[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 57 (Thursday, April 10, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Page S2937]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                 TIBET

  Mr. SMITH. Mr President, I rise today to speak about the recent 
violence in Tibet.
  I am deeply saddened and angered by the events which have unfolded 
this past month between ethnic Tibetans and China. In March, China's 
decades of repression of Tibet exploded into widespread riots, both in 
the Tibetan autonomous region and ethnic Tibetan areas of China. The 
Chinese Government responded by imposing a near-total media blackout, 
and by deploying an overwhelming number of police and military 
personnel. Within that darkness, dozens of people were killed.
  It is still unclear who did the killing, or who was killed. It is 
unclear what set off the violence. It is even unclear how many people 
were killed. The Chinese Government claims 22 deaths; independent 
Tibetan sources say between 79 and 140. There have been a similarly 
disputed number of people arrested.
  One of government's primary functions is to enforce law and order 
within its borders. But the unrest and violence in Tibet is the direct 
result of over 50 years of Chinese oppression of Tibetan ethnic, 
cultural, and political rights. It is the result of China's repression 
of Tibetan Buddhism and a stream of personal insults against the Dalai 
Lama. The Dalai Lama, whom I am greatly honored to have met, is honored 
for his commitment to peace and reconciliation. I cannot think of a 
time when such a message is more welcome than it is today.
  China, on the other hand, offers no similar message of tolerance and 
peace. Just this morning, there was an article in the Washington Post, 
in which a human rights lawyer and convert to Christianity lives under 
constant police surveillance. He is intermittently beaten and harassed 
by police, who sometimes prohibit him from attending church. For ethnic 
Tibetans, Chinese human rights violations can be much worse. China's 
efforts over the past half century to repress Tibetan rights are 
unacceptable, outrageous and in violation of China's own laws.
  I know that many of my fellow Americans stand with me in this belief. 
As such, I was proud to introduce with my colleague from California a 
resolution calling on China to ensure the protection of Tibetan rights 
and culture. The resolution demands that China allow a full and 
transparent accounting of the recent violence. China must cease the 
political reeducation of monks, and allow them to possess pictures of 
the Dalai Lama. It must also release peaceful protestors, and allow 
independent journalists free access throughout China. In addition, the 
resolution calls on the U.S. State Department to fully implement the 
2002 Tibet Policy Act, particularly the establishment of a U.S. 
consulate in Lhasa.
  I was exceptionally pleased to note that my resolution was 
unanimously agreed to last night. I believe these measures would go a 
long way toward safeguarding Tibetan rights, easing the suffering of 
ethnic Tibetans, and preventing the outbreak of any further violence.

                          ____________________