The International Campaign for Tibet calls on Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo to use his visit to China next week to hold China accountable for its inhumane and destructive policies in Tibet.
“Following the scandal involving former MP Frank Creyelman and Chinese authorities, the Prime Minister declared that China is an active enemy of our democracy,” notes Vincent Metten, EU Policy Director of the International Campaign for Tibet (ICT). “In light of the situation in Tibet, this statement holds true for the Tibetans as well. Recent reports clearly show that China is determined to destroy Tibetan identity. ICT is deeply concerned about the ongoing cultural genocide of the Tibetan people.”
In the run-up to the visit, the International Campaign for Tibet took the opportunity to draw the attention of the Prime Minister to recent developments inside Tibet, including the forced assimilation of Tibetan children in state-run boarding schools that separate them from their families, language and culture, as well as the forced resettlement of nomads. China is even trying to rename Tibet as the Chinese-language word “Xizang” in an attempt to give an appearance of legitimacy to its rule in Tibet.
Belgium, which currently holds the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union, has a responsibility to hold China accountable for these violations of international law.
Chinese interference in national politics goes hand in hand with repressing the Tibetan and Uyghur diasporas. In Belgium, as well as in other European countries, members of these communities receive phone calls threatening them or their families back home, urging them to cease their activities or go to the embassy or consulate to pick up a parcel without further clarification. The Belgian state has a duty to protect its citizens.
On 23 January, the human rights situation in China will be examined by the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva as part of its Universal Periodic Review. This will be another important opportunity for Belgium to express its concerns about the abuses committed against Tibetans and to put forward concrete recommendations for improving the situation on the ground.
Between 2002 and 2010, nine rounds of talks were held between representatives of the Dalai Lama and the Chinese government, a process that was then suspended by Beijing. Prime Minister De Croo should call on the Chinese authorities to resume negotiations with the Dalai Lama to resolve the conflict in Tibet.
The International Campaign for Tibet is a non-governmental organisation dedicated to promoting human rights and democratic freedoms for the Tibetan people. Its offices in Washington, Amsterdam, Berlin and Brussels operate thanks to the financial support of donors in Europe and the USA.
Media contact
Vincent Metten
EU Policy Director
International Campaign for Tibet – Brussels Office
Tel: + 32 (0)473 99 04 40
Mail: vincent.metten@savetibet.eu
www.savetibet.eu