I just received the press release below from a Tibetan activist group. The long-suffering Tibetan people desperately need the world’s help. Sadly, however, the chances that the U.N. will send a fact-finding mission to investigate China’s abuses in Tibet are between zero and nil.
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I took this video at a demonstration in front of UN headquarters in November.
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The following press release was published by the Tibetan Community in Switzerland & Liechtenstein, Binzstrasse 15, CH-8045 Zürich, Switzerland (www.tibetswiss.ch):
7th action of the second year of the Tibetan Community in Switzerland and Liechtenstein
for a 2-year campaign since May 30, 2011:
UN to send an independent fact-finding mission to Tibet
“Fighting for Tibetan Women’s’ Rights!”
The 7th action of the second year will take place on Place des Nations:
January 18th 2013 from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm.
The sections of Oetwil am See, Volketswil and Rüti together with their supporters will
highlight the rampant violations of women’s’ rights in Tibet.
Over decades, the Chinese government has engaged in a premeditated and systematic policy of
discrimination and violence against Tibetan women in all spheres of life. Illegal, coerced and violent methods of birth control have been imposed on Tibetan women. Tibetan women are denied the right to choose their own means of reproduction, and are being forcibly sterilized at an alarming rate. Involuntary abortions threats, penalties and fines for “unauthorized” children seriously infringe on women’s rights in Tibet. These atrocities must be viewed as an attempt to reduce the Tibetan population. These acts do not only contravene the Constitution of the Peoples’ Republic of China and various international conventions, but these are acts of genocide. Sterilizations have been carried out against the explicit will of women, or even without their knowledge during other surgical interventions. Not infrequently these procedures are performed by unqualified medical personnel resulting in health complications and in other cases, death. Abortions, or other measures resulting in abortions, have been occurring until very late during pregnancy. Also in those women “lucky” to be saved from physical measures, coercive birth control policies may be implemented in terms of high fines, denial of education, ration cards for food or property rights.
Tibetan women constitute approximately one third of the total population of political prisoners in Tibet. Torture and ill-treatment of women is endemic, and sexual abuse and rape of Tibetan woman are consistently reported. Often practiced methods of torture in women consist of electric shocks delivered by cattle prods to the genitals, attacks by ferocious trained dogs, and sexual assaults.
Women are also denied free practice of their religion. Arrests and detention of nuns for peaceful, legal activities, as well as expulsions from religious institutions are common. Nuns refusing to comply with the demands of the most repressive “Patriotic Education“ campaign in monasteries are facing extradition, interrogation and beatings.
Over the past year, several nuns and lay women have set themselves to fire. Among them were mothers of young children, students and teenagers as young as 16 years. While they were resorting to this most drastic act of despair and self-sacrifice, they were shouting paroles for the freedom in Tibet and the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
We call on the United Nations to take immediate responsibility by sending an independent fact-finding mission with unhindered access to Tibet and press the Chinese government to stop the atrocities against Tibetan women.
