By Phuntsok Yangchen
DHARAMSHALA, September 19: The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy Wednesday raised the issue of deteriorating human rights situation in Tibet at the 27th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland.
Speaking on behalf of the Society for Threatened Peoples (STP), Tsering Tsomo, Executive Director of TCHRD highlighted the recent Chinese police firing on unarmed Tibetan protesters in Denma in Sershul County, Kardze Tibet Autonomous Prefecture.
The Society for Threatened Peoples called for the intervention of the Human Rights Council and urged China to schedule visits of the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion and belief and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to China including Tibetan areas.
On August 12, Chinese armed police opened fire on Tibetans demanding the release of Wangdak, chief of Shugpa Village, injuring at least ten people. Four Tibetans died of untreated wounds in custody, while a Tibetan named Lo Palsang who had been wounded in the demonstration, committed suicide in custody. A pregnant wife of a Tibetan man named Jinpa Tharcin who died in custody committed suicide.
Since 2009, 131 Tibetans have set themselves on fire in Tibet protesting against China’s occupation of Tibet and its hard-line policies.
TCHRD further noted that China has 13 outstanding requests from the UNHRC Special Procedures and that it failed to fulfill its commitment to invite the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
The United Kingdom and Italy on behalf of the European Union raised concern for human rights situation in Tibet. The United Kingdom urged China to start meaningful dialogue with Tibetans and other ethnic minorities and to immediately release people who were arrested for exercising their constitutional rights while Italy encouraged China “to address the root causes of unrest and foster dialogue with and between different ethnic groups.”
The Human Rights Council is an inter-governmental body within the United Nations system responsible for strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights around the globe and for addressing situations of human rights violations and make recommendations on them. It has the ability to discuss all thematic human rights issues and situations that require its attention throughout the year.
