By Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, Jan. 16: A group of activists affiliated with Tibetan Youth Association in Europe (TYAE) on Monday staged a protest, as Swiss President Viola Amherd welcomed Chinese Premier Li Qiang to Bern, Switzerland. The meeting between the two leaders will discuss the existing free trade agreement, initially signed in 2013, and strengthen bilateral ties, the Swiss government announced.
The organisation representing the Tibetan diaspora in Europe sought to draw attention to the human rights issues and political oppression faced by Tibetans in Tibet under Chinese rule. The activists displayed banners, placards, and Tibetan flags, and chanted slogans calling for freedom, justice, and increased awareness of the Tibetan cause.
The protest also aimed to highlight concerns regarding the existing free trade agreement between Switzerland and China and advocate for a more robust stance on human rights. The group on their social media handle wrote, “Although it is the 10th anniversary of the free trade agreement, Switzerland has still failed to integrate human rights into the agreement. This is unacceptable. Positive change through trade, as propagated by the Swiss Federal Council, had remained an illusion. The reality is that the human rights situation in Tibet has gotten much worse in the last 10 years.”
“We call on the Swiss Government for an uncompromised inclusion of human rights of Tibetans, Uyghurs and all other oppressed groups in the free trade agreement,” the group further stated.
Following the meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Swiss President Viola Amherd wrote on X, formerly Twitter, “The meeting with Chinese Premier #LiQiang renewed our close bilateral ties and paved the way for further negotiations on a reciprocal free trade agreement. We also discussed development cooperation, mediation & human rights.”
The initial signing of the free trade agreement between Switzerland and China dates back to 2013. However, efforts to strengthen the deal between the two nations faced obstacles, primarily due to apprehensions regarding China’s human rights records.
The recent meeting between Swiss President Viola Amherd and Chinese Premier Li Qiang has prompted activist groups like TYAE to voice concerns. These activists argue that the Swiss trade deal with China appears to overlook human rights abuses, suggesting that human rights concerns should not be disregarded in favour of expanding economic relations between the two nations.
One Response
Swiss govt is wrong to priotize money and trade over human right. This is barbaric and cruel. How do the swiss people teach their children moral values when their own parents and govt respect evil dictator Xi Jinping more than apostle of peace hh Dalai Lama ? Shame on those police in the picture standing tall and arrogant against peaceful tibetan protesters ? How can they think themselves developed countries when their heart is under developed? Theres more to life than just economic progress? Hh dalai lama is right to show comcern that education system in the West is about making humans into money making machines to profit big companies at the cost of destroying the very foundation of what being a human means which is to be genuinely honest to oneself and others ? Shame on them. They are welcoming the evil from china and crushing the voiceless and helpless people .