An open letter: The year 2019 marks numerous significant anniversaries: 30 years since the Tiananmen Square massacre, 25 years since the Rwandan Genocide, 20 years since the 1999 East Timorese crisis, and 60 years since hundreds of thousands of Tibetans took to the streets of Lhasa in what is now marked and commemorated as the Tibetan National Uprising.
As Tibetans and Tibet supporters look back over the 60 long years since that first uprising, and the decades-long military occupation, we see a pattern of Tibetan resistance against Beijing’s colonial rule, a pattern of protest and popular uprisings that continues despite thousands upon thousands of arrests, disappearances, cases of torture, arbitrary detention and forced political indoctrination.
Tibetans have continued to reject China’s rule without violence, but with fearlessness and daring.
The human rights situation in Tibet, as elsewhere under China’s rule, is now worse than at any time since 1989. Human Rights Watch recently reported that China’s assault on individual human rights is at its worst level since the Tiananmen Square massacre, and Freedom House has ranked Tibet to be the second least free place in the world for the fifth year in a row.
Right now, millions of Tibetans – along with Uighurs, Southern Mongolians, Hong Kongers and Chinese people – are facing unbelievable levels of human rights abuse, whether they be religious practitioners, human rights defenders, feminists, petitioners, lawyers, journalists, professors or students.
However, these peoples’ common desire to stand up against the ever-pervasive restrictions on fundamental rights and freedoms, despite China’s draconian grip, is striking and reflects the growing global trend to confront abusive governments and push back against decades of oppression.
The scale of the crisis in Tibet, Uighur areas and across China, and the Chinese Communist Party’s continued unwillingness to acknowledge the widespread concern, warrants a strong international response to combat the flagrant disregard for fundamental human rights, and China’s violent and systematic assault on Tibetans, Uighurs and others living under Beijing’s repressive rule.
As the 60-year anniversary of the Tibetan National Uprising approaches, we call on United Nations (UN) member states to join together to deliver a resolution on the human rights situation in China, calling for:
- unfettered and independent access to Tibet and Uighur areas and China by independent international human rights experts, including the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and relevant UN Special Rapporteurs.
- an end to the abuse of national security legislation as a means of criminalising the work of human rights defenders, freedoms of expression, association, religion or belief and subverting due process, and call on China to seek assistance from UN experts to this end/achieve this.
- the immediate release of any and all individuals subjected to unlawful and unjustified deprivation of liberty, and prevent torture; for example language rights activist Tashi Wangchuk.
China has ridden roughshod over the human and political rights of citizens under its rule for far too long. Despite the decades that have passed since the first Tibetan National Uprising in 1959, this remains an issue that cannot be consigned to history; far from it.
With resistance by the Tibetan people so strong and vibrant, it’s time for a response from the international community that matches their courage and conviction.
”Signatories – click to view.”
Western Europe:
Aide aux Refugies Tibetains
Association Dorje
Association Drôme Ardèche-Tibet
Associazione Italia-Tibet
Autodétermination-Tibet 09/31
Briancon05 Urgence Tibet
Caisse d’Aide aux Prisonniers Tibetains
Casa del Tibet – Spain
Comite de Apoyo al Tibet (CAT)
Comite de Soutien au Peuple Tibetain (Les Lilas)
Corse – Tibet
Eco-Tibet France
EcoTibet Ireland
France-Tibet
Free Tibet
Groupe Non-Violent Louis Lecoin, France
Grupo de Apoio ao Tibete, Portugal
International Society of Human Rights, Munich Chapter (IGFM)
Jamtse Thundel Association
La Porte du Tibet, Geneva
Les Amis du Tibet – Belgium
Les Amis du Tibet Luxembourg
Lions Des Neiges Mont Blanc, France
Lungta Association Belgium
Maison des Himalayas
Maison du Tibet – Tibet Info
Nos Amis de l’Himalaya
Objectif Tibet
Passeport Tibetain
Phagma Drolma-Arya Tara
Reseau International des Femmes pour le Tibet
Save Tibet, Austria
Society for Threatened Peoples International
Students for a Free Tibet – France
Students for a Free Tibet – UK
Swiss Tibetan Friendship Association (GSTF)
Tibet 59 / 62
Tibet Democratie
Tibet Initiative Deutschland
Tibets Kinder im Exile V.
Tibet Liberte Solidarite
Tibet Libertes, France
Tibet Society, U.K.
