EU Visit to Tibet Raises Concerns for Human Rights

By Mary Trewartha / September 30, 2013;

The EU Special Representative for Human Rights, Mr Stavros Lambrinidis, made an official visit to Tibet from September 9-18, hosted by the Chinese Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

“During my visit the Chinese authorities allowed for meetings and open discussions with a broad range of stakeholders. I had the opportunity to be informed of progress on a number of important economic and social fronts, including poverty eradication and education,” said Mr Lambrinidis. He visited an agricultural cooperative and a newly built village for resettled nomads. He met professors and students at Tibet University and editors of the Tibet Daily, as well as visiting the Potala Palace and Jokhang, and the Sera Monasteries in Lhasa.

Mr Lambrinidis held wide ranging talks with officials in Tibet, covering security, stability and due process of law, including in the context of self-immolations; the free exercise of religion and expression; sustainable development challenges and urbanisation; the livelihood of ex-nomads; the protection of the environment and the preservation of cultural identity and heritage, also looking at bilingual education.

In Beijing, Mr Lambrinidis met the Chinese Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs. “The visit provided opportunities for the EU and China to engage in in-depth discussions on human rights at a senior level….I noted worrying trends in key areas of human rights concern… as well as the persecution, arrest, and detention of people for peacefully expressing their views or legally exercising their professional duties” said Mr Lambrinidis.

Mr Lambrinidis and the Chinese Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs discussed China’s commitments under the UN’s Universal Periodic Review, including the human rights situation in minority areas. They discussed freedom of expression, information, and association; freedom of religion and belief; death penalty reform; progress on economic and social rights; the universality of human rights and the role of civil society and protection against arbitrary harassment, arrests, and detentions.

“Throughout my visit, I underlined the EU’s readiness to continue to work with China in promoting respective adherence to international human rights obligations and standards,’’ added Mr Lambrinidis.