Congressional Record, Volume 150 Issue 11 (Tuesday, February 3, 2004)

[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 11 (Tuesday, February 3, 2004)]
[House]
[Pages H263-H267]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

EXPRESSING SENSE OF HOUSE REGARDING PRISONERS OF CONSCIENCE BY CHINESE
GOVERNMENT FOR THEIR INVOLVEMENT IN EFFORTS TO END CHINESE OCCUPATION
OF TIBET

Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the
resolution (H. Res. 157) expressing the sense of the House of
Representatives regarding several individuals who are being held as
prisoners of conscience by the Chinese Government for their involvement
in efforts to end the Chinese occupation of Tibet.
The Clerk read as follows:

H. Res. 157

Whereas for more than 1,000 years Tibet has maintained a
sovereign national identity that is distinct from the
national identity of China;
Whereas armed forces of the People's Republic of China
invaded Tibet in 1949 and 1950 and have occupied it since
then;

[[Page H264]]

Whereas according to the United States Department of State
and international human rights organizations, the Government
of the People's Republic of China continues to commit
widespread and well-documented human rights abuses in China
and Tibet;
Whereas the People's Republic of China has yet to
demonstrate its willingness to abide by internationally
accepted norms of freedom of belief, expression, and
association by repealing or amending laws and decrees that
restrict those freedoms;
Whereas the Chinese Government has detained hundreds of
Tibetan nuns, monks and lay persons as prisoners of
conscience for their efforts in speaking out against the
Chinese occupation of Tibet;
Whereas on October 14, 1989, Phuntsog Nyidron, a Tibetan
Buddhist nun, and 5 other nuns from the Michungri Nunnery
were arrested in Lhasa after chanting some slogans and
marching in a procession as part of a peaceful demonstration
that they organized to protest the Chinese occupation of
Tibet;
Whereas Phuntsog Nyidron and the other nuns were kicked,
beaten and given electric shocks on their hands, shoulders,
breasts, tongue, and face while in Chinese custody;
Whereas in 1993, Phuntsog Nyidron and 13 other nuns
secretly recorded songs about Tibetan independence and
smuggled the recordings out of Drapchi prison;
Whereas the Chinese Government charged Phuntsog Nyidron
with ``spreading counter-revolutionary propaganda'' for her
role in recording and smuggling out the taped songs and, on
October 9, 1993, extended her prison sentence to 17 years,
one of the longest reported sentences of any female Tibetan
political prisoner;
Whereas Phuntsog Nyidron was awarded the Reebok Human
Rights Award in 1995;
Whereas Phuntsog Nyidron is just one of many individuals
whom the Chinese Government has held as a prisoner of
conscience;
Whereas the Chinese Government continues to imprison
individuals as prisoners of conscience for their involvement
in peaceful protests against the brutal Chinese occupation of
Tibet; and
Whereas the Chinese Government continues to exert control
over religious and cultural institutions in Tibet, abusing
human rights through torture, arbitrary arrest, and detention
without public trial of Tibetans who peacefully expressed
their political or religious views: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of
Representatives that the Government of the People's Republic
of China should, as a gesture of goodwill and in order to
promote human rights, immediately release all prisoners of
conscience, including Phuntsog Nyidron.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
California (Mr. Royce) and the gentleman from American Samoa (Mr.
Faleomavaega) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce).

