MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the ban on the elections for the Tibetan government in exile in Nepal

5.4.2011

with request for inclusion in the agenda for the debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law
pursuant to Rule 122 of the Rules of Procedure

Fiorello Provera, Oreste Rossi, Giancarlo Scottà, Lorenzo Fontana, Jaroslav Paška, Juozas Imbrasas on behalf of the EFD Group

B7‑0238/2011

European Parliament resolution on the ban on the elections for the Tibetan government in exile in Nepal

The European Parliament,

–   having regard to its previous resolutions on Nepal and Tibet,

 

–   having regard to Rule 122(5) of its Rules of Procedure,

 

A. whereas H.H. the Dalai Lama reiterated his longstanding desire to fully devolve political power from his office to elected officials;

 

B. whereas on 20 March 2011 a record number of Tibetans went to polling stations around the world to elect new representatives to the Tibetan parliament and government in exile;

 

B.  whereas, under pressure from the Chinese government, Tibetans living in Kathmandu did not get permission to vote for the Tibetan parliament and government-in-exile; whereas also the estimated six million Tibetans living in Chinese-controlled Tibet were also not permitted to vote;

 

C. whereas Nepal is home to about 20 000 exiled Tibetans who began arriving in large numbers in 1959 after the Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama fled Tibet following a failed uprising against the Chinese occupation;

 

D. whereas Nepal's major parties adhere to the 'One China' policy, regarding Tibet as an integral part of China and keeping Tibetan refugees in Nepal on a tight leash;

 

E. whereas, with the fall of Nepal's monarchy in 2006 and the rise to power of the Maoist parties (Unified Communist Party of Nepal) and Marxist-Leninist Party (Unified Marxist-Leninist), the country has begun to make a series of economic agreements with the Peoples Republic of China, prohibiting any kind of anti-Chinese demonstrations;

 

F. whereas, Nepal's Public Security Act (section 3.1) has been used to justify holding individuals thought to be organizing demonstrations in preventive detention; whereas the Supreme Court of Nepal has on more than one occasion found that such a use of preventive detention orders fails to fulfil the requirements set out in Art. 25 of the Interim Constitution;

 

G. whereas approximately 2 500 Tibetan refugees escape into exile annually, travelling through Nepal en route to Dharamsala in northern India where their spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government-in-exile are based;

 

1. expresses its concern on the ban of Tibetan refugees in Kathmandu who wished to participate in the elections for the Tibetan parliament and government in exile;

 

2. Remains concerned at the growing influence of China in the internal politics of Nepal;

 

3. Urges the Nepal Government to ensure standards of protection for all refugees and to continue with efforts to prevent and reduce statelessness, in accordance with international standards, to sign the 1951 Refugee Convention or its 1967 Protocol and to follow the standards set out by the UNHCR; urges the Nepal government to allow Tibetans freedom of movement in the country, in particular as regards to cultural festivals, such as HH the Dalai Lama's birthday; urges Nepali authorities to refrain from deporting Tibetan refugees to China; urges Nepali authorities to allow young Tibetan professionals to practice their profession in the country;

 

4. Considers that the continuation of the full implementation of the Gentlemen's Agreement on the Tibetan refugees by the Nepalese authorities is essential for the protection of Tibetan refugees rights;

 

5. Calls on the High Representative of the EU through its delegation in Kathmandu to closely monitor the political situation in Nepal and urge Nepal to abide by its international human rights obligations and prevent arbitrary arrests and detentions;

 

6. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Member States, the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Government of Nepal, the Governments and Parliaments of India and the People's Republic of China, and the Secretary-General of the United Nations.