[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 60 (Monday, May 16, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[Congressional Record: May 16, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
CONGRESSIONAL STAFF DELEGA- TION TO TIBET AND NEPAL
Mr. MOYNIHAN. Mr. President, last month a member of my staff
participated in a delegation--along with staff members from the offices
of Representatives John Edward Porter and Jolene Unsoeld--to Tibet and
Nepal to observe conditions in Tibet and to investigate the situation
of Tibetans who have recently fled to Nepal. I ask that the text of the
report on this trip be entered into the Record.
The text follows:
Report of Congressional Staff Delegation to Tibet and Nepal
executive summary
In April, 1994 a congressional staff delegation spent three
days in Nepal and one week in Tibet assessing China's
treatment of the Tibetan people. In Tibet the delegation
found evidence of a significant Chinese civilian population
in urban areas, a large Chinese military presence in both
rural and urban areas, severe restrictions on the Tibetan
people's religious and cultural expression, and
discriminatory practices against the Tibetan people. This
difficult situation inside Tibet leads thousands of Tibetans
to flee to Nepal and India each year, where they are free to
pursue their religion and able to get an education in Tibetan
schools.
The delegation urges the United States and the
international community to call on China to reverse these
policies and take steps to protect Tibet's unique religion
and culture. Furthermore the United States should continue to
support the efforts of the Dalai Lama to peacefully resolve
the situation in Tibet through negotiations and to continue
to provide refugee assistance and other programs to Tibetans
who flee repression in their native land.
background
From March 28 to April 10, 1994 a delegation of
congressional staff traveled to Tibet and Nepal to
investigate conditions in Tibet and to study the situation
for Tibetan refugees in Nepal. Tibet has received increased
attention in the United States as a result of President
Clinton's Executive Order conditioning renewal of China's
Most-Favored-Nation trade status on human rights improvements
in China and Tibet.
Participants on the delegation included Robert Gustafson,
Administrative Assistant to Congressman John Edward Porter
(R-IL), Michael Lostumbo, Legislative Research Assistant to
Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan (D-NY) and Lawrence Holland,
Legislative Assistant to Jolene Unsoeld (D-WA). The Nepal
trip was sponsored by the Tibet Fund and the Tibet trip was
sponsored by the International Campaign for Tibet. Both are
U.S. based non-profit organizations. The delegation was
accompanied by Rachel Lostumbo, Legislative Director of the
International Campaign for Tibet, who also assisted in
translating.
The delegation first traveled to Kathmandu, Nepal. During
the three day stay in Kathmandu, participants met with Tashi
Namgyal, Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama; Mark
Koehler, Second Secretary at the U.S. Embassy; and Tahir Ali
and Andrea Solkner, Representative to Nepal and Associate
Protection Officer for the United Nations High Commissioner
for Refugees. Participants also spent one afternoon and one
morning interviewing newly arrived Tibetan refugees at the
Tibetan Reception Center.
The delegation then spent one week in Tibet traveling to
Lhasa, Gyantse and Shigatse, and visiting numerous villages
and monasteries. In the past, Tibetans who have attempted to
contact government or human rights delegations visiting Tibet
have been harassed and often arrested by Chinese authorities.
As a result, the delegation's contact with Tibetans in Tibet
was limited to private, secure conversations and sources in
this report will not be identified.
Congressional support for Tibet
The Congress has established several very important
programs for the Tibetan people, including a Voice of
America-Tibetan language service. Tibetans inside Tibet spoke
very highly of the Tibetan language Voice of America, but
expressed frustration over Chinese government efforts to jam
the broadcast. Other congressionally mandated programs
include a one-time allocation of 1,000 immigrant visas for
Tibetan refugees, humanitarian assistance for refugees in
India and Nepal, and grants for Fulbright scholarships.
The Congress has also passed numerous resolutions
condemning China's practices in Tibet and supporting the
Dalai Lama's efforts to peacefully resolve the situation
through negotiations.