General Leave

Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks
on the resolution under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from California?
There was no objection.
Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I would like to begin by commending my colleague, the gentleman from
New Mexico (Mr. Udall), for sponsoring this resolution; and this
resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives
regarding individuals being held as prisoners of conscience by the
Chinese Government for their involvement in efforts to end the Chinese
occupation of Tibet. It calls for the Chinese Government to release all
its prisoners of conscience.
Mr. Speaker, this resolution notes that the United States Department
of State and international human rights organizations have documented
continuing and widespread human rights violations committed by the
Chinese Government throughout China and throughout Tibet. This
resolution specifically highlights the plight of imprisoned Tibetan nun
Phuntsog Nyidron who was arrested along with five other nuns back in
1989 for peacefully demonstrating against China's occupation of Tibet.
She was beaten and she was tortured for her peaceful protest, and
further, her prison sentence was extended when she and 13 other nuns
secretly recorded and smuggled out of Drapchi prison songs of Tibetan
independence.
Her continued defiance of the Chinese Government earned her one of
the longest reported prison sentences of any female Tibetan political
prisoner, and, Mr. Speaker, she continues to languish in prison. What
is more, she is hardly alone.
This resolution notes that the Chinese Government has detained
hundreds of Tibetan nuns and hundreds of monks and laypersons as
prisoners of conscience for one crime, and that is speaking out against
the Chinese government's occupation.
Mr. Speaker, the United States House of Representatives has a long
tradition of being a voice for the voiceless. The United States House
of Representatives has a long tradition of being a champion for the
oppressed, and, Mr. Speaker, this body has a long tradition of leading
the charge for human rights, and I encourage my colleagues to support
this H. Res. 157.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
(Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA asked and was given permission to revise and extend
his remarks.)
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I want to commend my good friend, the
gentleman from California, for being the manager of this legislation on
the majority side.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution, and I would
first like to commend my good friend and colleague, the gentleman from
New Mexico (Mr. Udall), for his leadership on this Tibet issue and for
his introduction of this important resolution.
I would also like to thank the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde),
the chairman of the House Committee on International Relations, for
allowing this resolution to move to the floor and also the gentleman
from California (Mr. Lantos), our senior Democratic ranking member, for
his support of this legislation.
Mr. Speaker, this is a bipartisan piece of legislation. The
resolution before the House is not the first expression of Congress'
great concern regarding the treatment of Tibetans by the Chinese
Government. Two years ago, Congress overwhelmingly approved the Tibet
Policy Act, and we have also considered several resolutions regarding
the lack of political and religious freedom in Tibet, but as Congress
debated these larger policy matters, it was easy to lose sight of the
impact of Chinese repression on individual Tibetans. To understand the
brutality of Chinese rule in Tibet, we need to put a human face on it.
The Udall resolution accomplishes this important task by calling
attention to the case of Phuntsog Nyidron, a Tibetan nun who is the
longest surviving female political prisoner in Tibet.
What was Phuntsog Nyidron's crime? Three days after learning that His
Holiness the Dalai Lama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, she led five
other nuns in a protest in downtown Lhasa against the Chinese
occupation of Tibet. Instead of ignoring these peaceful protests,
Chinese authorities arrested the nuns and subjected them to horrific
torture.
Phuntsog Nyidron and her fellow nuns were kicked, beaten, and given
electric shocks all over their bodies. They were strung up by their
hands and beaten with an iron rod, all this because they were unhappy
with the Chinese occupation of Tibet and dared to speak their minds.
Mr. Speaker, even torture would not silence Phuntsog Nyidron. In 1993
Phuntsog Nyidron and 13 other imprisoned nuns secretly recorded songs
about Tibetan independence and smuggled their recordings out of prison.
In one song, the nun thanked, ``all of you outside who have done all
that you can for us in prison. We will never forget you.''

{time} 1500

In another song, the nuns sang of being ``beaten and treated
brutally, but this will never change the Tibetan people's
perseverance.''
Mr. Speaker, when the Chinese Government found out about these songs,
they extended the sentence of Phuntsog Nyidron to 17 years because she
was ``spreading counterrevolutionary propaganda.'' Mr. Speaker,
sentencing a Tibetan nun to 17 years in prison for peacefully
protesting the treatment of Tibetans and making a musical tape to
expose prison conditions is absolutely outrageous, in my humble
opinion, and a violation of every international human rights treaty to
which China is a party.

