notice of the gravity of the human rights situation in Tibet.
Swiss MP Georg Stucky emphasized respect for the crucial role of the mother-tongue in a child's development. States and national majorities should refrain from misusing language training to manipulate children's spiritual and cultural values. "... knowing what is happening in Tibet, we should not remain silent. Chinese culture is being used to marginalize Tibetan culture, in order to prevent the region from preserving its cultural identity."
The Finnish MP Mr. H. Kemppainen on 19 Spetember said that China was still no nearer to giving autonomy to Tibet.
The head of the Danish delegation, MP Mr. Henning Gjellerod, pointed out that "parliamentarians from all over the world are able to play an important role in solving urgent topics. Let me just mention the Tibetan issue, the Chechnian issue, the Kurdish issue and so on".
UK MP Michael Connarty, and a member from Ireland were among other delegates that raised the question of rights violations in Tibet.
On 19 September, during the debate on the right to food, Canadian MP Mr. Di Nino said that in the case of Tibet, "the Chinese occupation has resulted in the disruption of the ecological balance of the that region, destroying scarce farm lands, and where China's policy of population transfer to Tibet is not only destroying and ancient and rich cultural and religious way of life, it is also making feeding of Tibetans much more difficult because in order to feed the Chinese population, scarce lands are being used to grow foods not indigenous to the area nor part of the local diet."
A Chinese delegate, a former minister for agriculture, countered that "since the peaceful liberation in 1949, China has sent more than 2 billion yuan to cover Tibet's essential needs. When I went to Tibet with the German president he was satisfied with the situation". Furthermore, "people from the interior are being sent to Tibet to develop the region". He concluded that "people should not talk without knowing the situation. They should go and see for themselves."
At the end of the session, Senator Di Nino reassured the former minister that he had first-hand knowledge, having spent 3 and 1/2 weeks in Tibet.
In Beijing, Estonian MP Mr. Mart Laar presented a paper on "Tibet - A Captured Country" succinctly highlighting its political history, the Chinese invasion, the harsh occupation and contemporary demonstrations and repression: "The policy of repression which China has continued to pursue in Tibet has resulted in serious violations of human rights, environmental degradation and massive economic, social, legal and political discrimination against the Tibetan population and, ultimately, the sinicisation of Tibet. This includes in particular depriving the Tibetan population of equal opportunities in the educational field." Citing the abduction of the Panchen Lama as an example of the violations, he called for peaceful negotiations as the only means to "stop the destruction of Tibet and preserve peace in the region".
5. THE FRIENDSHIP GROUP ON TIBET
On 17 September, the Ad Hoc Group on the Tibetan Issue met to form a new group, the Friendship Group on Tibet, and to discuss action on Tibet at the Conference. Among the MPs participating in the meeting were:
Mr. Jacques Lefevre (Belgium)
Mr. Henning Gjellerod (Denmark)
Mr. Jorma Kukkonen (Finland)
Mrs. Annika Lapintie (Finland)
Mrs. Marie Mainvialle (France)
Mrs. Uschi Eid (Germany)
Mr. Harald Ellefsen (Norway)
Mr. Peter Eriksson (Sweden)
Mr. Ulf Bjorklund (Sweden)
6. DISCUSSION ON TIBET IN THE 12+ GROUP
The draft memorandum presented by Mr. Gjellerod (Denmark) on behalf of the Friendship Group on Tibet met resistance from the leading members of the 12+ Group, mainly its then chairman, Mr. Bosa (Canada), its likely next chairman and earlier chairman of the European Council, Miguel Martinez (Spain), and the present chairman of the European Council, Lennie Fischer (spelling?) (Germany). The objections to the proposed text were manifold and of both political and technical nature but most parliamentarians in the Group were actually supportive of Tibet, even some of those who objected to the text. Some MPs thought that IPU was not the right forum for the Tibetan question. Others were against the establishment of an Ad Hoc Committee on Tibet within the IPU due to financial constraints. Other parliamentarians present found it a good idea. The main objection was, though, to include the Tibetan Parliament in Exile in the memorandum. The parliamentarians who spoke against the text found that exile parliaments were not
representative because they had not been elected by the original constituency.
