[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 71 (Tuesday, June 4, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Page S4982]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN 
                                 TIBET

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 406, S. Res. 252.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will state the resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 252) expressing the sense of the 
     Senate regarding human rights violations in Tibet, the 
     Panchen Lama, and the need for dialogue between the Chinese 
     leadership and the Dalai Lama or his representatives.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution, which had been reported from the Committee on Foreign 
Relations with an amendment and an amendment to the preamble.
  [Omit the parts in black brackets and insert the parts printed in 
italic.]

                              S. Res. 252

       [Whereas Hu Jintao, Vice President of the People's Republic 
     of China and former Party Secretary of the Tibet Autonomous 
     Region, will visit the United States in April and May of 
     2002;
       [Whereas Gedhun Choekyi Nyima was taken from his home by 
     Chinese authorities on May 17, 1995, at the age of 6, shortly 
     after being recognized as the 11th incarnation of the Panchen 
     Lama by the Dalai Lama;
       [Whereas the forced disappearance of the Panchen Lama 
     violates fundamental freedoms enshrined in international 
     human rights covenants to which the People's Republic of 
     China is a party, including the Convention on the Rights of 
     the Child;
       [Whereas the use of religious belief as the primary 
     criteria for repression against Tibetans reflects a 
     continuing pattern of grave human rights violations that have 
     occurred since the invasion of Tibet in 1949-50;
       [Whereas the State Department Country Reports on Human 
     Rights Practices for 2001 states that repressive social and 
     political controls continue to limit the fundamental freedoms 
     of Tibetans and risk undermining Tibet's unique cultural, 
     religious, and linguistic heritage, and that repeated 
     requests for access to the Panchen Lama to confirm his well-
     being and whereabouts have been denied; and
       [Whereas the Government of the People's Republic of China 
     has failed to respond positively to efforts by the Dalai Lama 
     to enter into dialogue based on his proposal for genuine 
     autonomy within the People's Republic of China with a view to 
     safeguarding the distinct identity of Tibet and protecting 
     the human rights of the Tibetan people: Now, therefore, be 
     it]
       Whereas Gedhun Choekyi Nyima was taken from his home by 
     Chinese authorities on May 17, 1995, at the age of 6, shortly 
     after being recognized as the 11th incarnation of the Panchen 
     Lama by the Dalai Lama;
       Whereas the forced disappearance of the Panchen Lama 
     violates fundamental freedoms enshrined in international 
     human rights covenants to which the People's Republic of 
     China is a party, including the Convention on the Rights of 
     the Child;
       Whereas the use of religious belief as a criterion for 
     repression against Tibetans reflects a continuing pattern of 
     grave human rights violations that have occurred since the 
     invasion of Tibet in 1949-50;
       Whereas the State Department Country Reports on Human 
     Rights Practices for 2001 states that repressive social and 
     political controls continue to limit the fundamental freedoms 
     of Tibetans and risk undermining Tibet's unique cultural, 
     religious, and linguistic heritage, and that repeated 
     requests for access to the Panchen Lama to confirm his well-
     being and whereabouts have been denied;
       Whereas the releases of political prisoners Ngawang 
     Choephel, a 36-year-old ethnomusicologist on January 20, 
     2002, after 6 years in prison, and Tanak Jigme Sangpo, a 76-
     year-old schoolteacher on March 31, 2002, after 32 years in 
     prison, were facilitated in part by diplomatic efforts of the 
     United States Government and are welcome, modest developments 
     in the campaign to encourage the Chinese Government to 
     respect human rights, including religious freedom, and to 
     release remaining prisoners of conscience;
       Whereas the appointment of the Under Secretary of State for 
     Global Affairs, Paula J. Dobriansky, as the Special 
     Coordinator for Tibetan Issues is a sign of the high priority 
     the United States Government places on the political and 
     religious liberties of the people of Tibet; and
       Whereas the Government of the People's Republic of China 
     has failed to respond positively to efforts by the Dalai Lama 
     to enter into dialogue based on his proposal for genuine 
     autonomy within the People's Republic of China with a view to 
     safeguarding the distinct identity of Tibet and protecting 
     the human rights of the Tibetan people: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved,
       [That it is the sense of the Senate that--
       [(1) Vice President Hu Jintao should be made aware of 
     congressional concern for the Panchen Lama and the need to 
     resolve the situation in Tibet through dialogue with the 
     Dalai Lama or his representatives; and
       [(2) the Government of the People's Republic of China 
     should--
       [(A) release the Panchen Lama and allow him to pursue his 
     traditional role at Tashi Lhunpo monastery in Tibet; and
       [(B) enter into dialogue with the Dalai Lama or his 
     representatives in order to find a negotiated solution for 
     genuine autonomy that respects the rights of all Tibetans.]
       That it is the sense of the Senate that the Government of 
     the People's Republic of China should--
       (1) release the Panchen Lama and allow him to pursue his 
     traditional role at the Tashi Lhunpo monastery in Tibet; and
       (2) enter into dialogue with the Dalai Lama or his 
     representatives in order to find a negotiated solution for 
     genuine autonomy that respects the rights of all Tibetans.