[[Page H265]]

Today, Mr. Speaker, we in the House are sending a signal to Phuntsog
Nyidron that we have not forgotten her, her fellow nuns, and China's
other fellow prisoners of conscience. We are signaling to the Chinese
Government that it is time to release Phuntsog Nyidron and other
prisoners of conscience as a humanitarian gesture, particularly as
China celebrates the Lunar New Year.
Today, we are celebrating the perseverance of the Tibetan people who
have suffered enormous repression and deprivation over the last 50
years. The Tibetan people will one day regain their freedom, and those
who languish in Chinese prisons for opposing Chinese rule in Tibet will
be celebrated as heroes.
Mr. Speaker, years ago it was my privilege to accompany our former
chairman of the House Committee on International Relations, my good
friend and the gentleman from New York, Mr. Ben Gilman, also an
outstanding leader of our Nation who was a great advocate of human
rights throughout the world. We traveled to the town of Dharmsala in
India, where the Dalai Lama and his Tibetan followers live since they
were driven out of Tibet by Chinese authorities. To this day, I will
never forget the privilege of meeting with the Dalai Lama and the good
people of Tibet who are currently living in this town of Dharmsala in
India.
The situation between the people of Tibet and China is not an easy
matter to resolve, but we certainly should express our grave concerns
with the way the people of Tibet are treated by the Chinese Government.
At this time I will not get into the debate as to whether the Tibetans
are of Chinese ancestry and if at one time or another Tibet was part of
the Chinese empire centuries ago. Of paramount importance is our
concern for the inhumane treatment of our fellow human beings anywhere
on this planet, the very reason why this resolution is important to
note the will of this body before our Nation and to the world.
Mr. Speaker, the great people of Tibet truly appreciate and know the
meaning of freedom because they are not free, and so I urge my
colleagues to support House Resolution 157.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from New
Mexico (Mr. Udall), the author of this resolution.
(Mr. UDALL of New Mexico asked and was given permission to revise and
extend his remarks.)
Mr. UDALL of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased today to rise in
support of my bill, House Resolution 157, which calls on China to
release its Tibetan prisoners of conscience. I would like to thank the
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde) and the gentleman from California
(Mr. Lantos), the chairman and ranking member of the Committee on
International Relations, for moving this bill to the House floor today.
Around 100 political prisoners remain behind bars in the Drapchi
prison in Lhasa, the most notorious Chinese prison in Tibet. I was
lucky enough last fall to meet one of Drapchi's most recently released
political prisoners. Ngawang Sangdrol was her name. This humble
remarkable young woman survived 11 years of torture and deprivation in
prison before she reached her 21st birthday. She was released from
prison in 2002 and was allowed to travel to the United States for
medical treatment in March of 2003.
Despite the horrific treatment she suffered in prison, her spirit was
never broken and her dedication to the cause of Tibetan freedom never
flagged. The horrific treatment that Ngawang Sangdrol experienced in
prison is unimaginable to most of us. She recalls being made to stare
at the sun while holding newspapers under her arms and between her
knees. If the newspapers fell, she would be beaten. She was
electrocuted with a baton and was made to run with her arms behind her
while stones were thrown at her.
When I asked this young woman, who had been through so much, what the
worst day of her imprisonment was, she responded she had no answer;
``they were all the worst day of my life,'' she said.
Many of the Tibetan nuns and monks who suffered along with Ngawang
Sangdrol remain in Drapchi prison today. Mentioned explicitly in this
resolution is a nun by the name of Phuntsog Nyidron. This 34-year-old
