International Tibet Network Members' Message /ENG

2012. február 22./ITN/TibetPress

We, the undersigned members of the International Tibet Network, a global coalition of more than 185 Tibet-related advocacy groups, urgently appeals that the High Commissioner express grave concern about the deteriorating human rights situation in Tibet, where there continues to be regular self-immolations by Tibetans of all ages - monastic and laypeople - and where China's use of lethal force in recent weeks has resulted in the killing of at least five Tibetan protesters.

We wish to alert the High Commissioner that there have been as many as 23 self-immolations by Tibetans in eastern Tibet since 2009; at least 14 of them fatal. 10 Tibetans are reported to have self-immolated since 1 January 2012. In recent months both the geographical spread and scale of Tibetan unrest has grown, with self-immolations now encompassing the Tibetan areas of Sichuan and Qinghai and the Tibet Autonomous Region, and several mass protests during which Chinese police opened fire on demonstrators resulting in extrajudicial killings of Tibetans. The common theme among all of those who have self-immolated is that they have called for freedom of Tibet and the return of the Dalai Lama. In protests last week in Nangchen (Chinese: Nangqian) and Tridu (Chinese: Chenduo), large crowds gathered, calling for a "free Tibet," the release of all Tibetan political prisoners, and the return of the Dalai Lama.

We believe that China's crackdown and violent response is counter-productive, exacerbating the grievances Tibetans feel and strengthening their resistance to China's rule. More self-immolations and mass protests are inevitable unless the international community steps forward, to collectively sends a strong message to China that its policies and actions in Tibet are unacceptable.

We remain grateful to the High Commissioner for having expressed concern on the human rights situation in Tibet, including at past sessions of the UN Human Rights Council. The five public statements issued last year by Special Procedure mandate-holders of the Council and your Office gave hope to Tibetans that the UN human rights mechanisms are closely monitoring rights violations committted by the People's Republic of China.

We appeal to you to make a public expression of concern in view of the human rights crisis faced by Tibetan people; to condemn the extrajudicial killings, arbitrary detentions, and enforced disappearances in Tibet and the massive security crackdown throughout Tibetan areas. The scale of this crisis now faced by Tibetans and China's unwillingness to exercise restraint against Tibetan demonstrations warrants a strong public response from the High Commissioner, as your Office has swiftly responded to other emerging situations.

We also urge that you press China to secure dates for you to make a visit in the near future, and that this visit includes a fact-finding mission to affected Tibetan areas, so that you may personally assess the situation on the ground.