China erasing Tibetan identity: ICT

Washington, July 10 (IANS) China is intensifying human rights abuses in Tibet and using a new law to place its forced assimilation policies on a legal footing, the head of a leading Tibet advocacy group has said.

Ryan Fioresi, executive director of the International Campaign for Tibet (ICT), said the situation inside Tibet remained deeply troubling. He urged the United States and other governments to press Beijing to resume negotiations with the Dalai Lama or his representatives.

“The situation inside Tibet is quite grim,” Fioresi told IANS in an interview. “The human rights abuses are escalating from the Chinese government.”

Fioresi pointed to China’s Ethnic Unity and Progress Law, which came into force on July 1. He said the measure gave legal cover to policies aimed at weakening Tibet’s distinct identity.

“The Chinese government just implemented on July 1st, just a few days ago, the Ethnic Unity and Progress Law, which codifies many of Beijing’s forced assimilation policies into Chinese law,” he said.

“Many of the stipulations in the Ethnic Unity and Progress Law contravene China’s own constitution and its international human rights commitments.”

Fioresi said the International Campaign for Tibet had sought to draw global attention to the legislation. The organisation has appealed to governments, the United Nations and interfaith leaders to speak out.

“We called on governments, the United Nations, interfaith leaders to speak out on this law, to shine a light on what China is doing to erase Tibetan identity and to urge Beijing to change these policies,” he said.

Fioresi was speaking after a Washington gathering marking the Dalai Lama’s 91st birthday. The event brought together US government officials, diplomats, Tibetan community members, civil society representatives and journalists.

He said the Dalai Lama’s advocacy of compassion and non-violence is particularly important during the current period of global conflict.

“It’s so vitally important in the current global and geopolitical context to always go back to the essence of His Holiness’ message,” Fioresi said. “It’s an antidote to so many challenges that so many different nations, communities, peoples face around the world.”

He said the message was simple but capable of changing relations between people and nations.

Fioresi also called for renewed international diplomatic pressure on China. He said Washington had worked with the Tibetan movement for years with support from both major US political parties.

“We’re calling for the US government, but all governments, to urge China to reengage in dialogue with His Holiness or his representatives to push for a negotiated solution on Tibet,” he said.

Such talks should address the Tibetan people’s “longstanding grievances” and secure “their meaningful autonomy and their basic rights”, Fioresi added.

The Dalai Lama fled Tibet for India in 1959 and has since lived in Dharamshala. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 for pursuing a non-violent resolution of the Tibetan issue.

The United States created the post of Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues under the Tibetan Policy Act of 2002. The office coordinates US policy on Tibet and promotes dialogue between Chinese authorities and Tibetan representatives.

–IANS

lkj/ksk/dan