Tibetan nun is the longest serving female political prisoner in Tibet.
She was only 20 years old when she was arrested in 1989 for taking part
in a peaceful protest. Her sentence was extended in 1993 when she and
13 other nuns recorded and smuggled out of prison songs about their
love for their country, their people, and His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
The Tibetans are a peace loving and resilient people, and even under
the Chinese occupation they have been able to retain their culture
outside Tibet's borders. In my district in New Mexico I enjoy having a
significant group of Tibetan refugees as constituents. It is these
Tibetans and the people who care about them who led to this
resolution's introduction and its eventual passage.
This resolution also comes at a crucial time in the treatment of
Tibetan refugees elsewhere. After the Nepalese government handed over
18 Tibetan refugees to the Chinese Government last summer, the U.S.
Congress put significant pressure on them to issue an official policy
stating that it would not happen again. We now know definitively that
at least two of the Tibetans who were given to the Chinese authorities
were thrown in prison, whereupon they were tortured. However, even
after the Nepalese government issued its new policy, reports continue
to surface that they are handing over Tibetan refugees to the Chinese.
This is unacceptable. I take this opportunity not only to call on the
Chinese Government to release its political prisoners but also to tell
the Nepalese government that the United States takes very seriously the
welfare of Tibetan refugees everywhere.
With the passage of this resolution today, we send a message to the
Chinese Government that we have not turned a blind eye to Tibet. Quite
the contrary. We closely monitor what occurs in Tibet and will continue
to do so. And with that we call on the Chinese to release its political
prisoners out of good will and responsibility.
There is a poem by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama that ends: ``Work
for peace in your heart and in the world work for peace. And I say
again never give up. No matter what is going on, never give up.''
It is with this sentiment that I urge my colleagues to support this
important resolution. There is credible evidence that international
action on behalf of prisoners in China improves their situation. Since
2002, nine political prisoners have been released from prison as a
result of international pressure.
On behalf of Phuntsog Nyidron and her fellow prisoners who are being
so unjustly treated, please join me in voting in favor of House
Resolution 157. I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce) for
his assistance in this matter and all the other Members the bipartisan
group of Members that are a part of this resolution.
Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I yield myself such time as I may
consume, and I would make the observation that Tibet has been under
Beijing rule since 1949, when it was invaded and at that time
incorporated into China. In 1959, the Dalai Lama fled in exile to
India, and he fled with tens of thousands of his followers.
The Dalai Lama has shed daylight over the years on many human rights
violations. More than 1 million Tibetans have died under the Chinese
occupation as a result of torture and as a result of starvation and as
a result of execution.
No nation is exempt from the demands of human dignity. I should note
that this House has a notable record when it comes to Tibet. The
cochairmen of the Human Rights Caucus, the gentleman from Virginia (Mr.
Wolf) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), have been
instrumental in this effort. Last year, the Dalai Lama gave the keynote
address to the Human Rights Caucus to recognize the 20th anniversary of
our Human Rights Caucus here.
The People's Republic of China has yet to demonstrate its willingness
to abide by internationally accepted norms of freedom in terms of
freedom of belief, or freedom of expression, or freedom of association.
China is still holding hundreds of political prisoners

