[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 42 (Thursday, April 6, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E512-E513]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


    ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE JULIA TAFT DISCUSSES HUMAN RIGHTS 
                          CONDITIONS IN TIBET

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. TOM LANTOS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 6, 2000

  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, today the House International Relations 
Committee held a hearing focusing on the status of the negotiations 
between China and Tibet. The principal witness representing the 
Administration was the Honorable Julia V. Taft, Special Coordinator for 
Tibetan Refugee Issues and also the Assistant Secretary of State for 
Population, Refugees, and Migration.
  Assistant Secretary Taft gave a particularly insightful analysis of 
the current situation in Tibet. She noted that ``tight controls on 
religion and other fundamental freedoms continued and intensified'' 
during the past year. She further noted that there were ``instances of 
arbitrary arrests, detention without public trial, and torture in 
prison'' as well as ``intensification of controls over Tibetan 
monasteries and on monks and nuns. Religious activities were severely 
disrupted through the continuation of the government's patriotic 
education campaign.''
  Mr. Speaker, we have a number of important upcoming matters involving 
China and its human rights record. At the United Nations Commission on 
Human Rights, the United States has tabled a resolution calling for an 
investigation of human rights abuses in China. The Administration and 
many of us in the Congress are now engaged in a major effort to win 
international support of members of the Human Rights Commission for the 
full consideration of the resolution that our government has presented 
in Geneva.
  Later next month, the House of Representatives will consider the 
Administration's proposal to grant Permanent Normal Trade Relations 
status for our trade with China. Many of us in the Congress have 
extremely serious concerns about the advisability of extending this 
status to China because of Beijing's human rights record.
  Because the printed transcript of today's hearing of the 
International Relations Committee will not be available to member of 
the Congress for several months, Mr. Speaker, I ask that the 
outstanding testimony of Assistant Secretary Taft be placed in The 
Record. I urge my colleagues to give careful and thoughtful 
consideration to her statement as we consider the issues that will be 
before the Congress in the next few months.

  Statement of Julia V. Taft, Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues, 
         House International Relations Committee April 6, 2000

       Mr. Chairman and members of the Committee, it is a great 
     honor to appear before you today to testify on the current 
     situation in Tibet.
       I was appointed a little over a year ago to serve as 
     Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues. My policy goals are 
     two-fold: first to promote a substantive dialogue between the 
     Chinese government and the Dalai Lama or his representatives, 
     and second, to help sustain Tibet's unique religious, 
     linguistic, and cultural heritage.
       Mr. Chairman as you and your colleagues know, disputes over 
     Tibet's relations with the Chinese government have a long, 
     complex history. Recognizing that this is your third hearing 
     on Tibet, I do not propose to summarize it again today. 
     Instead, I would like to describe the current circumstances 
     in Tibet, talk a little about developments over the past 
     year, and what I've been doing since my appointment.

