[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 138 (Tuesday, December 7, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11860-S11861]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING THE DETENTION OF TIBETAN 
                          POLITICAL PRISONERS

  Mr. BURNS. I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the 
immediate consideration of S. Res. 483, submitted earlier today by 
Senator Brownback.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 483) expressing the sense of the 
     Senate regarding the detention of Tibetan political prisoners 
     by the Government of the People's Republic of China.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. BURNS. I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, 
the preamble be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the 
table, and that any statements relating to this matter be printed in 
the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 483) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 483

       Whereas, according to the 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 Tibet;
       Whereas the People's Republic of China has yet to 
     demonstrate its willingness to abide by internationally 
     accepted standards of freedom of belief, expression, and 
     association by repealing or amending laws and decrees that 
     restrict those freedoms;
       Whereas the Government of the People's Republic of China 
     has detained hundreds of Tibetan nuns, monks, and lay persons 
     as political prisoners for speaking out against China's 
     occupation of Tibet and for their efforts to preserve Tibet's 
     distinct national identity;
       Whereas Phuntsog Nyidron was arrested on October 14, 1989, 
     together with 5 other nuns, for participating in a peaceful 
     protest against China's occupation of Tibet;
       Whereas, on February 26, 2004, following a sustained 
     international campaign on her behalf, the Government of the 
     People's Republic of China released Phuntsog Nyidron from 
     detention after she served more than 14 years of her 16-year 
     sentence;
       Whereas Tenzin Delek, a prominent Tibetan religious leader, 
     and 3 other monks were arrested on April 7, 2002, during a 
     nighttime raid on Jamyang Choekhorling monastery in Nyagchu 
     County, Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture;
       Whereas, following a closed trial and more than 8 months of 
     incommunicado detention, Tenzin Delek and another Tibetan, 
     Lobsang Dhondup, were convicted of inciting separatism and 
     for their alleged involvement in a series of bombings on 
     December 2, 2002;
       Whereas Lobsang Dhondup was sentenced to death and Tenzin 
     Delek was sentenced to death with a 2-year suspension;
       Whereas the Government of the People's Republic of China 
     told senior officials of the United States and other 
     governments that the cases of Lobsang Dhondup and Tenzin 
     Delek would be subjected to a ``lengthy review'' by the 
     Supreme People's Court prior to the death sentences being 
     carried out;
       Whereas the Supreme People's Court never carried out this 
     review, and Lobsang Dhondup was executed on January 26, 2003;
       Whereas the Government of the People's Republic of China 
     has failed to produce any evidence that either Lobsang 
     Dhondup or Tenzin Delek were involved in the crimes for which 
     they were convicted, despite repeated requests from officials 
     of the United States and other governments;
       Whereas the Government of the People's Republic of China 
     continues to imprison Tibetans for engaging in peaceful 
     efforts to protest China's repression of Tibetans and 
     preserve the Tibetan identity;
       Whereas Tibetan political prisoners are routinely subjected 
     to beatings, electric shock, solitary confinement, and other 
     forms of torture and inhumane treatment while in Chinese 
     custody;
       Whereas the Government of the People's Republic of China 
     continues to exert control over religious and cultural 
     institutions in Tibet, abusing human rights through the 
     torture, arbitrary arrest, and detention without fair or 
     public trial of Tibetans who peacefully express their 
     political or religious views or attempt to preserve the 
     unique Tibetan identity; and
       Whereas the Government of the People's Republic of China 
     has paroled individual political prisoners for good behavior 
     or for medical reasons in the face of strong international 
     pressure, but has failed to make the systemic changes 
     necessary to provide minimum standards of due process or 
     protections for basic civil and political rights: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that--
       (1) the Government of the People's Republic of China is in 
     violation of international human rights standards by 
     detaining and mistreating Tibetans who engage in peaceful 
     activities to protest China's repression of Tibetans or 
     promote the preservation of a distinct Tibetan identity;
       (2) sustained international pressure on the Government of 
     the People's Republic of China is essential to improve the 
     human rights situation in Tibet and secure the release of 
     Tibetan political prisoners;
       (3) the Government of the United States should--

[[Page S11861]]

       (A) raise the cases of Tenzin Delek and other political 
     prisoners at every opportunity with officials from the 
     People's Republic of China; and
       (B) work with other governments concerned about human 
     rights in China, including the Tibet Autonomous Region and 
     other Tibetan areas, to encourage the release of political 
     prisoners and promote systemic improvement of human rights in 
     China; and
       (4) 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 political prisoners, 
     including Tenzin Delek.

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