[[Page H266]]

of conscience for peaceful protests against the Chinese occupation.
Seventeen years of additional sentence for singing a Tibetan song in
prison is truly draconian, but it is not atypical of the treatment of
those who try to keep their culture alive or those who try to keep
their religion alive; nor are the tortures catalogued here today by the
gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Udall), nor are those tortures atypical
of what we have heard in committee about the condition that goes on in
those prisons. That is why this resolution is so important.
The human rights violations, the arbitrary arrests, the detention
without public trial of Tibetans who peacefully express their political
or religious views must come to an end, and I urge my colleagues to
support this resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I know the distinguished minority leader would have
loved to be here this morning to express her views on this very
important issue, but she is necessarily otherwise obligated and will
submit a statement for the record on this resolution.
Mr. Speaker, again I commend my good friend from California (Mr.
Royce) for his comments. Over the years, both of us, as members of the
Committee on International Relations, know that the issue of Tibet has
always been one of those issues that we want to address forthrightly,
but then there is always this idea or the response from the Chinese
Government saying, well, this is really an internal affair kind of
thing and, therefore, it is not any other country's business. I wonder
if my good friend from California agrees with this statement being the
response of our Chinese friends.
Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. I yield to the gentleman from California.
Mr. ROYCE. In point of fact, Mr. Speaker, I would be happy to respond
that China invaded Tibet in 1949 and subjugated its people. So for the
government of Beijing to now say this is an internal matter, first
there are two points here: First of all, they are claiming it is an
internal matter because they subjugated an indigenous people in Tibet
and then systematically killed over a million Tibetans and then moved
people from mainland China into the Tibetan communities in order to try
to erase a culture.
Secondarily, even if this was action taking place in Beijing itself,
we would be speaking out. Why? Because there are certain fundamental
standards of human rights when it comes to freedom of religion and
freedom of speech. And when we have things as egregious as a young
woman who is a nun, who is tortured and sent to prison for an
additional 17 years for singing a cultural song about Tibetan heritage,
that is so outrageous that the international community would speak out
regardless of what country that crime against humanity occurred in. And
this is truly criminal activity.
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, I thank my good
friend for his edification and certainly providing a better
understanding for our colleagues on this important issue.
I also want to thank my good friend, the gentleman from New Mexico,
not only for his initiative but for his leadership in bringing this
resolution for the Members to discuss. And I certainly would like to
emphasize again that we need to support and to pass this legislation to
send a clear message to the Chinese Government that this is not
acceptable and we should do this at all costs.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support
of H. Res. 157 which sheds light on the prisoners of conscience being
held by the Chinese Government. These peaceful prisoners' only crimes
were to speak out against the Chinese occupation of their homeland in
Tibet. I would like to thank my distinguished colleague Mr. Udall for
bringing this ongoing matter to the floor of this body. We can not
ignore the plight of the Tibetan people while giving tacit support to
the Chinese Government.
One of the great marks of our Nation has been as a protector of human
rights throughout the world. I recognize we may not be able to stop all
international violations of human rights, but we certainly can not look
the other way as the world's most populous nation blatantly occupies a
peaceful country. For more than 50 years the Chinese Government has
imposed its will on the people of Tibet. The Tibetan people have been
unable to enjoy even the most basic rights under this Chinese
occupation. Tibet had existed as a sovereign nation distinct from
Chinese identity for over a thousand years. It was a nation that gave
birth to the Buddhist faith and acted as the spiritual center for many
people throughout the world. Now the people of Tibet can not even
practice their own faith without fear of persecution. If we say we
value human rights even a little bit how can we allow this deliberate
oppression to continue?
The prisoners of conscience being discussed in this resolution are a
prime example of the kind of injustice that is inflicted on the
peaceful Tibetan people. On October 14, 1989, Phuntsog Nyidron, a
Tibetan Buddhist nun, and 5 other nuns from the Michungri Nunnery were
arrested in Lhasa after chanting some slogans and marching in a
procession as part of a peaceful demonstration that they organized to
protest the Chinese occupation of Tibet. Their only real crime being
that they believed they had the right to expression. Their only
expression being their belief that Tibet deserved not to be occupied.
Again I ask, how can we allow ourselves as a body to look the other way
while this oppression continues to take place? Even in our darkest days
as a nation we allowed the freedom of protest as long as it was
peaceful. In the face of brutal oppression the Tibetan people have been
nothing if not peaceful. So many Tibetans including the Dalai Lama have
been forced in to exile, and still their message is one of peace. These
brave people of Tibet pose no physical threat to China; instead it is
their stoic resoluteness to obtain their rights that frightens the
Chinese Government.
Phuntsog Nyidron is the latest in the line of Tibetan leaders who
have been imprisoned simply because they dared to voice their
opposition to the Chinese occupation of their homeland. Let's not
forget that Ms. Nyidron and those who were arrested with her were nuns.
Since when have nuns become such a great threat to a government that
they must be thrown in to prison and tortured? Since 1989 Ms. Nyidron
has been subjected to torture and ill-treatment in the notorious
Drapchi Prison which houses all female political prisoners. In 1993 Ms.
Nyidron had her sentence extended to seventeen years simply because she
and thirteen other nuns had secretly recorded songs about Tibetan
independence and smuggled the recordings out of Drapchi prison. Once
again I ask, where is the great threat to the Chinese government that
requires a peaceful nun to be imprisoned for seventeen years? We now
know that there are profound concerns for Ms. Nyidron's health as she
is known to have liver, stomach and kidney problems which have no doubt
been exacerbated by her brutal treatment in prison. It seems likely
that the Chinese Government will be more than content to allow her to
die in prison. The point of her imprisonment is not to eliminate a
dangerous or threatening person, but instead to send a message to every
other Tibetan that not only must they suffer Chinese occupation, but
that they must do so in silence. This, Mr. Speaker, is unacceptable.