Since the delegation's return, the Congress passed and
President Clinton signed into law the 1994-1995 Foreign
Relations Authorization Act. This bill contains several
historic provisions which call for extended relations with
the Tibetan Government in exile and establish more programs
designed to benefit Tibetans inside Tibet. It also builds
upon the legislation passed in 1991 declaring Tibet to be an
occupied country whose true representatives are the Dalai
Lama and the Tibetan Government in exile.
Most-favored-nation trade status
Since the first efforts by the Congress to condition
renewal of China's Most-Favored-Nation trading status (MFN)
in 1989, Tibet has played an integral part of the debate.
President Bush vetoed all attempts by the Congress to
condition MFN during his tenure.
On May 28, 1993 President Clinton issued an Executive Order
which called on the Chinese Government to make significant
overall progress in human rights in order to be granted MFN
status in June 1994. One condition specifically called for
significant progress in ``protecting Tibet's distinctive
religious and cultural heritage.'' The Administration has
been calling on the Chinese to agree to begin substantive
negotiations with the Dalai Lama or his representatives as a
benchmark towards meeting this condition. This approach to
the Tibet condition has been widely supported in the
Congress.
While the issue of negotiations was not one that the
delegation was able to investigate while in Tibet,
participants were able to observe general conditions for the
Tibetans, including the overwhelming presence of Chinese in
Tibet, and the restrictions placed on the religious and
cultural expression of the Tibetan people. The report will
first discuss the Nepal trip, for it was in Kathmandu that
the delegation was most free to talk with Tibetans about
their personal experiences and about conditions in Tibet,
Following the summary of some of these interviews will be a
discussion of observations regarding conditions inside Tibet.
tibetan refugees in nepal
According to the United Nations High Commission for
Refugees (UNHCR) in Kathmandu, approximately 4,000 new
Tibetan refugees made the harrowing trip over the Himalayas
into Nepal in 1993. Comparable numbers are expected in 1994.
Over the past three years the U.S. Congress has
appropriated humanitarian assistance for Tibetan refugees in
Nepal and India. Each year a portion of this funding has gone
to the UNHCR operation in Kathmandu. The UNHCR provides the
primary financial support for the Tibetan refugees when they
arrive in Kathmandu, interviews the new arrivals to determine
whether they are eligible to receive assistance from the High
Commissioner as political refugees, and then offers
protection and acts as a formal liaison between the Tibetans
and the Nepali Government. The Tibetan Refugee Welfare Office
carries out the day-to-day operations of the Reception
Center.
New arrivals from Tibet reach the Reception Center on their
own, arrive accompanied by a hired guide, or are arrested by
Nepali police who take them to the immigration office in
Kathmandu. Here they are detained until a UNHCR official
interviews them, determines if they are eligible, and sends
them to the Reception Center. About 97% of the new arrivals
entering Nepal from Tibet are deemed eligible for assistance.
At present Nepal does not allow the Tibetans to settle there,
although there is a significant Tibetan refugee population
from earlier migrations. All eligible refugees are give an
allowance by the UNHCR and sent on to India.
Some Tibetans are turned back to Tibet before they reach
Kathmandu because the are stopped by Chinese or Nepali border
guards. The delegation heard accounts of Nepali border guards
robbing and assaulting refugees, or turning them over to
Chinese border guards. Such actions are contrary to the
publicly stated policy of the Nepali government, which claims
that these actions are undertaken without their authority.
While in Nepal the delegation learned that the UNHCR was
hoping to provide instruction sessions for border guards to
help put an end to such incidents.
While in Kathmandu, the delegation had the opportunity to
interview several newly arrived refugees. This was an
important component of the trip as it was known that contact
with Tibetans inside Tibet would be extremely limited because
of security concerns. The case histories of several of those
interviews are highlighted below:
Tenzin: aged 10: Tenzin arrived in Kathmandu minutes before
the delegation arrived at the Reception Center. Traveling
with three other young boys including his twelve year old
brother, Tenzin was the only one to make it to the Reception
Center. His brother and another ten year old had been
arrested by Nepali border guards. The other, an eleven year
old boy, had been taken off a bus by Nepali police in
Kathmandu as he and Tenzin made their way to the center. The
fate of his companions was unknown.
