Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-11-18-Speech-4-123"
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"en.20041118.11.4-123"2
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"Mr President, nearly two years ago, this House did everything in its power to prevent the execution of two Tibetans, Tenzin Delek Rinpoche and Lobsang Dhondup. Despite the resolution we adopted unanimously, despite appeals from all over the world and demonstrations held in front of national parliaments, despite numerous vigils held by volunteers and despite strong protests voiced by diplomats, Lobsang Dhondup was executed in January 2003. His teacher, the highly-regarded lama Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, is facing the same fate in a matter of days, as his two-year reprieve will come to an end in two weeks’ time on 2 December. Rinpoche is still treated like a terrorist by the Chinese authorities, which continue to refuse him a proper trial and independent legal representation. His alleged confession to involvement in the bomb attacks was forced out of him, and his state of health is unknown after several reports of torture. The solitary confinement in which he is kept is a clear violation of the UN Convention against Torture.
I concur with the view held by the three previous speakers, namely that our remaining silent would be the worst thing that could happen to a culture and a people we value. The real reason why Rinpoche has been imprisoned is his enormous influence on the population and his support for the Dalai Lama, which certain Chinese hardliners found intolerable.
On behalf of the Group of the European People’s Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats, I call on the European institutions to bring more pressure to bear on the Chinese authorities. I should like to remind Mr Figel’’ that this case must be raised at the EU-China Summit on 8 December, by which time it will hopefully not be too late. I should also like to remind the Council that this House has repeatedly made joint calls for a special representative for Tibet, who would be able to make a productive contribution to the finding of a peaceful solution. In 2008, the People’s Republic of China will host the Olympic Games, and the country is a permanent member of the UN Security Council. Yet how is China to gain trust or approval if it does not observe human rights or respect minorities?
We have had some experience of this in this House since Monday. People have joined in creating a mandala; people have been meditating. The monks who led them in these activities took the opportunity to tell us about their culture in Tibet, and what it would mean if it were to be destroyed, if it were no longer possible to speak in one’s native tongue in one’s homeland, and if visible manifestations of culture and religion were to be forbidden – this would be the worst thing that could happen. I was delighted that many Members of this House, including the previous speakers, as well as assistants, journalists and many visitors, were present at the creation of this mandala, which has just been completed.
We greatly welcome the fact that China has made some progress, such as initiating dialogue with representatives of the Dalai Lama and releasing, after decades of martyrdom in various prisons, the nun Ngawang Sangdrol, whom we were delighted to welcome to the European Parliament, having, indeed, played a part in her release. Yet is this to be the end of such a reasonable approach? Is it appropriate, in such a context, for sentences to be passed which have no kind of legal basis? Ladies and gentlemen, let us use all our power and influence to ensure that the death sentence against Tenzin Delek Rinpoche is not carried out, and that he is given a fair trial in the presence of independent observers. The Chinese authorities must no longer resist the voice of common sense."@en1
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