Tibet Support Group – Ireland
Tibet Support Group – Netherlands
Tibet Unterstutzung Liechtenstein
Tibetaanse-Vlaamse Vriendenkring vzw
Tibetan Association of Germany
Tibetan Community Austria
Tibetan Community in Britain
Tibetan Community in Ireland
Tibetan Community of Italy
Tibetan Youth Association in Europe
TSG Free Tibet And You
Tsowa-Maintenir la Vie, France
Northern Europe:
Association of Free Tibet Denmark
Friends of Tibet in Finland
Swedish Tibet Committee
The Norwegian Tibet Committee
Tibet Support Committee Denmark
Tibetan Community in Denmark
Tibetan Community Sweden
Students for a Free Tibet Denmark
Central & Eastern Europe:
Fair Society o.s.
Friends of Tibet Society St. Petersburg, Russia
International Youth Human Rights Group – Human Rights in Tibet
Polish Movement for a Free Tibet
Save Tibet Foundation
Society for Croatia-Tibet Friendship
Students for a Free Tibet, Poland
The Foundation for Civil Society, Russia
Tibet cesky (Tibet in Czech)
Tibet Support Association – Hungary
Tibet Support Group – Krasnodar Region, Russia
Tibet Support Group – Romania
Tibet Support Group – Sochi Region, Russia
Tibetan Association of Slovakia
Tibetan Community in Poland
Tibetan Programme of The Other Space Foundation
TSG – Slovenia/Podporo
Union Latvija Tibetai
Zida Cels, Latvia
Africa and Middle East:
Israeli Friends of the Tibetan People
Tibet Support Group Kenya
North America:
Association Cognizance Tibet, North Carolina
Bay Area Friends of Tibet
Boston Tibet Network
Canada Tibet Committee
Colorado Friends of Tibet
Committee of 100 for Tibet
Dhokam Chushi Gangdruk
International Tibet Independence Movement
Northwest Tibetan Cultural Association
San Diego Friends of Tibet
Santa Barbara Friends of Tibet
Sierra Friends of Tibet
Students for a Free Tibet
Students for a Free Tibet – Canada
The Tibetan Alliance of Chicago
The World Tibet Day Foundation
Tibet Committee of Fairbanks
Tibet Justice Center
Tibetan Association of Ithaca
Tibetan Association of Northern California
Tibetan Association of Philadelphia
Tibetan Association of Santa Fe
Tibetan Association of Southern California
Tibetan Cultural Association – Quebec
TIBETmichigan
Toronto Tibet Youth Congress
United Nations for a Free Tibet (UNFFT)
U.S. Tibet Committee
Western Colorado Friends of Tibet
Wisconsin Tibetan Association
Central and South America:
Amigos de Tíbet Chile
Amigos del Tíbet, El Salvador
Asociación Cultural Peruano Tibetana
Asociación Cultural Tibetano – Costarricense
Casa Tibet México
Centro De Cultura Tibetana – Brazil
Grupo Pro-Cultura Tibetana, Chile
Le Club Francais – Paraguay
Tibet Group-Panama
Tíbet Mx
Tíbet Patria Libre, Uruguay
Fundación Pro Tibet – Argentina
Friends of Tibet in Costa Rica
World League for Freedom and Democracy
Asia:
Anterrashtriya Bharat – Tibbet Sahyog Samiti
Bharrat Tibbat Sahyog Manch, India
Circle of Friends (Philippines)
Core Group for Tibetan Cause, India
Foundation for Universal Responsibility of H. H. the Dalai Lama
Gannasamannay
Himalayan Committee for Action on Tibet
India Tibet Friendship Society
Japan Association of Monks for Tibet (Super Sangha)
Japan Committee of 100 for TIbet
Lung-Ta Project
Mahatma Gandhi Tibet Freedom Movement
National Campaign for Tibetan Support, India
National Democratic Party of Tibet
Ns3 Rigpa Community Builder’s Foundation
Raise Tibetan Flag Campaign
Roof of the World Foundation, Indonesia
Students for a Free Tibet – Japan
Students for a Free Tibet – India
Students for a Free Tibet – Bangladesh
Taiwan Friends of Tibet
Taiwan Tibet Exchange Foundation
Tibbat Desh Patrika
Tibet Lives, India
Tibet Solidarity Forum, Bangladesh
Tibet Support Group Kiku, Japan
Tibet Support Network Japan
Tibetan Student Association, Madras (TSAM)
Tibetan Rights and Freedom Committee (TRFRC)
Tibetan Women’s Association (Central)
Tibetan Youth Congress
Youth Liberation Front of Tibet, Eastern Turkestan, Manchuria & Inner Mongolia (YLFTM)
Australasia:
A.C.T. Tibet Support Group
Australia Tibet Council
Australian Tibet House Inc.
Friends of Tibet New Zealand
Sakya Trinley Ling
Students for a Free Tibet – New Zealand
Tibet Action Group of Western Australia
Tibet Support Group Adelaide – Australia
Tibetan Community of Australia (Victoria)
Tibetan Women Association and Friends Australia (TWAFA)
