Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-11-18-Speech-4-122"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20041118.11.4-122"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spokenAs | |
| lpv:translated text |
"Mr President, in the past, large and growing populations have often sought out sparsely populated and remote areas as living space. That is always at the expense of the freedom and the culture of the people already inhabiting that area, if the culture concerned is different from the dominant culture. Tibet, which, like its neighbours East Turkestan or Xinjiang, has, against the will of its people, for a long time been recognised internationally as part of China’s territory, is no exception. Chinese people from the densely populated central and eastern areas of the country have been colonising that country, and many newcomers have taken on the role of civil servant, policeman or soldier.
Opposition to this humiliating situation has been suppressed for many years with all, mainly violent, means. As is often the case in similar situations, it looks like the rulers in China do want the Tibetan territory but not the inhabitants.
I am no admirer of the traditional theocracy in the old pre-1951 Tibet, which temporarily managed, in practice, to defy the authority of a China that was for a long time ravaged by war. Even so, I find the present situation wholly unacceptable and it seems to me sensible that China should negotiate solutions with the Tibetans in exile in India, led by the Dalai Lama.
The problems are only growing if what the government terms as separatism is being punished with the death penalty or with a suspended death penalty. That also applies if prisoners are kept in isolation and tortured. A country that is into that kind of practice should certainly be prohibited from buying weapons from the EU Member States. Where relations with China are concerned, the main consideration for the Commission and Council should not be that this is a large country with a fast growing economy. Indeed, this is a country that refuses to release colonised peoples, puts economic growth above everything else and moreover, violates human rights.
If Europe makes it clear that we do not consider this Chinese policy acceptable as a matter of course, then that would be a contribution to the much-needed change."@en1
|
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples