[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 356 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

112th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 356

              Expressing support for the people of Tibet.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            January 30, 2012

Mrs. Feinstein (for herself, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. Rubio, Mrs. Boxer, Mr. 
Durbin, Mr. McCain, Mr. Webb, and Mr. Udall of Colorado) submitted the 
 following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 
                               Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
              Expressing support for the people of Tibet.

Whereas Tibet is the center of Tibetan Buddhism, and His Holiness the Dalai 
        Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, is the most revered figure in Tibetan Buddhism;
Whereas the Government of the People's Republic of China continues to enforce 
        policies that infringe on fundamental freedoms of Tibetans, including 
        punitive security measures against monasteries, mass arrests, and 
        restrictions on freedom to practice religion;
Whereas both the Dalai Lama and the Kalon Tripa, Dr. Lobsang Sangay, the prime 
        minister democratically elected by the Tibetan exile community, have 
        specifically stated that they do not seek independence for Tibet from 
        China;
Whereas, in his inaugural address on August 8, 2011, Kalon Tripa Sangay stated 
        that he will ``continue the Middle-Way policy, which seeks genuine 
        autonomy for Tibet within the People's Republic of China'';
Whereas, according to the Department of State's 2011 Report on Tibet 
        Negotiations, since 2002, nine rounds of talks between the Government of 
        the People's Republic of China and envoys of the Dalai Lama ``have not 
        borne concrete results'';
Whereas, despite persistent efforts by the Dalai Lama and his representatives, 
        the Government of the People's Republic of China and envoys of the Dalai 
        Lama have not held any formal dialogue since January 2010;
Whereas, since March 2011, at least 16 Tibetans have set themselves on fire, and 
        at least 12 have died;
Whereas the repressive policies of the Government of the People's Republic of 
        China have created an environment of despair, hopelessness, and 
        frustration among many Tibetans;
Whereas, on November 1, 2011, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom 
        of Religion or Belief, Heiner Bielefeldt, expressed concern over 
        ``restrictive measures'' implemented by the Government of the People's 
        Republic of China in Tibetan monasteries, stating that such measures 
        ``not only curtail the right to freedom of religion or belief, but 
        further exacerbate the existing tensions, and are counterproductive'' 
        and affirming that ``the right of members of the monastic community, and 
        the wider community to freely practice their religion, should be fully 
        respected and guaranteed by the Chinese Government'';
Whereas, on January 24, 2012, Maria Otero, Under Secretary for Civilian 
        Security, Democracy and Human Rights, and United States Special 
        Coordinator for Tibetan Issues, issued a statement expressing concern 
        about ``reports of violence and continuing heightened tensions in 
        Tibetan areas of China, including reports of security forces in Sichuan 
        province opening fire on protesters, killing some and injuring others'';
Whereas the Constitution of the People's Republic of China guarantees freedom of 
        religious belief for all citizens, but the July-December 2010 
        International Religious Freedom Report of the Department of State states 
        that ``the [Chinese] government's repression of religious freedom 
        remained severe in the Tibet Autonomous Region and other Tibetan 
        areas'';
Whereas, on March 10, 2011, His Holiness the Dalai Lama announced that he would 
        relinquish his last remaining governmental duties in the Central Tibetan 
        Administration, and would turn over political authority to the 
        leadership democratically elected by Tibetans in exile;
Whereas, on March 20, 2011, the Tibetan government in exile conducted 
        competitive democratic elections that were monitored by international 
        observers and deemed free, fair, and consistent with international 
        standards;
Whereas nearly 50,000 people in over 30 countries, more than half of all the 
        eligible Tibetan exiles voters, participated in the March 20, 2011, 
        elections;
Whereas Dr. Lobsang Sangay was elected Kalon Tripa, or prime minister, of the 
        Central Tibetan Administration after receiving 55 percent of votes in 
        the March 20, 2011, election and was inaugurated on August 8, 2011;
Whereas Kalon Tripa Sangay was selected to study in the United States under the 
        Department of State's Tibetan Scholarship Program, earning a doctorate 
        in law from Harvard University, and served as a Senior Fellow at the 
        East Asian Legal Studies Program at Harvard Law School;
Whereas Kalon Tripa Sangay, while at Harvard University, promoted dialogue among 
        Tibetan exiles and Chinese students and visiting Chinese scholars to 
        enhance mutual understanding and advance the prospects for 
        reconciliation; and
Whereas it is the objective of the United States Government, consistent across 
        administrations of different political parties and as articulated in the 
        Tibetan Policy Act of 2002 (subtitle B of title VI of Public Law 107-
        228; 22 U.S.C. 6901 note) to promote a substantive dialogue between the 
        Government of the People's Republic of China and the Dalai Lama or his 
        representatives in order to secure genuine autonomy for the Tibetan 
        people within China: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) mourns the death of Tibetans who have self-immolated 
        and deplores the repressive policies targeting Tibetans;
            (2) calls on the Government of the People's Republic of 
        China to suspend implementation of religious control 
        regulations, reassess religious and security policies 
        implemented since 2008 in Tibet, and resume a dialogue with 
        Tibetan Buddhist leaders, including the Dalai Lama or his 
        representatives, to resolve underlying grievances;
            (3) calls on the Government of the People's Republic of 
        China to release all persons that have been arbitrarily 
        detained; to cease the intimidation, harassment and detention 
        of peaceful protestors; and to allow unrestricted access to 
        journalists, foreign diplomats, and international organizations 
        to Tibet;
            (4) calls on the Secretary of State to seek from the 
        Government of the People's Republic of China a full accounting 
        of the forcible removal of monks from Kirti Monastery, 
        including an explanation of the pretext or conditions under 
        which monks were removed and their current whereabouts;
            (5) commends His Holiness the Dalai Lama for his decision 
        to devolve his political power in favor of a democratic system;
            (6) congratulates Tibetans living in exile for holding, on 
        March 20, 2011, a competitive, multi-candidate election that 
        was free, fair, and met international electoral standards;
            (7) reaffirms the unwavering friendship between the people 
        of the United States and the people of Tibet; and
            (8) both--
                    (A) calls on the Department of State to fully 
                implement the Tibetan Policy Act of 2002 (subtitle B of 
                title VI of Public Law 107-228; 22 U.S.C. 6901 note), 
                including the stipulation that the Secretary of State 
                seek ``to establish an office in Lhasa, Tibet, to 
                monitor political, economic, and cultural developments 
                in Tibet'', and also to provide consular protection and 
                citizen services in emergencies; and
                    (B) urges that the agreement to permit China to 
                open further diplomatic missions in the United States 
                should be contingent upon the establishment of a United 
                States Government consulate in Lhasa, Tibet.
                                 <all>