Manchester – Bombardier, a major international transportation company has been publicly criticised over its controversial deal with China to supply railway cars to the Qinghai -Tibet (Gormo-Lhasa) railway (1).
“Bombardier’s $78 million contract has broken its own Ethical Code, by investing in a high-risk project, which will contribute to what the Dalai Lama has described as cultural genocide (2).” said Ben Martin of Students for a Free Tibet. ” Free Tibet Campaign and Students for a Free Tibet UK activists will be protesting Bombardier’s cooperation with China’s occupation and destruction of Tibet at the Infrarail exhibition 2005 in Manchester on 15-16 September.” he added.
Bombardier which employs nearly 5000 people across the UK, is effectively supporting the Chinese government’s politically motivated ‘development’ plan in Tibet aimed at manipulating the demography creating a Han Chinese majority. The programme has limited benefits for Tibetan people, who are destined to become further marginalised in their own country and promises rich rewards for the Chinese authorities.
“The railway is a political project, designed to facilitate the move of millions of Chinese settlers into Tibet, enable increased militarisation along the border with India and Pakistan, and allow China easily to transport Tibet’s natural resources to China’s east coast. It is not designed to benefit Tibetans. Bombardier is now a willing participant in this destruction, with its technology enabling an abusive regime to extend its control over Tibet.” said Tenzin Metok Sither of Free Tibet Campaign.
Despite repeated efforts by Free Tibet Campaign and Students for a Free Tibet UK to contact Bombardier, its UK Country Representative, Colin Walton has refused to respond. His PA dismissed all attempts to discuss the issue in a constructive manner. With the delivery due to begin in December 2005, Bombardier have remained very secretive over the entire deal. “It is unclear if, and to what extent British or European employees have been involved in the construction and design of these high-tech carriages and thus becoming complicit in an unethical project. For such a prominent rail company in the UK, which is seeking public support (3), it is vital for them to demonstrate accountability and transparency in all operations.”
Sither further asserted.
Contact:
Students for a Free Tibet UK: Ben Martin 079 4727 6953 or Alice Speller 077
8698 2222
Free Tibet Campaign: Tenzin Metok Sither 077 9878 5943 or Yael Weisz-Rind
077 3339 1773
Notes to Editors:
(1) Further information on Gormo-Lhasa railway project and its implication for Tibet and Tibetan people see:
www.freetibet.org/campaigns/railway and
www.studentsforafreetibet.rog/article.php?list=type&type=62
(2) The Dalai Lama stated that “Some kind of cultural genocide is taking placeŠ`In general, a railway link is very useful in order to develop, but not when politically motivated to bring about demographic change.” taken from a report by John Miller, Associated Press on 11 September 2005.
(3) In recent years Bombardier UK faced major financial and operational difficulties which led to mass redundancy. A public campaign was launched in 2003 pressing the government to award the company with several contracts and financial support.