It is not uncommon for Tibetan parents to send their
children out of Tibet alone. They do this to allow their
children an opportunity to obtain a genuine Tibetan
education, which is not possible inside Tibet. UNHCR
statistics show that 20% of those arriving from Tibet are
children traveling on their own.
Jigme: monk, aged 25: Jigme had arrived in Kathmandu one
week prior to the delegation's visit. He had fled from
Labrang monastery in Amdo after his second arrest for
political activities. The trip from Amdo to Kathmandu took
him one month and five days. Today, many new refugees come
from Kham and Amdo where Chinese control is particularly well
ensconced.
Jigme was first arrested for making a poster calling for
human rights in Tibet, an act for which he was imprisoned for
15 days and fined 5,000 Chinese yuan. His second arrest came
after he was caught printing a political poster. He was
beaten and then released with a warning against participating
in any further political activity. It was then that he chose
to make the long trip into exile.
Approximately 40% of all new arrivals are monks and nuns.
Unable to practice their religion freely, monks and nuns
often face persecution as a result of their faith.
Tsering and Drolma: nuns, aged 18: These two nuns came from
Garu nunnery in the Lhasa area. They said that at least 20
nuns from Garu are currently imprisoned in Tibet, including
12 who were arrested in August 1993 for participating in
demonstrations and who had been given sentences of between 3
and 6 years.
The nuns spoke at length about how since 1989 the younger
nuns have been brought together and ``instructed'' by Chinese
authorities on ``the proper view'' of the history of Tibet.
They were told that those Tibetans in exile would never
return to Tibet and that the Dalai Lama's ``gang'' has no
international support, so that there is no hope for
freedom. Nuns were also forced to sign statements
promising not to take part in political demonstrations and
were threatened with long prison terms if they refused to
sign.
They also described the heavy tax burden that is imposed on
the nuns and the requirement that their nunnery sell half of
its farm produce to the government at a deflated rate.
Kelsang: monk aged 17: Kelsang came from Nalenda Monastery
in Penpo, an area two hours north of Lhasa. He discussed the
government-imposed cap on the numbers of monks allowed to
live and study at the monastery, and the increased activity
of the ``ledun druka'', a committee formed within the
monastery by authorities to ``educate'' monks on proper
behavior and political views. Monks are quizzed once or twice
a month on the content of these ``educational'' sessions and
on materials they are required to read. If they answer
incorrectly they are fined.
Lobsang: farmer, aged 22: Lobsang, who also came from
Penpo, discussed some of the restrictions placed on farmers.
He said that one-third of all produce is taken by the
government without compensation and that another portion must
be sold to the government at a reduced rate. Farmers are told
what to plant, even though they hold leases on the land.
Asked about the ability of farmers to move to Lhasa, he said
that they must first receive permission from several
government authorities. He said he knew of Tibetan farmers
who had requested permission to go to Lhasa, but knew of none
who had been given permission to do so.
tibet
The delegation spent three days in the capitol city Lhasa,
and three days in the countryside visiting smaller towns and
villages, including Gyantse and Shigatse. The delegation
visited monasteries, schools, markets and Tibetan and Chinese
neighborhoods. The delegation also spent an afternoon at
Yamdrok Tso, a large and controversial hydroelectric project
located on a lake considered sacred by Tibetans. The
delegation notes that Tibet is an extremely poor country and
that sanitary conditions, particularly in the Tibetan
neighbor-hoods, are abysmal.
Chinese presence
The first and most striking observation upon arrival in
Tibet is the number of Chinese, both military and civilian.
