[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 14 (Monday, January 30, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Pages S166-S167]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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   SENATE RESOLUTION 356--EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR THE PEOPLE OF TIBET

  Mrs. FEINSTEIN (for herself, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. Rubio, Mrs. Boxer, 
Mr. Durbin, Mr. McCain, Mr. Webb, and Mr. Udall of Colorado) submitted 
the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
Foreign Relations:

                              S. Res. 356

       Whereas Tibet is the center of Tibetan Buddhism, and His 
     Holiness the Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, is the most revered 
     figure in Tibetan Buddhism;
       Whereas the Government of the People's Republic of China 
     continues to enforce policies that infringe on fundamental 
     freedoms of Tibetans, including punitive security measures 
     against monasteries, mass arrests, and restrictions on 
     freedom to practice religion;
       Whereas both the Dalai Lama and the Kalon Tripa, Dr. 
     Lobsang Sangay, the prime minister democratically elected by 
     the Tibetan exile community, have specifically stated that 
     they do not seek independence for Tibet from China;
       Whereas, in his inaugural address on August 8, 2011, Kalon 
     Tripa Sangay stated that he will ``continue the Middle-Way 
     policy, which seeks genuine autonomy for Tibet within the 
     People's Republic of China'';
       Whereas, according to the Department of State's 2011 Report 
     on Tibet Negotiations, since 2002, nine rounds of talks 
     between the Government of the People's Republic of China and 
     envoys of the Dalai Lama ``have not borne concrete results'';
       Whereas, despite persistent efforts by the Dalai Lama and 
     his representatives, the Government of the People's Republic 
     of China and envoys of the Dalai Lama have not held any 
     formal dialogue since January 2010;
       Whereas, since March 2011, at least 16 Tibetans have set 
     themselves on fire, and at least 12 have died;
       Whereas the repressive policies of the Government of the 
     People's Republic of China have created an environment of 
     despair, hopelessness, and frustration among many Tibetans;
       Whereas, on November 1, 2011, the United Nations Special 
     Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, Heiner 
     Bielefeldt, expressed concern over ``restrictive measures'' 
     implemented by the Government of the People's Republic of 
     China in Tibetan monasteries, stating that such measures 
     ``not only curtail the right to freedom of religion or 
     belief, but further exacerbate the existing tensions, and are 
     counterproductive'' and affirming that ``the right of members 
     of the monastic community, and the wider community to freely 
     practice their religion, should be fully respected and 
     guaranteed by the Chinese Government'';
       Whereas, on January 24, 2012, Maria Otero, Under Secretary 
     for Civilian Security, Democracy and Human Rights, and United 
     States Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues, issued a 
     statement expressing concern about ``reports of violence and 
     continuing heightened tensions in Tibetan areas of China, 
     including reports of security forces in Sichuan province 
     opening fire on protesters, killing some and injuring 
     others'';
       Whereas the Constitution of the People's Republic of China 
     guarantees freedom of religious belief for all citizens, but 
     the July-December 2010 International Religious Freedom Report 
     of the Department of State states that ``the [Chinese] 
     government's repression of religious freedom remained severe 
     in the Tibet Autonomous Region and other Tibetan areas'';
       Whereas, on March 10, 2011, His Holiness the Dalai Lama 
     announced that he would relinquish his last remaining 
     governmental duties in the Central Tibetan Administration, 
     and would turn over political authority to the leadership 
     democratically elected by Tibetans in exile;
       Whereas, on March 20, 2011, the Tibetan government in exile 
     conducted competitive democratic elections that were 
     monitored by international observers and deemed free, fair, 
     and consistent with international standards;
       Whereas nearly 50,000 people in over 30 countries, more 
     than half of all the eligible Tibetan exiles voters, 
     participated in the March 20, 2011 elections;
       Whereas Dr. Lobsang Sangay was elected Kalon Tripa, or 
     prime minister, of the Central Tibetan Administration after 
     receiving 55 percent of votes in the March 20, 2011, election 
     and was inaugurated on August 8, 2011;
       Whereas Kalon Tripa Sangay was selected to study in the 
     United States under the Department of State's Tibetan 
     Scholarship Program, earning a doctorate in law from Harvard 
     University, and served as a Senior Fellow at the East Asian 
     Legal Studies Program at Harvard Law School;
       Whereas Kalon Tripa Sangay, while at Harvard University, 
     promoted dialogue among Tibetan exiles and Chinese students 
     and visiting Chinese scholars to enhance mutual understanding 
     and advance the prospects for reconciliation; and
       Whereas it is the objective of the United States 
     Government, consistent across administrations of different 
     political parties and as articulated in the Tibetan Policy 
     Act of 2002 (subtitle B of title VI of Public Law 107-228; 22 
     U.S.C. 6901 note) to promote a substantive dialogue between 
     the Government of the People's Republic of China and the 
     Dalai Lama or his representatives in order to secure genuine 
     autonomy for the Tibetan people within China: Now, therefore, 
     be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) mourns the death of Tibetans who have self-immolated 
     and deplores the repressive policies targeting Tibetans;
       (2) calls on the Government of the People's Republic of 
     China to suspend implementation of religious control 
     regulations, reassess religious and security policies 
     implemented since 2008 in Tibet, and resume a dialogue with 
     Tibetan Buddhist leaders, including the Dalai Lama or his 
     representatives, to resolve underlying grievances;
       (3) calls on the Government of the People's Republic of 
     China to release all persons that have been arbitrarily 
     detained; to cease the intimidation, harassment and detention 
     of peaceful protestors; and to allow unrestricted access to 
     journalists, foreign diplomats, and international 
     organizations to Tibet;
       (4) calls on the Secretary of State to seek from the 
     Government of the People's Republic of China a full 
     accounting of the forcible