Gjellerod then proposed an alternative text. Instead of requsting observer status at IPU meetings for a delegation from the Tibetan Parliament in Exile, Gjellerod suggested that representatives of the Dalai Lama were given such status. Bosa objected to this, answering that delegations from individuals could not get observer status at IPU meetings. Gjellerod then removed the two last paragraphs and others were added.
7. THE MEMORANDUM ON TIBET PASSED BY THE 12+ GROUP
The following text was finally approved by the 12+ Group on 19 September:
"Memorandum on the Tibetan issue
Prepared by the IPU 12+ Group
-------------------------------------------------
The 12+ Group at the 96th Inter-Parliamentary Conference in Beijing on 16-21 September 1996,
Deeply concerned about the violations of human rights of the Tibetan people and recognizing their right to preserve their cultural and religious identity: thus urging the Conference to include a paragraph in this respect in its resolution on the item 4 of the agenda,
Call on all Parliamentarians of the Union,
to support the efforts of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan people to solve the Tibetan problem non-violently, including urging the Chinese Authorities to meet with His Holiness the Dalai Lama without preconditions and at a neutral site,
to join the 12+ Friendship Group on Tibet, which meets during conferences and to establish similar friendship groups at a national level." (end)
As a result of this memorandum, the following paragraph was introduced in the IPU resolution on item 4 ('promoting greater respect and protection of human rights in general and in particular for women and children'):
(The 96th Inter-Parliamentary Conference,) "27. URGES governments to end forced sterilization of women and forced abortion, which in all cases constitute a grave violation of the woman's perssonal integrity and in ssome cases are also used for suppressing peoples and minorities;"
8. HOW TO COORDINATE FUTURE LOBBY WORK
A strategy for the next IPU conference has to be worked out soon. One target should definately be to reach IPU delegations from a larger number of countries. We ask those on the TSG-L who are interested in discussing a strategy for the 97th meeting in Seoul to indicate their interest by sending us a note (lutzer.mathiasen@online.pol.dk). We have thought about asking Dan Haig to set up an alias list for discussion of IPU work but will only do so if it is needed. In the meantime, we will meet Mr. Gjellerod to discuss the possibilities for future IPU work for Tibet with him. It might be a good idea if those of you who have good contacts with IPU delegates in your country meet them to ask for their ideas and to sustain their commitment for Tibet.
9. THE 97TH IPU CONFERENCE IN SEOUL, 11-15 APRIL 1997
The next Inter-Parliamentary Conference, the 97th, will be held in Seoul, South Korea, from 10 to 15 April 1997. The IPU's Council has chosen the following agenda for the 97th Conference:
Item 1 Election of the President and Vice-Presidents of the 97th Conference
Item 2 Consideration of possible requests for the inclusion of a supplementary item in the [Seoul '97] Conference agenda
Item 3 General debate on the political, economic and social situation in the world
Item 4 Co-operation for world and regional security and stability, as well as for respect for all forms of the sovereignty and independence of States
Item 5 Measures required to change consumption and production patterns with a view to sustainable development
10. RESSOURCES AND ADDRESSES
Further information on the IPU and the document "Results of the 96th Conference and Related Meetings" can be obtained from:
The Information Officer
Inter-Parliamentary Union
B.P 438
CH-1211 Geneva 19
Switzerland
Tel. +41 22 919 41 50
Fax: +41 22 733 31 41
Another useful document that you can ask for is the IPU's "Statutes and Rules".
The IPU's homepage on the Internet is at http://www.ipu.org
You are also welcome to contact us:
Tibet Support Committee, Denmark
Ryesgade 90 A
DK-2100 Copenhagen O
Denmark
Tel. +45 32 95 16 38 (Mrs. Stella Lutzer (chairman))
Fax: +45 31 23 14 26
E-mail: lutzer.mathiasen@online.pol.dk
With many regards
Anders H. Andersen
information officer