Distinctive language, neighborhood architecture and style of
clothes made it possible to determine which parts of the
cities were dominated by Chinese and which by Tibetans. The
delegation notes that the Chinese neighborhoods consist of
large compounds which have more open space than the Tibetan
neighborhoods. Therefore, the Chinese sections of town are
likely to contain fewer Chinese per square kilometer than the
Tibetan neighborhoods.
There was a pervasive military presence in the cities and
along roads. Chinese army bases and other government
compounds were relatively easy to spot. They often had
Chinese flags displayed, red stars over the entrance gates,
or the distinctive red and white logo that denotes a
government facility. Some also had tall transmitting
antennae, military vehicles parked in plain sight, or
soldiers within the compound walls.
On the road into Lhasa from the airport the delegation
passed large military facilities, potentially housing
thousands of troops. At regular intervals around the Barkhor,
the pilgrim circuit surrounding the Jokhang temple, Chinese
police monitored the Tibetans passing by. The delegation
heard reports of dozens of plainclothes security personnel
also circulating the Barkhor and located two surveillance
cameras in the area. Outside of Lhasa the delegation passed
numerous government and military compounds, as well as
several large convoys of military trucks.
The delegation was informed that Chinese civilians are
largely concentrated in the larger cities and towns, although
there are now reports of Chinese moving into rural areas in
Tibet, particularly in the eastern regions of Kham and Amdo.
It is important to note that the delegation was only able to
travel where there were roads and most villages between the
larger cities appeared to be predominately Tibetan.
Most modern shops and restaurants in the cities the
delegation observed were operated by Chinese and the Chinese
sections of town were expansive. Lhasa appeared to have two
distinctly Tibetan neighborhoods, at the foot of the Potala
and near the Jokhang temple. Even in these areas there is new
Chinese construction. From the top of the Potala it is clear
that only a small fraction of the buildings in Lhasa are in
the traditional Tibetan style and most of the extensive new
construction in Lhasa appears to have taken place in the
Chinese sections. Tibetan landmarks, like the Tibetan medical
college, have been destroyed and replaced by Chinese
structures.
In Shigatse the delegation observed only a small Tibetan
neighborhood surrounded by a large Chinese section of town.
While there the delegation was awakened by loudspeakers
blaring in Chinese. The delegation was warned by Tibetans not
to speak in Tibetan, as previous Tibetan speaking tourists
had been harassed by Chinese authorities for speaking in
Tibetan. There was a tangible tension in the streets in
Shigatse between Tibetans and Chinese.
Gyantse appeared to have the largest Tibetan to Chinese
ratio of the three larger towns the delegation visited. In
preparation for the trip the delegation was told that Gyantse
was a good example of a real Tibetan city. From the top of
the fort which towers over the town, it became clear,
however, that the Chinese and Tibetan areas were roughly
comparable in size. This indicates a new trend of Chinese
settlers migrating into smaller and smaller cities and towns
in Tibet.
It appeared to the delegation that the Chinese civilians in
Tibet are no longer simply providing goods and services to
the Tibetan people but are to a large extent serving other
Chinese. It also seemed that Tibetans are becoming marginal
to the economic and social processes in Tibet. Reports of
discriminatory practices against Tibetans in obtaining
permits to open businesses and restrictions against Tibetan
villagers moving into the cities when there are no such
restrictions for the Chinese further this process of
marginalization.
Numerous greenhouses were observed throughout the Lhasa
valley and along the major roads. The delegation had an
opportunity to visit a large compound of government-owned
greenhouses where the delegation was told that the produce
from the greenhouses was provided to government workers, and
not to nearby Tibetan villages.
Freedom of religious and cultural expression
The delegation was particularly interested in exploring the
degree of religious and cultural freedom in Tibet. The
delegation visited numerous monasteries and temples and
learned of religious restrictions inside Tibet from monks,
nuns and layman; both in Tibet and in Nepal.
