Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-11-18-Speech-4-121"
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"en.20041118.11.4-121"2
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"Mr President, the case of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche was raised with me by several of my constituents in Scotland, including Iain Thom and Naomi Ness of the University of Edinburgh Tibet Society.
On 3 December 2002, Tenzin Delek Rinpoche was condemned to death after being convicted of trumped-up and politically-motivated charges in a court in Tibetan China. He was framed for a crime he did not commit, and this is backed up by independent research by Human Rights Watch. He remains in Chinese custody, waiting to die, and his current whereabouts are unknown.
However, Tenzin Delek has always maintained his innocence. He is quoted as saying: 'I have been wrongly accused. I have always said that we should not so much as raise a hand against another.' Indeed, his moderate and peaceful way of dealing with the problems that the Tibetans face and with the repression in Tibet, his work as an active lama to foster Tibetan Buddhism, and his practical work in Tibetan communities have earned him many supporters. He is a symbol of Tibetan identity and a champion of the Tibetan cause. He is no friend of the Chinese authorities. The arrest, detention and sham trial of Tenzin Delek mark the culmination of a clampdown on his activities and on those of his associates who, even now, face severe penalties if they dare advocate on his behalf. The paradoxical silence that followed the death sentence on Tenzin Delek, who is such a popular figure, is attributed by Human Rights Watch to a campaign of intimidation and terror executed by the Chinese authorities.
International human rights organisations have also expressed acute concern that he was tortured while being detained – a likelihood rather than a suspicion. Human Rights Watch also reports that he was denied the most basic of rights under international law: the right to a fair hearing. The Chinese authorities, claiming that state secrets were involved, still refuse to disclose what actually happened in court. In short, his trial was a sham. Regrettably, the case of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche must be placed in the context of a catalogue of the human rights abuses perpetrated by the Chinese authorities against the Tibetan people both in the Tibet Autonomous Region and Tibetan China. The systematic repression of all things Tibetan just about sums up Chinese policy on the matter.
The European Parliament must send a clear message to China that this policy is unacceptable and it must do all it can to ensure the protection of human rights and the cultural, political, environmental and religious identity of the Tibetan people. The miscarriage of justice suffered by Tenzin Delek must be put right. I would therefore ask all Members to support this resolution."@en1
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