Press Release
3 November 2012
“The Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) based in Dharamsala is encouraged by the powerful statement of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, on Friday,” said Sikyong Dr. Lobsang Sangay. Ms Pillay has strongly urged the Chinese government to “promptly address the longstanding grievances that have led to an alarming escalation in desperate forms of protest, including self-immolations, in Tibetan areas.” She was disturbed by “continuing allegations of violence against Tibetans seeking to exercise their fundamental human rights.”
The CTA considers the statement as true recognition of the urgent and tragic situation in Tibet.
Further, the CTA notes that the UN High Commissioner, inter alia, had:
- several exchanges with the Chinese government on serious human rights violations in Tibet, including UN Convention of the Rights of a Child;
- recognised Tibetans’ intense sense of frustration and despair which led them to take drastic steps and urge the Chinese government to allow Tibetans freedom of expression;
- urged the Chinese government to provide access to independent monitors and media to assess the actual conditions in the Tibetan region;
- urged the Chinese government to facilitate the pending 12 outstanding requests for official visits to China by UN Special Rapporteurs on human rights, to which the Chinese government has pledged to cooperate before the UN Human Rights Council.
We are confident that the UN will take the afore-mentioned issues to their logical conclusion with the Chinese leadership.
In addition, in view of the desperate and unprecedented spate of self-immolations by Tibetans due to China’s repressive policies and the continued intransigence of the Chinese leadership to the relentless efforts of UNHRC, we appeal to the 47-member states of the UNHRC to convene a special session on Tibet.
Media contacts:
Mr Tashi, Secretary for Information, +91 98168 43798
Mr Tashi Phuntsok, Additional Secretary, +91 98165 39103
Mr Lobsang Choedak, Press Officer , +91 98822 32476, Skype: lchoedak@skype.com, Twitter: @lchoedak