As the centers for Tibetan culture and religious belief,
the monasteries and nunneries are often the focal point for
political activity for the Tibetan people. Human rights
organizations have documented over 350 monks and nuns
imprisoned in Lhasa alone for their political beliefs.
Torture and mistreatment of detained monks and nuns is
reportedly common.
It has been documented that religious policies for Tibet
are developed by central authorities in Beijing and are
carried out in each monastery through Democratic Management
Committees (DMC). The DMC has the power to intervene in all
activities of the monastery and often works directly with
security forces. Restrictions on religion are enforced by the
Religious Affairs Bureau (RAB). The RAB oversees the
restoration and reconstruction of monasteries, administers
funds, and screens applicants for entrance into the
monasteries.
The delegation was able to visit several of the over 6,000
monasteries destroyed since the Chinese occupation. The
delegation observed evidence of new construction in several
of the monasteries visited, though none had been restored to
its former size. In one monastery half of the building was
still used as a government office, while in another only two
of the monastery's sixteen buildings had been rebuilt.
Tibetans displayed a vigorous interest in rebuilding and
using the monasteries. However, while the Tibetans have been
allowed in some cases to begin rebuilding, credible witnesses
told the delegation of numerous restrictions and regulations
over the building process and the actual management of the
monasteries. Special permission for any such project must be
obtained from Chinese authorities. According to numerous
individuals interviewed by the delegation, monks do not
completely control monastery finances, even though the vast
majority of funds in the large monasteries and all of the
funds in the smaller monasteries come from individual
donations from Tibetans. The large monasteries and temples
which are visited by tourists have received limited
government funds for reconstruction. The delegation was told
that the government, however, reaps the benefit of the
tourist entrance fees which are required in these
monasteries.
Monks interviewed by the delegation discussed at length the
significant restrictions placed on the number of monks or
nuns that each monastery is allowed to admit. Most
monasteries are allowed only a tiny fraction of the historic
levels of monks who taught, studied and lived in them prior
to 1949; few are allowed more than 100 monks. Thus many who
want to enter the monasteries are unable to do so. This is
particularly significant in light of the fact that the
monasteries were the traditional centers of learning and
cultural expression in Tibet.
According to the monks the delegation met, those who are
admitted to the monasteries are not permitted enough time for
studying. Instead authorities have given them other duties to
perform which restrict their ability to get a full religious
education. Chinese informants are also reportedly prevalent
in the monasteries. They monitor the activities of the
occupants, and in some cases constitute a significant
percentage of the monastic population.
The Panchen Lama was a controversial, high-level religious
figure who stayed in Tibet after the Chinese invasion in 1949
and cooperated with Chinese authorities. However, he did make
efforts during his lifetime to stem Chinese repressive
policies in Tibet. He died in Tibet in 1989. Many Tibetans
discussed their concerns regarding the selection of the new
Panchen Lama. Tibetans fear that when a child is selected as
the next Panchen Lama, that the Chinese authorities will
attempt to manipulate his education so that he will work
against the Tibetan people.
The atmosphere in the Panchen Lama's monastery in Shigatse,
Tashi Lhunpo, was instructive. Because of the Panchen Lama's
relationship with the Chinese Government, it was the only
monastery that the delegation visited that had been spared
extensive destruction. It even had some new temples that were
elaborately and lavishly decorated. However, many Tibetans
described this monastery as being filled with ``Chinese
agents.'' Members of the delegation were told that in the
recent past, if a tourist were to give a picture of the Dalai
Lama to a monk in this monastery, a common practice for
tourists visiting Tibet, he or she would likely be turned
into the authorities and charged with instigating unrest.
Tashi Lhunpo, as well as the Potala in Lhasa, had numerous
Chinese tourists.
