MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION
10.3.2009
pursuant to Rule 108(5) of the Rules of Procedure
by Mieczysław Edmund Janowski and Hanna Foltyn-Kubicka
on the 50th anniversary of the Tibetan uprising and dialogue between the Dalai Lama and the Chinese Government
See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B6-0135/2009
B6‑0137/2009
European Parliament resolution on the 50th anniversary of the Tibetan uprising and dialogue between the Dalai Lama and the Chinese Government
The European Parliament,
– having regard to its earlier resolutions on country-regionChinacountry-region and on placeTibet,
– having regard to the statement made by the Dalai Lama to the European Parliament on 4 December 2008,
– having regard to the Concluding Observations of the UN Committee against Torture of November 2008,
– having regard to Rule 108(5) of its Rules of Procedure,
A. whereas 10 March 2009 marks the 50th anniversary of the Dalai Lama's forced escape from country-regionTibetcountry-region and the beginning of his exile in placeIndia,
B. whereas eight rounds of dialogue between the envoys of the Dalai Lama and representatives of the Chinese Government have produced no breakthrough
C. whereas the Chinese authorities banned the annual prayer festival of Monlam Chenmo, which has great symbolic meaning for the Tibetan monks, and whereas the Tibetan monks defied this ban, peacefully praying in the streets, but were dispersed when armed police confronted them in anti-riot gear,
D. whereas 109 monks of the monastery of An Tuo, in the Chinese province of Qinghai, were arrested on 25 February 2009 during a peaceful march on the occasion of the Tibetan New Year,
E. whereas these two new repressive acts show that the Chinese authorities, under the pretext of preserving territorial unity, are trying to further limit the freedom of religion and belief of the Tibetan monks,
F. whereas the 'Memorandum on Genuine Autonomy for the Tibetan People', produced at the request of the Chinese Government and presented by envoys of the Dalai Lama at the eighth round of talks in November 2008 in Beijing, respects the principles of the Chinese Constitution and the territorial integrity of the People's Republic of China, but was rejected by the Chinese Government as a bid for 'semi-independence' and 'independence in disguise',
1. Reaffirms its sympathy and solidarity with the Tibetan people; recognises the moral and political authority of the Dalai Lama; and calls on the Chinese authorities to fully respect the legitimate rights of the Tibetan people to perform their own cultural and religious functions and ceremonies;
2. Urges the Chinese Government to consider the 'Memorandum for Genuine Autonomy for the Tibetan People' of November 2008 as a basis for substantive discussion with a view to positive, meaningful change in Tibet, while conforming to the principles outlined in the constitution and laws of the People's Republic of China;
3. Calls on the Council Presidency to adopt a declaration on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the exile of the Dalai Lama to India, asking the Chinese Government to ensure full respect for the religious freedom and cultural identity of the Tibetan people and to relaunch meaningful negotiations without preconditions with the Dalai Lama and his envoys, and to include a reference to the 'Memorandum for Genuine Autonomy for the Tibetan People';
4. Urges the Chinese authorities to provide unimpeded access to country-regionTibet for UN human rights experts, in particular the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and other independent observers, to investigate the situation in country-regionplaceTibet;
5. Calls on the Chinese Government to release, immediately and unconditionally, all those detained solely for engaging in peaceful protest, and to account for all who have been killed or have gone missing and all those detained, including names, whereabouts and charges against them; calls in particular for the release of the 11th Panchen Lama, Gendhun Choecky Nyima, the youngest political prisoner in the world, who will be 20 years old on 25 April;
6. Reiterates its call on the Chinese Government to guarantee adequate medical care for injured Tibetans and legal assistance for arrested Tibetans, to treat them in accordance with international human rights law, and to refrain from torture;
7. Asks the Chinese authorities to allow the foreign media unrestricted access to country-regionplaceTibet, including the Tibetan areas outside the Tibet Autonomous Region, and to cease to require special permits for access to the Tibet Autonomous Region;
8. Calls on the Chinese authorities to take account of the recommendation of the UN Committee against Torture of November 2008 regarding the widespread excessive use of force and other abuses in the Tibet Autonomous Region;
9. Reiterates its call on the Member States to take into consideration the possibility of recognising the Tibetan government-in-exile as the legitimate representative of the Tibetan people should the Chinese authorities impede the relaunch of or preclude any progress in the negotiations on genuine autonomy for the Tibetan people;
10. Reiterates its call on the Council to appoint a Special Envoy for Tibetan issues in order to facilitate the dialogue between the parties and closely follow the negotiations once they are resumed;
11. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the governments and parliaments of the PlaceNameMemberPlaceType States, the President, Government and Parliament of the People's Republic of placecountry-regionChina, and His Holiness the Dalai Lama.