Organisers, Speakers and Activists at the Forum in-front of Broken chair Photo: Niels Ackermann, DIIR
The Forum on Human Rights Situation in Regions under the PRC was held ahead of China’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) – the evaluation of the human rights performances of the United Nations member states. The forum was set up to influence the upcoming UPR to make China accountable for its human right violations. It was organised in Geneva, Swizerland by the Tibetan Government-in-Exile’s Department of Information and International Relations together with the Office of Tibet, Geneva on November 2, just days ahead of China’s UPR on November 6.
The panel saw experts, academics, activists, diplomats and advocacy groups from around the world gather to discuss the deterioration of human rights in Tibet, East Turkestan (Xinjiang), Southern Mongolia and Hong Kong and called UN human rights institutions to use the UPR process to make China accountable for its repressions in these regions.
The forum provided the platform for challenging China’s use of its economic power to require countries to comply with its demands and by doing this to silence international protests against its human rights abuses.
According to Phayul,the Secretary of the Central Tibetan Administration’s (CTA) Department of Information and International Relations and the CTA’s official spokesperson at the forum, Sonam Norbu Dagpo said, “Since the last cycle UPR in 2013, China has failed to implement even the simplest of provisions to protect the rights of the people under its rule, including failing to implement accepted recommendations from both previous UPR cycles”. He added, “The lack of joint action from governments has severed to exacerbate the situation and the impunity under which the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) strips its citizens of universal human rights. Furthermore, China’s tactics to silence criticism of its behavior have been even more aggressive in recent years”.
Golog Jigme at Forum 2018 Photo: Niels Ackermann, DIIR
Golog Jigme, a former political prisoner, activist and a Tibetan filmmaker who was also present at the forum shared his own experiences of the abuse and torture he was subjected to while in detention in a Chinese prison. He said, “Please review the human rights situation in China carefully, critically. If the UN fails to make China accountable this time, it failed all humanity.”
The special guest speaker at the forum was Swiss legislator Lisa Mazzone who said, “Our [Swiss] government has not welcomed His Holiness the Dalai Lama since 2005, as [it] is deepening ties with China. This for me is unacceptable”. She assured the forum of her “full support” for the Tibetan people to restore human rights in Tibet and China.
UPR is the review of human rights performance of the 193 member states of the United Nations which takes place every four-and-half year period.
Print
Email