Verbatim report of proceedings

Tuesday, 12 June 2012 - Strasbourg

15. Situation in Tibet (debate)

  President. – The next item is the statement by the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on the situation in Tibet (2012/2685(RSP)).

I would like to remind the Members in the Chamber that there will be no catch-the-eye procedure during this debate.

  Catherine Ashton, Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. – Mr President, defence and promotion of human rights around the world is a key component of the EU’s foreign policy. In this context, we follow closely the human rights situation in Tibet. We consider that our human rights dialogue with China is an essential part of the EU-China relationship and, in this context, we are committed to engage with China to improve the situation on the ground.

The European Union is concerned by the deterioration of the situation in Tibet, illustrated by the wave of self-immolations and by clashes between police and local people since the beginning of the year. In recent days, we have been particularly concerned by the news of mass arrests and detentions taking place in the Tibetan Autonomous Region following self-immolations in Lhasa, as well as reports that the area has been closed to foreigners.

Honourable Members, some 37 self-immolations of Tibetans have occurred in China since 2011. These have been concentrated in Sichuan province but have also taken place in other Tibetan-populated areas where increasing restrictions on religious activities seem to have given rise to a surge of frustration and protest among Tibetans.

Over the last three years, an increasing number of Tibetan intellectuals and cultural figures have faced criminal charges or been imprisoned. We are worried by restrictions on the expression of Tibetan identity and freedom of expression in Tibet. The EU has taken note that the five-year plans adopted by the Chinese authorities in January and March 2011 include an expansion of hydropower, railways, mining and tourism across the Tibetan plateau. We welcome China’s wish to raise the living standards of the Tibetan population. However, there are reports of growing discontent among Tibetans regarding local development policies, and of protests against mining and hydro-electric projects.

The EU supports the Chinese authorities and their wish to better protect the environment in China, but nevertheless, we are most concerned about the impact of the policy of resettlement of Tibetan nomads. Tibetan culture and traditional lifestyles are based on a nomadic way of life. While taking note of the Chinese authority’s commitment that the resettlement of nomads is intended to preserve the Tibetan grasslands, we do question whether the objective of environmental protection can only be reached by eliminating the traditional way of life of Tibetans who have lived for centuries in harmony with nature. We are concerned that the compulsory resettlement of all nomads has the potential to destroy the distinctive Tibetan culture and identity.

We are also worried by the impact of the policy to make Mandarin Chinese the primary language of instruction in Tibetan schools, as in schools in other minority-populated areas. Several hundred students protested against the reform of the education system that seeks to promote education in Chinese rather than in Tibetan in Qinghai province.

We are also concerned about the intensification of restrictions on religious activities in Tibet, including quotas of monks and nuns who may reside at a monastery and measures limiting their travel between different areas.

Honourable Members, we raised all these issues at the EU-China human rights dialogue on 29 May 2012. We call upon the Chinese authorities to ensure that the human rights of the Tibetan people are respected, including their rights to freedom of expression and freedom of assembly, as well as the right to enjoy their own culture, to practise their own religion and to use their own language.

We also urge the Chinese authorities to exercise restraint and to allow access by foreign diplomats and journalists to all Tibetan autonomous areas. Following the last meeting between the Chinese authorities and the envoys of the Dalai Lama in early 2010, the EU strongly supports the restart of the dialogue between all parties in order to contribute to a durable solution. We believe this dialogue can contribute to the improvement of the human rights situation of the Tibetan people.

  Thomas Mann, on behalf of the PPE Group. – (DE) Mr President, we are sending out a number of different signals by holding this debate on human rights. We will not accept violations of human dignity, injustice or the persecution of minorities. This includes the situation in Tibet. Baroness Ashton, as High Representative of the Union, you have raised the issue of the events at the Kirti monastery, including the siege, the abduction of people to unknown destinations and the torture, as part of the dialogue between the EU and China. You have rightly called for explanations. The answer given by the Chinese authorities was succinct. The monks themselves were responsible for the social unrest.

