The Estonian Parliament (Riigikogu) adopted this week a statement condemning China’s system of compulsory boarding schools for Tibetan children and calling for its immediate abolition.
The statement on “the protection of Tibetan children,” which was adopted by a large majority of 67 members in favor and with no opposition, notes that the boarding school system “aims to eliminate the distinct linguistic, cultural and religious traditions of Tibetans.” It also urges the Chinese authorities to allow the establishment of private Tibetan schools and calls on the European Commission to request that European diplomats, independent journalists, and international observers be granted access to boarding schools throughout Tibet.
The statement was brought forward by the Riigikogu’s Tibet Support Group – one of the largest and most active parliamentary groups for Tibet in Europe – several of whose members visited Dharamshala, the seat of the Tibetan government-in-exile, in the past year, where they met with His Holiness the Dalai Lama and were briefed on the situation inside Tibet. Speaking during the debate on the adoption of the statement on 11 February, Member Margit Sutrop stressed that no child should be used as a tool of dictatorship. “Children’s rights are a line that must not be crossed,” she added, noting that even as a small country, Estonia has a responsibility to speak out clearly, knowing “how vulnerable language is.”
The full statement by the Estonian Parliament is available here.
The video recording of the debate and vote on the statement is available here (in Estonian), and the transcript here.
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