I call on every Member of this body to support this resolution. Let
us send a message to every Tibetan who lives in fear that they have an
ally in their struggle for their rights. Let us also send a message to
the Chinese Government that the United States of America still holds
the banner as the international protector of human rights and that we
will not turn a blind eye to the open and vicious oppression of the
Tibetan people. For more than fifty years they have endured this
occupation with great dignity and an enduring faith. They are a living
testament to the fact that brutality cannot crush the spirit of even
the most oppressed people. I ask the Chinese people to come to the aid
of these great human rights proponents. I hope the Chinese government
will see fit to listen. I look forward to that dialogue.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.
Res. 157, calling on the government of the People's Republic of China
to release all prisoners of conscience, including Phuntsog Nyidron, a
Tibetan nun who is currently the longest serving Tibetan political
prisoner in China.
We know that the brutal regime in China has detained hundreds of
Tibetan nuns, monks, and laypersons for speaking out against the
Chinese occupation of Tibet. In the last session of Congress, I
sponsored a resolution calling on the PRC to release the Panchen Lama,
who is held in high esteem in Tibetan culture as the teacher of the
Dali Lama. The Panchen Lama was abducted nearly 10 years ago at age 5.
Today, his whereabouts remains unknown.
This regime has been and continues to be relentless in squelching the
voices of peaceful dissident. However, even in prison, these voices
have been heard. In 1993 Phuntsog

[[Page H267]]

Nyidron and 13 other nuns sang and recorded songs about the plight of
the Tibetan people that were smuggled out of Draphci prison, inspiring
those working for peaceful change. Her prison sentence was extended for
8 years because of the recording. In 1998 it was reported that she was
badly beaten after trying to protect another prisoner and that she is
in poor health.
Phuntsog Nyidron is a peaceful advocate for change who should be
released immediately along with the hundreds of other of prisoners of
conscience in China. Although we lack specific information on each
case, we know that many other Tibetans are mistreated in Chinese
prisons as well. Even though China ratified the U.N. Convention against
Torture in 1988, it has been reported that more than 70 Tibetans have
died as a direct result of torture and inhumane treatment in Chinese
prisons.
We must not forget the many other ethnic and religious groups and
political dissident persecuted in the PRC today. Serious human rights
abuses are carried out against the Falun Gong, Uighur Muslims,
Protestants, and Catholics are well documented in State Department
Reports on Human Rights and Religious Freedom.
We know that opponents of the regime continue to be unjustly
imprisoned and that women continue to be subject to forced abortions.
We also know that the government continues to violate international law
through forcibly deporting thousands of North Koreans, many of whom are
subsequently placed and concentration camps where they face persecution
and death.
As both our administration and other world leaders prepare for the
annual U.N. Commission on Human Rights in Geneva, I along with many of
my colleagues, strongly believe that a strong resolution on human
rights in China should be introduced and passed. Given continued and
systematic human rights abuses carried out by the regime, anything less
would be simply inexcusable.
I strongly urge my colleagues to strongly support passage of this
resolution. I call upon the regime in Bejing to release Phuntsog
Nyidron and the hundreds of others of political prisoners languishing
in China's prisons. And I strongly urge our Administration and other
governments to work towards the introduction and passage of a human
rights resolution in Geneva.
Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of House Resolution
157, which urges the Chinese Government to release all prisoners held
for exercising their fundamental rights to freedom of expression,
belief, or association.
Thank you, Congressman Tom Udall for taking the lead in introducing
this resolution and for all of your efforts for the people of Tibet. I
am proud to be a co-sponsor.
The Chinese Government continues to impose severely repressive
measures against any display of support for an independent Tibet. We
know the facts. The State Department's Annual Country Report on Human
Rights states ``. . . [Chinese] authorities continued to commit serious
human rights abuses, including instances of torture, arbitrary arrest,
detention without public trial, and lengthy detention of Tibetan
nationalists for peacefully expressing their political or religious
views.''
We know that more than 1 million Tibetans have died under the Chinese
occupation. More than 6,000 monasteries and irreplaceable jewels of
Tibetan culture have been destroyed. Tibetans are routinely imprisoned
and tortured for non-violently expressing their views. Beatings,
prolonged exposure to extreme heat and cold, electroshock, sleep and
food deprivation and forced labor are among the techniques used to
torture Tibetan political prisoners.
Since China's 1988 ratification of the United Nations Convention
Against Torture, more than 70 Tibetans have died as a direct result of
torture and inhumane treatment in Chinese prisons in Tibet. Hundreds of
Tibetans are currently in prison for peaceful expressions of political
or religious belief. I would like to mention a few of these brave
individuals.

