• 19 Mar, 2024
 
• Admin
 

Urgent Call: Prioritize Tibet Crisis Before Chinese Foreign Minister’s Visit

In anticipation of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s imminent visit to Australia this week, Representative Karma Singey has issued an urgent plea to Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, urging her to prioritize discussions on the critical situation in Tibet.

Singey has underscored the escalating repression and systemic discrimination faced by Tibetans under Chinese rule, emphasizing the pressing need for international attention and action.

In a formal letter addressed to the Australian Foreign Minister, Singey asserts that Wang Yi’s forthcoming visit presents a crucial opportunity to raise concerns regarding the deteriorating human rights situation in Tibet.

The missive delineates various violations, including the forced separation of Tibetan children from their families and their indoctrination into Chinese Communist ideology within state-run boarding schools. Additionally, it highlights severe restrictions imposed on religious practices, arbitrary detentions of Tibetan monks and individuals, and the recent crackdown on peaceful Tibetan protesters in Derge County.

Stressing the importance of holding China accountable for its human rights abuses, Singey urges the Australian government to utilize its diplomatic engagement with China to address these pressing issues.

During the anticipated meeting between the Australian Foreign Minister and Wang Yi, Singey calls for the following actions:

• Raise the Tibet issue and the ongoing human rights crisis, including the continued repression of political and religious freedoms, environmental degradation, and the erosion of Tibetan cultural and language.
• Urge the Chinese government to immediately and unconditionally release all Tibetan protesters in Derge County who have been wrongfully detained for exercising their fundamental rights of peaceful protest and to ensure proper and timely medical treatment for injured Tibetans.
• Encourage China to permit greater access to Tibet by international observers and to grant greater freedom of media and movement in the region.
• Encourage China to earnestly commit to resolving the Tibet issue by reopening the Sino-Tibetan dialogue.

Given Australia’s significant trade relationship with China, Singey emphasizes the importance of incorporating human rights concerns into bilateral discussions to foster a more equitable and just relationship between the two nations.