[[Page S167]]

     removal of monks from Kirti Monastery, including an 
     explanation of the pretext or conditions under which monks 
     were removed and their current whereabouts;
       (5) commends His Holiness the Dalai Lama for his decision 
     to devolve his political power in favor of a democratic 
     system;
       (6) congratulates Tibetans living in exile for holding, on 
     March 20, 2011, a competitive, multi-candidate election that 
     was free, fair, and met international electoral standards;
       (7) reaffirms the unwavering friendship between the people 
     of the United States and the people of Tibet; and
       (8) both--
       (A) calls on the Department of State to fully implement the 
     Tibetan Policy Act of 2002 (subtitle B of title VI of Public 
     Law 107-228; 22 U.S.C. 6901 note), including the stipulation 
     that the Secretary of State seek ``to establish an office in 
     Lhasa, Tibet, to monitor political, economic, and cultural 
     developments in Tibet'', and also to provide consular 
     protection and citizen services in emergencies; and
       (B) urges that the agreement to permit China to open 
     further diplomatic missions in the United States should be 
     contingent upon the establishment of a United States 
     Government consulate in Lhasa, Tibet.

  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I rise today with Senators Lieberman, 
Rubio, Boxer, Durbin, McCain, Webb, and Mark Udall to submit a 
resolution expressing our deep concern about the current situation in 
Tibet and our steadfast support for the Tibetan people.
  Once again, we have seen how harsh and counterproductive Chinese 
policies have heightened tensions and led to deadly violence.
  According to press reports and the International Campaign for Tibet, 
since the beginning of the Chinese New Year on Monday, security forces 
in Sichuan province have opened fire three times on Tibetans who 
gathered peacefully to protest Chinese policies on Tibet.
  At least six Tibetans have been killed and many more wounded.
  These attacks come on top of a recent spate of self-immolations 
mostly by Tibetan monks and nuns.
  Since March 2011, at least 16 Tibetans, including four this month 
alone, have set themselves on fire and at least 12 have died.
  I know I join my colleagues in mourning these tragic deaths and the 
death of Tibetans in this latest round of unrest.
  In addition, I call on Chinese security forces to exercise maximum 
restraint and stop targeting Tibetan protesters.
  Violence is not the answer to the legitimate grievances of the 
Tibetan people.
  We must raise our voice with this resolution to call on Beijing to 
respect the right of Tibetans to practice their own religion freely and 
preserve their distinct cultural and linguistic identity.
  This resolution mourns the death of Tibetans who have self-immolated 
and deplores the repressive policies targeting Tibetans; calls on the 
Government of the People's Republic of China to suspend implementation 
of religious control regulations, reassess religious and security 
policies implemented since 2008 in Tibet, and resume a dialogue with 
Tibetan Buddhist leaders, including the Dalai Lama or his 
representatives, to resolve underlying grievances; calls on the 
Government of the People's Republic of China to release all persons 
that have been arbitrarily detained; to cease the intimidation, 
harassment and detention of peaceful protestors; and to allow 
unrestricted access to journalists, foreign diplomats, and 
international organizations to Tibet.
  The resolution commends His Holiness the Dalai Lama for his decision 
to devolve his political power in favor of a democratic system; 
congratulates Tibetans living in exile for holding, on March 20, 2011, 