Yamdrok Tso
Yamdrok Tso is a large freshwater lake southwest of Lhasa,
considered to be a sacred ``life-water'' lake by the Tibetan
people. Yamdrok Tso is currently being exploited by the
Chinese authorities for hydroelectric power and mineral
deposits. The Tibetan people have strongly protested this
project because of environmental and religious concerns. This
is one project that the Panchen Lama vocally opposed shortly
before his death. One Tibetan told us that ``there is no
reason for the Chinese to destroy Yamdrok Tso. They don't
need it. If they need electricity they could use the
rivers in the next valley.''
As the delegation drove past the lake it passed a town
called ``Lhok Khang'' the hydroelectric station; an extensive
mining operation; and scores of military personnel.
Education
While in Tibet members of the delegation visited a middle
school and Tibet University to determine educational
opportunities for Tibetan students.
The secondary school system in Tibet contains a Chinese and
a Tibetan tract. However, in order to progress to high
school, students must pass English and Chinese language
exams, subjects which can only be sufficiently studied on the
Chinese tract. At the middle school the delegation visited
there are 300 students, 100 of whom are Chinese. The school
has both Chinese and Tibetan teachers. However, the Chinese
teachers receive six months home leave every two years to
return to China, while the Tibetan teachers do not receive
comparable vacation time.
One Tibetan told the delegation that she had gone to school
in China to receive a ``good education.'' Others also
expressed similar sentiments that schools in Tibet are
inferior and if a student is ambitious, he or she must travel
to China. Older Tibetans expressed the concern that Tibetan
children studying in China will forget their culture.
According to an administrator at Tibet University, the only
university in Tibet, only 19 percent of the 1,300 students
are Tibetan, and the language of instruction in Chinese. The
delegation was told that many Tibet University graduates go
to China to work after they have graduated.
conclusion
The delegation spent ten days investigating current
conditions in Tibet through discussions with those in the
Tibetan exile community in Nepal and through first-hand
observations inside Tibet.
Based on its observations, the delegation concludes that
China's policies in Tibet pose a grave threat to the survival
of the Tibetan religion and culture and are effectively
turning Tibet into another province of China.
The pervasive presence of Chinese military personnel and
Chinese civilians, as well as the ongoing human rights
violations against the Tibetan people, have created an
atmosphere of fear in Tibet. Upon arrival in Lhasa, the
delegation was told that two days earlier several monks
staged a small demonstration outside the Jokhang temple. They
were reportedly arrested by the police who rounded up other
suspected sympathizers, in the Tibetan section of town the
following night. At various points during the delegation's
visit, Tibetans referred to other demonstrators currently in
prison for peacefully demonstrating against the Chinese
occupation.
Growing support in the international community for the
Dalai Lama's efforts, including the awarding of the 1989
Nobel Peace Prize, seen to provide hope to the Tibetan
people. Many people asked delegation members about the Dalai
Lama; for photos of him, and for news of his activities. Many
of them volunteered the hope that he would be able to return
to Tibet and that the Chinese would leave.
It has been the Dalai Lama's policy to advocate a peaceful
resolution to the situation in Tibet through negotiations. He
has also expressed his willingness to not raise the issue of
independence at negotiations, as long as all other issues
threatening the Tibetan culture are on the table. It is the
delegation's belief that until the Tibetans regain some
control over policies affecting their daily lives, the very
survival of their culture will remain at risk.
Policy recommendations
The delegation believes that the U.S. and the international
community should use all policy tools to call on the Chinese
to immediately:
Enter into substantive negotiations with the Dalai Lama or
his representatives;
End government incentives for Chinese settlers to move to
Tibet;
Respect the basic human rights of the Tibetan people,
including the fundamental rights to freedom of speech and
assembly;
Permit the Tibetans to freely practice their religion and
pursue their unique way of life;
Provide more opportunities for educational advancement of
Tibetans studying in their own language; and
Cease all discriminatory practices towards Tibetans.
In addition, the United States should work in close
cooperation with the Tibetan Government in exile to provide
concrete and moral assistance to the Tibetan people as the
Congress recently suggested in adopting the Foreign Relations
Act.
____________________