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the committee 
amendment be agreed to; the resolution, as amended, be agreed to; the 
amendment to the preamble be agreed to; the preamble, as amended, be 
agreed to; the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, without any 
intervening action or debate.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The committee amendment was agreed to.
  The resolution (S. Res. 252), as amended, was agreed to.
  The amendment to the preamble was agreed to.
  The preamble, as amended, was agreed to.
  The resolution, as amended, with its preamble, as amended, reads as 
follows:

                              S. Res. 252

       Whereas Gedhun Choekyi Nyima was taken from his home by 
     Chinese authorities on May 17, 1995, at the age of 6, shortly 
     after being recognized as the 11th incarnation of the Panchen 
     Lama by the Dalai Lama;
       Whereas the forced disappearance of the Panchen Lama 
     violates fundamental freedoms enshrined in international 
     human rights covenants to which the People's Republic of 
     China is a party, including the Convention on the Rights of 
     the Child;
       Whereas the use of religious belief as a criterion for 
     repression against Tibetans reflects a continuing pattern of 
     grave human rights violations that have occurred since the 
     invasion of Tibet in 1949-50;
       Whereas the State Department Country Reports on Human 
     Rights Practices for 2001 states that repressive social and 
     political controls continue to limit the fundamental freedoms 
     of Tibetans and risk undermining Tibet's unique cultural, 
     religious, and linguistic heritage, and that repeated 
     requests for access to the Panchen Lama to confirm his well-
     being and whereabouts have been denied;
       Whereas the releases of political prisoners Ngawang 
     Choephel, a 36-year-old ethnomusicologist on January 20, 
     2002, after 6 years in prison, and Tanak Jigme Sangpo, a 76-
     year-old schoolteacher on March 31, 2002, after 32 years in 
     prison, were facilitated in part by diplomatic efforts of the 
     United States Government and are welcome, modest developments 
     in the campaign to encourage the Chinese Government to 
     respect human rights, including religious freedom, and to 
     release remaining prisoners of conscience;
       Whereas the appointment of the Under Secretary of State for 
     Global Affairs, Paula J. Dobriansky, as the Special 
     Coordinator for Tibetan Issues is a sign of the high priority 
     the United States Government places on the political and 
     religious liberties of the people of Tibet; and
       Whereas the Government of the People's Republic of China 
     has failed to respond positively to efforts by the Dalai Lama 
     to enter into dialogue based on his proposal for genuine 
     autonomy within the People's Republic of China with a view to 
     safeguarding the distinct identity of Tibet and protecting 
     the human rights of the Tibetan people: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved,
       That it is the sense of the Senate that the Government of 
     the People's Republic of China should--
       (1) release the Panchen Lama and allow him to pursue his 
     traditional role at the Tashi Lhunpo monastery in Tibet; and
       (2) enter into dialogue with the Dalai Lama or his 
     representatives in order to find a negotiated solution for 
     genuine autonomy that respects the rights of all Tibetans.

                          ____________________