26 augustus 2011

INPaT roept China op tot terugtrekking van regelgeving over Tibetaans Boeddhisme op 10 december

INPaT Calls Upon China to Withdraw Regulations on Tibetan Buddhism

As the world marks the Human Rights Day today, INPaT is gravely concerned about the persistent violations of human rights and fundamental freedom in Tibet, including arbitrary detentions, enforced disappearances and imprisonment of Tibetan human rights defenders, environmentalists, intellectuals and artists. We again call upon the Chinese authorities to allow a team of UN human rights experts to visit Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, the Eleventh Panchen Lama of Tibet so that an independent verification of his well-being and whereabouts can happen.

INPaT welcomes the recent resolution adopted by the European Parliament which condemn the “increased crackdown on the exercise of cultural, linguistic, religious and other fundamental freedoms” of the six million Tibetan people as well as the Chinese authorities’ plan to make Chinese the main language of instruction in Tibet.”

Of special concern to members of INPaT is how in recent years the Chinese authorities has been exercising control over the religious activities in Tibet’s monasteries and nunneries under the intensified implementation of the so-called “patriotic education campaign”.

The 2010 Annual International Religious Freedom Report by the United States of America stated: ‘While the form, content, and frequency of “patriotic” education at monasteries varied widely, the conduct of such training was a routine part of monastic management. Increasingly “legal education” was a major theme of the training, as well as abandoning any allegiance to the Dalai Lama, acknowledging the leadership of the CCP, supporting the socialist system, and affirming that Tibet has been an inalienable part of the country since ancient times.”

INPaT calls upon the Chinese authorities to withdraw its “patriotic education” drives in all Tibetan areas of present-day China.

As the forced eviction of Tibetan nomads from their ancestral lands is eliminating the nomadic livelihood altogether and amount to a policy of cultural genocide, INPaT similarly is of the opinion that China’s 2007 “Regulation on Management Measures for the Reincarnation of Living Buddhas in Tibetan Buddhism” is not only to politically interference in religious matters but also a means to separate the spiritual heads of Tibet’s religious traditions from the Tibetan people and followers of Tibetan Buddhism.

Regarding this regulation, INPaT is in total agreement with 5 July statement from Dharamsala which said: “Recognizing the incarnations of Lamas/Trulkus is a unique Tibetan practice related with Buddhism. It has nothing to do with politics. Using religious figures for political purpose, therefore, goes against religion …the Special Meeting of the heads of the four religious schools of Tibetan Buddhism and the traditional Bon religion held on 3 May 2008 declared that in future no reincarnated Lamas/Trulkus of the Tibetan Buddhist and Bon religions shall be considered as true unless they have the final approval of the heads of the respective religious traditions.”

INPaT calls upon the Chinese authorities to withdraw this regulation.

Finally, INPaT congratulates Mr. Liu Xiaobo for having been awarded the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize and condemn the People’s Republic of China for barring Mr. Liu’s wife and members of the family from attending the Award Ceremony in Oslo. We reiterate our call for the release of all political prisoners held by China, including Mr. Liu Xiaobo.

In the article, The Crisis in Tibet is the Failure of Materialist Dictatorship, Mr. Liu wrote: “Denying a devout citizen the right to meet his spiritual leader for more than 40 years is like depriving Tibet of its core values. To accuse and defame the Dalai Lama is like taking a knife and cutting out the Tibetan people’s heart.”

Matteo Mecacci, Co-Chair, INPaT Thomas Mann, Co-Chair, INPaT

Contact: Tsering Jampa,
Coordinator INPaT Secretariat             
+31 20 330 8265