                       Current Situation in Tibet

       As our human rights report on China for 1999 makes clear, 
     tight controls on religion and other fundamental freedoms 
     continued and intensified during a year in which there were 
     several sensitive anniversaries and events. This year's 
     report documents in detail widespread human rights and 
     religious freedom abuses. Besides instances of arbitrary 
     arrests, detention without public trial, and torture in 
     prison, there was also an intensification of controls over 
     Tibetan monasteries and on monks and nuns. Religious 
     activities were severely disrupted through the continuation 
     of the government's patriotic education campaign that aims to 
     expel supporters of the Dalai Lama from monasteries and views 
     the monasteries as a focus of ``anti-China'' separatist 
     activity. UNHCR reported that 2905 Tibetans left Tibet during 
     the year, and Tibet Information Network reported that 
     approximately \1/3\ of those left to escape campaigns and 
     pursue religious teaching in India. In fact, two of Tibet's 
     most prominent religious figures have left Tibet during the 
     past 18 months reportedly for these reasons. The 14-year-old 
     Karmapa, leader of Kagyu sect, and the third most revered 
     leader in Tibetan Buddhism, left Tibet in late December to 
     pursue religious teachings in India. Agya Rinpoche, former 
     abbot of Kumbum Monastery, a senior Tibetan religious figure 
     and an official at the Deputy Minister level, left China in 
     November 1998. Among reported reasons for his departure were 
     increased government pressure on Kumbum Monastery including 
     the stationing of 45 government officials, the imposition of 
     patriotic re-education, and a heightened role demanded of him 
     by the Government in its campaign to legitimize Gyaltsen 
     Norbu, the boy recognized by the Chinese leadership as the 
     11th Panchen Lama.
       Although China has devoted substantial economic resources 
     to Tibet over the past 20 years, it remains China's poorest 
     region. Language problems severely limit educational 
     opportunities for Tibetan students, and illiteracy rates are 
     said to be rising sharply. The average life span of Tibetans 
     is reportedly dropping, infant mortality is climbing, and 
     most non-urban children are chronically undernourished.
       Recent reports suggest that privatization of health care, 
     increased emphasis on Chinese language curriculum, and 
     continuing Han migration into Tibet are all weakening the 
     social and economic position of Tibet's indigenous 
     population. Lacking the skills to compete with Han laborers, 
     ethnic Tibetans are not participating in the region's 
     economic boom. In fact, rapid economic growth, the expanding 
     tourism industry, and the introduction of more modern 
     cultural influences also have disrupted traditional living 
     patterns and customs, causing environmental problems and 
     threatening traditional Tibetan culture.
       In Lhasa (the capital of Tibetan Autonomous Region) Chinese 
     cultural presence is obvious and widespread. Buildings are of 
     Chinese architectural style, the Chinese language is widely 
     spoken, and Chinese characters are used in most commercial 
     and official communications. Drawn by economic incentives to 
     the region, ethnic Han Chinese are estimated to comprise more 
     than half the population of Lhasa; some observers estimate 
     the non-Tibetan population of the city (mostly Han and Hui) 
     to be roughly 90 percent. Chinese officials estimate that 95 
     percent of Tibet's officially registered population is 
     Tibetan, with Han and other ethnic groups making up the 
     remaining 5 percent. These numbers reportedly do not include 
     the large number of ``temporary'' Han residents, including 
     military and paramilitary troops and their dependents, many 
     of whom have lived in Tibet for years. The Dalai Lama, 
     Tibetan experts, and others have expressed concern that 
     development projects and other central Government policies 
     encourage massive influxes of Han Chinese, which have the 
     effect of overwhelming Tibet's traditional culture and 
     diluting Tibetan identity.
       Reports indicate that increased economic development 
     combined with the influx of migrants, has contributed to an 
     increase of prostitution in the region. Experts who work in 
     the region report that hundreds of brothels operate openly in 
     Lhasa; up to 10,000 commercial sex workers, mostly ethnic 
     Han, may be employed in Lhasa alone. Much of the prostitution 
     reportedly occurs in sites owned by the Party or the 
     Government, under military protection. The incidence of HIV 
     among prostitutes in Tibet is unknown, but is believed to be 
     relatively high.
       Because of the deterioration of the Chinese Government's 
     human rights record the U.S. Government announced on January 
     12 its intention to introduce a resolution focusing 
     international attention on China's human rights record at 
     this year's session of the United Nations Commission on Human 
     Rights (UNCHR) in Geneva. We are working hard with other 
     nations to defeat China's anticipated no-action motion and to 
     pass the resolution.
       Our criticism of China's human rights practices reflects 
     core values of the American people and widely-shared 
     international norms--freedom of religion, conscience, 
     expression, association, and assembly. These rights are 
     enshrined in international human rights instruments, 
     including the International Covenant on Civil and Political 
     Rights, which China has signed but not yet ratified or 
     implemented.

