In March of 2008, the world was shocked about the violent repression by the Chinese Government of demonstrations and uprising in Lhasa and many other parts of Tibet, in which Tibetans protested against the violation of their human rights and for freedom. In the run-up to the Olympic Games, the issue of Tibet therefore once again entered world public opinion. Shortly after the Games, representatives of the Tibetan Government in exile presented to their Chinese counterparts the “Memorandum on Genuine Autonomy for the Tibetan People”.
In this memorandum, the Tibetan side agrees to accept Chinese sovereignty in exchange for real autonomy. Furthermore, the Memorandum calls for the respect of the Tibetan identity and culture, while respecting the framework of the Chinese constitution.
The Memorandum provides a basis for discussing the implementation of a right that has formally been recognized by the Chinese Government first in the “Seventeen Point Agreement” of 1951 and then with the establishment of the Tibet Autonomous Region, but actually denied since 1959, after the complete Chinese take over and the induced settlement of Han Chinese, which is reducing the Tibetans to a minority in their own territory.
The autonomy of our Regions and Provinces we represent is the best proof that conflicts can be settled in a nonviolent way, fully respecting the rights of both sides, and that it is possible to preserve the culture and identity of a people, even minority, through forms of autonomy and self-government. It has especially shown that the rights of minority groups and peoples are fully compatible with the sovereignty and unity of the state.
For these reasons we support the decision of the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Government and Parliament in exile to pursue internal self-determination instead of independence. The proposals contained in the “Memorandum on Genuine Autonomy for the Tibetan People” is the most effective way to achieve recognition of the rights of Tibetan people to self-government in all regions of Tibet and for the preservation of their language, culture, and religion, as well as for the protection of their environment and natural resources.
Considering the experiences of the many autonomous regions around the world, which have shown that conflicts can be prevented or overcome by respecting the fundamental rights of distinct peoples and ethnic and linguistic minorities and enabling them to exercise the right to self-government while respecting the territorial integrity of state.
We call on the Chinese Government to:
·Consider the existence and experience of these autonomous regions and their capacity to overcome conflict and maintain constructive institutional dialogues between respective central governments and the autonomous authorities;
·And to engage in negotiations with the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Government and Parliament on basis of the Memorandum on Genuine Autonomy.
We call on the Chinese Government, the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Government and Parliament in exile to:
·Speed up the negotiation in order to ensure the implementation of genuine autonomy by the Tibetan people as soon as possible and to prevent the aggravation of the conflict.
Finally, we ask the United Nations and the governments of its member states to support the objectives of this resolution which is entirely in conformity with international law.
As territorial entities which enjoy autonomy and self-government, we offer our support for the achievement of a just and genuine autonomy for the regions of Tibet which is in the interest of all parties.
We offer our expertise and lessons learned from our history, our statutes and our legal systems which may provide useful examples on how to accommodate different territorial and ethnic identities within different national constitutions in ways that serve the interest of all parties in resolving their differences.
We offer our legal and administrative resources to support the search for and development of normative and legal provisions and structures for the realization of autonomy in keeping with the specific and complex situation in the Peoples Republic of China.
We call on all autonomous regions to sign this resolution and to appeal to their respective national governments to support the quest for a just and mutually acceptable autonomy, which enables the Tibetan people to enjoy genuine self-government and peace within the framework of the Chinese constitution.
Trento (Italy), the 17th November 2009
