[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 52 (Thursday, March 29, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2276-S2278]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR THE PEOPLE OF TIBET

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now 
proceed to consideration of Calendar No. 347, S. Res. 356.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 356) expressing support for the 
     people of Tibet.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution, which had been reported by the Committee on Foreign 
Relations without amendment and an amendment to the preamble, as 
follows:
  [Omit the part printed in boldface brackets and insert the part 
printed in Italic.]

                              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, since March 2011, more than two dozen Tibetans 
     have set themselves on fire, and at least 19 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

[[Page S2277]]

     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:

  Mr. REID. I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to a vote 
on this matter.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, the question is on agreeing 
to the resolution.
  The resolution (No. 356) was agreed to.
  Mr. REID. I ask unanimous consent that the committee-reported 
amendment to the preamble be agreed to; the preamble, as amended, be 
agreed to; the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no 
intervening action or debate; and any statements relating to the 
resolution be printed in the Record.
  The committee-reported amendment to the preamble was agreed to.
  The preamble, as amended, was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, as amended, reads as follows:

                              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, more than two dozen Tibetans 
     have set themselves on fire, and at least 19 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 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

[[Page S2278]]

     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.

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