                           Other developments

       In addition to utilizing multilateral human rights fora, 
     the President and Secretary Albright have continued to use 
     every available opportunity to urge the Chinese leadership to 
     enter into a substantive dialogue with the Dalai Lama or his 
     representatives. President Jiang Zemin indicated to President 
     Clinton during their June 1998 summit in Beijing that he 
     would be willing to engage in such dialogue if the Dalai Lama 
     affirmed that Tibet and Taiwan are part of China. Despite our 
     repeated efforts throughout the year to foster such dialogue 
     and the willingness expressed by the Dalai Lama, the Chinese 
     leadership has not followed up on Jiang's remarks to the 
     President. Nevertheless, the Administration remains committed 
     to implementing an approach to human

[[Page E513]]

     rights that combines rigorous external focus on abuses while 
     simultaneously working to promote positive trends within 
     China including, in the case of Tibet, Chinese willingness to 
     engage with the Dalai Lama to resolve Tibet issues. I am 
     convinced that this principled, purposeful engagement will 
     produce results over the long-term.
       We have also continued to raise individual cases of 
     concern. Most notable is the issue of the welfare and 
     whereabouts of Gendhun Cheokyi Nyima the boy recognized by 
     the Dalai Lama as the Panchen Lama and his parents, who have 
     been held incommunicado now for nearly 5 years. When we 
     received disturbing, unconfirmed reports the boy had died in 
     Gansu province and was cremated in secrecy, our Embassy made 
     formal representations expressing concern about his 
     whereabouts and welfare. Although the reports of his death 
     were unsubstantiated and thought to be untrue by the Tibetan 
     exile community, the Administration publicly urged the 
     Chinese Government to address continuing concerns of the 
     international community about the safety and well-being of 
     the child by allowing the boy and his family to receive 
     credible international visitors, and to return home freely. 
     The Chinese government has continued to refuse to allow 
     direct confirmation of his well-being.
       In response to an inquiry from the Congress, the Chinese 
     Government acknowledged the whereabouts and earlier ill-
     health of Ngawang Choephel, the Tibetan ethnomusicologist and 
     former Middlebury College Fulbright Scholar who was 
     incarcerated in 1996 and is now serving an 18-year sentence 
     on charges of subversion. We have repeatedly urged the 
     Chinese government to allow his mother to visit him while 
     incarcerated, as is her right under the Chinese Prison Law. 
     However, her repeated requests to be allowed to visit him 
     have not been granted. We have also urged China to release 
     Ngawang Choephel on medical grounds as a humanitarian 
     gesture.

                What I've been doing over the last year?

