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“SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS” mentioning the U.S. Dept of State was published in the Senate section on pages S5808-S5809 on May 19, 2004.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS
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SENATE RESOLUTION 365--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING THE
DETENTION OF TIBETAN POLITICAL PRISONERS BY THE GOVERNMENT OF THE
PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA
Mr. BROWNBACK (for himself and Mr. Bingaman) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations:
S. Res. 365
Whereas, for more than 1,000 years, Tibet has maintained a sovereign national identity that is distinct from the national identity of China;
Whereas armed forces of the People's Republic of China invaded Tibet in 1949 and 1950, and have occupied it ever since;
Whereas, according to the Department of State and international human rights organizations, the Government of the People's Republic of China continues to commit widespread and well-documented human rights abuses in Tibet;
Whereas the People's Republic of China has yet to demonstrate its willingness to abide by internationally accepted standards of freedom of belief, expression, and association by repealing or amending laws and decrees that restrict those freedoms;
Whereas the Government of the People's Republic of China has detained hundreds of Tibetan nuns, monks, and lay persons as political prisoners for speaking out against China's occupation of Tibet and for their efforts to preserve Tibet's distinct national identity;
Whereas Phuntsog Nyidron was arrested on October 14, 1989, together with 5 other nuns, for participating in a peaceful protest against China's occupation of Tibet;
Whereas, on February 26, 2004, following a sustained international campaign on her behalf, the Government of the People's Republic of China released Phuntsog Nyidron from detention after she served more than 14 years of her 16-year sentence;
Whereas Tenzin Delek, a prominent Tibetan religious leader, and 3 other monks were arrested on April 7, 2002, during a nighttime raid on Jamyang Choekhorling monastery in Nyagchu County, Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture;
Whereas, following a closed trial and more than 8 months of incommunicado detention, Tenzin Delek and another Tibetan, Lobsang Dhondup, were convicted of inciting separatism and for their alleged involvement in a series of bombings on December 2, 2002;
Whereas Lobsang Dhondup was sentenced to death and Tenzin Delek was sentenced to death with a 2-year suspension;
Whereas the Government of the People's Republic of China promised senior officials of the United States and other governments that the cases of Lobsang Dhondup and Tenzin Delek would be subjected to a ``lengthy review'' by the Supreme People's Court prior to the death sentences being carried out;
Whereas the Supreme People's Court never carried out the promised review, and Lobsang Dhondup was executed on January 26, 2003;
Whereas the Government of the People's Republic of China has failed to produce any evidence that either Lobsang Dhondup or Tenzin Delek were involved in the crimes for which they were convicted, despite repeated requests from officials of the United States and other governments;
Whereas the Government of the People's Republic of China continues to imprison Tibetans for engaging in peaceful efforts to protest China's occupation of Tibet and preserve the Tibetan identity;
Whereas Tibetan political prisoners are routinely subjected to beatings, electric shock, solitary confinement, and other forms of torture and inhumane treatment while in Chinese custody;
Whereas the Government of the People's Republic of China continues to exert control over religious and cultural institutions in Tibet, abusing human rights through the torture, arbitrary arrest, and detention without fair or public trial of Tibetans who peacefully express their political or religious views or attempt to preserve the unique Tibetan identity; and
Whereas the Government of the People's Republic of China has paroled individual political prisoners for good behavior or for medical reasons in the face of strong international pressure, but has failed to make the systemic changes necessary to provide minimum standards of due process or protections for basic civil and political rights: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that--
(1) the Government of the People's Republic of China is in violation of international human rights standards by detaining and mistreating Tibetans who engage in peaceful activities to protest China's occupation of Tibet or promote the preservation of a distinct Tibetan identity;
(2) sustained international pressure on the Government of the People's Republic of China is essential to improve the human rights situation in Tibet and secure the release of Tibetan political prisoners;
(3) the Government of the United States should--
(A) raise the cases of Tenzin Delek and other Tibetan political prisoners in every meeting with officials from the People's Republic of China; and
(B) work with other governments concerned about human rights in Tibet and China to encourage the release of Tibetan political prisoners and promote systemic improvement of human rights in Tibet and China; and
(4) the Government of the People's Republic of China should, as a gesture of goodwill and in order to promote human rights, immediately release all Tibetan political prisoners, including Tenzin Delek.
Mr. BROWNBACK. Mr. President, today I am introducing a resolution with my colleague, Senator Bingaman, calling on the Chinese Government to release all Tibetan political prisoners. One individual of concern is the prominent religious leader Tenzen Delek.
On April 7, 2002 Tenzen Delek and 3 other monks were arrested at their monastery. Subsequently, Tenzen was held incommunicado for 8 months and sentenced to death with a two years suspension after a closed door trial. Tenzen Delek and Lobsang Dhondup were both convicted of inciting separatism. Lobsang Dhondup was sentenced to death and executed on January 26, 2003, only one month after the sentence was handed down. Given the arbitrary and political nature of China's judiciary, Tenzen Delek could be put to death at any time. It has been 2 years since his April 7, 2002 arrest, and December 2004 will mark two years since he was sentenced to death.
Tenzen Delek moved to a monastery at the young age of 7, and by early adulthood he was active on issues of culture and religion and a dedicated supporter of the Dalai Lama and his teachings. More than likely, his community work and societal influence left him subject to the suspicion of the Chinese government. It is this sort of peaceful protest of China's occupation of Tibet that has landed so many other Tibetans in jail.
Mr. President, this resolution recognizes China's violation of internationally recognized human rights standards, and calls on the Chinese government to release Tenzen Delek and the other Tibetans who remain in jail. Phuntsog Nyidron is a prominent Tibetan nun who was arrested in 1989 for her peaceful protest of the political situation and remained in jail for 14 years. Just this February she was freed after the House passed a similar resolution calling for her release. The International Campaign for Tibet estimates that there are 150 political prisoners in Tibet, and 75 percent of them are monks and nuns. Those unfortunate enough to find themselves in a Chinese prison are often subjected to physical and mental torture, and isolation. Many of them do not make it out of custody alive.
Mr. President, I hope my colleagues will join me in cosponsoring this resolution. For more than 50 years the Tibetan people have struggled to preserve their 1,000 year old sovereign national identity. The Chinese occupation that began in 1949 brought with it the subjugation of the Tibetan people at the hand of the People's Liberation Army, destruction of thousands of monasteries and shrines, a prohibition against practicing the Buddhist faith and Chinese migration--all aimed at destroying Tibetan culture, language and religion. The United States must confront continued Chinese repression of the practice of all faiths in China, and this resolution does exactly that.
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