The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) released its Annual Report, 2017 Annual Report on Human Rights Situation in Tibet, on May 7. The report introduction says the report, “presents an analysis of major human rights abuses committed by Chinese authorities in 2017 and provides specific recommendations to the government of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) on ending repressive policies and practices in Tibet. Key areas of concern the report highlights are mass surveillance and its repercussions on right to privacy and freedom of expression and opinion; right to freedom of religion and belief; arbitrary detention and torture; and development policy with special focus on poverty alleviation programmes”.
The report details the arrests, detentions and torture of prisoners taking place in Tibet along with the forced removal of farmers from their ancestral lands with very little, or no, compensation, the demolitions of religious institutes and the introduction of new surveillance technologies to monitor the activities of the community.
The report introduction continues, “Further restrictions were imposed on the right to freedom of religion and belief with the introduction of the revised Regulations on Religious Affairs. Tightening control over religious institutions indicates that the raft of monastery management measures implemented in the past five years would become a permanent feature. This would further contribute towards the securitisation of Tibetan religious and cultural issues resulting in increased religious freedom violations.
“The top-down economic development model has had deeply disempowering effects on Tibetans and has led to an artificial growth in Tibetan economy fuelled by massive state subsidies and dominance of Chinese migrants in urban centres. The designation of large swathes of Tibetan land as protected areas has resulted in the steady removal and relocation of Tibetan nomads from the most productive pasture lands thus depriving them of their livelihood sources. Tibetans are not involved during the design and implementation of anti-poverty programmes and their livelihood interests are not protected or given proper consideration.”
Photo: phayul.com
The report makes recommendations for the PRC and calls on the international community to lobby for their implementation, including cessation of mass surveillance and legislations that “go beyond the reasonable requirements of state security”, revise the Criminal Procedure Law to ensure fair trials, prohibition of torture, release of prisoners of conscience and allowing monasteries to be administered independently and not by the state. It also calls on the PRC to “Cease vilification campaigns against His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the persecution of those who possess photos or any material concerning the Tibetan spiritual leader”.
The report also highlights the revisions that were made to China’s Religious Affairs Regulations to give state control over the reincarnation of Tibetan Buddhist leaders.
Mention is made of the excavation and abuse of Tibet’s natural resources.
TCHRD is a non- government organisation based in Dharamshala whose mission is to protect the human rights of the Tibetan people in Tibet and promote the principles of democracy in the exile Tibetan community.
Please click here to read the full report.
http://tchrd.org/2017-annual-report-on-human-rights-situation-in-tibet/
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