       Over the past year I have made it a point to learn all that 
     I can about Tibetan issues so that I am able to ensure the 
     effective presentation of these issues in our U.S.-China 
     bilateral discussions. I have maintained close contact with 
     the Dalai Lama's Special Envoy to Washington, Lodi Gyari. 
     Throughout the year, I requested meetings with the Chinese 
     Ambassador, however, such meetings have not been granted. I 
     am hopeful that this year I will be able to sit down with the 
     Ambassador and discuss the Chinese government's views on 
     social, political, and economic issues related to Tibet, as 
     well as explore ways we can help get the dialogue back on 
     track.
       I've met with scores of people from like-minded countries, 
     government officials, people from foundations and academia, 
     experts in U.S.-China relations and NGO officials. Each 
     meeting has produced ideas on how to improve the situation 
     inside Tibet, as well as substantive thoughts about how to 
     restart dialogue. Despite the fact that I am the only Special 
     Coordinator for Tibetan Issues world wide, my appointment has 
     prompted other nations to identify counterparts to discuss 
     this issue. I realize now that there is a wealth of knowledge 
     and talent around the world interested in helping to improve 
     the situation in Tibet. In fact, I just returned from 
     Brussels where the European Parliament held an all-Party 
     Parliamentarian Session on Tibet to discuss multilateral 
     efforts and how we can best coordinate future strategies.
       In January I visited Dharmasala, India in my capacity as 
     Assistant Secretary for Population, Refugees and Migration. 
     The purpose of my trip was to evaluate and review the $2 
     million in assistance programs the United States provides for 
     Tibetan refugees.
       After receiving a very warm welcome, I had the opportunity 
     to meet with many members of the Central Tibetan 
     Administration (CTA) to discuss the grant. I was overwhelmed 
     by the tremendous sense of good will and community, 
     especially among the younger generation despite the fact that 
     this generation has never even seen Tibet. I learned on my 
     visit that nearly the entire Central Tibetan Administration 
     is made up of Fulbright Scholars. These bright, young adults 
     undoubtedly had much more lucrative opportunities in the 
     United States, Europe or India, yet a remarkable 96% have 
     returned to Tibetan settlements to make their talents 
     available to the CTA. Equally impressive is how traditional 
     Tibetan culture is integrated into nearly every facet of 
     daily life.
       However, having just been to Nepal in October where I met 
     with new arrivals who were traumatized and had endured great 
     hardship while crossing the Himalayas, I was anxious to visit 
     the transit center in Dharmasala where all new arrivals spend 
     some time before being placed in settlements throughout 
     India. During my visit the center was teeming with refugees. 
     The new arrivals were quiet, but far more animated than the 
     refugees I had seen in Kathmandu just three months earlier. 
     The rooms were crowded, but clean and orderly. Many were 
     wearing the new shoes and dark pants they received after 
     arriving at the Kathmandu reception center. Attached to the 
     transit center was a small, three-room medical clinic for 
     routine medical care.
       Although the USG grant makes a very positive impact on the 
     lives of these refugees by providing support for the 
     reception centers, preventive health care, basic food, 
     clothing, clean water and income-generating projects, I am 
     looking into funding repatriation for Tibetans that return to 
     Tibet from the PRM budget as well as exploring ways that 
     IO's, NGO's, and private industry might be helpful in 
     developmental assistance.
       Additionally, I met with the Dalai Lama twice over the past 
     year and I look forward to seeing him this summer when he is 
     in Washington for the Smithsonian Folk Life Festival. During 
     the meetings I have had with him, he reiterated his concern 
     about the marginalization of the Tibetan people living in 
     Tibet and requested that I devote some attention to finding 
     ways to improve the lives of those still in Tibet through 
     culturally sustainable enterprises. As I began to narrow down 
     options on ways to be helpful, Congress appropriated $1 
     million to support activities which preserve cultural 
     traditions and promote sustainable development and 
     environmental conservation in Tibet. The responsibility of 
     the earmark was assigned to the Bureau of East Asia and 
     Pacific Affairs and my office will have an important role in 
     managing the money and monitoring the performance of these 
     new programs over the course of the year.
       A Congressional Notification is before Congress which would 
     allocate $750,000 to the Bridge Fund for several agricultural 
     and micro credit initiatives in Tibet. The remaining $250,000 
     will be made available through a competitive process for 
     NGO's who qualify for project funding.

                               Conclusion

       The treatment of Tibetans by the Chinese government over 
     the past 50 years has been inconsistent with international 
     norms and standards of respect for fundamental human rights. 
     The Dalai Lama has shown enormous courage in accepting the 
     impracticality of insisting on independence and calling for 
     ``genuine autonomy'' within Chinese sovereignty. Chinese 
     spokesmen have responded by stating their willingness to 
     engage in a dialogue with the Dalai Lama if he renounces 
     independence and pro-independence activities. The problem 
     appears to be solvable. Ultimately it comes down to a 
     question of will, especially on Beijing's side. There are 
     significant Chinese interests that could be advanced in 
     moving forward on Tibetan autonomy. The Dalai Lama is still 
     active and healthy; his prestige will be crucial in carrying 
     the opinion of the Diaspora and most Tibetans in the 
     autonomous regions. Only he can ensure the successful 
     implementation of a negotiated settlement.
       Conversely, maintaining order over an unhappy population is 
     a drain on the resources of a still developing country. 
     Widespread knowledge of China's human rights offenses in 
     Tibet has brought about pressure on China's leadership to 
     explain its Tibet policy to the international community. My 
     impression is that the situation in Tibet deeply troubles 
     China's international partners and foreign leaders and that 
     this is affecting their diplomatic engagement in Western 
     countries.
       Since China's number one priority is the stability and the 
     unity of the PRC, Chinese leaders may find that a more 
     enlightened policy toward Tibet would be an important step 
     toward enhancing the respect they have earned from the 
     economic transformation of their country. It is my sincere 
     hope that parties will resume dialogue that looked so 
     promising in 1998. Preservation of Tibet's unique cultural 
     and religious traditions depends on it.
       In closing, I would like to thank you for this opportunity 
     to testify today. I look forward to working with you another 
     year on this extremely important issue.

     

                          ____________________