phuntsog nyidron

Phuntsog Nyidron is a nun from outside Lhasa. She has been in prison
for 16 years. On October 14, 1989, she participated in a peaceful
demonstration to protest China's occupation of Tibet. During the
arrest, she and other nuns were subjected to beatings with iron rods,
kicks, and punches. She is now the longest serving female Tibetan
political prisoner. She is reportedly in poor health and is suffering
from a respiratory ailment and severe internal problems.

the drapchi 14: ``singing nuns''

While in a Chinese prison for political crimes in 1993, Phuntsog
Nyidron and 13 other nuns secretly recorded songs proclaiming their
love for their Tibetan homeland and their families. On the tape, each
nun states her name and dedicates a song to her family and supporters.
The tapes were smuggled out of the prison and the recordings were
circulated inside Tibet and around the world. These young women became
known as the Drapchi 14 and the Singing Nuns.

tibetan refugees sent back to tibet

I am also concerned about Tibetan refugees sent back to China by the
Government of Nepal. Last May, in close coordination with the Chinese
Embassy, Nepal deported 18 Tibetan refugees who were seeking safe
transit through Nepal. This violates the long-standing agreement that
Nepal will turn over refugees to UNHCR to facilitate safe transit to
the Tibetan exile community in India.
For many years, Nepal has worked cooperatively with UNHCR. They have
earned a strong reputation for their humanitarian approached to Tibetan
refugees. I am disturbed by the Government of Nepal's recent actions in
violation of international and humanitarian norms. The prison
conditions awaiting repatriated Tibetans are harsh. From first hand
reports we have learned about the torture and maltreatment of the 18
Tibetans deported by Nepal. Unfortunately, the deportation of Tibetan
refugees continues.
On January 9, Radio Free Asia reported on that 21 refugees were
deported by Nepalese border security. On January 15, we have learned
that three Tibetan refugees were handed over to Chinese border police
by Nepalese officials.
We expect Nepal to adhere with its own written policy and turn over
all Tibetan refugees to UNHCR. Today we are sending a clear message to
the Government of Nepal--the U.S. Government is watching your actions
closely.

conclusion

The survival of the Tibetan identity is an issue of urgent U.S. and
international concern. I am proud to stand with my colleagues today to
demand that the Chinese Government immediately release all prisoners of
conscience in China and Tibet. As we honor the brave and heroic
prisoners of conscience, we must heed the guidance of His Holiness the
Dalai Lama. He is a constant reminder that the crisis in Tibet is a
challenge to the conscience of the world. Unless we are prepared to
confront the Chinese Government on the issue of Tibet, we cannot be
consistent when we talk about human rights in any other place in the
world. We have not forgotten the people of Tibet in their struggle. We
must and will continue our efforts.
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Gilchrest). The question is on the
motion offered by the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce) that the
House suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, House Resolution
157.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of
those present have voted in the affirmative.
Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.

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