There has been no let-up in the brutal suppression of Tibetan culture, spirituality, language and fundamental chances of survival. This is why dozens of nuns and monks have immolated themselves as a symbol of protest but also of powerlessness. These desperate calls for help must not go unheard. On behalf of the Tibet Intergroup in this House, the Group of the European People’s Party (Christian Democrats) and the vast majority of the representatives of the European people, I would like to repeat the call that we have been making for years. Appoint a special representative for Tibet based on the model of the US Department of State or put in place a future coordinator for human rights, a person who will provide Tibet with visible public support and coordinate the measures taken by the Commission and the Council. As there are still no noticeable improvements in the living conditions in Tibet, Baroness Ashton, you must ensure that the subject of Tibet appears on the agenda of every meeting with the representatives of the People’s Republic of China. The Tibetans, who have been subjected to immense suffering for decades, need this sign of hope and European solidarity.

  Ana Gomes, on behalf of the S&D Group. – Mr President, China embodies much more than a country, more than the Communist state and more than the current wild and corrupt capitalist economy. It is an extraordinary civilisation and a people whom I greatly admire. China also has particular responsibilities as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, among them to respect human rights and to ensure they are respected, which is a particular pillar of the United Nations Charter.

I cannot accept that any allegations of constraints, of whatever kind, exercised in Tibetan monasteries and in Tibetan life can be any excuse to justify China’s violation of the human rights of the Tibetans in Tibet and elsewhere. I believe that the Tibetans have the right to enjoy their own culture, identity and freedom. They should be entitled to freedom of religion, to practise their religion and to practise freedom of expression and assembly. I cannot accept China closing Tibet to foreign visitors, including foreign diplomats and journalists. What is there to hide? I cannot accept that the Panchen Lama child has disappeared for decades and that China does not account for the people that have self-immolated in the last months and the mass arrests and detentions that go on.

I believe the current authorities in China are making a big mistake in continuing to refuse to negotiate with the Dalai Lama. It is a self-defeat for China. This will actually prepare the way for a more extremist, hard-line leadership in the future. This is the reason why I will vote for this resolution.

  Kristiina Ojuland, on behalf of the ALDE Group. – Mr President, the ALDE Group has drawn attention to the human rights situation in Tibet on several occasions, yet we have failed to see much progress being made. We appreciate that the EU has raised the Tibetan issues in the framework of the EU-China Human Rights Dialogue, but clearly further steps are needed to move on from formal rhetoric to genuine dialogue and commitment.

The policies of the People’s Republic of China have become increasingly repressive after the protests of 2008. There is an ongoing human rights crisis in Tibet, which manifests itself in arrests, torture and political imprisonment; restricted freedom of expression, association and belief, as well as in the marginalisation of Tibetan identity, language and culture. Such repressive policies have provoked the reported self-immolation of 38 Tibetans since 2009. The gravity of the situation calls for greater involvement of the EU.

We therefore strongly urge the soon-to-be-appointed European Union Special Representative for Human Rights to ensure that the EU spotlight remains on Tibet by reporting regularly on this issue. However, in order to reflect the gravity of the Tibetan issue and worsening repression, we strongly believe that the High Representative must also appoint a special coordinator for Tibet responsible for advancing the human rights of the Tibetan people and encouraging constructive dialogue between the PRC and the Tibetan Government-in-exile.

It has been repeatedly stressed that human rights are an integral part of EU external policies, which is all the more reason for taking an exemplary position in our relations with China, as human rights have remained the main obstacle so far.

  Eva Lichtenberger, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group. – (DE) Mr President, Baroness Ashton, as you have explained, the situation in Tibet is not only very bad, but is also continuing to deteriorate. We should all see this as an alarm signal. The response of the Chinese leadership to the desperate acts of self-immolation has been even greater repression.

Tibet has once again been closed to the press, to free reporting and to tourists. The Sino-Tibetan talks have been put on hold. The autonomy which Tibet enjoys according to the Chinese constitution exists only on paper and has not been implemented. The Chinese leadership reacts aggressively to all forms of criticism of this situation from the representatives of the European Union. I would like to highlight the fact that the forced resettlement of nomads is not only damaging to Tibetan culture, but is also a problem for the environment in the Tibetan highlands.

