[Mb-civic] WoW! Congress is doing somehing good or at least a start for Tibet

[Barbara Siomos]

US Senate unanimously passes resolution on Tenzin Delek Rinpoche 
---------------------------------------------- 
International Campaign for Tibet
Wednesday, December 08, 2004
 
The US Senate passed a resolution by unanimous consent today calling for
the release of respected religious teacher Tenzin Delek Rinpoche and
other Tibetan political prisoners. 

Senate Resolution 483 stated that: "The government of the People's
Republic of China is in violation of international human rights
standards by detaining and mistreating Tibetans who engage in peaceful
activities to protest China's repression of Tibetans or promote the
preservation of a distinct Tibetan identity.The Government of the
People's Republic of China should, as a gesture of goodwill and in order
to promote human rights, immediately release all political prisoners,
including Tenzin Delek."
 
The resolution was initially introduced in May 2004, as Senate
Resolution 365 by Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS), chairman of the East
Asia subcommittee, together with Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM).
 
The passage of the resolution by the Senate this 
morning follows months of campaign action in the US on behalf of Tenzin
Delek Rinpoche, a senior lama whose influence in his local community and
activities preserving Tibetan culture and religion led him to become a
political target of the Chinese authorities. He was sentenced to death
with a two-year suspension on charges of "causing explosions [and]
inciting the separation of the state" in December 2002, and his alleged
co-conspirator, Lobsang Dhondup, was executed on January 26, 2003. 

The Chinese authorities have produced no credible evidence of Tenzin
Delek's crime and he maintains his innocence. His reprieve is due to
expire in January 2005.
 
Tibet supporters sent 8,350 statements on behalf of Tenzin Delek as part
of a coordinated US campaign led by ICT to pressure the Chinese
government to release Tenzin Delek or provide him with a fair trial. Had
the Senate failed to pass this resolution during its brief "lame duck"
session this week, they would not have had another opportunity to act on
this issue before the two-year reprieve of Tenzin Delek's death sentence
expired.
 
Kelley Currie, Director of Government Relations for the ICT, said "It is
a tribute to both the commitment of ICT's members and the concern of our
supporters in the United States Senate that this resolution passed this
morning. Given the fact that Senate's main agenda this week is passing
the bills that fund the entire U.S. government and resolving the
controversial intelligence reform bill, it is a real statement that they
took the time out of a busy legislative schedule to pass this
resolution. I think it clearly indicates that the Congress is very
concerned about the case of Tenzin Delek."
 
The resolution, as passed today, outlines China's violations of
internationally accepted standards of freedom of belief, expression, and
association, and states that: 'The Government of the PRC continues to
exert control over religious and cultural institutions in Tibet, abusing
human rights through the torture, arbitrary arrest, and detention
without fair or public trial of Tibetans who peacefully express their
political or religious views or attempt to preserve the unique Tibetan
identity.' 

Other co-sponsors of the original resolution, S.Res. 365, included
Senator Norm Coleman (R-MN), Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL) and Senator
Jon Kyl (R-AZ).
 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Zhang Qiyue was quoted as
saying on December 2, 2004: "As far as I know, relevant departments of
justice have reviewed the case of Tenzin Delek and I think in any
country for these criminals that jeopardize national security and engage
in terrorist bombings, they will meet punishment according to law." 

(AFP) According to Chinese law, a prisoner sentenced to death with a
two-year reprieve will receive a commutation to life imprisonment unless
the prisoner commits another intentional crime during the reprieve, and
is tried and convicted for that crime. To date, no reports have emerged
suggesting that Tenzin Delek has committed any new crimes during his
reprieve, which apparently became effective on January 26, 2003, when
the Sichuan Higher People's Court rejected his appeal.
 
Full Text of US Senate Resolution 483 on Tenzin Delek Rinpoche
 
The resolution was passed with unanimous consent December 7th 2004 by
the US Senate. 
108TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION 
S. RES. XXXXX
 
Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the detention of Tibetan
political prisoners by the Government of the People's Republic of China.
 
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
Mr. BROWNBACK (for himself and Mr. BINGAMAN) submitted the following
resolution; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
RESOLUTION
 
Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the detention of Tibetan
political prisoners by the Government of the People's Republic of China.
 
