[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 65 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 65

  Urging the President to seek an independent investigation into the 
   death of Tibetan Buddhist leader and social activist Tenzin Delek 
  Rinpoche and to publicly call for an end to the repressive policies 
            used by the People's Republic of China in Tibet.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 27, 2017

 Mr. Capuano submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
                    the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Urging the President to seek an independent investigation into the 
   death of Tibetan Buddhist leader and social activist Tenzin Delek 
  Rinpoche and to publicly call for an end to the repressive policies 
            used by the People's Republic of China in Tibet.

Whereas, on July 12, 2015, revered Tibetan spiritual leader and social activist 
        Tenzin Delek Rinpoche died in Chuandong Prison in Sichuan Province 
        during the 13th year of his life sentence as a prisoner of conscience;
Whereas Tenzin Delek Rinpoche was a spiritual leader, educator, 
        environmentalist, and women's rights advocate renowned throughout Tibet 
        for championing the economic, social, cultural, spiritual, and 
        environmental aspirations of Tibetans in the Kardze Tibetan Autonomous 
        Prefecture, a traditional Tibetan area located in Sichuan Province;
Whereas Tenzin Delek Rinpoche was recognized as a reincarnated lama by His 
        Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama and played a leading role in restoring 
        Tibetan Buddhist life in Tibet and rebuilding sacred monasteries 
        destroyed during the Cultural Revolution;
Whereas Tenzin Delek Rinpoche founded schools for orphans and economically 
        disadvantaged children, a nunnery for the education of Tibetan women, 
        and old age homes and clinics;
Whereas Tenzin Delek Rinpoche was revered for helping local communities 
        peacefully resolve conflicts and advocated for the rights of Tibetans at 
        the regional and national level of the People's Republic of China;
Whereas Tenzin Delek Rinpoche successfully led campaigns against mining and 
        logging practices that contribute to pollution, flooding, and soil 
        erosion and opposed indiscriminate hunting that threatens biodiversity;
Whereas Chinese authorities regarded Tenzin Delek Rinpoche as a threat to the 
        Chinese occupation of Tibet because of Rinpoche's influence in his 
        community and his efforts to preserve Tibetan identity, religion, and 
        language;
Whereas Chinese authorities targeted Tenzin Delek Rinpoche with increasing 
        harassment and intimidation over the course of a decade;
Whereas after being detained and interrogated twice, Tenzin Delek Rinpoche fled 
        to the mountains on June 16, 2000, leaving behind a recorded statement 
        warning that a case against him was being fabricated and proclaiming his 
        innocence;
Whereas after a massive petitioning campaign by local people on behalf Tenzin 
        Delek Rinpoche, Rinpoche returned on December 20, 2000, and was placed 
        under virtual house arrest;
Whereas in April 2002, the Chinese authorities arrested Tenzin Delek Rinpoche 
        and his relative and former monk, Lobsang Dhondup, and charged them with 
        ``causing explosions [and] inciting the separation of the state'';
Whereas, on December 2, 2002, Tenzin Delek Rinpoche was sentenced to death with 
        a two-year suspension and Lobsang Dhondup was sentenced to immediate 
        death and was executed on January 26, 2003;
Whereas in 2003, over 40,000 Tibetans from Tenzin Delek Rinpoche's home regions 
        of Lithang and Nyagchu signed a petition calling for his release;
Whereas, on January 26, 2005, after intense international pressure, the death 
        sentence of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche was commuted to a life sentence;
Whereas, on April 17, 2014, the family of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche submitted a 
        petition for Rinpoche's early release from prison on medical parole;
Whereas the People's Republic of China ignored repeated requests by the United 
        States and other governments to release Tenzin Delek Rinpoche from 
        prison on medical parole;
Whereas, on July 12, 2015, prison officials from the Chuandong prison informed 
        the family of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche that Rinpoche had died in prison;
Whereas, on July 13, 2015, local police and deployed military personnel shot 
        into a crowd of thousands of Tibetans in Nyagchu who were peacefully 
        protesting the death of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche and calling for the 
        release of his body to his family so that Buddhist last rites could be 
        performed;
Whereas at least 24 persons were hospitalized with gunshot wounds on that 
        occasion;
Whereas, on July 16, 2015, prison officials cremated the body of Tenzin Delek 
        Rinpoche against the wishes of his family and despite protests by local 
        people;
Whereas, on July 17, 2015, police seized the ashes of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche from 
        a group of family members and disciples who were escorting the ashes 
        back to Lithang;
Whereas, on July 17, 2015, Tenzin Delek Rinpoche's sister and her daughter were 
        seized by police officers in Lithang, held incommunicado for the next 14 
        days, and remain under virtual house arrest and heavy surveillance; and
Whereas local people from Lithang and Nyagchu, especially the monks and nuns 
        affiliated with Tenzin Delek Rinpoche's monasteries, were prohibited 
        from carrying out funeral rituals, prayers, and other day-to-day 
        religious ceremonies, and the area remains under heavy surveillance with 
        an increased military presence: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) urges the President--
                    (A) to seek an inquiry into the death of Tenzin 
                Delek Rinpoche, to be carried out by an independent 
                team of experts; and
                    (B) each time the President meets with Chinese 
                officials, to publicly call for an end to the 
                repressive policies used by the People's Republic of 
                China in Tibet;
            (2) urges the People's Republic of China to immediately 
        halt suppression of the religious, cultural, social, economic, 
        and environmental rights of the Tibetan people in Tenzin Delek 
        Rinpoche's home regions of Lithang and Nyagchu and across all 
        areas of traditional Tibet; and
            (3) affirms that violations of human rights in general, and 
        the persecution of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, his family, and his 
        supporters, specifically, are matters of legitimate concern to 
        all governments committed to the rule of law and to free people 
        worldwide.
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