We want this policy to change. We want genuine autonomy for Tibet within the Chinese constitution, real rights to education, tradition and religion and an end to marginalisation. In order to achieve this, the European Union must take a firm stand as part of its policy on Tibet, as previous speakers have said.

  Catherine Ashton, Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. – Mr President, I would like to thank honourable Members for the support they have given to the work we are seeking to do concerning Tibet. We have taken the opportunity to raise these issues at all of the high-level political meetings we have with our Chinese counterparts, as well as making several démarches to express our anxiety not only about the situation in Tibet, but also about individual cases of concern. We have been asking to visit the region inhabited by Tibetans, but in an unrestricted way, because for reasons that you will appreciate, that is what we would wish to do.

These concerns have been raised at our summits. They have been raised, as I have indicated, at the Human Rights Dialogue. We have had démarches on Tibet at the end of last year and this year, and we expressed our concern at the Human Rights Council in early March.

I can assure honourable Members that we will continue to raise those concerns and continue to pick up the issues, as I described at the beginning and as honourable Members have done, about individuals, about the nomadic life, about language and culture, which are so important to the people of Tibet.

  President. – I have received five motions for resolutions⁽¹⁾ tabled in accordance with Rule 110(2) of the Rules of Procedure.

The debate is closed.

The vote will take place on Thursday, 14 June, at 12.00.

Written statements (Rule 149)

  Kinga Gál (PPE), in writing. – (HU) Since November 2010, we have already adopted three resolutions on Tibet here in the European Parliament. The fact that today, the case is once again on the agenda is an indication of the severity of the situation. Since 2009 already, 35 Tibetan monks have set themselves on fire in a final act of desperation. The Chinese authorities are restricting the Tibetan people’s exercise of their cultural and religious rights and their access to education in their native language, are manipulating the ethnic proportions of the Tibetan population through settlement, and are forcing Tibet to abandon the ancient lifestyle of the indigenous population. This situation is unacceptable! All international bodies need to pay increased attention. The issue of Tibet may be an ever-present topic in the EU’s dialogues with China, but it is not enough to discuss the matter – concrete progress is needed. An effective and tangible arrangement must be secured to protect the rights of the Tibetan people, even by putting pressure on China, if necessary. I hope that through the new Special Representative for Human Rights to be elected soon, the EU will be able to take more effective action in this respect. As the Dalai Lama himself said at our solemn plenary session in Brussels in 2008: the Tibetan people are seeking autonomy for Tibet rather than complete independence, and renounce a violent solution. We must therefore give the Tibetan community all our support in their peaceful freedom fight for self-determination.

  Jarosław Leszek Wałęsa (PPE), in writing. – (PL) When considering the present situation in Tibet, we should start by noting that, year after year, Freedom House cites Tibet as the worst place in terms of respect for freedom and human rights. Following the bloody uprising against China on 10 March 1959, when the Dalai Lama and 80 000 Tibetans fled to India, the situation in this country has been very serious. There is a palpable atmosphere of fear. Innocent people are still being tortured and imprisoned and denied most of the rights that are guaranteed under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Chinese Government has banned all signs of support for the Dalai Lama. We should also remember the terrible events occurring in Tibet since March 2011, when a monk set himself alight as a protest against Chinese occupation. Since then, about 40 people have self-immolated in protest at the policies conducted by the Chinese authorities in respect of Tibetans, and most of them have died.

It should be emphasised that human right defenders describe these suicides as a desperate attempt to respond to Beijing’s cultural and religious repression and the growing Han domination. However, the Chinese Interior Ministry blames this situation on the Dalai Lama, saying that he is encouraging terrorists to engage in separatist activities. The Dalai Lama himself is opposed to any kind of violence in the struggle for Tibetan freedom, rights and national dignity. In view of this troubling situation in Tibet, we should immediately start acting to negotiate agreements for the future of Tibet. The people living in this area need both political and financial assistance but, first of all, steps need to be taken to promote human rights and religious freedom.

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