Whereas, for more than 1,000 years, Tibet has maintained a sovereign
national identity that is distinct from the national identity of China;
 
Whereas armed forces of the People's Republic of China invaded Tibet in
1950, according to the memoirs of the Dalai Lama and other sources; 

Whereas, according to the Department of State and international human
rights organizations, the Government of the People's Republic of China
continues to commit widespread and well-documented human rights abuses
in Tibet;
 
Whereas the People's Republic of China has yet to demonstrate its
willingness to abide by internationally accepted standards of freedom of
belief, expression, and association by repealing or amending laws and
decrees that restrict those freedoms;
 
Whereas the Government of the People's Republic of China has detained
hundreds of Tibetan nuns, monks, and lay persons as political prisoners
for speaking out against China's occupation of Tibet and for their
efforts to preserve Tibet's distinct national identity;
 
Whereas Phuntsog Nyidron was arrested on October 14, 1989, together with
5 other nuns, for participating in a peaceful protest against China's
occupation of Tibet;
 
Whereas, on February 26, 2004, following a sustained international
campaign on her behalf, the Government of the People's Republic of China
released Phuntsog Nyidron from detention after she served more than 14
years of her 16-year sentence;
 
Whereas Tenzin Delek, a prominent Tibetan religious leader, and 3 other
monks were arrested on April 7, 2002, during a nighttime raid on Jamyang
Choekhorling monastery in Nyagchu County, Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture;
 
Whereas, following a closed trial and more than 8 months of
incommunicado detention, Tenzin Delek and another Tibetan, Lobsang
Dhondup, were convicted of inciting separatism and for their alleged
involvement in a series of bombings on December 2, 2002;
 
Whereas Lobsang Dhondup was sentenced to death and Tenzin Delek was
sentenced to death with a 2-year suspension;
 
Whereas the Government of the People's Republic of China told senior
officials of the United States and other governments that the cases of
Lobsang Dhondup and Tenzin Delek would be subjected to a ''lengthy
review'' by the Supreme People's Court prior to the death sentences
being carried out;
 
Whereas the Supreme People's Court never carried out this review, and
Lobsang Dhondup was executed on January 26, 2003;
 
Whereas the Government of the People's Republic of China has failed to
produce any evidence that either Lobsang Dhondup or Tenzin Delek were
involved in the crimes for which they were convicted, despite repeated
requests from officials of the United States and other governments;
 
Whereas the Government of the People's Republic of China continues to
imprison Tibetans for engaging in peaceful efforts to protest China's
repression of Tibetans and preserve the Tibetan identity;
 
Whereas Tibetan political prisoners are routinely subjected to beatings,
electric shock, solitary confinement, and other forms of torture and
inhumane treatment while in Chinese custody;
 
Whereas the Government of the People's Republic of China continues to
exert control over religious and cultural institutions in Tibet, abusing
human rights through the torture, arbitrary arrest, and detention
without fair or public trial of Tibetans who peacefully express their
political or religious views or attempt to preserve the unique Tibetan
identity; and 

Whereas the Government of the People's
Republic of China has paroled individual political
prisoners for good behavior or for medical reasons
in the face of strong international pressure, but has
failed to make the systemic changes necessary to
provide minimum standards of due process or
protections for basic civil and political rights:

Now, therefore, be it
 
Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that- the Government of the
People's Republic of China is in violation of international human rights
standards by detaining and mistreating Tibetans who engage in peaceful
activities to protest China's repression of Tibetans or promote the
preservation of a distinct Tibetan identity;
 
sustained international pressure on the Government of the People's
Republic of China is essential to improve the human rights situation in
Tibet and secure the release of Tibetan political prisoners;
 
the Government of the United States should- 
raise the cases of Tenzin Delek and other political prisoners at every
opportunity with officials from the People's Republic of China; and 

work with other governments concerned about human rights in China,
including the Tibet Autonomous Region and other Tibetan areas, to
encourage the release of political prisoners and promote systemic
improvement of human rights in China; and 

the Government of the People's Republic of China should, as a gesture of
goodwill and in order to promote human rights, immediately release all
political prisoners, including Tenzin Delek.