61st session of the UNCHR
Item : 13 “Rights of the Child”
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. As always, Tibetan the world over, especially those inside Tibet are aggrieved with the fact that our repeated appeal to the UN on the tragic situation inside Tibet has failed to produce improvement in the human rights condition in Tibet. Today, irrespective of China being a signatory of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and their assurance to the UN of being a « consistent respecter and defender of the Rights of the Child”, there are ample evidences of China’s violation of these rights on regular basis and on a colossal scale in Tibet.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama, in his 10th March Statement this year, spoke of China?s image being tarnished by her human rights records, undemocratic actions, the lack of the rule of law and unequal implementation of autonomy rights regarding the nationality minorities, including the Tibetan nationality.
Mr. Chairman, the Convention on the Rights of the Child treaty spells out the basic human rights of a child but Tibetan children are still deprived of these rights in Tibet. Chinese authorities continue to arbitrarily detain and torture Tibetan children who are either sinicize by coercively taking them away from family and traditional environment or are marginalized. They are subjected to religious repression and were denied educational and cultural rights.
UN Special Rapporteur on rights to Education, Ms. Katarina Tomasevski in her report depicting a poor educational condition in China, made several recommendations during the 60th Session. But these recommendations are still to be implemented. In a press statement given on August 30th, last year, the Executive Director of UNICEF, Ms. Carol Bellamy, expressed her deep concern over the fact that only 31% of children in Tibet have access to the compulsory nine years of education. Over90% of farmers and herders of Tibet do not receive lower middle level education. According to a survey, between January and August 2004, 2416 new refugees have reached Reception Center in Dhramsala, India. Of these, young Tibetan children account for 61.21%. The total number of Tibetan refugees who arrived at the Tibetan Reception Center froom 1991 until June 2004 was 43,634 of which 59.74% were below the age of 25. In their testimony, 96% of Tibetan children said that they had fled Tibet and made the hazardous journey to freedom, specially for education.
Mr. Chairman, despite repeated appeals, China still refuses to provide information on the well being of the young Panchen Lama, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima or allow an independent observer to see him. He has been detained and held incommunicado since May 1995. Mr. Chairman, Tibetan children continue to suffer, devoid of all these humanly rights in Tibet. Nevertheless, we believe that UN’s effort on Tibet would help restore the rights, dignity and the future of the Tibetan children on par with the children of the world.
I thank you Mr. Chairman
