US Senator Blames China’s Systematic Repression for Self-Immolations in Tibet/ENG

2012. március 17./CTA/TibetPress

DHARAMSHALA: US Senator Marco Rubio said the Chinese government’s systematic repression of the Tibetan people is pushing the latter to set themselves on fire, and reaffirmed America’s obligation to take action against the egregious human rights violations taking place in Tibet.  (watch video)

Speaking on the floor of the Senate on 15 March, Senator Rubio said: “Tibetans are a peace loving people. They sought a certain level of autonomy to preserve their culture, and their way of life. They want to protect some of things that are innate and indigenious to their own culture and values.”

“But China is systematically trying to erase their culture and their heritage. The processes ranging from re-education (forcing Tibetans to denounce His Holiness the Dalai Lama), to the jailing of people, to  the oppression of people, to the destruction of free press and system of communication. These manifested itself today, as the Tibetan people are setting themselves on fire. We should not be encouraging that. It is horrifying to see that. We hope that stops. It leads to the understanding of the level of desperation that exist in Tibet,” Mr Rubio said.

“If China is indeed a growing influence on this planet, are these the values that would replace the American values on this world stage? Are these the values that will replace our belief that all individuals are created equal with certain rights that come from the creator? Are we prepared to retreat on the world stage and allow that to happen without speaking out against it?,” Mr Rubio asked.

“A nation (China) that does not care about the human rights of their own people will never care about the human rights of others,” he said.

“The question for us Americans is that are we prepared to retreat from the world stage and allow nations like that to play a growing role. Are we prepared to silence our own voice at the expense of  their voice? I hope not,” he said.

Senator Rubio further said: “If we fail to confront the issues that this nation faces and we choose to decline, then not only American people that will pay the price but people around the world, including the Tibetans living in Tibet. Because then there will be no voice on this planet that condemns human rights voilations the way we did. Because there will be no nation that can prove that you can have a functional society, where innate worth and value and rights our creator give every human being, are respected. That is what is at stake when we debate America’s influence and America’s standing in the world. And in the next few weeks, I hope to come to this floor to continue to highlight these egregious human rights violations.”

Describing human rights as an eternally and critically important issue, Senator Rubio said: “As  Americans we always have to remind ourselves that our nation was founded on the principles of human rights.”

During his visit to the US last November, Kalon Tripa Dr Lobsang Sangay met Senator Marco Rubio, the young and rising Republican Senator from the important US electoral state of Florida.

Senator Rubio was remarkably well informed on the current situation in Tibet and demonstrated real interest on Tibet. He lamented President Obama’s less than enthusiastic support for the Tibetan issue. In a meeting of two young leaders (the Senator is 40 years old), the Senator told the Kalon Tripa that he was inspired by the Tibet cause, proud to be associated with the issue and wanted to lend his voice and support. He accepted the Kalon Tripa’s invitation to visit Dharamsala. Kalon Tripa and his team came away from the meeting feeling that Tibet had made a new and important friend.