a competitive, multi-candidate election that was free, fair, and met 
international electoral standards; and reaffirms the unwavering 
friendship between the people of the United States and the people of 
Tibet.
  Over the past several years I have been following the situation in 
Tibet with increasing concern.
  I became involved in this issue when I first met His Holiness the 
Dalai Lama during a trip to India and Nepal in the fall of 1978.
  At that time, as Mayor, I invited His Holiness to visit San Francisco 
and he accepted.
  In September 1979, I was delighted to welcome the Dalai Lama to San 
Francisco to receive his first public recognition in the United States.
  He inspired me to act and I have had the privilege to call him a 
friend for over 30 years.
  Over this time, I have come to the view that Chinese policies on 
Tibet are intended to suppress the Tibetan culture and people.
  These policies include punitive security measures including 
permanently placing Chinese officials in monasteries; surveillance, 
mass arrests, and detentions; and restrictions on freedom to practice 
religion including requiring monks to denounce the Dalai Lama.
  We have seen how these policies have created an atmosphere of 
despair, hopelessness, and frustration among many Tibetans.
  Despite nine rounds of talks between the United Front Work Department 
of the Communist Party of China and envoys of His Holiness, a 
comprehensive solution to the Tibetan issue remains out of reach.
  As a friend of China and the Dalia Lama, I am saddened to see the 
situation in Tibet deteriorate to this point.
  The Dalai Lama has been trying to engage the Chinese leadership for 
over fifty years.
  In the 1990s, I carried three letters to President Jiang Zemin from 
the Dalai Lama requesting a face to face meeting.
  In my view, the Dalai Lama's concerns are driven by a strong Tibetan 
belief and experience that the Chinese Government continues to suppress 
the Tibetan culture and way of life.
  As my colleagues know, the Dalai Lama has made it clear that he does 
not support independence for Tibet, but rather meaningful cultural and 
religious autonomy for the Tibetan people within the People's Republic 
of China.
  Most recently, in his March 2011 statement marking the 52nd 
anniversary of the peaceful Tibetan uprising he stated:

       In our efforts to solve the issue of Tibet, we have 
     consistently pursued the mutually beneficial Middle-Way 
     Approach, which seeks genuine autonomy for the Tibetan people 
     within the [People's Republic of China].

  The newly elected prime minister of the Tibetan government-in-exile, 
Dr. Lobsang Sangay, has affirmed this policy in his inaugural address:

       Guided by the wisdom of our forefathers and foremothers, we 
     will continue the Middle-Way policy, which seeks genuine 
     autonomy for Tibet within the People's Republic of China.

  Despite these repeated and unequivocal statements, Beijing continues 
to insist that His Holiness seeks independence for Tibet.
  I am stunned that this message has fallen on deaf ears.
  Let there be no doubt: the clear goal of His Holiness and the Tibetan 
people is autonomy within China.
  This autonomy can only come about through meaningful dialogue and 
negotiation, not actions that would undermine Tibetan culture.
  As such, I urge the administration to work with our friends and 
allies in the international community and call on the Chinese 
Government to begin a substantive dialogue with the Dalai Lama on 
national reconciliation, respect for the Tibetan culture, and 
meaningful autonomy for Tibet.
  I urge my colleagues to stand up for the Tibetan people and support 
this resolution.

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