[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Con. Res. 103 Referred in House (RFH)]







105th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. CON. RES. 103


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 18, 1998

          Referred to the Committee on International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
Expressing the sense of the Congress in support of the recommendations 
   of the International Commission of Jurists on Tibet and on United 
                  States policy with regard to Tibet.

Whereas the International Commission of Jurists is a non-governmental 
        organization founded in 1952 to defend the Rule of Law throughout the 
        world and to work towards the full observance of the provisions in the 
        Universal Declaration of Human Rights;
Whereas in 1959, 1960, and 1964, the International Commission of Jurists 
        examined Chinese policy in Tibet, violations of human rights in Tibet, 
        and the position of Tibet in international law;
Whereas in 1960, the International Commission of Jurists found ``that acts of 
        genocide has been committed in Tibet in an attempt to destroy the 
        Tibetans as a religious group, * * *'' and concluded that Tibet was at 
        least ``a de facto independent State'' prior to 1951 and that Tibet was 
        a ``legitimate concern of the United Nations even on the restrictive 
        interpretation of matters `essentially within the domestic jurisdiction' 
        of a State.'';
Whereas these findings were presented to the United Nations General Assembly, 
        which adopted three resolutions (1959, 1961, and 1965) calling on the 
        People's Republic of China to ensure respect for the fundamental human 
        rights of the Tibetan people and for their distinctive cultural and 
        religious life, and to cease practices which deprive the Tibetan people 
        of their fundamental human rights and freedoms including their right to 
        self-determination;
Whereas in December 1997, the International Commission of Jurists issued a 
        fourth report on Tibet, examining human rights and the rule of law, 
        including self-determination;
Whereas the President has repeatedly indicated his support for substantive 
        dialogue between the Government of the People's Republic of China and 
        the Dalai Lama or his representatives; and
Whereas on October 31, 1997, the Secretary of State appointed a Special 
        Coordinator for Tibetan Issues to oversee United States policy regarding 
        Tibet: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representative concurring), 
That Congress--
            (1) expresses grave concern regarding the findings of the 
        December 1997 International Commission of Jurists report on 
        Tibet that--
                    (A) repression in Tibet has increased steadily 
                since 1994, resulting in heightened control on 
                religious activity; a denunciation campaign against the 
                Dalai Lama unprecedented since the Cultural Revolution; 
                an increase in political arrests; suppression of 
                peaceful protests; and an accelerated movement of 
                Chinese to Tibet; and
                    (B) in 1997, the People's Republic of China labeled 
                the Tibetan Buddhist culture, which has flourished in 
                Tibet since the seventh century, as a ``foreign 
                culture'' in order to facilitate indoctrination of 
                Tibetans in Chinese socialist ideology and the process 
                of national and cultural extermination;
            (2) supports the recommendations contained in the report 
        referred to in paragraph (1) that--
                    (A) call on the People's Republic of China--
                            (i) to enter into discussions with the 
                        Dalai Lama or his representatives on a solution 
                        to the question of Tibet;
                            (ii) to ensure respect for the fundamental 
                        human rights of the Tibetan people; and
                            (iii) to end those practices which threaten 
                        to erode the distinct cultural, religious and 
                        national identity of the Tibetan people and, in 
                        particular, to cease policies which result in 
                        the movement of Chinese people to Tibetan 
                        territory;
                    (B) call on the United Nations General Assembly to 
                resume its debate on the question of Tibet based on its 
                resolutions of 1959, 1961, and 1965; and
                    (C) call on the Dalai Lama or his representatives 
                to enter into discussions with the Government of the 
                People's Republic of China on a solution to the 
                question of Tibet;
            (3) commends the appointment by the Secretary of State of a 
        United States Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues--
                    (A) to promote substantive dialogue between the 
                Government of the People's Republic of China and the 
                Dalai Lama or his representatives;
                    (B) to coordinate United States Government 
                policies, programs, and projects concerning Tibet;
                    (C) to consult with the Congress on policies 
                relevant to Tibet and the future and welfare of all 
                Tibetan people, and to report to Congress in partial 
                fulfillment of the requirements of section 536(a) of 
                the Public Law 103-236; and
                    (D) to advance United States policy which seeks to 
                protect the unique religious, cultural, and linguistic 
                heritage of Tibet, and to encourage improved respect 
                for Tibetan human rights;
            (4) calls on the People's Republic of China to release from 
        detention the 9-year old Panchen Lama, Gedhun Cheokyi Nyima, to 
        his home in Tibet from which he was taken on May 17, 1995, and 
        to allow him to pursue his religious studies without 
        interference and according to tradition;
            (5) commends the President for publicly urging President 
        Jiang Zemin, during their recent summit meeting in Beijing, to 
        engage in dialogue with the Dalai Lama; and
            (6) calls on the President to continue to work to secure an 
        agreement to begin substantive negotiations between the 
        Government of the People's Republic of China and the Dalai Lama 
        or his representatives.

            Passed the Senate September 17, 1998.

            Attest:

                                                    GARY SISCO,

                                                             Secretary.